Hello, I’m ADDITION ONE, 2016 @togatus_ 12 | The Culture of Excess 14 | The Horrors of Nuclear Warfare 18 | Ten Things we Learned at Falls
Please take me; I’m free.
EDITION ONE, 2016 @togatus_ 01 | Article 1 02 | Article 2 03 | Article 3
this pulp is free
Published by the State Council on behalf of the Tasmania University Union Inc. (hf. “the publishers�) The opinions expressed herein are not those of Togatus staff or the publishers. The copyright in each piece of work remains with the contributor; however, the publishers reserve the right to reproduce material on the Togatus website togatus.com.au. Togatus staff: Editor-in-chief: Jess Flint
Print Editor: Meghan Scolyer Digital Editor: Nikita Riseley
Design: Luke Visentin, Jonty Dalton
Administration Assistant: Mateesha Howard Contributors: Andrew Grey, Angela Koh, Blake Young,
Carly Hickman, Charlotte Burgess, Clark Cooley, Daisy
Baker, Heidi La Paglia, Mathew Sharp, Michelle Moran, Tomas Rolf
Togatus welcomes all your contributions. Please email your work or ideas to contact@togatus.com.au It is understood that any contributions sent to Togatus may be used for publication in either the magazine or the website, and that the final decision on whether to publish resides with the editors. The editor reserves the right to make changes to submitted material as required. Contact Togatus: Twitter & Instagram: @togatus_
Facebook: facebook.com/TogatusOnline Website: www.togatus.com.au
Post: PO Box 5055, UTas LPO, Sandy Bay 7005 Email: contact@togatus.com.au
Advertising: advertising@togatus.com.au Togatus is printed by Monotone Art Printers. We support the locals.
2
Togatus + You Add to Togatus Togatus simply wouldn’t exist without the additions made by you: our fellow students. Whether it be an issue you care about, a creative piece or anything else you want to put out there, Togatus is the ideal place for your contribution. If you are a writer, artist or photographer (or all three!) we would love to hear from you. Contributing to Togatus is a surefire way to gain valuable experience in the world of communication.
Ask yourself: what addition can you make to Togatus? Email us: contact@togatus.com.au
3
You are here
Additorials
The Culture of Excess Commutations
The Horrors of Nuclear Warfare
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Cuts to Medicare: The Federal Government’s latest attack on Health Care
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Freedom of Religion
Changes to Centrelink’s Start-up Scholarship Create a Stir Ten Things we Learned at Falls
18
Living the High Life
How to… Remove Stains like a Pro Dark Waters
Falls Gallery
5 Ways to Deal with Men’s Rights Activists (MRA’s) on the Internet
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
On Policing Drugs
NatCon is a National Con Message from the President
34
35
36
Contributors
Andrew Grey
Angela Koh
Blake Young
Daisy Baker
Heidi La Paglia
Mathew Sharp
Jess Flint Additor-in-Chief
Meghan Scolyer Print Additor
Nikita Riseley Digital Additor
Additors
6
Carly Hickman
Charlotte Burgess
Michelle Moran
Tomas Rolf
Mateesha Howard Addministration Officer
Jonty Dalton Designer
Clark Cooley
Luke Visentin Designer
7
Additorials Jess Flint Editor-in-Chief
I cannot believe I have just sat down to write my first editorial as the newly-minted Editor-in-Chief for Togatus! We have a huge year ahead of us and as I write this I am facing a deadline that seems near-impossible to pull off! The thing is though, I’m working with a fantastic team of people. Meghan Scolyer has kept me sane these past few months, and Nikita Riseley would drop anything at a moment’s notice to help when we’ve needed it. I am so glad that these two are my partners-in-crime, and I want to thank them profusely for their hard work. I also have to thank our new designers for their amazing work on our first edition! I can’t wait to see what they have in store for the rest of the year. Seriously, how good does this thing look?! Our contributors have filled these pages, and brought this first issue to life. I would like to thank everyone involved with edition one, and invite anybody who
8
would like to contribute to Togatus to please get in touch! Being a part of Togatus is the most fun you could have during your time at uni. 2016 will bring with it new challenges and exciting changes. TogOnline will be brought to life by Nikita, our wonderful web editor with fresh ideas for a stronger online presence. I want you to think about what you can bring to the table – what you can ADD to Togatus, to campus discourse, and to student life. If you’re even slightly interested in finding out more about us, what we do, and how to get involved please email us at contact@togatus.com.au Peace, Jess xx
Meghan Scolyer Print Editor
Well welcome back to another year at UTas. I hope you’ve all enjoyed this sunny summer relaxing before another year at uni.
are hoping to shake things up a little bit and give you more of what we think you will love, as well as advice to help you make the most out of student life.
The beginning of the year is often when we set ourselves a number of highly ambitious resolutions for the year ahead. There’s something about the summer feeling that convinces us that the coming year will most definitely be the best one yet.
Lastly, one final resolution – why not make 2016 the year you contribute to Togatus. We know you are all intelligent and passionate, and we urge you to use this opportunity to have your voice heard.
However once the realities of uni life set in again, we often lose sight of our new goals. Perhaps this year, you could set yourself some more realistic resolutions. Some suggestions might include keeping up with uni readings until at least week 3 or reading every edition of Togatus for 2016! ;-)
Hope you enjoy the first edition! Meghan
That last one should be an easy one to keep, as this year we have set ourselves some resolutions of our own. We Nikita Riseley Digital Editor
Holy Moly! Have the holidays finished already?! That went fast! As a new year at UTas rapidly approaches us, I would just like to say welcome back to another crazy, fun filled year at Togatus; and for those of you who are new, welcome to the Tog family! For me, this year means that I am officially no longer a first year student. Come to think of it, nor will it even be my first year on the Togatus editorial team! Some of you may remember me as an Assistant Editor in 2015 but alas, I am back for 2016 more determined, enthusiastic and excited than ever! – But who wouldn’t be? With Jess Flint and Meghan Scolyer returning as my partners in crime, I couldn’t imagine a better, more inspiring team to work with.
