We’re unlearning uni to fight degree factories
Counter Course 2019 This is what university management doesn’t tell you This is your no-bullshit guide to Sydney University Organising collectively Fighting discrimination Uniting students and staff
We HELP Sydney University undergraduate students with a range of issues. Our services include:
S R C CAS E WO R K E R S Providing FREE, independent and confidential advice & support on a range of issues faced by students including: academic rights and appeals, show cause, exclusion, misconduct /dishonesty allegations, special consideration, tenancy, Centrelink, financial issues, Tax Help (semester 2) and more...
S R C L E G A L S E R V IC E Solicitors and a registered migration agent provide FREE legal advice, representation in court where relevant, and a referral service. Including: Police & court matters, traffic offences, immigration law, consumer rights, employment law, personal / domestic violence, witness / certify documents, insurance law, visa related matters and more...
E Q U IP M E N T & LOA N S We offer Emergency Loans of $50 and lend out university approved calculators, lab coats and other science equipment
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Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you Find the SRC: Enter from City Rd, down the stairs, near footbridge. Level 1, Wentworth Building (G01), University of Sydney.
Drop-in sessions: No appointment required Tuesdays & Thursdays, 1–3pm
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
Other Campuses: Please call to book a campus visit, p: 9660 5222
Appointments: Please call to make a booking, p: 9660 5222 e: help@src.usyd.edu.au
www.srcusyd.net.au
Table of Contents 1..................................SRC Executives 3................................Interfaith / Uni & Mental Health 4.................................Mental Health Services 5................................International Student Letter 6.................................Honi Soit / Defining The SRC 7..................................SRC Collectives 9..................................Responding To Disclosure 10................................Fight Ramsay / Activism Abroad 11.....................................Pill-Testing 12..................................Disabilities On Campus 13................................Divest USYD / Books Not Bombs 14...................................Dear White People 15...................................Map
CONSENT IS Voluntary Sober Enthusiastic Verbal Non-Coerced Continual Active Honest
Lack Of Consent = Assault PAGE 36
Your SRC Executives PRESIDENT JACKY HE Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) and Commerce, majoring in Construction Management and Accounting. An unconventional engineering student who is particularly interested in politics and business. A huge League of Legends enthusiast but also a passionate social animal. An enigma of a human being that awaits for you to explore more about me.
VICE PRESIDENT DANE LUO Second year Bachelor of Commerce/Laws, majoring in Economics. Hi there! I’m Dane and I’m a huge food and travel enthusiast! I really love holidays, photography and meeting inspiring people. I’m really excited by what the SRC can do for its students and I’m really keen to meet as many students as possible over the next year!
VICE PRESIDENT CAITLYN CHU Third year Civil Engineering, majoring in Structures. Firstly, congratulations to all the new students and look forward to your wonderful life in the University. We are an organization that connects students and the University, in order to serve students. If you have any problems, please find us without any hesitation.
GENERAL SECRETARY NIAMH CALLINAN Fourth year International and Global Studies, majoring in Political Economy and Government and International Relations. An avid triple J listener and new Australian music addict. You’ll find me hiding out in a bookshop or at a local bar trying new cocktails and food. In my spare time, I love to travel and experience anything new and different.
GENERAL SECRETARY YUXUAN YANG Third year Science, majoring in Mathematics and Statistics. I am Yuxuan and I love road trips, come and join us! The SRC is our big family, we want to hear your voice. You will enjoy your fantastic university life and the SRC will always be with you!
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SR C O R I E N TAT I O N H A N D B O O K 2 019
GENERAL EXECUTIVE CHIA-SHUO (ALEXANDER) YANG Fourth year Arts, majoring in Political Economy and Sociology Congratulations to all of you for starting a new journey at the University of Sydney. I know you all will definitely enjoy yourself over here, but don’t forget if you have any problem regarding academic appeals, Centrelink and legal services, please come to the SRC without any hesitation. A safe and fair university is what we want.
GENERAL EXECUTIVE JUMING (VONNIE) LI Third year Commerce and Arts, majoring in Accounting, Finance, Japanese and German. Hi newbies, great to see you getting into one of the best unis in Australia. If you need help or just simply not bothered to deal with something annoying, shoot us a message or take a visit to the SRC office. We will always be there to make your life easier. All the best to your studies and livings here!
GENERAL EXECUTIVE PRUDENCE WILKINS-WHEAT Arts/Laws, majoring in English, 3rd year as of 2019 Hi, my name is Prudence Wilkins-Wheat and I’m a third year Arts/Laws student. I major in English/Film Studies. I got involved in Student Politics because I care greatly about environmentalism and wanted to have some influence over its presence on campus! I think student activism is super important and I encourage new students to get involved. I look forward to the year ahead and working with a brilliant team of people! Welcome to USYD.
GENERAL EXECUTIVE JOSIE A JAKOVAC B Law / B Commerce (Dalyell Scholars) – finance 2) Just wanted to extend a warm welcome to all the new faces joining us this year! My challenge for you in 2019 is to be intentional. Be intentional about the way you spend your time. Be intentional about who you connect with. Strive for deeper conversations, deeper knowledge and deeper self-awareness. USYD can be a hubbub of life, colour and noise. We’re here to help you navigate it. Looking forward to meeting you!
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Interfaith Campus
JULIA KOKIC blesses us with an introduction to USYD’s communities of faith Hey new students of USYD! If you’re a person of faith, or are interested in exploring faith, you have come to the right place. There are plenty of opportunities on campus for people to engage with religious leaders, communities and facilities. Firstly, there is a Multifaith Chaplaincy Centre on our Darlington Campus which has professionals representing many of the major faith communities. These professionals are qualified to administer spiritual support and pastoral care. You are more than welcome to visit. However, some of these professionals require an appointment. For Muslim students, there is an Islamic prayer room in the Old Teachers College along with regular Friday prayers in its Assembly Hall.
