Togatus.
May 2013 FREE!
SSAF Funding • Tasmania’s Abortion Legislation • AIM Overseas Rag Tag • The (Un)timely Demise of Facebook • The Drones • Playing with Balls 1
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Published by the State Council on behalf of the Tasmania University Union Inc. (hf. “the publishers”). The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily 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 (www.togatus.com.au) The copyright in this magazine remains with the publishers. Editor: Hannah Grey editor.togatus@utas.edu.au Deputy Print Editor: Kate Elphinstone Deputy Web Editor: Megan Tighe Design and Layout: Sam Lyne Advertising: Please contact editor.togatus@utas.edu.au Contributors: Molly Coburn, Korrina Davis, Emily Dunn, Kate Elphinstone, Tabitha Fletcher, Jamila Fontana, Hannah Grey, Mikala Jayatilaka, Gordon Luckman,
Cover: Luke Conroy – ‘Mysterious Bodies’ series
Aaron Moss, Samantha Mountford, Tayla Reynolds, Jaclyn Rogerson, Kester Takayama, Simeon Thomas-
“Ultimately, this series allows my photography to exist as it always has, allowing expression but not necessarily explanation. There is quite a serious tone to the work, but I also see the lighter side of everything I am doing. So, while the ‘Mysterious Bodies’ series appears quite morbid, it is playing around with the seriousness expected in the ideas and the sense that it is also a load of bollocks.
Wilson, James Walker, Topher Webster, Alex West Togatus PO Box 5055 Sandy Bay, Tas 7006 Follow us: Twitter: @TogatusMagazine
Often everything learnt in a year is condensed into a couple of thick essays or rushed exams, then only read once. So I feel quite lucky to be able to actually put my ideas down into something which lasts a bit longer and people might enjoy looking at.”
Facebook: facebook.com/TogatusMagazine
Luke graduated in 2012 with an Arts degree—Sociology Major and Journalism Minor. This year he is studying Honours in Sociology, exploring the social significance of Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art. His research project will be based around the upcoming Dark MOFO event, by reflecting on the festival experience in regards to the themes of ‘ritual’ and ‘time’.
It is understood that any contribution sent to Togatus may be
www.togatus.com.au Togatus welcomes all contributions. Please email your work or ideas to editor.togatus@utas.edu.au
used for publication in either the magazine or the website, and that the final decision on whether to publish resides with the editor and the publishers. The editor reserves the right to make changes to submitted material as required. Togatus is published quarterly.
Photo by Luke Conroy
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From the Editor HANNAH GREY
There is nothing quite like reading an article that changes your opinion on an issue. I felt this way after reading Aaron Moss’s edifying personal reflection, which outlines the extent of the challenges this vibrant student has faced—and still faces—all because of his sexuality. It would seem that issues surrounding gay sexuality are far from figured out. Welcome to the first edition of Togatus for 2013—your honest and independent Tasmanian student publication. Aaron’s article is just one of the quality pieces that is featured in the pages of this edition. The editorial team, consisting of Megan Tighe, Kate Elphinstone and myself, believe that student media is not just imperative in order to highlight new issues, but also to examine existing issues from fresh perspectives. This year, Tog writers aim to dig a little deeper, whether it be through investigative articles, opinion pieces or strong features. Togatus has a strong history of sparking debate. The 1969 ‘colour supplement’ cover caused controversy by displaying a photo of a black man on top of a white woman with her breast exposed. The Union Jack was the only material covering their naked skin, and police confiscated copies of the magazine. While I am not advocating that Togatus should seek to create controversy for its own sake, I think it is important to recognise that the publication is a University magazine—this is the key space and time for students to challenge views and explore new ideas. In this issue, Gordon Luckman dives into SSAF Funding to investigate where your $273 is going. Kester Takayama discusses the issues surrounding the simplification of the abortion debate from a personal, political and legal perspective. Tabitha Fletcher chats to The Drones in the lead up to the band’s descent for DARK MOFO.
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Whether you are a student reading this publication from the Sandy Bay, Cradle Coast or Newnham campus or studying at one of our Sydney campuses, or even if you are a member of the broader Tasmanian community, we hope that you find something in this issue that is of interest to you. Togatus is inclusive, and continually expanding. Each Wednesday from 11-1, the Tog office is a drop-in centre. Come along and have a chat if you have any questions, comments, or possible contributions whether as a writer, designer, advertiser or photographer. Check out our new Facebook page and hop onto the Twitter train. Megan Tighe, our ridiculously hard working web editor, has been busy putting together a new-look website with regular content. We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Hannah Grey
HANNAH GREY has just diverted from law to pursue a more creative relationship with the written word. She is a live music junkie, a keen foodie and a newsaholic. She would like to say that she has a penchant for 20th century literature, but social media seems to have kicked that one to the curb.
#fromthepresident
From the President Where the hell is my education revolution? ALEX WEST
On Saturday 13 April 2013, the newly appointed Minister for Tertiary Education, Dr Craig Emerson, announced $2.8 billion in budget savings from the higher education sector to help fund the implementation of the Government’s reforms to early school education. The cuts covering the period 2013-14 to 2016-17 are comprised of: 1.
2. 3.
$900m reduction in the amount of resources for the same level of output of 2% in 2014 and 1.25% in 2015 which applies to all grants under the Higher Education Support Act 2003, excluding Australian Postgraduate Awards. $1.2b savings by converting Student Start-up Scholarship (SSS) to HECS type loans. $229m saving by removing the 10 per cent discount for upfront HECS payments.
These announced cuts represent an unwelcome and shockingly backward-step in Labor’s agenda. Imposing a 2-year resource reduction, worth $900 million, places unwelcome strain on universities at a time of significant growth in student numbers and poses a particular threat to important low-enrolment courses and regional campuses. A further $1.2 billion in savings found by converting scholarships to student loans will see student debt climb by between 21 and 37 per cent for those affected, leaving them with more than a decade of debt following graduation.
increase of 10% in Federal Government funding, as recommended by the Base Funding Review. This announcement is a break in the Gillard Government’s Education Narrative. Last year we saw an uncapping of student places. This is a great step forward for equal access to education but we must fund these places. Funding to education is not a zero-sum game; students benefitting from the Gonski reforms should have a quality university education to look forward to, if they choose. There has been graphs coming from the government, spamming on my facebook and twitter—showing a line going up— suggesting that funding for universities is still increasing. These graphs are incorrect. They do not take into account indexation or student numbers. The truth of the matter is the government has cut funding per student. The TUU, NTEU, NUS, CAPA and CISA (Council of International Students Australia) all call for the cuts to be scrapped. Get involved in the campaign and get active. This is your decade of debt. Alex West – State-wide President – Tasmania University Union www.tuu.com.au – (03) 62262853 – 0400663842
Attempts to link the savings to the increased Gonski funding to school education miss the point. With government funding to tertiary education at just 0.8% of GDP, Australia remains one of the lowest contributors to the sector of all members in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). University funding is typically between 1% to 2%. Universities Australia, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), the National Union of Students (NUS) and the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) have all called for a minimum 5
Contributors MOLLY COBURN is majoring in Journalism and International Relations. Other than cutting her own hair when neurotic, she has no real creative practice. When she grows up she’d like to be a writer, end all the wars, and hopefully have no more than three cats. She blogs at littlecrackcat.tumblr.com.
KORRINA DAVIS is studying International Relations and hoping to go into foreign affairs after her studies. She has a passion for travel, photography and world politics.
EMILY DUNN is majoring in Journalism. Pursuing a life of intrigue and decadence, living for food, entertainment and happiness. She believes there’s nothing better than eating whilst being entertained and getting attention – which is why she should have been Louis the XIV.
TABITHA FLETCHER has a tendency to
JAMILA FONTANA is an International
MIKALA JAYATILAKA is a fourth year
Relations and Sociology major who walks fine lines between political nerd, feminist and fan girl. One half of whatistherundude.wordpress.com She tweets @jamilafontana.
Law student who is terrified of public speaking. She doesn’t know what she wants to be when she graduates—for now, finishing will be enough. She blogs at mikalajayatilaka.wordpress.com
talk about the elephant in the room. This has led her to studying Journalism,Politics and Geography. She’ll probably be writing and arting until a bump to the head changes her personality. She tweets @franklytabitha.
AARON MOSS is a 3rd year student studying GORDON LUCKMAN isn’t a journalist, he’s studying Law and Business (Corporate Governance). He did once have dinner with a journalist though. Questions remain regarding his IQ. He tweets @gluckman.
a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws, majoring in International Relations and Political Science. He hopes one day to work for the United Nations. He is the GLBTIQA Officer on the TUU SRC (South) He tweets @Aaron_M_Moss.
SAMANTHA MOUNTFORD is majoring in Journalism. In between hanging out with her cat and watching reality TV, Sam dreams of working for a fashion magazine combining her two loves of writing and all things make-up, shoes and handbags. She blogs at whistleandblow.tumblr.com 6
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TAYLA REYNOLDS is completing a Bachelor of Arts, whilst battling with the temptation to spend all her hard earned dollars on clothes. She tweets @taylareynolds
#firstly
Contents JACLYN ROGERSON is working her way through a Bachelor of Education studying through distance education. She works as a nanny which gives her many opportunities to learn new things about children, and she cannot wait to have the most colourful classroom when she finishes her degree.
SSAF FUNDING / 06 UNIVERSITY FUNDING CUTS / 09 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL / 11 TASMANIA’S ABORTION LEGISLATION / 13 AIM OVERSEAS / 15 FUMBLING THROUGH DARKNESS/ 18 THE DRONES / 20
KESTER TAKAYAMA is a part time student studying mostly Mathematics. He is a single parent and in his spare time, tries to work two jobs.
PLAYING WITH BALLS / 22 MICROWAVE APPRECIATION SOCIETY / 23 THE OUTFIT REPEATER / 24 TASMANIAN COMEDY WILDERNESS / 26 DR CLARE SMITH / 28
SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON is studying Journalism and International Relations and wants to work for a newspaper/magazine in England or to travel around the world and cover sports events.
NOSTALGIA / 30 RAG TAG / 32 GOING THE DISTANCE / 34 THE RED DOOR / 35 THE (UN)TIMELY DEMISE OF FACEBOOK / 36
JAMES WALKER graduated from UTAS in 2012 with a BA-LLB(Hons). He is hoping to move to Canberra later this year to take up a position with the ACT Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. He often fantasises about the Western Bulldogs winning another grand final.