While I have many exciting new plans for TogOnline in 2016, I would like to continue with our five scheduled articles per week as well as the expansion across a number of old and new social media platforms to make Togatus more interactive for you guys. Did you know that we have a YouTube channel? You do now! So whether you are a budding writer, artist, broadcaster, journalist, or someone who just wants to speak their mind or raise awareness of a specific topic, our door is always open for you. Kanpai! Nikita xo
9
Cuts to Medicare: The Federal Government’s latest attack on Health Care Charlotte Burgess #opinion
If you have a cervix then I hope you also have $30, because that’s how much you could pay for a pap smear as of July. If you’re getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases (cervix or no cervix) then you may need to pay for urine and blood tests. This is thanks to the oh-so-caring Federal government’s plan, revealed in the Mid-year Economic and Fiscal outlook, to cut bulk-billing incentive payments for a saving of $650 million over four years. Although Health Minister Sussan Ley told ABC radio the cuts will increase competition and patients
10
won’t be worse off, Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia president Michael Harrison disagrees. He told Australian Associated Press it’s unlikely that laboratories will be able to cope with the cuts, resulting in patients paying at least $30 for pap smears and urine and blood tests. “If laboratories decide they have to go to a patient co-payment, people will stop having pap smears, they’ll stop having their other tests done and people will present with advanced diseases including advanced cancer,” said Dr Harrison.
It’s clear these cuts have the potential to adversely affect anybody who needs a pap smear. This is concerning because while the test isn’t exactly fun, according to the Cancer Council of Australia it is the best test available to detect cervical cancer. A $30 co-payment is likely to reduce access to this important procedure for those who can’t afford it. It could also act as a disincentive towards receiving the test. As if it wasn’t hard enough being female, we can now add a $30 pap smear to the list of why-it’s-so-much-better-to-have-apenis.
The cuts to urine and blood tests are also problematic because these tests are used to detect STDs. The cuts could mean saying goodbye to free sexual health check-ups. I don’t imagine many teenagers would feel comfortable asking their parents for 30 bucks so they can see whether or not they’ve caught chlamydia. I agree with Chief executive of Sonic Healthcare, Colin Goldschidt who told the Sydney Morning Herald the cuts would create a financial barrier to receiving medical services and discriminate against “those who can’t afford the services.”
If you’re not feeling dejected yet, then give it a minute, because it gets worse. The Australian Diagnostic Imaging Association says patients who were previously bulk billed can expect to pay gaps for scans. They estimated MRIs to cost between $60 and $173, pregnancy ultrasounds to cost between $30 and $143, and X-rays to cost between $5 and $52. Dr Christian Wriedt, President of the Australian Diagnostic Imaging Association says the Medicare bulk billing incentives are not a corporate subsidy, but a patient rebate so patients will be the ones most
affected. Sounds great. It’s clear these cuts will adversely affect not only anybody who needs a scan, urine or blood test, but anybody who needs a pap smear. They will adversely affect lower-socio economic individuals who don’t have $30 to spare. They are likely to act as a disincentive against tests which could result in a potentially life saving early diagnosis. Thanks Liberal Party, what would we do without you to slowly destroy our healthcare system?
11
The Culture of Excess Angela Koh #feature
We live in a culture of excess where materialism pervades the way we think and shop.
Just like many others, I often find myself swayed by the advertisements flooding the blogosphere.
In our daily lives, we are constantly peppered with incessant advertising and peer-temptation to own the latest gadget, car or fashion item.
When watching TV dramas or YouTube videos, I find myself making mental notes of items I would like to add to my wardrobe, or making lists of beauty products to check out.
Social media is a major culprit driving us mad for material goods. Our Instagram newsfeeds tempt us with trending fashion fads, while YouTube sensations entice us into buying a dozen bath bombs from the local Lush store.. A 2014 study by Media Dynamics Inc. found that we see up to 5,000 ad messages a day, which is an increase of 3,000 a day as compared to 30 years ago. The increased exposure to advertising often breeds desire for material goods. It contributes to materialism, which spells trouble for aspiring minimalists like me. While I often purge excess belongings in my life and maintain a small collection of items in my capsule wardrobe, I avoid thinking of myself as a minimalist.
12
Occasionally, I would shop for items which has spent months calling out to me from my wishlist. Then comes the dreaded purge when I add it to my collection and bid goodbye to another I care less for, to maintain a small collection of staples. It is worrying that the culture of excess still affects me, despite being an individual with a preference for living with less. Rather than living like a spartan, minimalism represents a desire to live with only the things one treasures most in one’s life. It does not necessarily correlate to the material value of an item, but rather to its sentimental value and worth. Perhaps, keeping the influence of materialism in mind will make me think twice before purchasing that emerald sweater in the mall.
Commutations Mathew Sharp #news
The oncoming year for students will be filled with many difficult challenges. Undoubtedly, one of the most laborious tasks will be to get out of bed and at campus on time. With an increasing amount of students enrolling at UTas, campus parking facilities and transport networks will be tested further, allaying the hopes of a stress-free commute for many university travellers statewide. Following a 20 cent fare increase for university students in January, public transport operator Metro has changed bus routes and timetables across the state as part of a network reform. Hobart is the most affected, with Sandy Bay now served by new routes via Glenorchy and the Eastern Shore, whilst students at Newnham will have new timetables. No changes are to affect Cradle Coast. The addition of direct services from Glenorchy and Eastern Shore via Hobart are welcome to students in those areas. On-campus voucher parking will
remain the same 70 cent per hour charge, and no changes have been made to permit parking. Students living in on-campus accommodation however, may find the financial burden even greater as residential parking permits have undergone a 27 per cent increase from last year, going from $198 to $250 per annum. Assuming a student travelled twice a day by bus using a Metro Greencard for 170 days (approximately every class day less holidays between year start/end), the student would pay nearly $600 for bus travel. This is inclusive of the 20 per cent fare discount provided by the Greencard ticket.
taken, other modes of transport, fluctuations in prices and cost/benefit principles to name a few; but provides some idea as to the costs associated with getting to campus every day. Some students opt to bus, cycle, walk, drive or hitch a ride. Others might decide it’s simply easier to stay at home and watch their lectures on MyLO to save travelling. Everyone knows that the greatest cost to students will always be a certain four letter F-word. Food.