Finally, no matter what background you have, religious or irreligious, we strongly support you sharing your ideas and engaging in discourse and debate on campus. Universities are heralded for fostering free speech and discourse, and religious ideas are no exception. Be sure to make friends across different faith groups. Inevitably, your understanding of the world and the different people who inhabit it will be deepened. Your SRC Interfaith Officers are concerned with all of the above and are advocates for your freedom to adhere to your faith at this University. We should strive to promote inter-religious tolerance and understanding as well as fostering a positive environment for people to challenge each other’s truth claims respectfully. Have a wonderful spiritual experience at the University of Sydney.
You can also get connected with your faith community. There are a host of religious clubs and societies on campus, which will welcome you with open arms. University can be a lonely experience, and so making friendships with people who share a similar worldview can really enrich your University experience. Also, be sure to look out for Interfaith events happening this year! Exploration of faith does not have to be limited to the extra-curricular, but can also become part of your studies. The faculty of Arts and Social Sciences offer many subjects which are relevant to faith and ethics including ‘Biblical Studies and Classical Hebrew’, ‘Jewish Civilisation, Thought and Culture’, ‘Arabic Language and Cultures’, ‘Philosophy’ and ‘Studies in Religion’.
University Will Fuck Up Your Mental Health REBECCAH MILLER lays down some cold hard facts about uni This is what they don’t tell you. Completing a modern-day university degree is bad for your mental health. The evidence supports this – over 98% of students will deal with a mental health illness or disability that impacts their studies every year according to the 2016 NUS Welfare survey. The truth is that the psychological stress and effort, the pressure of performing well, the weight of the huge workload - all the while trying to manage work, a social life and all the other tasks of life - is extremely hard. During your university career you are likely to go through at the very least one period of mental instability or illness, sometimes leading people to develop mental illnesses and substance abuse. This is an awful fact, but it’s the truth. This is the result of a capitalist education system – running for profit rather than students, staff and the public good - that needs a complete structural and ideological overhaul. Until that happens, this is what university will be like. But you are not alone. And you are not without hope. Mental illness is as real as any physical illness and deserves the same treatment and attention. Looking after mental well-being should be a priority of any university student, and there are numerous services available on and off campus that can help. Do not be afraid to use the special consideration system and simple extensions for mental health issues. The SRC have 3 dedicated PAGE 3
caseworkers who can help with making special considerations and disability register claims. While they are not counsellors or able to help with psychological issues, they are experts at navigating the archaic university administration system. If you have a persistent mental illness, apply to the disabilities register. This will allow special arrangements to help with coursework or any aspect of university that mental illness is impeding. It is important to remember that these services exist to be used. They are here for you, and you should never feel bad about using them to their full extent.
A strong taboo still exists around mental health and illness and it can be a hard thing to confront, especially for the first time. But it is much better to deal with these issues than to let them fester and worsen. So, welcome to the University of Sydney. Look after yourself. Look after your friends. Look after your mental health. SR C O R I E N TAT I O N H A N D B O O K 2 019
Mental Health Services DANE LUO breaks down crucial services for preserving mental health throughout uni Stepping into University life includes some huge changes and challenges, which can affect your mental health.
THE 2016 NUS WELLBEING REPORT, CONDUCTED ALONGSIDE HEADSPACE, FOUND THAT OVER 98% OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AGED 16 TO 25 HAD EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE SYMPTOM OF A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM WHICH IMPACTED THEIR ABILITY TO STUDY.
HEADSPACE Headspace is a free youth health organisation that provides you with mental health, GP or sexual health services. There are centres located throughout Sydney. The closest centre to the Darlington/Camperdown main campus is at Level 2, 97 Church Street, Camperdown. Give them a call on 9114 4100 or email them at headspace.camperdown@sydney.edu. au. They can sometimes take in-person appointments. Otherwise, you can go for an online chat on eheadspace.org.au. ACCESSING A PSYCHOLOGIST A GP can help you create a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) by completing a mental health assessment (which usually involves answering a short set of questions). From there, they can refer you to a psychologist for help. You may need to book a longer appointment with your GP to facilitate this. For Australian citizens and permanent residents, you can receive a Medicare rebate on 10 individual sessions under your MHCP. If you can find a bulk billing psychologist, you will pay nothing. MAHSOC
Getting the right balance between your studies and other commitments can be tough. Forming good habits individually and establishing a routine will be useful in managing your time and work. It seems obvious, but it is important to eat regularly throughout the day (you will be surprised at how the right foods will help your study!), drink plenty of water and get enough sleep every night.
The Mental Awareness and Health Society (MAHSoc) aims to generate greater awareness of mental health on campus and emphasise the importance of simple conversations and constantly checking in on one another. The society holds frequent events and activities that reinforce the importance of mindfulness, such as breakfasts, group meditations and crafternoons. It also organises lectures and seminars wherein you can hear from specialists in the field of mental health and psychology. While the society is not a substitute for professional help, members are more than happy to chat and assist by pointing you in the right direction.
CAPS The University provides a free Counselling And Psychological Service to all students. The range of support provided includes self-directed resources, workshops, group programs and individual therapy sessions with a clinical psychologist. Some students have found this service helpful and they can refer you to other services that can help. However, there is a limitation of 6 sessions per year. Unfortunately, in some cases, CAPS does not provide documentation for special consideration applications. To get more information or to set up an appointment, call (02) 8627 8433 or email to caps.admin@sydney.edu.au (or cumberland.cs@sydney.edu.au for Cumbo students). URGENT SUPPORT The Mental Health Crisis Line can help you through mental health crises and in situations where you want urgent support. To speak to someone, call 1800 011 511. Lifeline provides connection, compassion and hope for anyone experiencing a personal crisis. You can call 13 11 14 to access 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
SRC The SRC is concerned at the high rates of students experiencing mental health problems. 65% of students have experienced high or very high psychological distress and 35% experienced suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm. According to the Higher Education Standards Framework’s Quality Indicators Survey, USyd is the lowest ranked Group of Eight university for student support services, scoring only 58.7%. The SRC is actively campaigning to remove the caps on the total number of counselling sessions offered to each student per year. PAGE 4
From: Internationals DEAR NEW USYD STUDENT: Glad to see you! We are the international students of the University of Sydney. You might already have met us on campus and you might acquaint with us in classes or societies, but you might not have had a chance to get to know us. Hopefully this letter will introduce us!
experienced staff who can assist undergraduate students at the University of Sydney with issues that affect them, such as dealing with the university administration or tenancy problems, by providing independent advice, advocacy and support.
