Edition 6 | 2015

The Voice EDITION Six

revis

ion

reconciliation dinner Valedictory dinner red shield appeal teas for the warmer months The best of #rmcsa15 THE CASE OF THE KRIPSY KREMES

HOW CAN I ‘REVISE’ WHEN I HAVEN’T EVEN DONE ‘VISE’ IN THE FIRST PLACE!?

Exam weeks are the two weeks of the semester were you live your life as a zombie. You dread the fact you have to wake up each morning just to study a whole semester’s work in a few days then to go to bed and do it all again the next day. We can’t lie to you, this is bias post by us - we’re not the biggest fan of exams.

I live in a little area called Macquarie Park, where I walk to the shop to get milk if it’s not raining, sometimes I will go to the gym if I’m forced to and feel like walking to the other-side of the uni. Otherwise, you’ll find me in the tute rooms or sometimes I don’t even leave my room - unless it’s supper - that’s the only exception. I am a college student.

And after this is all done, I’m going to have a well-deserved break with home-cooking, sleep-ins and not going to the gym - oh how I love a good winter break.

Ciao for now! Enjoy your winter break and see you next semester amigos!

Jack + Ivana

THEVOICE 1

Reconciliation Dinner 26 May 2015

“It is important that we got to share some of our history with the students, that’s how we are going to move forward with reconciliation” Lexodious Dadd- Elder in Residence at Macquarie University

This year, National Reconciliation Week was celebrated across Australia between the 27 May and the 3 June. These dates are of significant importance for the reconciliation journey as they are the anniversaries of the successful 1967 referendum and the Mabo Case.

This week is a time for all of us to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how each of us can join the national reconciliation effort. (Source: reconciliation.org.au) On the 26 May on the eve of reconciliation week, Robert Menzies College held a dinner in support of reconciliation and to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements.

We welcomed a wonderful speaker, the honoured guest and elder – Uncle Lex, a Darug man of the Cannemegal clan. He is the Elder in Residence of Macquarie University’s Warawara (Department of Indigenous Studies). Lex began the dinner with a signature Welcome to Country, discussing the importance of respect for the boundaries of others. Later in the night, our guest speaker talked to us about the sad history of conflict between Aboriginal people and European invaders, emphasising the lasting harm and damage done to indigenous Australians and their ongoing sense of loss. His take home message revolved around sharing, taking care of each other, and respecting our Earth and the way it provides for us.

RMC has developed a Reconciliation Action Plan specific to our college. This plan is essentially a list of goals that we will strive to reach as a community. They include exposing our staff and members to the knowledge and perspectives of Aboriginal peoples, more specifically the traditions of local Aboriginal people in our community. We also provide a half-scholarship to support an Aboriginal student wishing to reside at college, and in this way we facilitate those relationships directly.

At the dinner the Master, Bruce Pollard, presented to the college a framed copy of the National Apology made by Kevin Rudd in 2008. The apology will be displayed in the Dining Room alongside the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.

In the end, we as a college have a responsibility to make all our residents feel welcome and represented in our community. This Reconciliation Action Plan is just one way we hope to accomplish that.

Reconciliation Dinner on National Sorry Day

By Simon Massey I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are meeting on Aboriginal land of the Dharug people. I would like to pay my respect to Elders past, present and future. I would also like to add my thanks to Paul for the insights that Uncle Lex shared.

I’m a non-Aboriginal Australian born on Gamilaroi country in North West NSW.

I often hear people ask the question – why did we have to apologise for something that I had nothing to do with? Why do I have to recognise National Sorry Day? Today is not about you. It is about us.

Today is about the countless wrongs and abuses committed against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since the invasion of Australia. For generations, Aboriginal people were removed from their families, denied citizenship rights in their own country, banned from travelling freely, punished for speaking in Aboriginal languages and denied access to education and health care. And remember, this is Australia that we’re talking about – not a news report about a distant country.

You would be aware of the term “Stolen Generations”, which refers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who were forcibly removed from their families as children, by government, welfare or church authorities and placed into institutional care or with non-Indigenous foster families. The famous “Bringing them home” report found that between one in three and one in ten Aboriginal children were removed from their families as a result of government policy. So have a look around at your table – maybe two of you would have been taken away from your parents. What would this have meant for you?