Now for a student with a car, assuming fuel to be roughly $30 per week and that they manage to find a free parking spot, where 170 days is a little more than 24 weeks, the cost would be around $720. This does not include other expenses such as maintenance, registration, and paid parking or infringements. This analysis does not factor in circumstances such as distances, time
13
The Horrors of Nuclear Warfare Michelle Moran #feature
“The city of Hiroshima will never forget what happened August 6 1945, and the rest of the world shouldn’t either.” January 2016 brought in a new year and new fears of nuclear warfare. The claim that North Korea successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb nicknamed the “H Bomb of Justice”. The use of nuclear weapons is devastating. Over 70 years have passed since the first nuclear attacks in human history brought unspeakable tragedies to two cities. On Monday, August 6 1945 at 8:15 a.m. the American bomber Enola Gay dropped “Little Boy” above the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later the same aircraft dropped the “Fat Boy” atomic bomb over Nagasaki. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki remain the first and only nuclear attacks in human history, and there is still much debate about whether the attacks were justified. The last standing reminder of how the city looked hours after the attack, the Atomic Bomb Dome is the most famous symbol of the Hiroshima bombing.
14
Photograph by Michelle Moran
The former government building has been preserved, and was restored in the years after the attack as a continued reminder to people from around the world about the horrors of nuclear weapons.
with leukemia from the exposure to radiation.
The ruins stand 160 meters away from the hypocenter of the attack.
Ever since the paper crane has been a sign of peace across the world.
Everyone in the building perished that day.
The Children’s Peace Monument stands in memory of all of the children killed in the attack, and is topped by a young girl holding a golden crane entrusted with dreams for a peaceful future.
Approximately 140,000 lives were lost during bombing of Hiroshima, including 7,000 students. Ever since, Hiroshima has passionately campaigned for peace and an end to nuclear weapons. When visiting the Hiroshima Peace Park and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, it is impossible to escape the reality of what happened that day. Civilians died. People fought for their lives, trapped under debris with their skin melting from the radiation while black rain fell over the city. One of the most famous young victims of Hiroshima was Sadako Sasaki.
She remembered the legend that if you fold one thousand paper cranes your wish will come true.
“This is our cry. This is our prayer. For building peace in this world” is written in Japanese at the base of the monument. Every year hundreds of thousands of paper cranes are donated to the memorial from across the world, all containing hopes for peace. The Bell of Peace hangs in the Peace Park with a map of the world detailed on the monument. People from all across the globe ring the bell and pray for peace and the end of nuclear weapons.
She was two years old when the bomb fell.
The city of Hiroshima will never forget what happened August 6 1945, and the rest of the world shouldn’t either.
Ten years later she was diagnosed
Is what happened in Hiroshima and
Nagasaki justified under any circumstance? Civilians paid the price for decades to come. The death of the children of Hiroshima was slow and painful, and stretched on for decades. People are still suffering in physical pain today from the 1945 attack. When visiting Hiroshima something that struck me was how there are people still suffering the consequences of 70 years ago. Following the bombing, victims were considered unclean. Many went without medical help. Many are still without compensation. Many are still in physical pain, and many have died slow and painful deaths years after the world’s attention had left Hiroshima. A clock stands within the Peace Museum, and counts the time since the bombing of Hiroshima. Another counter resets every time a nuclear test occurs. The world should remember and learn from our mistakes. The world doesn’t need an H-Bomb dome to remind us of the horrors of nuclear warfare.
15
Freedom of Religion Blake Young #opinion
Remember when we were all going around saying “Je suis Charlie”? What a powerful message. “I am Charlie. I am standing by those who were murdered, and the cause for which they were killed: Freedom of Speech.” This was our response in the wake of terrorism. A commitment to a freer and more liberal democracy. How sad it is then, that here in Tasmania the publications from Charlie Hebdo could never be published. Hidden away in Section 17 of Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Act is a legal prohibition on “offence”. Hebdo is objectively and foreseeably offensive, and if they tried their shenanigans here they would find themselves before the courts. And would we care? It hardly raised so much as a whisper when the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Commission declared that the Catholic Church had a case to answer due to the publication of a booklet on the Catholic Church’s 2000-year-old beliefs on marriage to students at a Catholic school. I am dismayed that the Church has been attacked for teaching to their own flock. It is important to press the point that for groups not willing to conform to societal expectations on political correctness, Freedom of Religion has been suspended in
16
this state. Freedom of Religion is indelibly entwined with Freedom of Speech. You cannot attack one without attacking the other. The Anti-Discrimination Act was undoubtedly written with the good intentions of preventing the very worst of harassment and bullying, yet the law in practice is being used to censor doctrine and stifle discourse it considers offensive. Nothing is safe until it has been tested in court. For the faithful, this is a sickening injustice and one day the Commission may begin redacting the Bible itself. We should also consider the danger this law presents to the upcoming plebiscite on same-sex marriage. How can we have a genuine discussion on this or any controversial issue if the free expression of opinion is against the law? We cannot have the debate if one side or the other is having to spend all of their time fending off legal action. There does not seem to be much leadership at the moment; no one wants to make the first move. For now the Church and Archbishop Julian Porteous will probably have to battle this one out on their own. But at the end of the day there is only one solution - the law must be abolished.