There are more than 10,000 of us from 152 countries currently studying in the university. Close to 40% of international students are doing their bachelor’s degree. Most of us are from east Asia, and choose business as our degree. We contribute most to the cultural diversity and internationalization of the campus, running societies and holding events across campus during semester. Studying abroad in a foreign country is an exciting and unique experience for an international student. Although overcoming the language barrier, adapting to the new environment and engaging in the community is quite challenging for most of us, we are delighted to study here because our university provides us many opportunities to enrich our campus life. More importantly, when we face problems that we couldn’t solve by ourselves like legal issues surrounding rent and wages when we feel our rights might be violated, we have a professional, reliable and responsible organization to rely on: the university of Sydney Students’ Representative Council. The university of Sydney Students’ Representative Council (SRC), established in 1929, represents all undergraduate students at the university. It’s purpose is to protect the basic rights of Sydney University students during their daily life and study. 33 councilors are elected to the council each year. The SRC provides a wide variety of services for students at the University of Sydney. For instance: SRC CASEWORKER HELP: SRC caseworkers are professional and
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SRC LEGAL SERVICE: Provides free legal advice and representation on most legal matters including immigration advice. SRC publications: The SRC publishes a weekly newspaper, Honi Soit, as well as other student publications such as Counter-Course and Growing Strong, the women’s collective handbook. These services are free, and students can receive the services above through getting in contact with the SRC. Although the SRC can help international students with many issues, there are still many problems to be solved, the urgent one being no fair fare: In NSW, international students do not enjoy travel concession like other full-time university students. The SRC has been working hard on the issue and will continue to do so.
SINCERELY REGARDS, INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
SR C O R I E N TAT I O N H A N D B O O K 2 019
Honi Soit
Get involved in USYD students’ most prestigious publication Since 1929, Honi Soit has been the official newspaper of the University of Sydney. It is the last remaining student-produced weekly newspaper in the country.
the start of semester 1 and 2. You can also write us letters and apply to contribute to us at any time by emailing us at Editors@ Honisoit.com
Alongside the SRC Collectives, Honi also publishes a number of special autonomous editions including Queer Honi, ACAR Honi, Wom*n’s Honi, Disabled Honi and Indigenous Honi.
Every year, Honi is produced by 10 elected editors. In 2019, those editors are Baopu He, Pranay Jha, Karishma Luthria, Nell O’Grady, Jessica Syed, Liam Thorne, Joseph Verity, Carrie Wen, Annie Zhang and Alan Zheng.
The newspaper is free and available every week on stands across campus. As an enduring bastion of campus culture, Honi has a proud reputation for independent, adversarial journalism with a left-wing voice. Within its pages, Honi continues a proud legacy of treating antagonistic institutions with irreverence, opposing the Vietnam War, fighting the perennial Culture Wars and standing up for the rights of the marginalised, disempowered and dispossessed.
Website: honisoit.com/ Facebook: Honi Soit Twitter: @honi_soit Instagram: @honi.soit
We’re also a space to foster campus creativity, whether that be advertising and reviewing events, publishing creative writing, art, photography, podcasts and videos. Honi hosts various events during the academic year, ranging from an opinion competition to themed parties and an annual “Feast of Words”, where attendees are randomly paired and given a menu with conversation starters, inspired by an original idea from Oxford scholar Theodore Zeldin. If you’re a student at the University of Sydney, you can contribute to Honi by applying during our call-out event on Facebook at
How the SRC is Different
God-King and SRC President JACKY HE defines the SRC relative to other campus organisations SRC stands for Student Representatives Council. The name itself explains what SRC does, and its role within the university. STUDENTS We consist of undergraduate students, serve undergraduate students, fight for international students. REPRESENTATIVES Each one of our 33 councillors represent approximately 1000 undergraduate students, and the office-bearers and executives represent undergraduate students in all aspects of university study and life. COUNCIL Each month, all 33 of our councillors would have a council meeting, and all councillors are office-bearers are democratically elected by undergraduate students at the University. The structure of the SRC models that of a governmental council, and is in charge of making important decisions at both a council and a university executive level for undergraduate students.
IN ESSENCE, WE ACT AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN UNIVERSITY EXECUTIVES AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS.
This allows students to have their voices heard by the university, and therefore improve their quality of living and personal rights in Australia. We provide services that address specific issues that confront our undergraduate students.
WE PROVIDE ACTIVISM THAT EMPOWERS THE POSITION OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS NOT ONLY AT THE UNIVERSITY, BUT ALSO INFLUENCES THE FUTURE OF AUSTRALIA FOR OUR STUDENTS. Compared to SUPRA, we only serve and act upon issues relating to undergraduate students. Compared to the USU, we do not run any clubs or societies, but rather we have collectives that act upon different aspects of student life. Our membership does not require a fee (other than if you are participating in an election) - you are automatically a member of SRC as long as you are an undergraduate student enrolled at the University of Sydney.
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Education Action Group
Disabilities Collective & Caregivers Network
University of Sydney Wom*n’s Collective
The Education Action Group (EAG) is an activist collective fighting for students on campus. We meet regularly to plan actions and build for them.
The Disabilities Collective is an autonomous collective for undergraduate students who have a disability as defined by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as “those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”
The University of Sydney Wom*n’s Collective (woco) is an intersectional, feminist, activist group who are most active around issues of sexual assault on campus and abortion rights. We have existed for over 50 years on campus and are committed to continually improving the lives of women and non-binary students. We recognise that all oppression is interconnected and stems from a place of exploitation under an unfair capitalist system. We especially recognise the struggles and resistance of Indigenous women and gender diverse people in fighting back against the colonial structures which have been imposed onto them. We must always prioritise Indigenous voices in our activism and advocacy, and especially those of women and queer people. We strive to work with all intersections of persecuted identities in order to create a better world in which equality is achieved. There is no pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.