These events didn’t happen that long ago and the multiple effects of these traumas continue to play out in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people today.

“My hope is that we as a nation can break down the silos between races, break down those stereotypes of minority populations… I hope we can be proud of our heritage regardless of the colour of our skin and be proud to be an Australian”

Today is about officially acknowledging the First Australians and recognising the unspeakable tragedies inflicted.

Today is also an opportunity to reflect on the process of healing and reconciliation. 2015 is the 50th anniversary of The Freedom Rides, a campaign for the rights for Aboriginal peoples. Led by the late Charles Perkins, a group of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students from the University of Sydney, not too dissimilar from yourselves, travelled around towns on a bus to expose discrimination, rally people against the injustice of segregation and give a voice to Aboriginal peoples. The Freedom Rides served as an inspiration for the 1967 Referendum, where Australia overwhelmingly voted to allow Aboriginal people to enjoy the same rights and protections as all other Australians.

So as a group of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students, sitting at Macquarie University in 2015, what can we do to promote reconciliation? Firstly, we need to recognise the importance of the relationship between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal people. A recent publication by Reconciliation Australia found that 87% of Aboriginal people believed that the relationship between Aboriginal Australians and other Australians was very important for Australia as a nation. However, only 46% of the general population saw the relationship as very important.

The statistic was significantly lower again for young people. Today, I stand here and say that I value the relationship, and I ask that you would join me.

THE RED SHIELD APPEAL

Saturday 28 May 2015

#1 Tip - bring a water bottle (Otherwise you'll have to drink from a tap in a park.

THEVOICE 4

Saturday, 30th May 2015

Dear Diary, Today I went with some of my friends from R MC and helped with the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal Doorknock event. Basically we went out in groups and knocked on people’s front doors asking for donations. It was a lot of fun and it felt good to be helping others who are less fortunate through the money that was donated. Along the way we met some really nice people, but I do have to say that there are some kooky people in this world.

One group called themselves ‘Team Bad Blood’ and gave names to all the people in the group - ‘Cold Heart’, ‘Jasmin Flower’, ‘Jack Frost’ and ‘Long Bean’. That was such a good idea. I wish my group had done that.

Tuesday, 9th June 2015

Dear Diary, Remember how I told you I took part in the Red Shield Appeal the other week? Welllllll I just found out from Paul that R MC raised $1953 on the day!!! DLC only raised $439. Plus we had more people get involved than they did. We had 30 people show up, they only had 6.

We might not beat them in a lot of things (except the dance off!!!), but I’m glad we beat them in something that benefits so many people.

Altogether, roughly $4.8 Million was raised across the weekend - and that isn’t even the final total, figures are still being tallied from some areas. NSW led the way with around $2.2 million. The closest state to us was Victoria, which raised $1.2 million.

Anyways Diary, I’ll catch ya later. I finished my exams today - you know what that means. RANCH!

THEVOICE 5

Semester 1 Valedictory Dinner

Tea time!

PlenTea of Plants While the term tea encompasses many different types of beverage, it originally referred to drinks solely brewed from leaves of the Camellia sinensis, an evergreen native to Asia. Camellia sinensis mainly grows in tropical or subtropical climates, although some varieties can handle marine climates (a bit like goldilocks - not too hot and not too cold). Tea plants generally like acidic soil and require around 130 cm of rain a year. Two main types of Camellia sinensis are used - the varieties known as sinensis and assamica.

Sinensis is used in most Chinese and Japanese teas. Assamica is used in most Indian teas as well as Pu-erh (a dark tea consumed in the Yunnan province of China). Leaf size is used to classify the teas; Assam types have the largest leaf, Cambodian type have intermediate leaves and China type have the smallest leaves.

Typically, a tea plant can grow as tall as 16 m high - but tea plants grown for cultivation are kept short to aid in harvest. Shorter plants also sprout more shoots which helps increase the quality of tea.