Whilst we wait for the Government to take action, we should use this time to examine the culture that we build up here at UTas; where safe spaces are sacred and “trigger warnings” are thrown around like confetti. Just last year it was considered “cultural appropriation” and “racist” to hold a Mexican-themed barrel on campus. For supposedly mature adults the easily offended are building an environment of fear and guilt for students wishing to express their opinions. Same-sex marriage is a massive issue, and it’s not simply academic. In the student body at UTas, the Tasmania University Liberal Club is committed to the traditional definition of marriage. When the plebiscite on marriage occurs we intend to be actively involved in the debate; advocating for the institution as it is currently defined Are we to be silenced too? Je suis Charlie. Blake Young is the President of the Tasmania University Liberal Club.
Changes to Centrelink’s Start-up Scholarship Create a Stir Daisy Baker #news
The Centrelink Student Start-up scholarship previously available to full-time Higher Education students in Australia has been changed to a Student Start-up Loan. These changes do not affect students who received the Start-up Scholarship prior to 2016, however new applicants will be required to repay their loan when they earn above $54,126. The twice yearly lump sum payment is available to those students receiving Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY Living Allowance. This change from a scholarship to an income contingent loan is set to save the government around $920 million over four years, and is a change that has some politicians and students concerned. In an interview with the Australian Financial Review, Greens higher education spokesperson Senator Robert Simms said this change will place more financial stress on students.
Scholarship whilst studying a Bachelor of Nursing last year. She said that the lump sum payments assisted greatly in her study and she is concerned about the impact of these changes for students. “I found the scholarship payment extremely helpful, particularly at the beginning of semester two [sic], as the lump sum covered almost the full cost of my semester two [sic] textbooks and compulsory nursing uniform,” April said. “Higher-education students already have a huge amount of fees, such as textbook and stationery [sic] fees, uniform fees, accommodation fees in some cases and HECs. “By changing the conditions of the start-up scholarship, the Australian Government is widening the already vast gap between those who can afford tertiary education and those who cannot,” April said.
“This means that the $2050 received per annum will instead be added to a student’s HELP debt,” Senator Simms said. University of Tasmania student April received the Centrelink Start-up
17
Ten Things we Learned at Falls Jess Flint #feature
1. Unless you snag VIP access, you’ll be avoiding the toilets
3. Take a spare tent in case one is faulty
5. Bloc Party should never have reformed
Basically, attending Falls Festival means shitting in a bucket. And flushing with a cup of sawdust. It stinks – especially with so many toilets lined up in the one place. Somehow, the organisers have managed to make the VIP toilets smell less like piles of excrement and more like potpourri. Lucky us.
You should put your tents up BEFORE going to Falls (we’re not big on camping, so our tents were shiny and new). It got a little cozy at the Togatus camp when one of our tents turned out to be missing an essential part. We really should get out more.
I had high hopes for the newly revived Bloc Party and could not have been more dissapointed. Don’t You Wanna Get High you ask? Yes, I think I need to get high to forget what I just saw. I got even sadder when I got home and listened to what could now be referred to as ‘classic’ Bloc Party – why did it go so wrong?
2. If you’re pale or a Redhead, people will literally follow you around offering sunscreen Oh, hi, cute guy, coming over to talk to me. “Are you ladies wearing sunscreen? You look like you’re burning.” Thanks. Here’s another hot tip: don’t get burnt on the first day – or people won’t let you forget about it. Yes, I know I’m burnt, I can feel it.
18
Side note: don’t leave it until the day before Falls to buy your tents either – the K-Mart camping section empties out quickly! 4. Get to the Merch tent on day one Sage advice for getting what you want, especially for size smalls. Remember to go back if you see an act that blows you away!
6. Buy your drink tokens on the first day The lines are insane for the rest of the Festival, and surely you have something better to do than wait in line for drink tokens. Considering the booths are also the “cash out facilities” advertised make sure you get enough cash to last for 3 days of extraordinarily expensive food.
Photograph by Jess Flint
7. Catch an act you haven’t heard of I found Jesse Davidson to be one of my personal favorite acts of the Festival, and felt bad at the slot he was given; first act of the second day. You’ll probably enjoy yourself more at the smaller, more relaxing acts than at the crowd-drawing headliners because you can soak up the atmosphere and maybe find a new favorite. 8. Find a good spot for NYE Good seats are hard to come by when thousands of people cram into the same space for the most exciting 10 seconds of the festival. I found myself perched atop a bin just to get a shot of the stage, which makes for an interesting story but really was not much fun at all! Get in early for your spot, and stay there!
9. Don’t expect the internet to work properly - just have fun
Check out the full gallery of Falls photos by Jess Flint on pages 22–23.
Now, in our efforts to bring Falls Festival to the Togatus homepage, we learned just how frustrating it is to be relying on so-so service when there are more interesting and exciting things to be doing. So don’t get too upset about it - go out and catch an act! Social Media can wait. 10. Check out the Homebrewed stage An exciting addition to the Marion Bay community, Homebrewed is definitely worth stopping by. Covering enough genres and styles to keep everyone happy, Homebrewed is the natural extension of what makes Tasmania great – our local music, and the amazing talent able to be showcased with the addition of a third stage to the festival.