STUDENT LEGAL SERVICE / 38 THE FREE SPEECH MYTH / 40 SUPPLEMENTING SPORT / 42 SOMETHING FOR KATE / 44 FOOD FOR CHEAP / 46 FINAL NOTES / 48
TOPHER WEBSTER is a 3rd year English major. At this time of year, his artistic practise is strictly recreational. He hopes one day to have a circus run away and join him. 7
SSAF Funding This year the University of Tasmania collected $3.78 million dollars from students. Where does your $273 contribution end up? In Part 1 of this investigation, Gordon Luckman touches on a number of the issues involved in SSAF implementation at UTAS. WORDS: GORDON LUCKMAN
Beginning in second semester last year, university students across the country have been asked to pay an additional fee. The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) is, according to Minister Peter Garrett (who at the time of the introduction of the bill was Minister for School Education) a solution to “rebuild important student supports and services and ensure independent student representation and advocacy.” It’s argued that SSAF is a response to the Howard Government’s 2005 prohibition on Compulsory Student Unionism (CSU), which according to Garrett caused university services and amenities to be stripped of $170 million dollars across Australia. At the recent Tasmania University Union (TUU) Student Politics Debate, Australian Liberal Students’ President Christian Street argued that taking money from all university students for the good of a few was extremely hard to justify. Compulsory Student Unionism and SSAF are at odds with free market views. This opinion suggests that it should be left to the individual student to choose which clubs, societies and facilities they wish to support financially – not the decision of the university and the student union. Arguably this attitude towards university life has seen independent student services and advocacy diminish across Australia. A National Union of Students report shows that at least seventeen universities across Australia have suffered cuts. Since the abolition of CSU, students have funded the student services and facilities they’ve desired. This freedom has also resulted in some services, facilities and advocacy being discontinued for students in need. The Student Services and Amenities Fee legislation gives Australian universities the power to compel students to pay a fee not exceeding $273 dollars (indexed annually). Universities have the power to decide how much the fee will be and which class 8
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of students the fee will be charged to. Within the legislation, universities are also required to engage in a formal consultation process with elected student representatives. These consultation processes must include the publication of the funding priorities for the SSAF expenditure as well as meetings with elected student representatives. At the University of Tasmania, the consultation took place through a working group including elected student representatives Alex West (TUU Statewide President), Vino Rajandran (Postgraduate President), Shafiq Sobri (southern International Students’ Representative), Josh Brooks (Campus President North), and Maddi Charles (Campus President South).
Additional Members from the Student Services & Amenities Fee Consultation Subgroup: David Sadler Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students and Education) David Clerk Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Taylor Director – Student Centre Peter Frappell Dean of Graduate Research & Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement) Representative from Financial Services Representative from Governance and Legal Representative from Marketing and Communications Representative from Commercial Services Jenny Hart Executive Officer - TUU
ISSUES AT UTAS Student Engagement There appears little disagreement that last year’s consultation process was a disaster for students. The allocation of funds was disproportionately towards University controlled entities rather than the student union, which only received 17% of the
#investigative
allocation. The Union was so suspicious of the Universityled consultation last year, that they chose to run a separate survey asking the student population for their opinion. This year, the consultation of students occurred in early February, when a bulk email was sent to all students by the university requesting they complete an online survey. The University allowed students eleven days (25 Feb – 8 March) to complete this survey. However, at the time of the survey the SSAF subgroup had already finalised 75% of where the funding was going. The response rate for the survey was low at only 8.8%. (The results of the survey are now available on the UTAS website at www.utas.edu.au/students/ student-services-and-amenities-fee-ssaf/student-consualtion2013)
Funding Effectiveness In comparison to last year, the Tasmania University Union (TUU) has received a much greater proportion of SSAF funding, with 44% of the funds allocated to TUU controlled projects. TUU Statewide President Alex West emphasised that all SSAF funded TUU projects will provide free services to students - unlike the university projects, some of which just provide a subsidy to reduce costs. $17,500 has been allocated to the university’s venue hire services, to provide venue hire subsidies for TUU-affiliated university sporting clubs. The venue hire of some university facilities is already so mismatched against the pricing of community facilities that even with the SSAF subsidy the community facility provides a better deal for student clubs. For example, to hire the Sandy Bay Campus sports grounds currently costs TUU clubs $34 per hour. With the SSAF subsidy this cost is reduced to $28.90. Alternatively, the Hobart City Council provides the Domain Soccer ground for $19.20 per hour. Concerns have also been raised about the size of some of the funding allocations. The student union has received $65,000 to
Concerns have also been raised about the size of some of the funding allocations.
create a new website and iPhone app for the TUU. In the TUU’s own written submission to the SSAF subcommittee, it describes the current TUU website as ‘not engaging or appealing to students’ and indicates that it is ‘restrictive and lacks functionality’. The submission also cites the TUU’s inability to disseminate information directly to students. The TUU argues that an overhaul of their website would provide them with the ability to solve these problems. However, leading Tasmanian app developer, Paris Buttfield-Addison, believes that $65,000 is between three to six times more than what would typically be required for a comprehensive and modern TUU website and iPhone app. Similarly, the TUU-affiliated UTAS Computing Society tentatively expressed interest that their members could develop a functioning website, and multi-platform mobile application for less.
Transparency It might also come as a shock that the official allocation of SSAF funding has actually been released. It is believed that the finalised funding was uploaded to the University website on 26 April. This is despite the official timeline stating that it would be finalised and announced on 22 March. However, students aren’t alone in being unaware of the announcement. As late as 2 May, members of the TUU Student Representative Councils (SRC) were still under the belief that the finalised allocation of funds was confidential information. This leads us to a serious problem that has been caused 9
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by the delay in announcing the finalised funding plan. Many project proponents have been unaware of their spending allocations, making budgeting extremely difficult, and in some cases resulting in the blind spending of money.
Equality Questions also remain regarding equality of the allocation of funds. Students from Sydney, Launceston and Cradle Coast campuses along with international and distance students don’t receive the same impact of funding as domestic students at the larger Sandy Bay Campus. The President of the Australian Maritime College Student Association in Launceston described the consultation process engaged in by the University as not proactive enough. Particular concerns were raised about the lack of a feedback mechanism for Northern students owing to the lack of TUU activity in the region. Nonetheless, this year, students will be better able to determine which new facilities and services have been funded through SSAF through a branding campaign that UTAS plans to put in place.
Power Imbalances in Negotiations In Tasmania, after the abolition of CSU, the University of Tasmania and the student union undertook an agreement: the university provided the Tasmania University Union (TUU) with a base level of funding for the provision of vital services to students. These services include accommodation and commercial services, as well as advocacy, independent student representation and emergency financial and welfare support. The agreement specified that the TUU would be provided with a minimum of $700,000, and in 2011 the base funding was set at $750,000. However in 2011, the University threatened to charge the TUU an additional $300,000 worth of commercial rent for its facilities on campus. This unexpected increase is regarded as the trigger for the TUU’s decision to sell its commercial assets—the cafes on each campus and accommodation services. The combination of student indifference towards the TUU, and the University’s financial power assisted this change. In the last decade, the University has secured a majority of four appointed members to three elected student members on the TUU’s Board of Management, which made the decision on the asset sale. Generally, negotiations surrounding the University’s base funding of the TUU are finalised in December. At the time of writing, negotiations are ongoing. In an interview with Togatus, TUU President Alex West, declined to comment as to the state of negotiations, citing that to comment would jeopardise the good faith between the University and the TUU in negotiations. The clear expectation behind the SSAF legislation is that it would only create new services or expand existing services. Simply creating a new service and stopping an existing service that already serves the function 10
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Students from Sydney, Launceston and Cradle Coast campuses along with international and distance students don’t receive the same impact of funding as domestic students at the larger Sandy Bay Campus.
of the new service would be a disgrace, raising questions concerning the University and its relationship with its students. In other words, is the University now charging us for services previously provided for free, just because they can? Unfortunately, the University’s Chief Operating Officer, David Clerk; Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Sadler; Stephanie Taylor, Student Centre Director—other staff—were unavailable for interviews. We look forward to their comments for part two of the investigation into SSAF and the university funding of student services.
Footnote Following receipt of this article, TUU President Alex West was given the right of reply regarding the $65,000 website and app allocation for the TUU. “This funding may be necessary to cover ongoing costs of website and app maintenance,” she said. It is important to note that all money must be accounted for. “If money is not spent, then the money is returned to be re-allocated. In addition, all money must be spent in the allocation year,” Alex West stated.
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UTAS Cuts Find out about the Education Reform Plan and what it means for the future of our island state. WORDS: MOLLIE COBURN
On May 14 the Federal Government announced further massive cuts to the university sector as a part of Labor’s ‘education reform plan’. If, like me, you think this sounds only slightly counterproductive, then you’d be completely right. Originally, my plan for this article was to find out exactly what was going to happen to UTAS, how these cuts would impact upon an educational experience already stretched to breaking point, and whose fault it was so you could march right on in there and demand answers. But I can’t. Either nobody really knows exactly where these cuts will hit hardest across UTAS, or they just really didn’t want to tell me. But what I do know, I can deduce from my own experience at UTAS. To get an understanding of how significant these cuts will be, we should first reflect upon the current standard of education being provided at UTAS. I began my Bachelor in January of 2011. It’s now the final year of my Arts Degree. To be perfectly honest, the quality of my education has dropped noticeably since then. Not only have tutorial student numbers increased drastically since 2011, but the actual amount of tutorials held has been reduced too. Whereas in first year you may have had a class of around 18 students, now it’s closer to 30 at the start of semester. On top of that, weekly tutorial times have been reduced to fortnightly. In some of my units, we now only have fortnightly face-to-face lectures. Basically, we’ve lost almost a third of our contact hours overall.
major, that means you need to take both of these units and pass. Out of two units offered, one is only offered with ‘competitive and varying availability of placements’. So basically, you might not get in, meaning you won’t pass, meaning you do not graduate. It’s kind of like degree lottery. ‘Have a go! Oh no, not enough placements this year, you miss out. Try again next year!’ You might think that all sounds quite woeful, and again, you’re 100% right. And may I remind you again, that this is the pre-budget cut situation for current UTAS students. The new cuts won’t come into effect until next year. So basically what I’m trying to say, is that it’s going to get even shitter. The new cuts are coming in a variety of savage blows. Firstly, there will be a $900 million ‘efficiency dividend’, which pretty much just means that the University will be expected to provide the same standard of education, but using far less resources.
The other issue that struck me as being pretty ridiculous was the fact that class options have also gone from three to four options per semester, to two. This has been particularly the case in Journalism, Media and Communications, where in second semester of 2013 there are only two units offered at a 300 level. If, like me, you intend on graduating in December with a JMC 11
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So you can probably expect fewer teachers, less tutorials, and an increased amount of time staring at your computer screen. In terms of student support, Start-up Scholarships for those on Youth Allowance will now be converted into loans, so you’ll have to pay those back when you graduate. If you’re lucky, you might have paid off your HECS by the time you’re 35, although it will probably be more like when you are 40. You’re not even safe if you don’t have a HECS debt—the 10% discount on upfront payment of fees has been scrapped too. Also, if you’re an Engineering or Medical Student, you’re also going to lose a massive chunk of your tax-concessions for things like industry prac, as part of a massive reduction of work-related expenses. The irony of this is that these are policies put into action mostly by politicians WHO RECEIVED FREE TERTIARY EDUCATION UNDER THE WHITLAM GOVERNMENT. So why is there so much silence over this? Students are paying more than ever before to gain access to tertiary education, some up to $2000 per unit. Therefore we have a right to ask questions and demand answers. It’s your money. Would you pay more money for only half a burger? I didn’t think so. As students from a regional university we really need to stand up and make a point of saying that this is not acceptable. 12
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As a regional University we really need to stand up and make a point of saying that this is not acceptable.