Over the last few years the Education Action Group fought with the National Union of Students and student unions around the country against fee deregulation, forcing the government to back down on the policy which would have seen some university degrees costing $100,000. When USYD staff went on strike in 2013 and 2017, students organised through the EAG and stood with them in their fight for fair pay and conditions – because staff working conditions are student learning conditions. This year the EAG will continue fighting for workers rights, especially for international students. We will also be campaigning for international student concession Opal cards as NSW is one of the only states not to provide this. We will also continue on last year’s struggle against Tony Abbott and John Howard’s racist Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation. We will continue to stand with other collective’s campaigns and, as always, the EAG will continue to fight for a completely free, publicly funded and accessible tertiary education.
This includes people with mental, chronic, or terminal illnesses; people who are neurodivergent; people who are blind or partially sighted and people who are D/deaf or hard of hearing, regardless of whether they identify as disabled or as having a disability. The Caregivers Network is an initiative for students who provide substantial informal caregiving support to friends or family members who are disabled. If you’d like to get involved in Disability Inclusion Week, activism, social events, and more, get in touch! You can find our public Facebook page at facebook.com/USYDdis. Contact the 2019 OBs Wilson Huang and Hayden Moon at disabilities.officers@src. usyd.edu.au or fill out the form on our Facebook page to be added to either of our closed Facebook groups.
Woco meets regularly for meetings as well as hosting events throughout semester. Contact us via Facebook (University of Sydney Women’s collective) Instagram or Twitter (@usydwoco).
Like our Facebook page and get involved in the campaigns.
Environment Collective The environmental collective is radical out of necessity. USYD invests $13 million in fossil fuels and has a multimillion dollar research partnership with Rio Tinto - of the world’s largest metals and mining corporations - while our Chancellor is married to a former mining executive. This gives polluting industries the social licence to operate while we have only 11 years to limit climate change catastrophe. Their impacts on Indigenous sovereignty and working class people are highlighted in our mid-sem road trips to rural communities in NSW. This builds networks, involving members in grassroots campaigns. The collective also subsidises students to go to the Adani blockade among other campaigns. The Enviro Collective holds weekly meetings, social events, and is active, working to ensure the University is environmentally conscious, ethical and has a long-term sustainability agenda. It is an amazing opportunity for involvement in environmental and PAGE 7
social issues with campus groups like Fossil Free USyd and Waste Fighters, and groups off campus, with strong focus on Indigenous sovereignty. In July 2019, Sydney is hosting Students of Sustainability, organised by the Australian Student Environment Network (ASEN). This annual convergence sees hundreds of activists come together to learn and generate ideas. Like our Facebook page to stay in touch and get involved! SR C O R I E N TAT I O N H A N D B O O K 2 019
USYD SRC Indigenous Collective
Autonomous Queer Collective Action Against Collective Racism
The Indigenous Collective is an inclusive, culturally safe and welcoming space for all students who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. We stand by the idea that no matter how much milk, honey or sugar you add to tea, it’s still tea.
The Autonomous Collective Against Racism is the SRC’s principal collective for antiracist organising on campus. ACAR stands principally in opposition to racism, colonialism, imperialism and all other forms of oppression. As an identity-based collective, membership is autonomous, meaning that it is restricted exclusively to people of colour. This doesn’t preclude white people from getting involved with our work! In fact, we actively encourage those who benefit from white supremacy to help out with the various campaigns and events that we’ll run throughout the year. In the spirit of intersectionality, many of these will be run collaboratively with other identity-based collectives.
Akala and Thomas will be the office bearers for the 2019 Indigenous Collective, and look forward to meeting and getting to know all the new and existing Indigenous students at the University of Sydney. The Collective is here to support and guide all Indigenous students as they navigate University life. We are here to listen to your issues and ideas, give advice and support as well as be that extra helping hand and friendly face around campus – anything we can’t solve directly, we know where to find help and will be there with you until it is solved. In 2019, we are striving to create an environment on campus that promotes Indigenous voices and creates action through a holistic Indigenous presence on campus across all disciplines, ages, origins and perspectives. We look forward to running multiple event throughout the year both within the University as well as in the local community ranging from Indigenous performances, sporting events and inviting Indigenous elders to campus to pass down their experiences. We look forward to continually amplify Indigenous voices and work towards creating a campus that is cultural aware, competent and engaging.
In 2019, we aim to organise around issues relating to people of colour both on and off campus including Aboriginal justice, refugees, rights for international students and international solidarity actions (i.e. Palestine). Importantly, we will continue with the Education Action Group’s ‘Keep Ramsay Out of Usyd’ campaign and oppose the Ramsay Centre’s proposed racist Bachelor of Western Civilisation. The current convenors of the collective are Emily Kim, Himath Siriniwasa, Swapnik Sanagavarapu and Mahek Rawal. You can find us on social media at:
The USYD Queer Action Collective (QuAC) is a politically active collective which runs campaigns against all kinds of oppression related to the discrimination of LGBTQ+ people. We recognise the history of radical resistance which runs through the history of Australia as invasion defines it and aspire to be another thread in the vast tapestry of the oppressed and exploited joining one another to reclaim what has been taken. Previously the collective has engaged with campaigns such as the Safe Schools program, the Manus refugee crisis and campaigns against sexual assault. The collective plans to take action around ongoing discrimination against LGBTQ+ people at universities, rampant transphobia and fascists the whole wide world around. Our aims are to continue a safe, politically engaged collective for queer students at USYD, present and future. We hold weekly meetings during which we collectively decide how we can best operate to support our comrades and achieve our own goals. For more info contact: Email: quacsyduni@gmail.com Twitter: @USYDQuac And we’re on Facebook too.
