The Fortnightly
WEEK SEVEN, SEMESTER ONE, 2025
THE FEDERAL BUDGET
What’s in It for University Students?
Erin Coull
On the 25th of March, Labor treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the 2025-2026 federal budget A few days later, the government called the federal election
Given this is an election budget, I expected some bold policies to get us out to vote in the election next month So I was surprised by this budget’s distinguishing feature: as put by the Australia Institute- an “absence of any significant initiatives "
So is there anything in the budget for students? There are some promising steps, but perhaps we aren’t a big enough voting cohort to pay much attention to; because although Jim Chalmers used the word ‘future’ 14 times in his budget speech, there was no mention of climate change, barely a nod to cost-of-living, with pressing education reforms entirely ignored.
Last year, a year-long review into higher education culminated in the University Accords, a series of recommendations to improve the sector. In response, the government plans to increase Commonwealth Supported Places, and reduce HECS-Help debt by 20%. The minimum repayment threshold for these loans is also set to be increased, giving students some relief from the constant pressure of debt. But this positive step is still a missed opportunity to wipe student debt- a move that would alleviate cost-of-living pressures, grow the economy and demonstrate a real commitment to Australia’s students
This isn’t the only missed opportunity for reform Despite its definitive failure as a policy, there are no reforms to the Job Ready Graduates Program For those of you in arts, communications, law and commerce, this program is why your degree is so expensive
The program was implemented under the Morrison government in 2020. It reduced the costs of degrees in highdemand fields including engineering and mathematics and increased the fees of courses seen as less valuable. This was a stark change to the previous system of fee-setting, where student fees reflected future earning potential in their fields. The main impact of this policy has been to unfairly increase student debt, without having a significant impact on enrolment in fields that now accrue unfairly higher debt In response to this policy, only 1 52% of students switched their field, and in the last two years, new enrolments in arts and creative arts fields has been rising again Universities Australia made it clear in their budget response: “it’s time for the Job-ready Graduates Package to go ” This budget missed an opportunity to scrap a policy that’s unfair, ineffective, and reflects a government that doesn’t see the value in artistic, creative and cultural roles
Despite this, students required to undertake placements are set to receive some breakthrough support The Commonwealth Prac Program will commence in July this year, an overdue measure to alleviate the costs of student course placements If you are a domestic student undertaking a mandatory placement for a teaching, social work, nursing or midwifery course, from the 1st of July, you will become eligible to receive $331 65 per week This is a welcome step to help alleviate the ‘placement poverty’ faced by students expected to complete hundreds of hours of unpaid work placements in order to graduate, who often have to make devastating trade-offs between work and placements, and go without essentials like groceries and healthcare just to get by. But the cost-of-living relief in this budget just doesn’t go far enough. Maximum rates of Commonwealth Rent Assistance have been increased by 45%- but only for a third of those who rent. There is a longterm plan to build more rental homes, but immediate relief like a rental cap that many students desperately need, is nowhere to be seen. There’s also been no increase to the Jobseeker or Youth Allowance payment.
Jim Chalmers called this budget “a plan to build Australia’s future,” but students need more support now. It’s a farsighted budget, palatable but not at all bold. The federal election will be held on the 3rd of May- and whether our votes matter to Labor or not- we’ll see whether or not they’ve done enough for students
The Guardian, 2025.
UNIBAR CLOSING IT’S DOORS
Like a true student, it pulled all-nighters, served up questionable decisions, and is finally calling it quits.
Maya Grant
Opening in 1976, Uni Bar is set to close on the 28 of June this year After almost 50 years of gigs, the venue will be closing as a result of the UTAS decision not to extend the lease of its Churchill Avenue location Pro Vice-Chancellor of Campus Life, Professor Nicholas Farrelly, has said that UTAS has been working with the Tasmanian University Student Association, we all know as TUSA, to develop a new location for student facilities However, the ABC is reporting that this will be a “contemporary STEM precinct” begging the question, what will replace the Uni Bar shaped hole in our hearts?