Tasmania only has one option for tertiary education. These cuts are going to have seriously tragic impacts not only for UTAS, but also for the wider workforce and the state of Tasmania generally. The predictions are pretty dismal. There is an election coming, and now is the best time to make a noise. Be offensive. Burst into an MP’s office. Take all your clothes off and protest through a public place. Chain yourself to the bin outside the café on campus. Just do something. Your future is being jeopardised, and that simply will not do.
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Legislative Council One of the most elusive figures in Tasmanian politics. WORDS: JAMILA FONTANA
There is a room in the Tasmanian Parliament house, one of the most decadent and traditional; with two rows of red couches on either side and an enormous portrait of Queen Victoria in a heavy gold frame that seemingly threatens to fall at any moment. Compared to the newer art deco look of the Tasmanian Lower House, many could be mistaken for thinking this room is in some form of historical preservation, but it is, in fact, the other half of the law-making organ. The room is the Legislative Council, the Upper House of Tasmania’s Parliament and home to MPs from fifteen, single seat electorates. The Legislative Council, often referred to as ‘the house of review’, is one of the most elusive figures in Tasmanian politics, with many of us unable to name a single member or electorate. However, as the Tasmanian Government and its members keep offering forward controversial legislation, the Legislative Council is increasingly entering the spotlight. The Legislative Council is a haven for ex-mayors, wanting to move on to a safe political seat, a six-figure salary and spot under Queen Vic. To clarify, five current sitting members have been mayors and a further three, deputy mayors. It is also worth noting that the Legislative Council only has three members who are officially aligned with political parties and the rest are independent. So when legislation like legalising same sex marriage is rejected by a house of Parliament many of us know nothing about, we begin to take notice. As a result, we have now witnessed some of the most contested Legislative Council elections in recent history, with some sitting members expressing genuine surprise at the competition. For those of you reading this, avoiding an assignment or drowning in an unappealing coffee and wondering what my point is, I’ll make it a bit clearer. The Tasmanian Parliament
is faced with some of the most significant social reforms in recent history—facing a push to legalise same-sex marriage, decriminalise abortion and allow for euthanasia. The Council’s reputation as a ‘house of review’ comes from an ambition to be less invasive in the direction of policy in Tasmania and to act as a standard bearer for legislation. Many people vote in Legislative Council elections with an awareness of this, rather than backing a particular candidate’s stance on social reforms. Though not everyone puts social issues at the forefront of their voting considerations, the legislative council rejection of same sex marriage suggested that almost none of us had. Admittedly, even with social issues at the forefront, the votes might not change dramatically. However, when we listen to the arguments made by many members of the Legislative Council against social legislation, their comments are increasingly semantic and timid. These results are also coming from a house in Parliament, which, since 1998, has had thirty-one elections, and only eight times have new candidates been successful. The evidence here points not necessarily to the Legislative Council being a conservative house, but one that has been in a form of political slumber. At which point does the house of review become the house of rejection and at which point is the alarm sounded for dramatic political change. For example, Tania Rattray (Apsley) and Ruth Forrest (Murchison) retained their seats without challenge, while conservatives Greg Hall and Paul Harris both won two-horse races. We watch the dynamics of the lower house of parliament and whilst there is the drama of party politics and rivalry, there are also conscience votes on difficult decisions. When we vote for Members of the Lower House, the environment is competitive and rigorous, with the voter bearing in mind the candidates’ ability to influence all areas of policy once elected. The Legislative Council may not perform the same policy role but it is still one half of the process of approval. 13
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In the recent election in Nelson, the likes of Get Up! and Australian Marriage Equality made sure the contest was brought into the political spotlight. Whilst some begrudged this involvement, arguing that it created the illusion that the election was only a referendum on social issues, there are other examples of the Legislative Council losing touch with broader political and community reality. The Forest Agreement could be considered such an example. Where some have praised the compromise settled on by MLCs, many others suggest the transformation of the legislation by the Upper House was a case of it thinking it knew better than the industry and environmental groups that worked for years to create it.
an elusive and often forgotten house of Parliament and changing it is probably as hard as reforming the UN Security Council, even without anyone holding the power of veto. So now that the democratic wheels have been put in motion by the most recent elections, we all need to do our homework.
At which point are you an independent house of review and at which point have you lost touch with legislative reality? Being elected unopposed, or being re-elected in an election which is notorious for being almost impossible to win when you are not the incumbent takes the democratic edge off scrutinising legislation. The connotations of the word ‘upper’, the luxury of the red couches and the decadence of the looming Queen Victoria also inspire an undeserved sense of hierarchy.
There’s a strong argument for significant structural reform, forcing all fifteen Legislative Councillors to face the people at the same time. As it currently stands, if the Upper House was to the block supply (not accept the budget), a Lower House election would be triggered, but the very politicians who forced the vote would not have to face electors. This is a glaring example of what’s wrong with the Legislative Council. It’s too powerful, too comfortable and too unaccountable.
Our elected representatives in both houses come from a wide variety of backgrounds, the successful lawyer, to the clumsy lawyer, to the software developer, to the friendly alderman and to anywhere above, below or in-between. The Legislative Council is 14
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The Lower House could pass three pieces of progressive legislation this term and all three could fall short of becoming law because of the Legislative Councils’ unfamiliarity with tough social reform. If this doesn't sit well with you, pay extra attention when you next elect someone for six years and more than seven hundred thousand dollars.
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Tasmania’s Abortion Legislation Choosing the right debate. WORDS: KESTER TAKAYAMA
One summer, seven-and-a-bit years ago, my girlfriend unexpectedly fell pregnant. She was just about to start third year studying Medicine and I was about to return to my Science/Law combined degree after spending a year off working at the local tannery. We had been together for a couple of years and were very much in love. As young people often do, we felt fairly invincible. Consequently we hadn’t been very careful with contraception. We obviously knew how babies were made, but through some kind of youthful stupidity just assumed it wouldn’t be a problem for us. Even before she did the test, I think we both knew that she was pregnant this time. She’d been late before, but never this late. She came out of the bathroom with the dreaded stick showing two lines and bawling her eyes out. Her first thought was that her life was over. My first thought was that it was my fault. Once the shock subsided and reality sunk in, we began to discuss what we were going to do. People argue vehemently that abortion is a decision solely for the woman and that ultimately any other viewpoint is untenable. Of course the hypothetical scenario of a capable woman being forced to have an abortion at the wishes of another person is abhorrent. But life isn’t really as simple as that. I’d got my girlfriend pregnant and we were very much in it together. We weighed up our options: we could have the baby together which meant revealing everything to our friends and family. No one was going to be impressed with a 19-year-old girl, well on her way to becoming a doctor, being pregnant. We both knew that our own respective parents would be furious. Our friends would think we were idiots. We were going to be the subject of serious gossip. That’s not to mention that actually having a child would mean that we’d miss out on major opportunities in life. University would be much
harder. We wouldn’t be able to go out partying until 5am. We might not fulfil our dreams. Our alternative was to have an abortion. We wouldn’t have to tell anyone. It could be done discreetly and affordably at the clinic that operates in Hobart and no one would ever know. Well, almost no one. It was very nearly, but not quite, the solution to all our problems. It’s easy to brashly state from a purely academic perspective that life only begins at birth and that a foetus is just a collection of cells. But when we were actually faced with the real life decision about what to do, it suddenly wasn’t so clear. Whatever decision we made would be one that would stay with us forever. But then we thought about our own futures. We were both pursuing high-level careers. She planned to be a surgeon. I was going to be a lawyer. The next four years at University would probably be the easiest we’d have for many decades. Having a child and being uni students actually made a lot more sense than having a child while working 60-hour weeks in our chosen fields. So after a week of intense agonising and drawing up lists, and even visiting an abortion clinic for a pre-op consultation, we chose together to have the baby. Our parents were furious. Our friends were supportive to our faces, but I’m sure we were the subject of some judgmental gossip (not from everyone of course. I am very thankful to those people that were 100% behind us). I went part time at uni and worked a terrible night job doing telemarketing. Things definitely got harder. But my six-year-old daughter is now the most beautiful, happy, amazing person that I have ever met and I feel forever lucky to have her in my life. I will never know if we made the best decision. There is no mirror into the alternate universe where we chose differently. 15
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But I am very happy with the decision we did make. So why have I shared this intensely personal story? Right now the Tasmanian Parliament is reviewing legislation to change the way abortion is dealt with under the law and I want to make one point: abortion is a complicated, difficult subject that needs to be treated with mature reasoned argument, not with shrill one liners and hyperbole. I must confess that I’m an employee of a state politician and I fully support the proposed legislation. But let’s talk about what it is and what it isn’t. Firstly abortion isn’t a crime in Tasmania. The current legislation makes UNLAWFUL abortion a crime. You’ll notice that I’ve written the word in capitals and bolded it because it’s kind of important. An abortion carried out with proper medical supervision is not a crime. What is currently a crime is when someone has an abortion without the assistance of appropriate medically qualified people. Since one of the principal arguments in favour of legalised abortion is to prevent ‘backyard abortions’, it is not totally outrageous to know that while medically supervised abortion is legal in Tasmania, the backyard ones aren’t. The current legislation outlaws an undesirable and dangerous action and allows a legal and much safer alternative. The proposed changes before Parliament will excuse a woman from personal criminal responsibility if she has an UNLAWFUL abortion. And if she illegally smuggles in abortion drugs from the Ukraine instead of seeing her GP, (as recently occurred in Queensland), she won’t face charges under this proposed change. In addition, it will also make it easier to have an abortion when a woman is less than 16 weeks pregnant. It will require doctors who oppose abortion to refer patients to someone who doesn’t, and it will prevent hypothetical protesters from being too close to abortion clinics. This proposed law isn’t about legalising or decriminalising abortion. It isn’t giving women a right to choose that they don’t currently have. This legislation makes important but relatively minor technical changes to the operation of the law. Campaigners in support of the Bill have let the ‘pro-life movement’ define the terms of the debate. Their emotive and naïve arguments have polarised debate and prevented a true examination of the planned changes. By allowing debate to devolve into a simplistic “Pro-Life” vs “Pro Choice” equation, supporters of this legislation have enabled conservative members of the Legislative Council to vote against 16
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People argue vehemently that abortion is a decision solely for the woman and that ultimately any other viewpoint is untenable.
the Bill without giving it actual consideration. If the Bill fails, it will be because its supporters got lost in the rhetoric and weren’t able to sell what the legislation is really about. But worse than that, by perpetuating the myth that we need change because “abortion is a crime” or “women can go to jail in Tasmania for having an abortion”, those claims create a risk of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Women considering an abortion could be less likely to seek medical advice and more likely to take matters into their own hands – the very circumstance in which they may face criminal sanctions or serious risks to their own health. The decision to pass or reject this Bill should be based on an assessment of the appropriate consequences for people who have an unsupervised medical procedure. It should be based on whether the current procedural requirements for a legal abortion are too much of a burden on patients and doctors. Parliament must ask how we can balance the right of peaceful protest against the right of a woman, already facing a difficult and traumatic experience, to not be subject to harassment. Irrespective of how the Bill fares, abortion is not a crime in Tasmania. Women will retain the right to choose. I am grateful that when we made our ‘choice’, we had options available to us. But I don’t think this Bill, or any other, could have made that decision any easier. This legislation will change the process of having a legal abortion, but it won’t affect any of the long-term consequences of that choice. I hope this legislation passes. I don’t think there is anything to be gained from punishing women for the difficult though probably ill-advised decision to have an abortion without medical supervision. I think the reduced red tape for abortions prior to 16 weeks will make the process simpler and less traumatic. More than anything, I hope people recognise the complexity of the issue. I hope the legislation passes because its merits are properly examined and rationally argued, and not because one side picks a better catch phrase.