VarieTea Tea is generally categorised by the way it is processed. The 6 main types of processing are; White - Wilted and unoxidised Green - Unwilted and unoxidised Post-Fermented - Green tea which has fermented Yellow - Unwilted and unoxidised (left to yellow in colour) Oolong - Bruised, wilted and partially oxidised Black - Wilted and fully oxidised After a tea leaf is harvested, it will start to wilt and oxidise. Enzymes in the leaf will trigger an enzymatic oxidation. This process turns the leaf darker as chlorophyll inside the leaf breaks down and tannins are released. This process can be stopped by heating - which stops the enzymes. The production of tea has to be carefully maintained, as moulds and bacteria can form on the leaves if moisture and temperature are not controlled.

PopulariTea Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, after water. Over 20 million cups of tea are brewed a day in Australia alone. On average, Irish people consume 4 cups of tea per day. In 2013, over 10 cups of Turkish Tea (a black tea made without milk) per capita, are consumed in Turkey everyday. In America, 80% of the tea they drink is iced tea. Nearly 2 kgs of tea are consumed annually by the average person in the UK.

THEVOICE 8

Our favourite teas to warm up your winter...

Acai Berry, Pomegranate and Vanilla from Dilmah

Strawberries & Cream from T2

A smooth, flowery blend that’s slightly sweet but softened by hints of vanilla. Taken from the Dilmah ‘exceptional’ range which includes ‘Italian Almond’ and other fun flavours - the only problem is they won’t be around long!

With petals and rosehips with apple, strawberries and yogurt it brews a beautiful infusion that smells of strawberries. A crisp and tarty finish. Fruity and floral, best enjoyed alone or with a chocolate-covered strawberry or two!

Organic Chocolate Chai Tea from Zhena’s Gypsy

Orchid Vanilla from Tea Forte

If you’re a chocolate and tea lover this one is for you. Blened with caffeine-free organic Rooibos it gives a rich and exotic taste that will take you to the Mediterranean. A zest of ginger and cinnamon this is best served with a splash of milk.

A classic black tea blended with Madagascan vanilla and shavings of tropical coconut.

A delcious and creamy tea that is great by itself or even better with vanilla soy - highly recomend trying! A good compliment to breakfast or even better late at night as a warm creamy treat!

THEVOICE 9

Bright Lights are a Bright Idea It may make for good selfies, but ‘Vivid Sydney’ is contributing millions to the NSW economy each year.

The very first ‘Vivid Sydney’ was held in 2009. It was small in comparison to what Vivid encompasses today and featured light paintings projected onto both sides of the Sydney Opera House. Since then, Vivid has expanded every year, bringing in more people and generating more money every year for the NSW economy. Around 500,000 people attended Vivid in 2012, which generated roughly $10 million dollars. The following year saw 800,000 people viewing the bright lights and coughing up over $20 million dollars in the process. 2014 saw numbers dramatically increase - over 1.43 million people flocked to Sydney to see the festival, with 2015 expected to continue this growth (225,000 people attended in 2009 while 280,000 people attended the opening weekend of this years festival alone). This years festival saw expansion into areas not in the general CBD area, including Chatswood and the University of Sydney

Photo by Molly Goudie 2015

7 great moments of the first semester in no particular order

#1 The time we won the Ubar dance-off after 7 years

#2 That time Oscar thought it was a great idea to jump on his car

#3 When Benjamin had smooth silky legs

#4 That time we got on Sunrise dancing with the cash-cow

#5 The time they finished the road before my degree finished

#6 That time Rachel got banned from Ubar

#7 That time the Churros were more burnt than the Princess Shireen

THEVOICE 10

#HASHTAGS

We’ve collected some of the best of the #rmcsa15 of the year so far!

Kate and the Krispy Kreme Krime One bright sunny morning, Kate woke up to the sound of birds singing. Smiling, she pulled back the curtains in her room, expecting to see sun streaming through. Then she remembered that she lived in bottom C, the land the sun forgot. As Kate was making her way to the kitchen she ran into Daniel, a fellow C-Blocker.

“Greetings Daniel”, Kate said.