In its heyday, the Divinyls, Cold Chisel, Paul Kelly and Powderfinger all performed at the venue. Still thriving (in the opinion of many of us that frequent the venue), in recent years Uni Bar has seen Cosmo’s Midnight, San Cisco, Peking Duk and Jungle Giants entertain not just us students but Hobartians from all over.
According to Rolling Stone Australia, Kisschasy, Old Mervs and Peking Duk are all to play before the closure. While this has been another blow for the live music industry after struggling with the impact of COVID-19, us UTAS students wonder if this decision only impacts 1 Churchill Avenue or if it will have broader consequences TULS, TUMSS and Engi, our law, med and engineering societies, host events like ‘Suits, Scrubs, and Spanners’ in Uni Bar itself while UTAS holds our exams in the halls above The TUSA building on the same site, provides UTAS students with access to “affordable and free fruit, vegetables, bread and pantry items” through its Food Hub initiative, increasingly important with the current cost of living circumstances
It is not yet been understood if the whole site will be relocated, the Herald Sun vaguely reporting that the land along Churchill Avenue will be developed for housing, indicating that this is potentially to fund the new ‘STEM precinct’ he one thing we know for sure however, is that Uni Bar will leave us to make the trek to the Odeon and Hanging Garden for our live music and the Mayfair for a Wednesday night bev
Kentaro Watts
Joanna Horton's Catching the Light is an upcoming novel about the love and struggles of a mother and daughter across time. Sylvie, unwillingly estranged from the canvas by the demands of single motherhood, stumbles into an acclaimed artist named Michael, which sparks a feeling she hasn’t felt for a long time. She clutches at the opportunity to move to an artist’s colony and reimmerse herself in not just the art world, taking her teenage daughter Alice with her. The bond between Sylvie and Alice begins to strain while living at the colony as Sylvie navigates her relationship with Michael. The book straddles their time at the art colony and Alice later in life, whose decision to participate in an art historian’s retrospective on Michael's work forces her to confront her past, including an act of teenage rebellion done behind Sylvie's back that has rippled through their lives. Like a Russian doll, the story unfolds layer by layer, deftly threading together the two time periods Joanna Horton skilfully explores themes of vulnerability and morality in people's relationships, and the perceptions of each other that drive their attitudes and actions. Reading this book was a joy, thanks Tog!
*Togatus received this book for free for marketing purposes however there was no obligation for us to review this content. This is not a paid advertisment.
THE UGLIEST MASCOT IN THE AFL?
A Defence of Rum’un
Ella Vanderzwan
Rum’un, the mascot for the Tasmanian AFL team has been revealed to mixed reactions all around the country. Most of the reactions I have seen have been largely negative, looking through some Facebook there were some gems such as: “Can we decline and get another one’, ‘maybe a new one that hasn't come out of a bin’, ‘It looks like a swamp rat”, and “it’s a rat” Lots of people are unnerved by Rum’un Since I may be one of the few people in Tasmania who liked Rum’un when I first looked at him, I am here in defense of what I think is the best AFL mascot by far and to explain why Rum’un is quintessentially Tasmanian and therefore a perfect mascot for our new team
Depicting a green Tasmanian Devil, Rum’un is the latest mascot to join the AFL line up He has shaggy green fur with some patches missing, a tattoo in the shape of Tasmania on his bicep, and bloodied knees as a reference to Queenstown’s infamous gravel football ground Even the word rum’un is Tasmanian, a slang nickname used with affection for the young troublemakers in a family
Even before all of this, Rum’un’s ties with Tasmanian identity were strong Rum’un was created by the Hobart-based company Terrapin Puppet Theatre He was created using recycled school uniforms from Tasmanian students and was partially made by Tasmanian high school students. Rum’un, is arguably the most creative AFL mascot we’ve seen. Looking past the aesthetics, Rum’un is shrouded with ingenious industry-leading practices. Firstly, he can eat footballs and poop them out, which I believe alone makes him the best AFL mascot. However, Rum’un is also the first puppet to join the lineup of AFL mascots, which could revolutionise how the other teams think about mascots. He very clearly represents the team he is supposed to, and strikes an imposing figure compared to the other mascots. (Seriously, who is being intimidated by Captain Carlton or Cyggy, the Sydney Swan’s mascot.) Standing amongst the lineup of other AFL mascots, Rum’un is clearly the most innovative Every aspect of Rum’un’s creation and design is incredibly Tasmanian He’s slightly rough around the edges and shows pride in Tasmanian culture and people This pride is evidenced by the memberships secured just days after opening, with a whopping 150,000 members
The creation and design of Rum’un shows this appreciation for the Tasmanian people While there has been extreme divisiveness over the Stadium build, it is important to remember that the AFL team itself should be a unifying opportunity for Tasmanian pride. Rum’un shouldn’t take the brunt of people’s misdirected anger and frustration. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, mainlanders are confused and slightly horrified by Rum’un. Focused on their preconceptions of him and our team, they have missed all the context and cultural heritage surrounding the design choices that were made, which I reckon is the most Rum’un thing about him.