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AIM Overseas Korrina Davis talks about her experience studying overseas with AIM, the cats that were her classmates and the upside of too much Bulgarian beer. WORDS: KORRINA DAVIS
In January 2013 I flew to Turkey. The cab ride from the airport to the student accommodation in Ortakoy, Istanbul, was the single scariest moment of my life there was a severe language barrier and the cab driver got lost in a city of over 13 million people. Finally, I arrived at Republica Academic Apartments, greeted by familiar and comforting Aussie accents and introduced to the lovely staff. It was evident that I was a long way from home—the world map behind the reception desk was missing little old Tassie.
accepted into the course by AIM and Bogazici University. Bogazici is a beautiful university, located on the Bosphorus River that separates Europe from Asia. Studying here was incredible. The lecturers were wonderful and supportive and it was so interesting to learn about international relations from a Turkish perspective. But even more thrilling about studying at this University, was its cats.
My life goal is to visit as much of the world as physically possible before I die. I inherited a love of travel from my worldly parents. Obviously, being a uni student means funds are tight, so I had to get inventive. I decided that the only way I could afford to go overseas was if I studied whilst away. I am currently in my third year of a BA, majoring in International Relations and minoring in History. IR and History have expanded by interest in the world and further pushed my desire to travel. UTAS doesn’t offer any short-term overseas study and I wasn’t willing to go on exchange for six months. I spent about three weeks reading up on all of the overseas summer and winter schools that other Australian universities offered, but didn’t really find any that tickled my fancy. I kept stumbling across a link to the AIM (Australian Institute for Mobility) Overseas website. AIM has designed overseas courses for Australian students in many different subject fields, hosted by unis all over the world. The one that stood out to me was ‘Political Change in the Middle East’, held at Bogazici University, Istanbul. I applied and the following weeks were filled with eagerness and stress. UTAS had never dealt with AIM before but after a lot of faffing about, I was finally chosen to receive an OS-HELP loan from UTAS worth almost $6000 to pay for the study (the loan has been added to my HECS and will be repaid with my HECS), and
Medieval citadel, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria 17
That’s salt, not snow. The travertines, Pammukale, Turkey
Several times a cat crawled onto my lap during a lecture, and several times the cats were kicked out of class for meowing too loudly. Bogazici was the perfect place for a cat person to study as there were about 200 cats strolling around campus. I studied here for 3 weeks. We had one three-hour lecture daily and at the end of the course an exam was held. Three weeks after the course, an assignment was due. In total the amount of time I spent studying whilst in Turkey was minimal. It’s fair to say I spent a lot more time eating beautiful, fresh food, frolicking in the fluffy white snow and making friends with cats. I also spent a lot of time wandering the streets taking photos. I had booked to fly home 3 weeks after the course ended and my plan was to hopefully meet someone awesome who would travel with me during those weeks. Luckily my roommate Claudia, who studies at Adelaide University, still liked me enough after three weeks to spend another three with me. Together we recruited John, who had also studied with us at Bogazici, and at the end of our time in Istanbul we departed from the group and travelled down the west woast of Turkey. We experienced too much for me to even begin describing. Turkey is a country full of culture. It has the most incredible history and food. My god, I could go some kofta right now. After another week in Turkey we decided to fly to Romania. We headed straight up to Transylvania and got lost in several medieval 18
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towns. The thing I loved most about Romania was its wonderful pubs and stews (I think it’s obvious, I love food). After about a week in Romania we embarked on what would have to be the most tedious and stressful train ride into Bulgaria. After nine hours on a train, when it should have been two, and some slight sickness on Claudia’s part, we were ready to visit more beautiful medieval towns, eat lots of food and drink lots of beer. It turns out lots of beer doesn’t sit well with me. Luckily, the beautiful staff at our hostel (of which we were the only patrons) were willing to cook me Bulgarian vegetable soup to nurse away my hangover. Another few days were spent in Bulgaria discovering that its communist past still lingers heavily. This was exposed when we went to a market that sold a Joseph Stalin babushka doll and antique knives with swastikas on them. After all of these incredible, gluttonous and—at times—scary adventures, I was ready to make the long journey back to Tasmania. This semester I have done some work for AIM trying to promote them and encourage other UTAS students to take advantage of what they offer. I have recently applied to go to the Czech Republic to study ‘International Security – A European Perspective’ in July, and I just got approval. Here’s to new adventures. If you are interested in seeing all of the overseas courses that AIM offer check out their website: www.aimoverseas.com.au
#travel
Street in Izmir, Turkey
Lanterns for sale in the Grand bazaar, Istanbul, Turkey
Man selling rugs in Cappadocia, Turkey 19
Fumbling Through Darkness: Reflections On A Life Lived Gaily. WORDS: AARON MOSS
Because of my sexuality, I’ve been bullied out of schools, developed chronic physical and mental health problems, been stalked home and had my house water-bombed. I’ve had my possessions destroyed, my body assaulted and my psyche destroyed by claims that, amongst other things, this world would be better without me in it. And often by the people who are supposed to love me most.
Contrary to popular belief, not every gay man is a party-going, drug-using, Grindr-carrying guy in see-through neon short-shorts on his knees in a bathroom stall. Nor are we all the ultra-feminine, finger-snapping guy shouting ‘FIERCE GIRLFRIEND!’ at some unsuspecting passer-by whilst strutting in our heels. We’re as diverse, and as different as every other person on this planet. And that’s something we should be celebrating.
But don’t for one minute think that I’m complaining.
Instead, many gay men insist on enforcing on ourselves, totally unrealistic stereotypes of masculinity, and sexuality. And in a mercilessly narcissistic pursuit of perfection, almost every gay man judges himself, and often others, against the idea of a musclebound, perfect ‘Adonis’. And we blame every woe in our lives on the fact that we’re ‘just not perfect’.
I’m one of the lucky ones. Tyler Clementi. Jadin Bell. Jamie Hubley. Jamey Rodemeyer. Ryan Halligan. And thousands of others who don’t make the headlines, who are bullied so relentlessly, and feel so alone, that they believe they have no other choice, when faced with a seemingly endless blackness, that suicide is the only way they can be free. Add to this, the tens of thousands of individuals worldwide who are killed because of their sexuality, in states which treat their very existence as illegal. To be honest, I can sympathise with them. I’ve been there before. Despite what it looks like, being gay isn’t easy. Contrary to what many think, coming out isn’t the start of a life full of rainbows, glitter and endless happiness. Almost daily, whether in a job interview, walking down the street, or around your loved ones, every gay man faces the heart-wrenching gamble of whether to share his true identity. And as much as we all want to say, “I lived 17 years of my life as someone I’m not, I ain’t going back in my closet for nobody”, sometimes, it’s just not that easy. But prepare yourself for a night of hating yourself, because you’ve just undermined everything you believe in. The problem is, we don’t help ourselves either. 20
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Want proof? Google ‘Andrew Christian’. That’s enough musclebound perfection to put the vast majority of men to shame. This might provide a backstory to the notoriously high incidences of depression, mental illness, suicide, university drop-outs and a whole manner of other crippling ailments which gay men are renowned for. This is often coupled with dangerously selfdestructive behaviours in an attempt to ‘fix ourselves’, be it through alcoholism, drugs or casual sex. A 2013 Tasmanian survey found that 74% of Tasmanian gays, nearly three from four, feel anxious, fearful and vulnerable to prejudice and discrimination from strangers because of their sexuality. This is nearly twice the national average. Almost 20% reported lying to police or health workers about their sexuality for fear of prejudice. This is simply unacceptable. Alongside this, in such a rural area, the idea of a Sydney-esque ‘gay community’ is barely existent. And what does exist, almost by virtue of its size, is disturbingly incestuous. This leads to a crippling
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Photo by Luke Conroy
feeling of loneliness, like you’re fumbling through darkness with no hope in the future, a feeling which steadily and devastatingly erodes your entire life. This feeling is only compounded by debates around marriage equality, or same-sex adoption, or blood donation, where your country’s very institutions are denied to you. It’s hard not to feel like a second-class citizen.
members and straight allies—old and young, straight and gay, male and female –all committed to the goals I’ve outlined above. The work these people do is unending, selfless and truly saintly. I’ve also had the life-changing, and truly life-saving, experience of meeting so many of the most friendly, fun, welcoming, warm, supportive and truly awesome friends of mine who, in ways as unique as they are, have become a substitute family for me.
Sometimes, you just wish you could be ‘normal’. But I’ll repeat my earlier statement: I’m one of the lucky ones. I decided to scribble down these thoughts due to a combination of factors: One too many drunken homophobic comments from a boozed relative, a healthy dose of self-deprecation, and, overarchingly, one too many people questioning why my position on the TUU’s SRC—the GLBTIQA Officer—exists, because, and I quote, ‘Gays aren’t discriminated against at UTAS. I can’t see it happening’. All I can say is, just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there. Every gay man, once or twice in his life, will experience something similar to what I’ve described above. Often, many of them don’t have anybody to turn to, or any idea where they can get help. So they struggle through life, fumbling through darkness, yet too scared to let their fear show through to the rest of the world. I see my role on the TUU, and the role of every gay man and straight ally at UTAS, as a vital one: to building a support network between gay students, to connect gay men with community support services, and to create a tolerant, welcoming and safe environment for all students to be happy, healthy, safe and accepted. It’s a goal we can never achieve perfectly, but it’s a worthy goal nonetheless.