Facebook page: facebook.com/usydacar/ Facebook group: facebook.com/ groups/1915985238451699/
- Akala Newman (Wiradjuri) and Thomas Harrington (Bundjalung), 2019 Indigenous Office Bearers
Below: Disability Collective & Caregivers NW
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How To Respond To A Disclosure Of Sexual Assault øõþ ăÿýõÿþõ ăñĉă Ąøõĉ øñĆõ òõõþ ăõĈąñüüĉ ñăăñąüĄõô͛ Ąøõ öùĂ㥠ĂõăĀÿþăõ óñþ ôõöùþõ ĄøõùĂ øõñüùþ÷ ĀĂÿóõăă ñþô ÷ĂõñĄüĉ ùýĀñóĄ Ąøõý öÿüüÿćùþ÷ ĄøõùĂ ñăăñąüĄ͞ "ÿąĂ Ăÿüõ ñă ñ ăąĀĀÿĂĄõĂ ùă óĂùĄùóñü͞
ĂõăĀÿþăõ ćøùóø ùă ăąĀĀÿĂĄùĆõ͛ þÿþ͠òüñýùþ÷ ñþô óÿýĀñăăùÿþñĄõ ćùüü øõüĀ Ąøõ ĀõĂăÿþ öõõü üùûõ Ąøõĉ øñĆõ óøÿăõþ Ąøõ Ăù÷øĄ ĀõĂăÿþ Ąÿ ăĀõñû ćùĄø͞ Ąÿ òõ Ąøõ ĀõĂăÿþ ăÿýõÿþõ óøÿÿăõă Ąÿ Ąõüü Ąøõ ýÿ㥠ñćöąü ăĄÿĂĉ ÿö ĄøõùĂ üùöõ ùă ñ ĆõĂĉ øÿþÿąĂñòüõ Āüñóõ Ąÿ òõ͞ ùĄ ùă ñüăÿ ñ Āüñóõ ÿö ÷ĂõñĄ ĂõăĀÿþăùòùüùĄĉ͞ õüÿć ñĂõ ăÿýõ õĈñýĀüõă ÿö ùýĀÿĂĄñþĄ Ąøùþ÷ă Ąÿ ôÿ ñþô ăñĉ Ąÿ ăÿýõÿþõ ćøÿ Ąõüüă ĉÿą Ąøõĉ øñĆõ òõõþ ăõĈąñüüĉ ñăăñąüĄõô͞
Three Key Things To Say:
This Is Heard As:
• What happened was a crime.
• This is not your fault
• I will do what i can to help.
• You are not alone.
• I'm sorry for what happened.
Do: • • • • •
Listen to the story. Let them express how they feel. Let them cry. Encourage them. Not worry if parts of the story don't add up. • Tell them you are sorry for what happened • Explain what you can do.
If The Sexual Assault Was Recent:
• Consider options for preserving
forensic evidence. • Help the person to access counselling and medical services. • Assist them to consider reporting to police.
• I believe you.
Do Not:
• Tell them what to do or try to take over. • Ask them "why" questions: why they were
there, why they trusted them. Why questions are blame questions. • Get angry on their behalf. They already have enough to deal with without worrying about you. • Assume you know how they feel. Everyone experiences sexual assault differently.
But Remember! The decision about what to do is always with the person who has experienced sexual assault.
All information provided is from Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia. Call the NSW Rape Crisis from R&DVSA. P AHotline G E 162 7 at 1800 424 017 to have direct access to trauma specialist councillors SR C O R I E N TAT I O N H A N D B O O K 2 019 Artwork by Amelia Mertha.
Fight The Ramsay Centre
MADDIE POWELL details students’ fight against The Ramsay Centre For Western Civilisation For undergrads checking out USyd’s official website, the university has a promising message: “the world is changing, and university education needs to change too.” The world certainly is changing. The right are on the rise globally, and Australia is playing catch-up. The virulent, racist rhetoric of both major parties is fuel for far-right street movements and their friends in parliament. The response of the University to this “changing world” has been to enter negotiations with chauvinistic think tank the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation, headed by board members such as Tony Abbott and John Howard.
seeks to defend ‘western values’ at all costs, whether that be one million dead Iraqis or $168 billion on levelling Vietnam. The Centre was turned away by ANU due to fears around academic freedom, thanks to comments such as CEO Simon Haine’s assurance that “we would not be willing to hire somebody … with a long liturgy of what terrible damage Western civilisation has done to the world” in other words, someone keen to investigate the whole truth. USyd’s furtive pursuit of the deal is reflective of management’s hunger to pump up its investment portfolio no matter what rank bedfellows this leads to - as revealed by activists from #DisarmUnis and the Books Not Bombs campaign. Even with these million-dollar deals, proponents of the centre continue to pose as humble heroes fighting the ‘anti-west’ bias in society - Tony Abbott notes that the degree will push against universities “pervaded by Asian, Indigenous and sustainability perspectives.” Management has been met by a fierce fight from the Education Action Group on campus, uniting students and staff. Last year our campaign of speak-outs, meetings and protests drew hundreds of activists, shone media spotlight on the deal and caused Michael Spence and the Ramsay Centre to backpedal on several fronts.
The idea of a Bachelor of Western Civilisation may seem puzzling - students at USyd are not starved for the work of western academics. But the Centre is not about innocent evaluation of Plato or Nietzche - it’s about purposeful obfuscation of the whole truth of western civilisation. It’s about hiding imperial conquest, genocide and militarism, or painting them as justified. The Ramsay Centre
There’s still work to be done, though - Ramsay has not been defeated at USYD and has been emboldened by its recent deal at UOW. Join the Education Action Group to fight for academic freedom and stand against racism on campus!
Student Activism Abroad JACK MANSELL draws inspiration from student struggles overseas The outcome of history is determined, not by fate, but by the actions of human beings. We do not get to choose our battlegrounds, but we can decide our response. In hindsight, progress may seem a result of the inevitable forward march of history. But this is not so. Everything we have won has come from struggle, and struggle again is the answer to the horrors of today. Climate catastrophe, the beating drums of war, and jackbooted fascist thugs now rear their ugly heads, and for the vast majority will spell suffering and bloodshed. It is up to us to act. When we fight together, students have power. Time and time again, students have provided energy and irreverence, electrifying struggles in broader society and inspiring workers and the oppressed to stand up. We can and must be that spark again.