19
Living the High Life Daisy Baker #feature
For many young Australians, the summer experience is not complete without attending a music festival with your mates. Drug use is becoming an increasingly dominant and dangerous element of festivals. Recent drug-related deaths and overdoses at Australian music festivals have fueled a decades-long moral panic about youth and drug abuse. This is a situation that has many healthcare professionals concerned. In an interview with the ABC, Emergency physician Dr David Caldicott identified this Summer as the “most dangerous [festival] season” Australia has ever seen, due to the number of deaths and overdoses and an array of new drugs on the market. Dr Caldicott is among many experts and parents who are pushing for pill testing at festivals. One such parent, Adriana Buccianti, told ABC 24 Breakfast that she believes that her son Daniel, would still be alive if there had been pill testing available at the 2012 Rainbow Serpent Festival in Victoria. “I sincerely believe if Daniel had somewhere where he could take those substances and he would have been told what was in them, the potency of it, he wouldn’t have taken it,” said Ms Buccianti. Such facilities would definitely help reduce the risk-taking associated with taking drugs. However, there is a broader festival and party culture at play here which also needs to be addressed. Playing songs with lyrics
20
such as ‘Don’t you wanna get high?’ at Falls Festival to ring in the New Year normalise the already prevalent connection between party culture and drug use. Moreover, there is an issue with the accuracy of depiction of drugs in music. There is a disparity between the personification of drug use in ‘Can’t feel my face’ and the glorified experience depicted in songs like ‘The love within’ and ‘High by the beach’ when compared with the first-hand experiences of those who witness the effects of drugs at festivals. A young festival-goer, Jacob, shared a recent eye-opening festival experience with me: “On New Year’s Eve, I witnessed a girl having a seizure from an overdose in the middle of the main arena. [She was] rolling around without any control over her body whatsoever…I’ve never see something so horrific,” he said. Some artists such as 360, are using their songs to speak out about drug addiction and the scary reality that is frequently silenced. In a recent interview with Hack on Triple J, 360 described that alcohol and recreational drug use had become a part of everyday life for him since his 2011 album Falling and Flying. “It was always a massive bender so we were just always drinking a lot and a lot of using cocaine, like crazy amounts of cocaine, and staying up for days partying just loving life... then after the party settled down everyone would drop off a little bit
and go to bed. I would usually try to keep going in some form, like I’d just keep drinking or if I was coming down really hard I’d just smash a lot of valium and a lot of downers just to combat that real negative feeling,” he said.
“…[She was] rolling around without any control over her body whatsoever…I’ve never see something so horrific…”
Among these downers were large amounts of Nurofen Plus, an anti-inflammatory medication containing Ibuprofen and Codeine.
In this interview, 360 identified that alcohol is also an issue within Australian culture and that nothing much besides price increases are being done to address this.
Prior to his Australian tour last year, 360 went around a host of pharmacies, purchasing large quantities of Nurofen Plus. “Half of my suitcase was just full of boxes of it. So that was just to try and get me through the tour... My tolerance was really high. I was having 90 pills a day but that wasn’t getting me high that was just to stop the withdrawals and to stop getting sick,” said 360. In preparation for a performance at Byron Bay last year, 360 took four packets of Nurofen Plus (120 tablets) in attempt to “feel something”. “I don’t really remember what happened but I was just told that I just collapsed at the venue that we were performing at, I just collapsed and started convulsing on the floor. It just got really ugly and then I woke up in hospital,” 360 said. From this point he sought help and is fully rehabilitated. At the start of January, he released a new song, ‘I’m sorry’, an apology to his fans which detailed his journey from
addiction to rehab.
Jacob similarly identified the tendency of people to choose drugs over alcohol because it is cheaper. “I know a lot of people that are heavily involved in this intense drug culture and they are completely fooled into believing that it’s a safe and ‘cheap’ option,” he said. In 2014, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Australia is one of the most expensive countries in which to buy alcohol. Moreover, the wealth of information accessible about the potential harms associated with alcohol and tobacco (as opposed to illicit drugs), can result in substance substitution for illicit drugs, such as ecstasy, which are falsely perceived to be safer.
by Bill O’Loughlin, the president of Harm Reduction Victoria. In light of the drug-related death of 25 year old pharmacist Sylvia Choi at Stereosonic, Mr O’loughlin discussed the ineffective “war on drugs”. He claimed that framing drug use through “stigma, criminalisation, fear, shame and furtiveness” merely increases the potential risk factors for those using drugs. In order to reduce such risks the implementation of amnesty bins and pill testing at festivals is necessary, along with more widespread education programs. The importance of education was a theme also highlighted in my discussion with Jacob. “I think this culture needs to be exposed in a more confronting manner and people need to realise how dangerous it is. I don’t want one of my friends to die,” said Jacob.
If there could be more open discussions about drugs and their effects without the stigma, there may be a reduction in such substance substitution. The Guardian recently published a powerful opinion piece written
21
22
23
On Policing Drugs Carly Hickman #feature
Despite the swarming presence of police officers and sniffer dogs at music festivals, revellers still manage to ingest illicit drugs right under their nose. Drugs are highly prevalent at these festivals because, in many cases, it is cheaper to take drugs than to try to achieve the same effect through alcohol. At these populous and clamorous events, attempts to police illegal substances have stood in the way of protecting those most at risk. The threat of punishment has not deterred drug users. In reality, law enforcement’s current ‘no tolerance’ approach to drugs actually encourages users to hide, and possibly even hesitate to get help when things go wrong. And things do go wrong. In 2015 two young people died from drug overdoses after attending the Stereosonic music festival. At the Brisbane leg of the festival alone, twenty people were treated for drug overdoses. If the ultimate aim of police and lawmakers is to protect society, then the protocol surrounding drugs at
24
music festivals needs to be reconsidered. Scientific experts, politicians, and parents whose children have overdosed are calling for testing of substances at festivals. People continue to take drugs despite their illegality, so it makes sense that the systems in place should firstly try to save lives.
“…law enforcement’s current ‘no tolerance’ approach to drugs actually encourages users to hide, and possibly even hesitate to get help when things go wrong.”
Testing of substances at festivals can be done from a tent, where potential users bring in their substances and find out exactly what has gone into creating them. While they wait for results, medical experts have a chance to have an open and honest conversation with users about the risks of drug taking. Once patrons have been fully informed of their drug’s ingredients and of potential risks, they can decide whether to dispose of the drugs or keep them. Past trials have shown that the drugs containing the more harmful and dangerous chemicals are likely to be disposed of. But first, the arrangement must be made legal in Australia, a country that is in dire need of such an arrangement.