THE ECOLOGICAL DISASTER
OF GREEN LAWN
Beth Hanley
The Australian dream: a lush green lawn….. an ecological disaster or something to aspire to have?
It is no secret that the Australian ideal of the white picket fence, quarter acre block, and a perfect lawn has taken over our urban and rural landscapes With industrialisation and urbanisation, the green lawn has become the monoculture we see today But this concept is often overlooked as a major deterrent for biodiversity and wilderness From a cash viewpoint, grass lawns are a financial burden Just think of the amount of golf courses, front nature strips, university campuses, public parks and other spaces that have lawns as their major green spaces Also, the costs (on the environment and the wallet) of pesticides, water and fertilser cannot go unmentioned A majority of common fertilisers, for instance, are made using ammonia (extracted from natural gas which 2/3 of which is extracted through fracking) As a consequence, lawn production and upkeep contribute to environmental damage, this is inclusive of water pollution Additionally, when speaking of water, the ‘necessary’ watering of our lawns through the arid months takes a large amount of water Notable research has been undertaken in the US on this topic and found that ‘lawn irrigation accounts for nearly one-third of all residential water use, approximately 9 billion gallons per day. ’
The use of these resources leaves a large carbon footprint and what for? A patch of green that contrasts well with your brick house?
Look at the lawns outside our very own Lazenby’s, the perfect lines and pruning that is undergone to give the space a certain look, is this really necessary? My answer is no Furthermore, grasses (despite being green) are an environmental issue The equipment used to keep them perfect, lawnmowers, leaf blowers and the like, undoubtedly cause some Co2 emissions but the main point of concern is the impact on local biodiversity. There has been a lot of discussion given to the importance of ‘wild’ spaces to ensure the protection and habitat of local flora and fauna (can’t forget about the bees). By having masses of space dedicated to lawns we discourage these needed animals and bugs as they offer little to no habitat. The alternative? Aside from more ‘wild spaces’ with native vegetation and no pesticides there are also clover lawns. These lawns are precisely what they sound to be, consisting primarily of clovers (the most common in Australia is the white clover). Being in the most Southern part of Australia with decent rainfall, Tasmania and Hobart are well placed to have these lawns as part of our urban and rural plots Requiring minimal maintenance, attracting pollinating insects, adding nitrogen to the soil and reducing the likelihood of other weeds in your gardens, the clover lawn not only feels great but is a financially friendly alternative to traditional grasses Another bonus is increasing your likelihood of finding those lucky four-leaf clovers everyone raves about! For a step by step on how to grow these lawns feel free to consult the Better Homes and Gardens Website- How to Plant a Clover Lawn, Plus Expert Care Tips
They go through everything you need to know, from when to plant to how to upkeep and protect your new lawn
So, why not increase your luck and reduce your carbon footprint and plant a clover lawn in your garden? Furthermore, I put it to Utas to better their urban landscapes and greenify our campus with a clover lawn, or (at the very least) let our grasses grow slightly more wild Ditch the perfect green lines, and ensure bees and other flora can prosper in our education institution!
The opinions expressed herein are not those of the editors, the publishers, the University of Tasmania, or the Tasmanian University Student Association. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that the content and information included is as up-to-date and accurate as possible at the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken towards Togatus for any errors or omissions
If you have concerns or questions about anything that has been published, contact the Editor-in-Chief, Evelyn Unwin Tew, by email.
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