Fight like young migrant students and workers who faced down fascists at Lewisham in 1977, sweeping them to the margins. Fight like the hundreds of thousands of Quebecois students, who in 2012 smashed the government’s anti-protest laws and defeated major attacks on universities. Like them, we are faced with the choice; fight, or resign ourselves to certain defeat. Looking to our past, learning from those victories, is a vital first step. But if our power is to be realised, we must act. The threat for the majority is getting more extreme. In response we must be organised, stubborn, and ready to fight back. High schoolers have led the way with their strike against climate change. We must join them and escalate at the second strike on March 15.
Disgruntled conversations over a beer, Honi Soit op-eds, and Counter Course articles alone will not suffice. The question must be asked: what is to be done? History answers our call. We must organise and fight. Fight like black students at Greensboro in 1960, defying cops and Klan to break the back of Jim Crow and energising civil rights. Fight like South African students, who stared down snarling guns and barbed wire segregation to lead and sustain the victorious struggle against apartheid. Fight like students from Sydney to Hanoi to Berkeley, who in 1973 helped bring the US war machine to a grinding halt. PAGE 10
Time For Pill-Testing
FELIX FABER outlines what pill testing is, how to access it, and harm minimisation politics WHAT IS PILL TESTING? Pill-testing is an element of the broader drug policy of harm minimisation, which aims to make drug-taking as safe as possible by minimising the risks of drug use . Supporters of harm minimisation recognise the basic reality that, no matter how strict the policy, people will continue to take drugs. So rather than trying to eliminate all drug usage, limiting the possible dangers of taking drugs should be the main priority.
com has kits to test for the presence and purity of a number of drugs. If you don’t want to purchase online, there are a number of options closer to the university. The Happy Herb store on King Street sells testing kits, as does Off Ya Tree in Darlinghurst and TSG Tobacconists throughout the city. HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN: The unfortunate reality of drug use is that even using reagent testing kits, drug users are exposed to risk. The most effective possible way to test drugs is with professional pill testing services. Where they have been given scope to operate, these services have been proven to be greatly effective. A pill-testing trial at Groovin’ The Moo tested 85 substances, finding lethal substances in several. Unfortunately, despite the success of pill-testing both in Australia and overseas, politicians still fail to take the necessary steps to keep young people safe. Legal pill-testing services rely on the willingness of police to offer amnesty to those making use of the services. Instead of making sure this protection is offered, politicians continue to deflect responsibility.
Pill-testing takes place in a number of ways and settings, the common aim being to identify possibly dangerous chemicals in the drugs people take. Ideally, pill-testing should be done by professionals with advanced equipment. The most commonly used by ordinary drug users, however, is done with reagent pilltesting kits such as the Marquis reagent test. These are available at a number of outlets, test for a number of drugs and are pretty easy to use - though far less precise than professional pill-testing services. WHY PILL TEST? Pill-testing is essential for safe drug usage. Drugs such as MDMA are often cut with less safe substances to save on cost, and it’s always better to know exactly what you’re dealing with. Some testing kits also test for purity, which can be incredibly important in preventing overdose. While it is impossible to eliminate all the risks inherent in drug usage, it is possible to minimise them by knowing what substances are in the drugs you’re taking and in what amount. Testing your pills can make the difference between life-or-death. HOW TO PILL-TEST WITH AN EZ-TEST MARQUIS REAGENT TUBE
When two people died due to drug overdoses at DEFQON, Liberal Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s response was to ban the festival outright, rather than considering the possibility of pill testing. However, the fight for easily accessible, legal pill-testing is seeing success: at the beginning of this year, Premier Berejiklian softened her stance, saying the government would ‘consider’ pill testing if given evidence it would save lives. Students across the country are coming together to make their voices heard on this issue through the ‘Be Heard, Not Harmed’ campaign, run by DanceWize and Students for Sensible Drug Policy. If you’d like to get involved in the campaign to make pill-testing legal, sign the petition at https://www.beheardnotharmed.com/, and like the SSDP USYD Facebook page to see what events are planned on campus.
Note: there are a wide variety of pill-testing kits available on the market, each of which can be used differently; this is simply a guide for one of the more commonly available single-use kits. Follow the instructions that come with your testing-kit. 1. Scrape a small amount of your pill into the test tube. 2. Gently shake to ensure that your pill sample is incorporated. 3. Compare the colour of the test substance to the key that comes with the test. WHERE TO BUY TESTING KITS Reagent testing kits are completely legal, and there are plenty of options to buy them in Sydney. You can purchase your kits online through a few outlets; https://ez-test.com.au has a good variety of single-use kits. If you want kits you can re-use, https://testkitplus. PA G E 11
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Disabilities On Campus
USYD SRC Disability Officers WILSON HUANG and HAYDEN MOON educate us on disability The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) describes people with disabilities as “those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”
THIS INCLUDES PEOPLE WITH MENTAL, CHRONIC, OR TERMINAL ILLNESSES; PEOPLE WHO ARE NEURODIVERGENT; PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR PARTIALLY SIGHTED; AND PEOPLE WHO ARE D/DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY IDENTIFY AS DISABLED OR AS HAVING A DISABILITY. According to the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) in 2015, 4.3 million people in Australia (18.3%) reported living with disability with an additional 22.1% having a long-term health condition but without any limitations on everyday activities.
Collective is autonomous to students with disability. It is a collective of the University of Sydney Students’ Representative Council (SRC). The core tenets of the SRC are activism, advocacy, and representation. The Caregivers Network is an initiative for students who provide substantial informal caregiving support to friends or family members who are disabled. If you’d like to get involved in Disability Inclusion Week, activism, social events, and more, get in touch! You can find our public Facebook page at facebook.com/USYDdis. Contact the 2019 OBs Wilson Huang and Hayden Moon at disabilities.officers@src.usyd. edu.au or fill out the form on our Facebook page to be added to either of our closed Facebook groups.