According to Project Know, ecstasy sold in Australia is among the most dangerous in the Western world. It has the most amount of ‘unknown’ ingredients and the highest amount of paramethoxymethamphetamine, which can cause fluctuating body temperature, seizures and even death. Will Tregonning, founder of drug harm reduction group Unharm, told The Huffington Post Australia that “We want to provide that at-risk group of people [who are] already about to use drugs, info about the drugs they’re intending to consume, and give them info around the risks of consuming that substance”. He also told SBS News Australia that drug testing has proven to be suc-
cessful overseas. In the USA and Europe, testing has helped filter out the most harmful ingredients. Drug expert Dr David Caldicott has worked on drug testing teams at European music festivals, where patrons would patiently line up to test whatever they had. “In our on-site labs from the early 2000s, as many as two-thirds of those surveyed wouldn’t take their drugs if they found them to contain something other than they were expecting” (The Conversation). Caldicott said our approach to illicit drugs needs to be “far more nuanced,” considering that those at risk are those who have already decided that they will use drugs (ABC News). Testing would also benefit police, as it provides them with a database of which drugs patrons bring in and intend to consume (The Conversation). For the system to work, some sort of drug possession amnesty would have to be created. Patrons would not use the service if police were able to circle the tent and appre-
hend anyone who goes near it. Perhaps drug possession laws would have to change, or perhaps some kind of truce between police and testing teams can be worked out on a festival-by-festival basis. Michael White, executive officer of South Australian Network of Drug and Alcohol Services told ABC News that drug testing could be useful. He added that drug overdoses were not the fault of the music scene. “I think most of our major events are associated with alcohol or other drugs. If you’ve been to the Grand Prix, if you’ve been to the AFL, all of those events have an association. Some of them are with alcohol which has a much higher death rate.” Drug testing has its critics and its drawbacks. The decision of whether to keep the drug or dispose of it remains with the person who paid for it in the first place. Paul Dillon, director of National Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia, told the Sydney Morning Herald that drug testing is no ‘silver bullet’ solution, because knowledge about
what is in a drug does not then make it safe to take. A pill which is not dangerous for one person can be lethal for another, depending on factors such as metabolism and weight. Forensic toxicologist Andrew Leibe told SBS News Australia that on-site pill testing at festivals would not be able to provide proper analyses, and would not prevent overdoses. Despite these limitations, drug testing would open up a conversation between professionals and patrons. It encourages young people to think about what they are putting into their bodies and most importantly, it allows them to make an informed decision. Police cannot catch everyone who takes drugs at festivals. Drug testing is a method which helps users to police themselves. While to some, a drug testing tent at a festival appears to condone drug use, to others it is an acceptance of reality. To parents whose children have lethally overdosed, it is a service which could have saved lives.
25
26
How to… Remove Stains like a Pro Daisy Baker #howtoadult
For many of us, Uni is a time when we take our first steps into the real world. It is also a time when we realise how limited our life skills actually are. Because there is no university course designed to teach us how to adult, this is the first in a series of articles we are bringing you about how to do just that. Mum will be so proud. I have a rule: never eat Spaghetti Bolognese while wearing white. Simple as that. Sometimes, however, the unimaginable happens and that travel mug of coffee whilst driving suddenly becomes a disaster or that nail polish that you were carefully applying turns ugly. So here’s one for you my friend, a guide to removing stains like a pro. Firstly, it doesn’t matter what the stain is, a good general rule is the faster you act, the better the outcome. Also, when removing stains with water, it is best to work with cool or warm water, rather than hot because this will just set the stain. Baked beans: rinse the garment in cold water, concentrating on the stained area. Then use a soft brush, such as an old toothbrush to apply
liquid detergent to the back of the stain in an up and down motion. Rinse the garment thoroughly. Use a sponge to wipe the stain with white vinegar. This acts as a mild bleach. Repeat this process until you have removed as much of the stain as you can, then launder as normal. Nail polish: nail polish can be very difficult to remove from fabric, particularly clothing. Your best bet, however, is nail polish remover (unless it’s an acetate or triacetate fabric). It is a good idea to test this on a hidden area of the garment before applying it to the stain. Proceed with similar caution when applying any treatment you think may damage the fabric. Place the stained side of the fabric face down on some clean paper towel, and then work from the back of the stain with nail polish remover, replacing the paper towel often. Repeat treatment until you have removed as much of the stain as you can, and then wash following the garment’s care instructions. Makeup: Use a paste of washing powder and water or a liquid detergent, work from the back of the stain and then launder as usual. You may also like to try shaving cream
as pre-treatment if the stain is persistent. Tea and coffee: Pre-treat the garment with liquid detergent, working from the back of the stain. This attacks the milk component of the stain. Then sponge with vinegar to remove the tannins (the dark colouring of caffeine stains). You can also try baking soda if the stain persists. Then, wash at the hottest temperature safe for the garment. Blood: if the stain is fresh, soak the fabric in cold water before laundering. If the stain is dried, soak in warm water with a liquid detergent and then wash as normal. Chocolate: scrape any excess chocolate from the garment. Pre-treat with liquid detergent and launder. If the stain remains, you may like to treat with a mild bleach made with equal parts of lemon juice or vinegar and water. Lemon juice is also a good treatment for removing sweat stains. Grease or oil: Apply either baking powder or talcum powder to the stain and leave to dry. Scrape off and launder as normal.
27
Dark Waters Andrew Grey #creative
In the deep darkness of the water I drown, all my mental faculties escaping.
There was no fight left in my cells. Water filling every curve. I let the water take me down, further and further, until there is nothing, no sound, no movement, just stillness with no waves to see. Even the blood escaping from my veins bleed into the darkness.
I thought I was going to die. I don’t remember waking up, only that when I did there was a tube down my throat. I could hear machines beeping, my
skin burning under the fluorescent lights. I was alive, yet all I could feel was a
longing for my body to fall through the water, forever, down through the dark waves to the ultimate sense of oblivion.
I spent a week in that hospital and not once did my family come and visit,
and today, when I was discharged, they didn’t come to drive me home. I walk
through the city, through the rain, the lightning, the thunder. I don’t want to go home, I want to rest, to sleep, so I find a place under cover with a cardboard box, fill it with dry newspaper, and sleep.