“Hey Kate, how are you going?” Daniel asked.

“I find myself in quite good health today, thank you Daniel.

You seem to be well.” Kate responded.

“I am, thank you.” As he was saying this, he brought a box of out his bag.

“I bought you ladies a box of Krispy Kremes to share.” Daniel handed the box to Kate.

“Daniel! That’s so nice of you. You didn’t have to do that!” Kate gratefully took the box from Daniel.

“A good deed is its own reward.” Daniel replied.

“I’ll have one tonight when I watch the new episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians. Apparently Bruce has some big announcement.”

Kate put the Krispy Kremes in the Bottom C kitchen and went to study for her exams.

IT ALL BEGAN WITH 12 THEN BOTTOM-C WOKE UP WITH ONLY 3 LEFT - WHO COULD IT HAVE BEEN? WAS IT THE CLEANER, A GHOST!? OR WAS IT ONE OF THEIR OWN. THIS IS THE REAL LIFE OF THE C-BLOCK GIRLS.

That night, Kate settled down in bed with a hot water bottle and her laptop. The new episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians was taking a long time to download. Suddenly, Kate remembered the Krispy Kremes that Daniel had bought. She got out of bed and went to the kitchen. When she got there, she opened the box and gasped. Where once had been twelve glistening Krispy Kremes, now sat three. Nine had been eaten. Nine people lived in Bottom C. Someone had had more than one. At that moment Ivana walked into the kitchen.

“Someone’s eaten more than one.” Kate said, anger in her voice.

“I know. Only four of us have had any at all. Which means five Krispy Kremes are unaccounted for.” Ivana slammed her hands down onto the kitchen counter in anger. “People are the worst.”

“It’s ok Ivana, I will find out who did this.” Kate was firm in her resolve - she would solve this crime.

Kate walked back to her room. She had talked to every girl in Bottom C. Four admitted to eating one of the Krispy Kremes. Which, as Ivana said, left five unaccounted for. Who could the thief be? As Kate sat down on her bed, she heard noise coming from her headphones. The new episode had finished downloading and was playing. She put it back to the beginning and put her headphones on.

“I Bruce Jenner, am going to start living as a woman”. The sound was clear and audible. She hadn’t misheard. Every thought of Krispy Kremes and Krispy thieves left Kate’s head.

THEVOICE 12

MAY 26 - JUNE 15 Maddie Martin: ‘are you hung?’

Charlotte Harrison: (while discussing which Shrek is best): ‘I think the best one is the best one’

Taylor Anderton: (while going through old Facebook posts): ‘heres one where I posted Josh Pyke lyrics. Yuck. Delete.’

Jasmin Harvey: 'the English are just an ugly race'.

Tayhla Ryder: ‘he could you give you really good piggybacks, if you were the piggy... wait are you the piggy if you’re on the back?’

Wilbur Ashley: ‘my next door neighbour says she sees fairies in my garden.... She’s blind.’

Matt Syme: ‘Joan of arc (pronounced arch)’

Avanti Joshi: ‘What’s that circle thing?’

Aaron Wong: ‘A potato...’

Matt Symes: (to Eleanor on the way to the gym): ‘I don't wear socks’ Eleanor Leal: ‘That's gross! Your feet sweat.

That's the point of socks-there for protection.

But you wouldn't know how to use protection though, would you?’

Jack Bailey: ‘I wouldn't trust anything that bleeds for a week and lives’ Taylor Anderton: (accessing the Kripsy Kreme case) ‘I donut know’

Shrav Joshi: ‘Weed is practically salad’ Priyu Bucktowonsing: ‘There is a Sunday, there should be a moon day (on the weekend as well)’ Cameron Rowe: ‘it's weird that you're watching him eat’

Avanti Joshi: ‘Kissing burns like 100 calories a minute!’

Shrav Joshi: ‘The cheap Indian restaurant doesn’t make mango children’

Maddie Martin: ‘Maybe I should shower more’

Jasmin Harvey: ‘can you not doodle’ Jack Bailey and Maddie Martin: ‘it's dawdle’

THEVOICE 13