This figure is higher in marginalised communities, due to factors such as lack of access to healthcare, minority stress, socioeconomic conditions, and intergenerational trauma. According to the SDAC, almost 1 in 4 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in households reported living with a disability. In 2006, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimated depending on criteria used that 44-55% of Indigenous people in non-remote areas were affected by disability. LGBTQIA+ people also experience disproportionate levels of disability. The Disability Discrimination Act (1992) and the Disability Standards for Education (2005) enshrine in law the right of disabled students to access education and training “on the same basis” as non-disabled students. You have the right to: •
use an assistive device or mobility aid
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be accompanied by a carer, interpreter, reader, or assistant
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be accompanied by a guide or hearing dog or other trained assistant animal
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access reasonable adjustments for lectures, tutorials, and assessments so that you are not disadvantaged by your disability
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access lecture materials in a format that you can understand
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seek redress for abuse or harassment on the basis of disability
Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the DDA, and violations of the DDA are difficult to prosecute. Unlike other anti-discrimination legislation, the DDA has a clause for “unjustifiable hardship”, meaning that people and companies can be given an exception to discriminate in cases where not discriminating would result in “unjustifiable hardship”, such as high expense. Heritage-listed buildings are not exempt from the law, but heritage listing may be taken as supporting evidence for an argument of unjustifiable hardship.
IF YOU EXPERIENCE ABLEIST DISCRIMINATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, YOU MAY FIND IT USEFUL TO CONSULT WITH THE SRC LEGAL SERVICE. The SRC legal service provides students with free legal advice, representation in court where relevant, and a referral service. SRC Disabilities Collective: The University of Sydney Disabilities
Disability Services is the main point of contact for accessing disability accommodations during your study. Some of the accommodations they can arrange include: •
Alternative formatting, access to assistive technology, lecture support and library services
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Assessment and exam adjustments, including extra time, smaller exam rooms, use of a computer
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Timetable adjustments, including making sure that your lectures are close together, close to bus stops, or held in buildings that have wheelchair accessibility or hearing loops
SUPRA currently coordinates 6 networks for postgraduate students. One of these is the Network for Postgraduates Living with a Disability. Contact SUPRA’s Disabilities Officer at disability@ supra.usyd.edu.au. The Sign Language Society (SIGNSOC) group organises Auslan social events, screenings of captioned/signed films and beginner classes on Auslan and Deaf community and culture. You can find them on facebook under Usyd SignSoc. The Mental Awareness and Health Society aims to generate greater awareness of mental health on campus and emphasise the importance of simple conversations and constantly checking in on one another. You can find them on Facebook under MAHSOC. Each year, the University’s Disability Inclusion Week brings pupils and staff together to learn more about the experiences of people who live with disability, and to celebrate diversity. CONTACT DISABILITY SERVICES: Phone: +61 2 8627 5067 Email: disability.services@sydney.edu.au Fax: + 61 2 8627 8482 Address: Level 5 Jane Foss Russell Building G02 (lift access) Opening hours: 9am to 4.30pm Mon-Fri PAG E 12
USYD Must Divest
ALEX VAUGHAN lambasts USYD’s weak fossil fuel divestment strategy In 2015, the University of Sydney announced that it would reduce the carbon footprint of their $413 million investment portfolio by 20% within three years. Despite the University successfully meeting its reduction targets, it is not leading the way in emission reductions, or fostering a long-term sustainability agenda. As of June 2017, the University still had $13 million invested in fossil fuel companies such as BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and AGL.
University generated 0.005% of their energy with renewables on campus. They are yet to announce a PPA with a renewable energy producer and retailer. It is extremely likely that the energy consumed to power the university is from coal-fired power stations, as the University was responsible for nearly 100,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions in 2017 (as per their annual report).
A 20% reduction sounds very positive, but this policy warrants further scrutiny. Carbon reduction investment strategies are complicated and not necessarily effective in reducing emissions. These low carbon strategies may simply shift the University’s investments from companies which burn coal and gas, to companies which extract or transport fossil fuels as they have a substantially lower carbon footprint.
The University of Sydney’s carbon footprint reduction strategy demands critical examination. It is a tactic being used widely by institutions and corporations globally. The University’s whole portfolio approach ignores its responsibility to pressure the energy sector to transition quickly and justly towards a renewable energy future. Low impact gestures which maintain the status quo cannot be accepted. Fossil fuels need to stay in the ground. The University of Sydney must show leadership and take positive action towards a renewable energy future. How will Sydney University be judged, as a forward-looking leader or as a conservative institution tied to the regressive practices of the past?