It was the gun that woke me, followed by the body landing near my box, his dead eyes looking right at me. I do my best to not make a sound; Legs kick
the corpse, and then leave. Looking into his eyes, I fall back to sleep. It was the police sirens that woke me up next, signaling that it was time to find a new place to sleep.
28
My stomach growls, telling me it is finally time to get some food, yet my brain struggles to settle on where to go. Walking aimlessly, I settle on a little place by the sea. Drinking coffee and eating cake to the sound of waves breaking at the shore, I think about the body in the ally, how he was left all alone, if he saw me before he died, if I was any comfort? His body was still there when I went back, I was hoping that he would still be there. Part of me wondered why he still lay there covered in his dried blood. Nobody had heard the gun, no one had seen him. I saw him, I feel sad. Grabbing him, I pull him into my box and lay next to his cold body, tangled in his arms. That night I took his body with me to the cliff I had jumped off, hoping to die. I gaze into his lifeless eyes one more time before throwing his body into the water below. I watch as the corpse fell below the waves. Sadness washes over me as I walk down to the beach, looking out the never-ending darkness. I walk into the water, slowly, knowing that this time I won’t be pulled from the water. I open my stitches with a seashell, my blood flowing into the water. My head slips beneath the dark waves, lungs fill with water. I drown, all my mental faculties escaping. There was no fight left in my cells. Water filling every curve. I let the water take me down, further and further, until there was nothing, no sound, no movement, just stillness with no waves to see.
29
5 Ways to Deal with Men’s Rights Activists (MRA’s) on the Internet Heidi La Paglia #TUU
For those of you that are unfamiliar with the term, Men’s Rights Activists (MRA’s) are not individuals who work for causes such as improving men’s health or unpacking the oppressive norms of masculinity. Instead, they are a group of individuals intent on bringing down women who publicly promote the improvement of women’s welfare. If you have spent any time on social media, you have most likely seen how delightful it is to deal with men who hijack posts about, for example, the gender pay gap, or tweet about how it is inappropriate to have a man chairing an all women panel on Q&A. As someone who is passionately involved in women’s issues, I am aware that regardless of how long or hard we fight for women’s activism, is doesn’t get any better. I have written this article to provide tips for how handle this hatred. While we can’t do anything to eliminate this behaviour, there are ways we can protect ourselves from emotional and physical harm whilst remaining staunch activists.
30
When they just don’t get it. 1. Share an article “Feminism 101” style This tactic is useful for dealing with people who have rarely been exposed to information about gender inequality. The signs that you are in this situation include having individuals tell you that gender inequality is a “myth.” It is always worth pointing the individual (or group) towards a source that backs up what you are saying in the first instance. If the individual is coming from a legitimate standpoint, providing something easy to understand and short to read might actually change their mind. But make sure you make sure the source you are sharing is short and easy to understand. While a 500 word novel written by Gloria Steinem on “women’s liberation” will make for some FANTASTIC discussion at your women’s collective or feminist book club, it is unlikely to fly with an internet troll who is attacking the legitimacy of your argument. In short, share an article and keep it simple. If this doesn’t work, try another tactic.
When they ask “but what about men?” 2. Direct them towards an organisation where they can volunteer to help men Quite often, the question “what about men” will be asked, and will be centered around the view that men are disadvantaged by discourse which constructs women as victims. If they criticise your feminism with arguments about the high rates of mental illness and suicide among men, or how men are victims of violence as well, list off mens homeless shelters, or charity organisations they could volunteer for, or suggest starting a fundraiser for men in crisis. Just make sure you don’t promote their involvement in anything that is actually anti-women.
When they challenge the legitimacy of women’s only spaces, groups, or movements. 3. Give them some tips for how to be a good ally
When an online banter becomes abusive or harassing.
While this scenario is not as common as the first two, it becomes more likely to happen to you as the men around you start to notice that you are spending increasing amounts of time in women’s only spaces. A common argument against women’s spaces is that they create division between men and women in the fight for gender equality. The fact that women all over the world still experience violence and discrimination from men on a daily basis suggests women’s spaces are essential in protecting the safety and autonomy of women. Occasionally, however, you will come across some male identifying individuals who recognise the importance of fighting for gender equality, but are unsure of how to get involved without becoming embedded in feminist circles. Try providing some tips, like supporting women who are subject to harassment from men.
5. Delete them, block them, report them! If discussions turn ugly, and start to take a toll on your personal well being, the best thing you can do is block the individuals involved, and report them to the site’s administrator. This kind of behaviour is not something you would put up with from a stranger on the street, and you don’t have to online either.
When there is no reasoning with them. 4. Disengage Sometimes there is just no reasoning with the individual or group that you are dealing with. In these cases they are unlikely to stop being divisive, regardless of how good your argument is. In this instance, I would strongly encourage you save your energy and disengage from discussion.
Unfortunately when I started advocating for women’s issues online, no one told me when to disengage, or how to look after myself. Rather than disengaging and deleting people from my friends list, and I let it get to the stage where I was receiving death threats. I eventually contacted police and removed myself from the situation, action I would recommend to anyone in that position. Regardless of the issue you are advocating for, or the platform you are using; there is nothing more important than your safety.
Heidi La Paglia has been heavily involved in womens activism for some time, and continues to promote gender equality through online platforms regardless of ongoing backlash. In 2014 Heidi started the Womens Collective at UTas and continued to promote womens welfare as the TUU President in 2015. This year Heidi is the National Womens Officer of the National Union of Students, and is running a range of campaigns aimed at improving womens experiences and participation at university, and breaking down structures which perpetuate discrimination and violence against women students. If you would like get involved you can contact Heidi at womens@nus.org.au.