Now, these are only my own thoughts and experiences, formed from my unique and, in many ways, atypical perspective. I’m not a sociologist, psychologist, philosopher or gender expert. And because I can’t claim to speak for anybody else, I’ve confined my remarks to my perspective on life as a gay man. However, I would suspect many of the above emotions are of a broader application across the GLBTIQA community, and beyond, both old and young. If I can leave you with one thought, it’s this: In the same way homophobia isn’t the answer, neither is ‘wilful blindness’ which accepts but ignores sexuality, and the unique troubles and effects which this can create. And whilst we’ve come a long way, we’ve still got a long way to go. We will survive; we might just trip up along the way. If you need any support or have thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please immediately contact lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit headspace at: www.headspace.org.au
I don’t want to give you the wrong impression though, being gay isn’t quite as bad as I’ve made it seem. In the words of Dan Savage, it really does “get better”. I’ve had the honour and pleasure of working with a wide range of community organisations, volunteers, family 21
The Drones Dreamy Romantic Obnoxious Nubile Equestrian Songsmiths. WORDS: TABITHA FLETCHER
In our darkest time of year, as our days are shorter and we draw a deep breath to wait out the Tasmanian winter, Dark MOFO appears before us: a saviour. One also disposed to dark indulgences. Within its various sanctuaries is a twisted version of Saturnalia, an ancient, slightly warped Roman festival for the deity Saturn, traditionally held at the winter solstice. In a yet unknown location, a “day of darkness” is approaching at the will of some unconventional musical mediums, manifesting as Satanalia. And who better to darken its doors than The Drones? Their raw rock and savage poetry is on the loose again, and it has new teeth. I See Seaweed is their sixth album and one to rival all others.
I love Barcelona. Oh it’s beautiful.
Were you much of a writer when you were growing up? Not really… I guess I was more interested in music, and eventually I found some kindred spirits—in high school—it was also just a nice social activity. Getting together, playing around on bass, then guitar. Then eventually I became the singer.
Does this get surreal now, sometimes? Fuck yeah. I’d like to go back in a time machine to when I was 17 or something, and be like, ‘guess what?!’
But then if you did that, it wouldn’t happen, right? Yeah, that would probably fuck it all up.
When I got Gareth Liddard on the phone, the first thing I did was make him fire off an acrostic poem of the band name for this article, which I didn’t really want to do. Luckily he didn’t mind, and delivered straight off the bat. We had a good old yack. He’s fine. He’s a nice bloke.
I picture you drinking scotch, staring out of a country veranda—is that what you’re doing right now? GL: Hah! I’m in the city actually, on a bench watching joggers go by—in the park, in Melbourne, you know?
Do you drink scotch? Yeah I do… too much (he laughs). In the last week I’ve been a good boy though.
You wrote this album in a little studio you built with the band, at your home in rural Victoria. Did that space give something to this album? Yeah, yeah it did. Just that it was our spa-ce to use. It’s a better headspace to work in, instead of having to book time at a studio— stay at a hotel—you know? It’s not yours. And when we do things we always set up our own little space, pull in our stuff, and sort of form our habits. We recorded over six months, but whenever we wanted. It was much better than grabbing a block of time in a boring old recording studio and having to show up. You wanna be comfortable. You wanna be enjoying yourself. That’s when you make the best music… but we’ll go somewhere else next time.
Is that because you’re about to go on tour?
One of my favourites on the album is Nine Eyes. I love the bass line in this song. It’s a bit Nick Cave-ish.
Yeah it’s the quiet period before the inevitable storm of drinking and playing craziness. We’re about to go over to Portugal and Spain for a festival. Primavera.
I listened to a lot of Nick Cave in high school—but I was more influenced by this guy, he’s a former Bad Seeds guitarist, Blixa Bargeld. You know, the German guy?
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Garreth Liddard (vocalist/guitarist) pictured far left.
One of my other favourites is A Moat to Stand In. It’s upbeat, vitriolic, plenty of rocking guitars and keys. It’s kind of a rebuke of popular media –right? Yeah… There’s a lot of rubbish around. But you can just block it out with rational thought.
You also confessed recently you’re not a Tony Abbott fan—do you think you’ll vote in the next election? Yeah. Yeah of course. It’s like a duty.
Some people think it’s weird we have compulsory voting but then, everyone has their say. It’s really the only thing that’s really compulsory in a democracy. And otherwise, you know, you only get certain fucking groups turning out.
you’re fighting, or running from an enemy… having sex with your sister’s friend… or even having sex with your sister (he jokes. I don’t think he’s that experimental). We’re reigned in during the day. We’re vying for status, being civilised and we’re shackled to that, but the irrational part is still there trying to run stuff.
So it’s more like a lucid dream? Yeah… that’s kind of what any art is exploring really. That kind of place where everything’s not quite right—the sort of underworld. The songs are like that in that they might affect you, even if they don’t make logical sense.
And is your mind what’s conjuring up these dark places? Yeah I’ve always kind of had that bent. I’m not a fucking optimist!
So are you a pessimist? Are we fucked, Gareth? Well, in which way do you mean? With the election, my main worry… with the Liberals getting in… well—they’re gonna fuck the internet up. And that sucks. And I mean Labor are pretty right wing these days too—it’s this whole ‘we grew here, you flew here’, you know, ‘fuck off we’re full’ business that’s a fucking problem. I never got the memo on when we were meant to start hating refugees. You know? It’s somehow OK to be a dick now, to hate people now. It’s OK to be a racist. It came up under Howard.
So you’ve noticed a definite shift? Oh fuck yeah. It’s definitely changed.
The songs are shambolic and dark, with plenty of rocking out as well. You said in a recent interview that the songs are like dreams. Do you dream any of the songs?
Nah. More of a realist, really. Like I said, there’s a lot of denial in everything. I’m trying to figure out what is real. I’m just figuring it out as I go. Examining it.
And of course, can I ask what music you are listening to at the moment? Well, a lot of the time I’m listening to the 20th Century composers, lots of Russian stuff, you know? Shostakovich or Prokofiev. That’s when they really started to fuck with things— experiment with the traditional way of playing music. Saturn only knows what The Drones have got stewing up for us in June. Be prepared to cross some kind of threshold.
No, occasionally I’ve dreamt lines but I forget them straight away. Human drives are behind our dreams… dreams are the best expression of that in its rawest form, it all comes out, whether 23
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Playing with Balls WORDS: TOPHER WEBSTER
I was sitting sleepily in a philosophy tutorial when it struck me. The, or at least, a meaning for life—something self-propagating, rewarding, healthy, and difficult. A belief in something greater, already practised world-wide, which unites mind, body, and soul in what is perhaps the world's most breathtaking form of meditation: I'm talking, of course, about playing with balls. Juggling has been around since at least two thousand years BC, with the earliest depictions of ball-tossing found painted on the wall of an Egyptian tomb. Undoubtedly it goes back even further, potentially pre-dating mankind itself. It is no coincidence that ∞, the symbol for infinity, is a static representation of the unceasing pattern that lies at the core of all juggling: physics is just the theory that helps keep balls in the air. Fortunately, juggling is more than a science; it is a belief. The tree of juggling grew from the infinite pattern of three seeds much as the Christian grew from the three seeds of the holy trinity. The key difference, though, is how these religions handle the relation between man and god—traditional religion subjugates the believer at the foot of the altar; juggling raises its priests to the stage. From the simplest repetition of three balls, to the hectic jumbling of Mill's Mess, juggling is a mediation of life over death. The gymnastic jerking of a body fixed to a rhythm is so involved with the affirmation of life that it is naturally associated with the instruments of death and pain. From the most basic of stones and clubs, of fire, knives, and chainsaws, the paraphernalia of the clown's sport are symbolic: "risk as pleasure" is the ironic lightning rod which attracts the storm of comic clownage. As meditation, prop-manipulation is divine. Sitting pretzel-legged is simple enough stuff, but it leads to the dissociation of the mind from the world of reality, which inevitably mimics nirvana. 24
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ILLUSTRATION: SAM LYNE
Meditation, if not grounded by the rhythm of a heartbeat, is a meditation of death—stillness echoes the peace of the grave. Propmanipulation, however, focuses the heartbeat until it is melded with gravity and physical reflex. What meditation could offer any kind of enlightenment by denying the world? Sitting, beyond utilising the (often underdeveloped) ass-muscles, might distract the mind long enough to allow the repression of the id, but it is incomplete: meditation requires some reminder of the world-outof-focus to take away the undeniable consciousness of existence. With the menial lobe of one's worry-consciousness lost staring at the sustained fall of a smoothly executed cascade, peace descends. Toss juggling—the usual throw/catch/repeat pattern—is but one type of juggling. As well as this, juggling extends to the art of manipulating many things, such as diablo, rola-bola, poi, fire twirling, and even contact acrobatics. All of these branches share one principle—manipulation of gravity via an external channel. This is the zen of juggling; in order to be successful, one must understand the feel of an object in the same way one understands the feel of one's limbs. This interconnectedness is what makes juggling the sport of life. Simply put, it reduces everything to physics. The ability to understand the pull and push of foreign bodies may sound like the territory of science, but actually, it's the closest we get to a physical metaphor for love. By understanding that the body is the same physicality as the props it juggles, the body is aligned with reality, and therefore exists. Descartes got it wrong: I am, because I juggle.
#community
Microwave Appreciation Society WORDS: BRENDAN DALEY & DANIELLE DAVENPORT
ILLUSTRATION: SAM LYNE
The Microwave Appreciation Society (MAS) was formed in April 2013. Soon to be known as the Student Appliance Alliance, MAS sounds like a society that would make anyone’s top ten list for weird and wacky university clubs, up there with the likes of: The Assassin's Society, The Medieval Reenactment Society and Kigus ( Japanese onesie) Society. In comparison MAS is not half as fun, but if anything, it’s twice as useful. MAS aims to distribute microwaves in easily accessed locations across the UTAS Newnham and Australian Maritime College (AMC) campus for students to use for free. The society is made up of a group of AMC students, fed up with second-rate, tepid, hairy, excessively priced and unimpressive food from the cafes located on the Newnham campus. Kitchen facilities are easy to access for staff or students who live in oncampus residences; however for students who live off-campus these amenities are difficult, if not impossible to come by. Microwaves for student use is a common request. To quote Josh Brooks, Tasmania University Union (TUU) Campus President North, ‘‘You have no idea how often I get asked this.” This raises the question: given the student amenities fee we pay, why has nothing been done about it? This issue gets hotter than just heating up last-nights leftovers! MAS will ensure the basic amenity of microwaves on campus, finally offering students what they have been asking for. We are currently being assisted by University officials to navigate OH&S and other issues involved. No more having to empty your pockets to warm your belly! No more waiting in queues, watching that last meal you desperately wanted disappear to the person in front! The society aims to provide an alternative and affordable option, to have hot meals on campus; the key to the survival, sanity and hip-pocket of students during cold Tassie winters. MAS wants to make a difference on
campus that benefits everyone; whether you are studying to become an engineer, teacher, nurse, seafarer or fish farmer. Like us on Facebook at the Microwave Appreciation Society (MAS) UTAS/AMC Group or attend a meeting, and join those who want to make a change.