A MANUFACTURER OF SOLAR PANELS OR WIND TURBINES MAY BE CONSIDERED CARBON INTENSIVE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO INVESTMENT BEING WITHDRAWN. It is flawed logic that the emissions-free potential of renewable energy could be ignored and this money could be re-invested into a company which transports coal in the name of carbon reductions. In other areas, the University of Sydney is falling behind other Universities. At the beginning of 2018, UNSW signed a new power-purchase agreement (PPA) becoming 100% renewable energy powered in 2019, additionally, UTS will be powered by more than 50% renewable energy through a similar PPA. In 2017, Sydney
Books Not Bombs
MADDIE CLARK overviews the campaign to fund education instead of militarism International is famous for its development of cluster bombs that were used in the Vietnam War and have since killed twenty-thousand people. They also provide the engine for the MQ-9 drone, the world’s deadliest UAV, which is responsible for civilian deaths in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia. USYD’s ties with the industries of death don’t stop there. Notably, its Chancellor Belinda Hutchinson is also the chairperson of Thales Australia. Thales is a weapons manufacturer with a $1.6b contract with Israeli arms company Elbit - which funds drone attacks on Palestinians in Gaza to claim its products are “field tested”. In 2017 USYD signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Thales: “to work closely together over the next five years to develop new technologies”. One of the major campaigns the USYD SRC began in 2018 was the “Books not Bombs” campaign aimed at revealing and ending the deplorable ties between Sydney University and arms manufacturers. Although USYD is happy to be seen as progressive by prospective students, it is one of the major unis profiting from the Australian “defense” industry. In 2018 USYD, and 6 other unis founded a defense research network with $1.25m of state funding, as part of ex-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s 2017 $3.8b handouts to weapons manufacturers to make Australia a top ten exporter of weapons. But that’s just the beginning. In 2016 USYD spent $15,000 on short term investments and $4m in long term investments with arms dealers. One such arms dealer is Honeywell International, which received $3.4m. Honeywell PAG E 13
OVERALL, THE UNI PLANS TO INCREASE ITS LINKS WITH ARMS MANUFACTURERS BY 81% OVER THE NEXT DECADE, AT A COST OF $29.9B. Our education shouldn’t be used to aid and abet the war industry and Australia’s violent imperialism. That’s why we plan to continue the “Books not Bombs” campaign in 2019. From protesting the Ramsay Centre to putting out articles uncovering USYD’s links with weapons companies, the SRC will put uni management under pressure from students to answer for their backroom deals. You can be sure that as long as USYD is run by corporate bloodsucking capitalists, its students will continue to fight for free, accessible and ethical education. SR C O R I E N TAT I O N H A N D B O O K 2 019
Dear White People
SWAPNIK SANAGAVARAPU’s guide to understanding you POC friends at uni The University of Sydney stands atop the stolen lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. This author recognises that the University is illegitimately occupying land on which sovereignty was never ceded. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land. Uni is a place to broaden your horizons, or so I’m told. For many of us, entering university represents an opportunity to break out of our insular social and cultural bubbles. For many more of us, it slowly descends into a torturous hellscape which will make us question why we ever decided to get an education. In any case, it’s worth knowing that there are in fact some redeeming factors to the university experience. One of these redeeming experiences is the ability to make friends and meet new people.
FOR WHITE PEOPLE, THIS CAN BE YOUR CHANCE TO ‘BRANCH OUT’ (A COMMON WHITE IDIOM I’M TOLD) AND EXPERIENCE VARIOUS EXOTIC CULTURES THROUGH THE POWER OF NETWORKING. But for those of us fortunate enough to tolerate spicy food, making friends at uni is often a testing and painful endeavour. As a little aside, surely it doesn’t take 3 weeks to learn how to pronounce my name. It’s phonetic as fuck. If you come from a suburb with the word ‘Point’ in it, this guide is for you - so that you have a little less difficulty finding that one token brown friend. Hopefully you will read this and become slightly more self-aware, and less of an annoying prick. Just remember, it’s ok to be white ( just kidding).
1. WHEN YOUR POC FRIENDS RANT ABOUT RACISM, DON’T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but white people have an uncanny knack for doing and saying hurtful things. If you haven’t done anything wrong, there’s no need to proclaim that “not all white people are bad”. Unless you’re a racist, in which case please do take it personally. Please personally shut the fuck up and never speak again.
take this opportunity to remind our readers that blonde hair gets mouldy in dreads. I’d also like to remind our readers that coming back from a beach holiday, showing me your arm and telling me that “we’re almost the same colour” hasn’t been funny since primary school. Tanning is skin cells in trauma. Cultural appropriation, much like Europe before the advent of colonialism, is a health hazard.
4. PERFORMATIVE ALLYSHIP IS NOT AN IDENTITY. Plenty of white people have dedicated their lives to heroic antiracist, anti-colonial and progressive causes. Incredulously telling me about the mildly racist thing your uncle said on the weekend and following it up with a misuse of the word “microaggression” is not the same thing. Voting Labor also does not make you an expert on critical race theory. Donating $3 to World Vision a month is not the path to decolonisation and an end to the systematic plunder of the Global South. Telling racists that multiculturalism is good because of the Mongolian Beef you ate last week is not praxis. Finally, to all white women. Neither crossing the road when you see a hijabi, nor wearing one out of so-called “solidarity” is not the correct response to the appalling treatment of Muslim women in Australia.
5. I’M SORRY YOUR PARENTS DON’T LOVE YOU, BUT MAYBE DON’T GET ANGRY WHEN MY MUM DOESN’T LET US DO KETAMINE IN MY BACKYARD. As strange as it may seem, a lifetime of hardship borne out of moving to an unfamiliar and deeply hostile society makes my parents have expectations and standards. Just a suggestion - the racist police state which regularly murders Aboriginal people is perhaps slightly worse than my mum wanting me home before 4am. These 5 dot points are by no means exhaustive. White nonsense requires an encyclopaedia worth of space to cover, and maybe that can be my honours thesis. Hopefully this guide will allow you to be a GoodWhitePerson™. If it doesn’t, well, fuck you that’s not my problem.
2. DON’T TELL ME REVERSE RACISM IS REAL. I’m a racism connoisseur. I know how to distinguish every type of racism known to man. In all my years of thorough investigation, I have yet to find one case of reverse racism. You having a bad day, or one kid being mean to you when you were 13 months old doesn’t invalidate the historical and systemic realities of colonialism, white supremacy and racialised violence. If you want to get mad about not having a top lip, blame genetics. Also, being Italian does not make you a POC.
3. CULTURAL APPROPRIATION, UNLIKE REVERSE RACISM AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, IS REAL. Feel free to enjoy rap music, anime, Bollywood movies, algebra, modern medicine, AFL and a plethora of other things created by people of colour. But turning them into a personality trait and claiming as your own is maybe, perhaps not so great. I’d like to
On the next page is a map. Turn over the book and begin from the other end to read the Orientation handbook and learn about the SRCs services and read the faculty guides. PAG E 14
Queer Space
Ralph's Cafe
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Courtyard Cafe
Ethnocultural Space Manning
Fisher Coffee Cart
Taste Cafe
Carslaw Cafe
SRC
International Student Lounge Wentworth Food Court, Laneway Cafe, Parma, Hermann’s
Boardwalk Cafe
ABS Cafe
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