31
NatCon is a National Con Clark Cooley #TUU
“While the the idea of students coming together to discuss, work on and campaign for ideas and policies is great, the reality is broken. The organisation and culture is undemocratic and destined for complete failure.” The National Conference of the National Union of Students, or NatCon for short, is an annual, week long meeting of around 200 student politicians. Policies are debated and voted upon to determine the direction of the National Union of Students (NUS) for the next year. Officers are also elected to run the different departments and state branches of the NUS. While the the idea of students coming together to discuss, work on and campaign for ideas and policies is great, the reality is broken. The organisation and culture is undemocratic and destined for complete failure. This conference, the office bearers and subsequent campaigns are all paid for using student taxes. At the end of last year, the Tasmanian University Union (TUU) authorised over $40,000 of student funds to go
32
towards this conference, including an increased $22,000 annual affiliation fee. The TUU was the only union in the country to increase its affiliation fees - other university unions chose to reduce their contribution. NatCon is nothing but a show; a piece of political theatre akin to that of Question Time in Parliament (minus the cameras, co-ordination or common decency). Hundreds of policies are voted on for each department, however the elected office bearer may pick and choose from those and add their own policies without any democratic say. The largest problem with NatCon and the NUS is the undemocratic practice of factionalism and vote binding. The system leads to minority views, held by factional leadership, to be voted in by the majority. The delegates are obligated to vote the same way as the rest of their faction, or risk being banished. The largest of these groups are the two Labor factions, Student Unity (Labor Right, mini Bill Shortens) and National Labor Students (NLS) (Labor Left, think Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese). When motions on policy are put to vote, factional leaders will move their delegates to vote how they wish by yelling at the front of the conference. On numerous occasions, factional
leaders from the two groups - seemingly busy talking or Facebooking with one another - forgot to instruct delegates on how to vote. This led to the embarrassing situation of the majority of delegates not voting on their own policies. These policies however are decided well before the conference itself. Factions discuss and decide the way they are going to vote in their caucuses (factional meetings) and through deals with the other factions. While most of these factions do bind their voting, not all do. Grassroots Left (Greens), National Independents (made up mostly of soft Labor and non-politically aligned voters), and the Liberals don’t bind, but usually come to a harmonious agreement. A motion to be discussed is called ‘cogged’. Motions are only cogged if you are from one of the major factions, or if your faction has done a deal to have it heard or voted on. Motions from the Liberals and some independents are never cogged, which led to many great and commonsense policies, such as support for mothers on campus, or support for mandatory lecture recording, never being discussed or addressed. Once a policy is cogged for debate,
the delegate moving the motion will speak on it. During these speeches, it was rare for a speaker to address interesting and opposing views, choosing to simply shout their own arguments with no consideration for intelligent debate. Those on the conference floor were completely disengaged or disinterested, often on their phones unless someone from their own faction was speaking. The final day of conference was probably the most depressing, and involved elections for National Officer Bearers, and State Branch positions. The room smells of sadness - thousands of students around the nation voted to send their delegates to the conference, yet their votes have been handled by members who are often not even students from the same university, state or chosen political party. I suspect that some delegates join these vote binding factions for advancement within their chosen party and the hope that one day they themselves will become part of the leadership team. Others simply hand over votes because of their friendship groups, with no real care about how they are voting. They are simply there for the after-parties, and to try their hand at winning the best punch at conference, a highly sought after prize.
Improving debate, banning factionalism, secret ballots and allowing filming to increase transparency would all move NatCon to become what the National Conference claims to be. These ideas however, fly too much in the face of the status quo that supports the majority Labor factions and lack no chance of action unless supported by one of the two factions. As representatives of university students it is in the best interest of everyone for members to vote on what they actually believe. The National Union of Students national conference should be a place where individual students work together to shape a direction for collective action on issues that affect the higher education community. If the NUS wants to be a viable union that represents more students it needs to start with its National Conference. Clark Cooley is the Tasmanian State Branch President for the National Union of Students and was a University of Tasmania delegate and member of the Liberal faction at the National Union of Students National Conference 2015.
33
Message from the President Tomas Rolf #TUU
Hello! My name is Tomas Rolf and I am the president of the Tasmania University Union (TUU) for 2016. First off, I would just like to offer you a warm welcome to the University of Tasmania, or a welcome back if you are a returning student. The TUU is the peak body of student representation for University of Tasmania students. We are here to help you in all aspects of the student experience here. Be it in the form of holding free breakfasts, or helping a student during an academic complaint, the TUU is the go to body for your student life on campus. A brief breakdown of key TUU resources for students includes: + Student welfare support, such as the safety net grant scheme (funding to help students who are struggling to make ends meet), free food bags, counselling, legal advice, and
34
general guidance. + Student advocacy, including receiving advice on what your options are at university if you need to take academic action (i.e. lodging a complaint), representation during complaints processes and general representation through the process. The TUU also represents the student interests on a variety of university committees. + On campus activities - the TUU will host a vast range of activities throughout the year on campus to keep your stress levels down and help you have fun. This includes things like market days, barrels, movie nights, free BBQs and much more. The above list is a very brief example of some of the resources the TUU offers students. To find out more, check out our website or have
a chat with one of our friendly staff or reps. On top of the resources we offer, we are also here to represent you within the university and the community at large. Given that higher education will be a topical issue this year, the TUU will be here to advocate for what is best for students here. We will do this via working in conjunction with national unions to ensure we can put pressure on both State and Federal Government to ensure your voices are heard. This will also include the TUU holding many initiatives throughout the year advocating for students rights. I would encourage every student that reads this to engage with the TUU. We are here to represent you, and to do so we need your input. Whether it be by engaging in TUU events, or writing to us with your
feedback on matters that you would like us to be aware of, we want to actively engage every student possible. O-Week is a great time for new and returning students alike to come and meet new people and get involved with the TUU. We will be holding a variety of events during the week on each campus. I look forward to seeing as many of you around campus as possible. Please feel free to contact myself or any other TUU member with any questions or concerns you may have. Our Sandy Bay office is just above the Ref (opposite the activities centre).
35