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The Outfit Repeater. A toasty warm coat in a rich navy. A knit that feels butter-soft. A quality white shirt that just works. You feel like you are permanently skint, so you bypass these garments at local boutiques and jump on the web to fill an online trolley full of single-wear singlets you didn’t even really need. But sometimes it is worth investing in durable pieces to tide you through the unrelenting Tasmanian winter. PHOTOS: KORRINA DAVIS WORDS: HANNAH GREY FABRIC: PITBULL MANSION
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Models: Anna Kelleher and Alastar Tucker 27
Tasmanian Comedy Wilderness Comedian David Bakker takes us through the Live Comedy Scene in Tasmania. WORDS: DAVID BAKKER
Tasmania’s comedy scene is like a toddler who’s just cracked open a tub of Valhalla Hokey Pokey. It’s excitable, creative, a little messy, on the verge of vomiting, and, all in all, an incredibly entertaining spectacle. This is exactly why comedy in Tasmania is so thrilling to watch, and even more thrilling to perform. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the audience or onstage, you never know if you’re going to get vomit on your shoes or a tasty mouthful of caramelised vanilla ice cream. Live comedy is still a bit of a novelty for Tasmanian audiences. I’ve spoken to many Taswegians who are surprised to learn that there is any local comedy scene beyond the annual Hobart Comedy Festival. Tassie comedians are often approached after shows and asked questions like, “So, where are you staying tonight?” or, “Do you fly back tomorrow?” as though locals couldn’t possibly do something as rare and exotic as standup. But no, I’m afraid we’re not really all that rock and roll. We live here, we work here, and many of us do the best we can to perform on a regular basis. It’s a small scene, but it’s an intensely interesting one. And it is positively flourishing. While the Launceston comedy scene is relatively young, Hobart has had stand-up comedy stirring within its bowels for many years. But, as is often the case with the contents of bowels, people often are surprised to discover exactly what’s in them. Also like bowels (I’m sorry, I know it’s far too early in this article to start elaborating on poo jokes), keeping comedy regular is important for a healthy scene. At the moment Hobart has two monthly comedy rooms: The Comedy Forge and The Clubhouse. Other past (and hopefully returning) rooms have aided the development of the scene, such as The Lower House Comedy Lounge, Kingston Comedy Bar, The Yard, and several improvised and sketch nights. Regular rooms are the lifeblood of a good comedy scene. 28
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The small size of Tasmania’s comedy scene means that there is no real ‘industry’ pressure to conform to, no conservative ideals, so some of the most eclectic, provocative, and hysterical acts in the country emerge from our island state. The same thing has happened in our indie music scene, where bands like The Native Cats, All Fires, and Tiger Choir have all found success in incredibly unique styles. With comedy you only need to look at some of Tasmania’s most famous comedy exports to realise the impact of starting in a small ‘indie’ scene. Hannah Gadsby, The Bedroom Philosopher, and Josh Earl have all triumphed in their mainland careers due to a certain idiosyncratic flair; and one of our latest exports, Luke McGregor, has just won Best Newcomer at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival this year. This same compulsion to try new approaches and take experimental risks can be seen in many of the performers based in Tasmania today. If you haven’t been along to a stand-up comedy night before, I can’t recommend it more highly as a way to, well, just enjoy yourself. Comedy is even perfect for a first (or second, or third) date. You get to drink together, relax together, laugh together, and then after the show you can bond by tearing shreds off any comics you didn’t like. Together. Plus, if your date doesn’t laugh when you’re laughing, it’s probably a good idea to escape the date—preferably through the bathroom window. Go home and watch Game Of Thrones safe in the knowledge that he or she wasn’t worth it. Especially if he or she didn’t laugh at poo jokes. What a bore! You may have been to see Ross Noble, Adam Hills, Bill Bailey, or even Billy Connolly perform in Hobart, and you probably had the time of your life. Well, shows like that are happening just down the street all the time. Granted, many of us have not been on Spicks and Specks or QI before, but there are still plenty of exceptionally talented people with interesting and funny things to say. Plus, sometimes we do actually have someone who’s been
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on Spicks and Specks or QI, and their headlining sets are usually a compilation of their best material. And you get to see them for a tiny fraction of what it would cost you to see them perform alone. So where can you see the toddler fumbling with the bucket of caramelised diary? Let’s start with Hobart. The Comedy Forge is a monthly new material night, where comedians have to say words that they have never said before in front of a room full of strangers. Sure, they may have said the words before, but not in this specific order. I know, scary, right? The Brisbane Hotel perfectly suits the dark and mysterious nature of some of the material that surfaces on these evenings. Once comedians have forged their comedic weapons, they are ready to head to The Clubhouse. Here local comedians perform as support acts for an imported feature act, often hailing from Melbourne or Sydney. Some of the feature acts that have headlined this room include Hannah Gadsby, Sam Simmons, Tom Ballard, Greg Fleet, Felicity Ward, and The Bedroom Philosopher. This is the room that I host and run, and this means I have had the absolute pleasure of meeting some of my comedy heroes in the 20-odd months since it started.
a spotlight, microphone, PA, and headline act, and we road trip it up to Launceston’s gorgeous vegetarian café, Fresh On Charles. Launceston has a much younger comedy scene, with only two other rooms. Uber Comedy is a locally run room that gives Launcestonians an opportunity to step up to the mic at the Dickens Ciderhouse. However, it’s currently on a winter hiatus. Comedy also happens sporadically at the Country Club Casino’s Tonic Bar. The big names that headline The Clubhouse and Fresh Comedy often say that they are impressed by the vibrancy and quirkiness of the local acts, and I believe that it is our wonderful comedy scene that helps Tasmanians become such great performers. They are also surprised by how friendly our crowds are. Stand-up is still a new treat for Tasmania, so get out and see something you haven’t seen before. It’ll make you feel all good inside, like you’ve just shared a tub of Hokey Pokey. Or you may end up with vomit on your shoes. Either way, what fun! To find out more about comedy around Hobart, head to hobartcomedy.com.au. You can also find The Clubhouse on Facebook: www.facebook.com/clubhousecomedy, Twitter: @ClubhouseComedy, and Fresh Comedy on Facebook: www.facebook.com/comedyatfresh and Twitter: @Fresh _ _ Comedy.
Fresh Comedy is the sister room to The Clubhouse, so the day after our Thursday night Clubhouse show I jump in the car with 29
Dr Clare Smith Q: How do you cure Malaria? A: Enthusiasm, risk taking and sheer arse. WORDS: KATE ELPHINSTONE
Dr Clare Smith would be intimidating if she wasn’t so open. At 27 years of age, Clare’s research work is at the forefront of a major breakthrough to curing Malaria; the mosquito-borne infectious disease responsible for over half a million deaths every year. Down to earth and excited about her work, her enthusiasm is infectious. I admit, I can’t help but feel in awe of her achievement. Clare answers my compliments on her work with a slightly bemused look, shrugging off any praise. “Its just your job,” she insists. But her research supervisor, Simon Foote, wouldn’t let her get away with it that easily, nominating her for the Premier’s Young Achiever of the Year Award. Turns out he wasn’t the only one who thought her work was worth high praise. In April she was announced the winner. Getting to this point has been years in the making. After completing a Bachelor of Biotechnology in 2006, Clare found herself at a crossroad. The decision to study Honours in 2007 came down to her interest being sparked by research supervisor Simon Foote. He wanted to look at a new approach to treating Malaria. Instead of the old method that aimed to kill the parasite, why not look at the host? Malaria is hosted by female mosquitoes and humans. The idea was that there is something in us that the parasite needed to survive. After a brutal year completing her research project, Clare was hooked. “They say Honours either makes you or breaks you. I loved it”, she says with an enormous grin. “It’s really the people you come across and getting something that sparks your enthusiasm. You’ve got to really love it to want to put in that amount of work”. At the end of the project, their research was showing promise and Clare wasn’t yet ready to move on. Despite opportunities to do her postgraduate study elsewhere, she decided to stay with the Menzies Research Institute and see where further research in 30
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the area would take her. Clare couldn’t help but feel ownership over the project, and she had something to prove to all those that had told her the research was impossible, that it wouldn’t work. “No one else had looked at the host like this before. I was thrown this crazy idea and everyone told me ‘don’t do this project, it won’t work, there’s nothing here’. But it’s Honours; it’s high risk and high reward.” In the end she made the right choice. Turns out, everyone else was wrong. So what was the key to her big discovery? Was it down to hard work, the support from her supervisor, the camaraderie at the Institute, the desire to prove others wrong? There is a slight twinkle in Clare’s eyes as she answers. “Sheer arse,” she says, with a trademark grin and laugh. One of those sheer arse moments included a serendipitous cab ride conversation between Simon and a fellow researcher. The colleague mentioned she had patients who lacked this ‘host’ factor. It ended with Clare spending three months in Paris, France collaborating with the Pasteur Institute, taking blood from these patients and testing to see if the parasite would grow. When it didn’t, it was apparent that they were onto something big. From there it was more good news; the drug that they need for their work was already FDA and TGA approved, saving them money and red tape. Clare shakes her head in disbelief, but also with relief. “All of these little moments that have resulted in something that will hopefully make an impact.” This impact will have immense global effects—all from research conducted in Hobart, Tasmania. Clinical trials are occurring at the end of this year in Queensland.
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Dr Clare Smith (pictured right) with Premier Lara Giddings
If successful, it will cement Clare’s critical role in eradicating a disease that affects millions, effectively saving the lives of vulnerable populations in third world countries. For now, Clare is leaving her work in the care of her supervisor Simon. While her discovery has been patented, meaning her name will always be associated with it, she is now ready to move on to new areas of research. With her PhD finished, she will be
transferring to the U.S.A in July, moving to Boston to work—a city home to such institutes as MIT and Harvard - securing a postdoctoral position as a Howard Hughes associate at the research University of Massachusetts. Clare will work She will be studying Tuberculosis, an illness that is resurging in recent years due to increasing resistance. Something tells me that with Clare’s enthusiasm and willingness to take risks and radically change ordinary thinking, Tuberculosis will barely stand a chance. 31
Nostalgia Noun – A sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past. WORDS: MIKALA JAYATILAKA
You couldn’t text your friends, but it is not like it mattered—you saw them all day, every day at school. There might have only been four TV channels, but everything was worth watching on Saturday morning. The internet might have been slow (if you even had it), but it’s not like you needed it to finish off your final assessment at 3am; your only homework was memorizing your 5-times tables. It was a time when Britney Spears was the Queen B, not Beyoncé (though Destiny’s Child was still pretty cool) and the Spice Girls ruled the world. The only reading you ever did was ‘Choose your Own Adventure’ or Harry Potter. The Macarena was your dance of choice, though you would occasionally break out the Nutbush. You could waste hours playing videogames where you could count the pixels on the screen—and not feel even a little bit guilty about it. You were overly attached to your Tamagotchi in its four-day life span—which died while you were teaching your Furby to swear. You were pretty sure there could never be a love greater than what you witnessed between Kate and Leo; and also nothing more mortifying than watching ‘the car scene’ while your parents were in the room. Captain Planet, what a hero. Along with the Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, anyway. Basically, if you are a twenty-something like me, there was no time like the nineties. Nostalgia. The word is derived from ancient Greek: ‘nostos’, meaning homecoming, and ‘algos’, meaning pain. To some degree, the pain of those 90’s memories arises from the horror of what we once wore: bedazzled flared jeans, those awkward tattoo chokers? Over-gelled porcupine hair, pants around your knees, and boxers on full display?
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While a lot of those pangs certainly do come from unfortunate dress-sense (and the even more unfortunate photo evidence of it—thank god Facebook wasn’t a thing then) the more warmfuzzy ones have a great deal more to do with those rose-tinted glasses we wear as we trip down memory lane. Those bittersweet memories, locked away in what seems like a different age, returned to us as only an echo of a feeling, when we hear a particular song on the radio, or unexpectedly catch a repeat of a favourite childhood movie on TV. Considering the relatively recent passing of the 90s and 00s (is anyone really comfortable calling them the noughties?) maybe it’s a little soon to be feeling so nostalgic for a time just gone. In the eyes of people twice our age, we are still the kids that we think we’re not: naïve and reckless, young and carefree. Afforded the freedom of our youth, we have all this potential and so much
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choice before us. Yet both are the source of constant anxiety and pressure. Am I making the right decisions for my future? What even is my future? Am I wasting all this potential I apparently have so much of?! Despite this, the older and the wiser look back with their rose-tinted glasses and tell us that youth is wasted on the young, that this is the best time of our lives. Some cruel, inherent human tendency: where we can only truly appreciate what we have when we are looking at it in retrospect. And while it feels outrageously patronising now, it is also frustratingly inevitable. One day when we are working 9-5, paying off our HECS debts, buying a house or whatever adult things haven’t even crossed our minds yet: this time will become ‘the good old days’. Won’t it be nice to think back to a time in our lives when we could be and were complete narcissists, because we had no real responsibilities besides the ones we owe ourselves? But the comfort of remembering the past is not something that our apparent youth can deny: you don’t have to be old or wise to find that life is stressful, scary; uncertain. Our daily lives are full of struggles that we couldn’t even contemplate when we were kids, and that we apparently forget about as we get old. Once upon a time, our fears consisted of the make-believe: bad dreams and whether or not we would get in trouble with our parents for ‘forgetting’ to walk the dog. Silly as those fears seems now, it does not detract from the legitimacy of the emotion then—nor should it. What terrifies us today—whether it is the fear of failing an exam or not quite living out our five year plans as we dream them—will one day be the source of some future nostalgia, just like our childhoods. And these same fears will probably seem like they are make-believe too. It is easy to look back and to find comfort in the certainty of our pasts. Remembering yesterday is as much about wanting to forget about what we are dealing with today. We can look back
You were overly attached to your Tamagotchi in its four-day life span—which died while you were teaching your Furby to swear.
and be content to know that the things that once made us smile, still do. Even if you feel a little stupid for remembering all the words to every single Spice Girls song, or for jumping at a scary scene in a movie directed at twelve year olds. We live our lives comforted by our pasts and in hope of the future—as though they both somehow hold the keys to our happiness. We count out each day in the same way we did when we were kids. Now, instead of believing everything will be better ‘when I grow up’; we believe everything will be better once our degree is finished, we have the job we want, when we live somewhere more exciting. Nostalgia is perhaps the one great indicator that this is not going to be the case. By its logic, we are as content as we will ever be—we just haven’t realised it yet. In spite of it all? I’m rather looking rather forward to the time in my life when I can look back on this moment with a sense of nostalgia. At least then hipsters will be safely within the confines of the past (hopefully). 33
Rag Tag Tasmanian design ready to take on the world stage. WORDS: TAYLA REYNOLDS
Unfortunately, Tasmanian street style is indeed less obvious underneath our black puffer jackets. Which is why, like many before her, teenager Ali Pyrke rejected the fashion she saw on the streets of Hobart. But unlike most teenagers, Ali opted to design clothes for herself. Fast forward some years and Ali’s Hobart based clothing label, Rag Tag, is about to grace the pages of none other than the fashion authority that is Vogue magazine.
Tag’s pledge to appear in the magazine, you will find yourself with rewards depending on the amount of contribution. If you pledge just 20 dollars by May 30, you will be rewarded with the opportunity to be in a fashion shoot with a wardrobe of colourful Rag Tag outfits, styled and photographed by professional duo BandWagon.
Rag Tag is a one-woman label created in Hobart, with Ali as the designer, producer, manufacturer and marketer. Ali insists “the results are really fun” although “it is timeconsuming and constant.” The original name of the label, Rag Tag, was chosen for its longevity, whilst also selected for its lack of bias towards any particular style or contemporary idealism. The label has a good Hobart support base, so much so that Ali is “consistently making for orders.”
Search for Rag Tag at www.pozible.com,
And it is not just the people of Hobart who have noticed the utilitarian clothing label that is Rag Tag. Vogue Australia— the magazine powerhouse—called Ali to see if she would be interested in featuring in an advertorial for their June and July issues. The playful and quirky clothes of Rag Tag will be featured in pieces over two editions, written by Ali herself, in which she will pimp both Rag Tag and her partners in crime, BandWagon Style and Photography. The only obstacle is finance. “I was about to decline [Vogue’s offer], then declared it on Facebook,” Ali explains. “My friends and family were really supportive and suggested I turn it into a Pozible campaign”. Pozible is an Australian community-funding platform for creative projects and ideas. The website states that it was developed to help people raise funds and realise their aspirations – much like the dream of Rag Tag adorning the pages of Vogue. If you contribute to Rag 34
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Find your way to Pozible and donate to Rag Tag; help reconstruct Tasmania’s passé image. Because underneath our black puffer jackets, we really are quite fashion forward.
www.facebook.com/rag.tag.adventures, www.facebook.com/BandWagonStylePhotography
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Going the Distance We can all agree: it is ace being able to attend lectures and tutorials in your pyjamas while in the comfort of your own home. WORDS: JACLYN ROGERSON
As soon as you lift your laptop lid, you are transported into your first lecture of the day. Welcome to the world of an online degree. I chose to be a distance student because moving to Launceston was not going to be good for my personal relationships, social life and mainly, my wallet. I study a Bachelor of Education (Primary) online. It requires an immense amount of self-motivation, time management skills and in some cases, some wine and chocolate for when it all gets too much. Some of the things many students love about studying online is the flexibility, the convenience and the independence. Many say they would not be undertaking a degree if it were not available online. Many of the students who I have connected with, mainly through Facebook, are parents. Juggling the nappy changing, school drop offs, sleepless nights and study allows them to further their education while still at home with their children. It has given me the chance to work in related fields to teaching including after school care, day care and nanny-ing. I am also able to work flexible hours, fitting study around work and not the other way around. We are always finding new ways for technology to work with us. I’ve learnt you can speed up lecturers’ voices, cutting down the lecture time by almost half. We have a Facebook group for most units we are studying so we can access information quickly and easily, especially with Facebook on everyone’s smart phones. We can also submit our online assignments at midnight, which is great for people like me who work most weekdays and for parents to submit when the kids are in bed. We also have the opportunity to connect with other students from all over the world. Many students on the mainland study teaching through UTAS as it is more flexible than other universities (so they have told me) and it is not unheard of for students in other countries 36
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to be in our tutorial groups too. Some people even study while they are on an overseas holiday! Some students can feel very isolated without face to face tutorials and discussions, and this can be a real problem, especially when personal issues in our lives arise and we need to apply for extensions through serious emails and forms. But possibly the worst thing about studying online is the student amenities fee we are forced to pay each semester, even though we do not receive any of the benefits. I asked online students if we got anything out of this and the big answer was NO, along with many angry responses on how unfair it is. Hopefully online study will not mean the end of face-to-face classes at university because I feel these are extremely valuable and other students do too, but I’m not sure that lecturers appreciate my new Peter Alexander pyjamas as much as I do.
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The Red Door What other amenities and services available for university students with disabilities and, in my case, mental illness, are unknown to others? WORDS: SAMANTHA MOUNTFORD
What lies beyond the red door? I reach into my bag to find the swipe card that grants me entry. I’m one of the few people that know what the mystery of the red door contains. No, it’s not an underground lab for top-secret spies, where our very own Q creates the most high-tech gadgets to accomplish university espionage. It’s an escape—a place where you can retreat when you find yourself in a state of panic. Late last year, on a particularly anxious day, I went to enter the red room but was stopped momentarily when I overheard two students whisper, “why do people go in there?” Why do I have access to the red door? As a person who has lived with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), diagnosed, for over six years, I was offered the space to escape. What others take as the norm is where my panic begins. Sitting, having lunch with a group of friends? Panic. Reading while waiting for a tute? Panic. Talking to a lecturer about content? Panic. My family dubbed me ‘the everyday survivor’ when I was 16, after living with GAD for over two years. This is my every day: sweat, hyperventilating and negative thoughts. Now, I think back to those two students, battling the adrenaline coursing through my body. What must we look like? Entering into an unmarked room and only when granted access. The nature of the room isn’t disclosed to the student body. They don’t have any idea why it exists. What other amenities and services available for university students with disabilities and, in my case, mental illness, are unknown to others? I’m coming up to my third year as a UTAS student and I’ve realised something that has struck me as odd. Why don’t other students know about what is available to them if they are struggling? My best friend May* and I have been close ever since I moved to the Apple Isle and we bonded over our mutual anxiety stories. One
day we were talking, when she said she wasn’t sure if she would continue with university due to her anxiety. I was shocked. I asked her whether she had taken advantage of the services—such as a learning access plan, or counselling on campus. Her blank face told me everything. How could someone just like myself, who suffers with mental illness everyday, not know about such things? Do you know about the University’s Learning Access Plan (LAP)? It’s the reason I was able to continue last year when I thought I couldn’t any longer. I only heard about the marvellous LAP after my dad interfered by emailing my student advisor, James Chester. Now, I have to say in this moment, what an amazing man! If it wasn’t for my dad’s worry, my chat with James Chester, and then applying for an LAP: I honestly don’t know if I would still be a UTAS student. Each LAP is different, depending on your personal circumstances. For me, it allows access beyond the red door. My tutors and lecturers are told about my state of mind and that I might suddenly run out during a class. Most importantly (in my opinion) is that during exams I get to sit in a completely different building, so I that don’t feel like I’m being suffocated by the other 100 students taking their exam. What annoys me though is, again, that not everybody is aware of this amazing service available. I once asked this lovely elderly lady in Arts Student Central where the location of the counselling services were on Sandy Bay campus. I remember her long-winded answer and walking away more confused than before. Why is it I can’t easily find some counsellors to word vomit all over? UTAS counselling services is the Where’s Wally on campus. Who knows who’s going to spot the irritating striped character first? If you’re reading this and can understand any of what I have described, go talk to your student advisor or better yet, try and find Wally. There is help available, whether you know it or not. And if you’re looking for me, I might be behind the red door. *name changed. 37
The (Un)timely Demise of Facebook WORDS: MOLLIE COBURN
It was a Saturday night. I was studying (not studying) and I was lonely. Everyone else was out doing something fun and awesome and stupid, and I was clearly the only person who was not. In a last bid for social redemption, I turned to my one last friend. You know him. We all know him. His name is Facebook, and when times get lonely on a Saturday night you know he will always be there to remind you that everything isn’t as bad as it seems, and that there are much stupider people in the world than yourself. But this time something was different. Something was missing. Where were all the infuriating status updates that had little to do with my life, but generally provided ten minutes worth of entertainment? Why wasn’t anyone posting unflattering selfies from the table outside the pub anymore? Who the hell was Ashy Bines? I scrolled desperately, seeking that automatic high one experiences upon witnessing a completely moronic status update, frantic to find something to take my mind off the problems of Democratic Peace theory. Then it struck me like a wet cucumber to the face (what? I don’t know)—Facebook was going the way of the Thylacine. Just like the tragic sinking of the MySpace ship and natural decay of Friendster, Facebook was dying an undignified death. I’ve identified several factors that can be directly linked to the demise of Facebook. Family I can pinpoint the exact historical moment that Facebook stopped being cool. When your family signed up. In the good old days, you could write something vaguely witty, get forty-seven likes in half an hour and be done with it. Not now. Now I can’t even complain about bad bus service without my mother publicly chastising me about my 38
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lack of empathy. But I don’t have it as bad as some people. My friend has a grandmother who likes to read through her grandchildren’s conversations on Facebook, casually piping up at intervals to criticise unknown people for their foul language. I’m sure it comes as quite a shock to people as they innocently share their favourite ‘twerkin’ video, only to have an unknown yet frighteningly irate grandmother pop up and start lecturing in capslock. Fish With Attitude Seriously, what even are you. Why are you in my newsfeed? Did somebody actually think that I was going to be interested in you? From what I can gather of this game, it’s kind of like The Sims, except much worse because it is about FISH IN A FISH TANK WHICH IS PROBABLY THE MOST BORING LIVING SITUATION I CAN THINK OF. You get to pick a whole heap of fish, and then you give them personalities that are characterised by
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names like “Flirty”, “Pop Star” and “Paparazzi”. I’m not sure how the rest of the game goes, because I’m not a fucking moron and I didn’t play it. But the only conclusion I can come to is that this is a game that was invented for Amanda Bynes as she was gradually turning mad, yet it backfired and resulted in a shaved head and some very public displays of insanity. Don’t play it, whatever you do. Advertising There is nothing more undignified than being insulted by a computer. Facebook has a bizarre, new filtering system that is somehow able to track your interests. This is so they can advertise things that might potentially become relevant to you, but probably only when you’re desperate, and picking up cigarette butts from the bus stop. For example, the only advertisements I see are for cat life insurance, opportunities to ‘lose my eight pounds of belly fat’ and membership to ‘Legalise Marijuana’ groups. From this I gather that Facebook thinks that I’m an overweight stoner with an overly dependent relationship with my cat. I’m not sure how they came to that conclusion, but I am outraged and indignant nonetheless. I came here for friendship, Facebook, and if you’re going to insult
me with flawed character assessments then I will take my business elsewhere, thank you very much. Ashy Bines Now look here Ashy Bines. I don’t know you, and I don’t know what you want from me, but I’m going to lay it to you straight. If you don’t stop stalking me, and challenging me to ‘bikini-bodification’, I’m going to have to take out a restraining order. I’ve never seen this woman, but as far as I can tell she has no actual persona. ‘She’ is merely the collective efforts of a group of genetically mutated Michelle Bridges clones, which are secretly plotting to overthrow the government and bring on the ‘bikini-bodification’ revolution using force and domination. P.S. Upon searching Ashy Bines in the Facebook engine I came across a whole heap of anti-Ashy pages. I have now joined each and every single one and will continue in my vendetta to free Facebook from the clutches of Ashy. I imagine she (if she is even a real person) looks a bit like Gina Rinehart, only rather than forcing migrant workers down mines she’s forcing insecure women to run around a field before sunrise every morning. I’ll leave you to think about that one for a while.
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Student Legal Service Car accident? Unfair dismissal? Risk of deportation? Family trouble? There are many people that don’t have an understanding of what they should do if they get themselves in a bit of a pickle. WORDS: THEO KAPODISTRIAS
Theo Kapodistrias, SLS President and Arts/Law Student, tells the why and how of getting free and confidential legal help. One day in 2009, in the first year of my degree at UTAS in Hobart, I decided to do some exploring and check out the law building. I figured that in the coming years I’d be spending a lot of time down there (more time than what I spend at home as it turns out). I saw a door, slightly ajar, with a sign that said Student Legal Service, commonly known as SLS. I thought to myself: ‘what is that?’ I knocked on the door and poked my head in. A girl was sitting in the office, on her laptop. Alone. “So, what do you guys do here?” I asked. “Nothing” she said, “I sit here for a couple of hours, then go. No one came in today.” I just looked at her, closed the door and continued on my adventure. Since then, a lot of things have changed. The committees in 2010 and 2011 did a lot of work to get things up and running for the ultimate change, which occurred in 2012. From the time that SLS began in 1991, it was a referral service, where student volunteers would listen to a client’s issue then direct them on to what they should do next. Although this was important, it’s not the direct help that the client needs. In conjunction with the wonderful people at the Environmental Defenders Office, Women’s Legal Service and the Tenants Union of Tasmania, from 2012 the SLS is able to provide FREE legal advice to anyone in the community. How the SLS runs is pretty simple: senior law student volunteers, who have undergone training, sit with a supervising solicitor from one of the community legal centres (stated above), and the students give the legal advice to the clients. We’re able to help almost everyone. It’s rewarding to be able to act as a first point of call for assistance. But perhaps the most rewarding thing is checking the SLS email on a gloomy morning before my first lecture of the day, and seeing an email saying “Thank you so much for your help, the 40
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problem has been resolved and it was because you guys took the time to give me great advice!” This year, I was fortunate enough to become the President of SLS. Along with 2013 Vice-President Jess Sabapathy and Secretary Madeline Sheehan, I sat down one day in summer with a refreshing lemon squash and thought ‘what were some of the things that made SLS so good last year?’ We all agreed that helping international students with their migration issues was one of the best things. With the help of Ricky Bustos from M+K Dobson, Mitchell and Allport, the SLS has been able to provide assistance to international students who have been having issues with their visas. With this assistance, the SLS has facilitated the Migration Information Evening to provide students with a simple explanation of the law, and the necessary information to make sure they abide by the requirements of their visas. In recent months alone, we’ve hosted the SLS Training and Legal Skills Development Day, Migration Information Evening and AntiDiscrimination Seminar. Community legal education is crucial to knowing what our rights are. It’s practical, or at least interesting, to know about. The journey SLS has taken has been exciting and a real advantage both for the community and the students involved. I’d love to see funding allowing the SLS to have permanent lawyers in place; allowing the SLS to expand and have more session times, and provide more experiences for law students. The future is unknown, but it can only bring exciting things for the Student Legal Service. The SLS can be found at Faculty of Law Room 1.12 (lower level, near the Law Cafe) University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay Campus. Go to www.tasstudentlegalservice.com/ for more. If you’re not in southern Tasmania, the SLS can provide a referral service by email. Unfortunately, direct legal advice can only be given in person.
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LAW MATTERS. LEARN MORE.
CURRENT ISSUES IN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW JUNE/JULY WINTER SCHOOL 2013
MORE INFO: utas.edu.au/law OR CALL US ON 13UTAS CRICOS Provider Code 00586B
LAWYERS AREN’T ALWAYS
LAWYERS FOREVER
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LEADERS INTRODUCTION TO LAW JUNE/JULY WINTER SCHOOL 2013
Winter intensive
Introduction to Law (LAW121)
Want to Know: • Whether juries get it right or wrong; • Whether Animal Law actually exists; • Legal problem solving and dispute resolution; and
Interested in…
• About a Bill of Rights for Tasmania?
…how judges make and interpret law, and seeing them deliver judgments in court?
This and Much More Taught over 15 daily sessions 9am-12 noon,
…hearing from local lawyers and the judiciary on
Monday June 24 – Friday July 12.
issues of social justice and legal practice?
Non law students very welcome!
MORE INFO: utas.edu.au/law OR CALL US ON 13UTAS CRICOS Provider Code 00586B
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The Free Speech Myth “What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.” – Salman Rushdie WORDS: JAMES WALKER
In February 1989, Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against author Salman Rushdie. The fatwa called for his death because of his book The Satanic Verses. The book supposedly contained blasphemous references to the life of the prophet Muhammad; a significant offence to members of the Muslim faith. The debate over books like The Satanic Verses provides an important insight into a conflict at the heart of the liberal democratic state: is there a point at which something becomes so offensive that it cannot be justified by free speech? Both the Commonwealth and State Parliaments in Australia have decided there is. Laws now exist prohibiting certain offensive conduct. Has freedom of expression, which includes both speech and conduct, ceased to exist as a result? Constitutional protection of free speech In the United States, the First Amendment of the Constitution protects free speech. The Australian Constitution does not include a similar section so it does not expressly protect free speech. The drafters of the Australian Constitution were concerned that stating such rights meant limiting them. Instead, the High Court has since held that because our Constitution establishes a democratic system of government, it impliedly protects speech about government and political matters (“the implied freedom”) because that kind of communication is essential to democracy. The implied freedom of political communication protects a subset of freedom of expression. It prevents certain actions that a government or parliament can take to curtail freedom of expression but, unlike in the United States, does not give citizens a right to it. If a law is inconsistent with the implied freedom, and cannot be justified as necessary for maintaining our system of democratic 42
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government, then the law is invalid. Deciding what is necessary involves balancing the implied freedom against other rights and purposes. The courts have decided that some things, like consumer protection, national security, public safety and reputation are necessary and therefore laws about them are consistent with the implied freedom. Importantly, this balancing process occurs in court and a law will remain valid until successfully challenged there. Recently, the High Court considered a prohibition on using the postal service for “offensive” purposes, designed to protect the postal service and the privacy of people receiving mail. In the Monis case, criminal charges were laid against Man Haron Monis after he sent letters to the families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan in which he compared the dead soldiers to pigs, Hitler and suggested they had murdered civilians. While highly offensive, only half the judges (the Court split 3:3) found that prohibiting offensive conduct was consistent with the implied freedom and therefore something the Commonwealth Parliament could legislate for. A freedom from offence? In response to changes in international law, parliaments in Australia have passed laws prohibiting the promotion and incitement of racial and religious “hatred, revulsion, serious contempt or severe ridicule”. While this type of conduct is more serious than causing even significant offence, a number of academics have cautioned that these laws risk contravening the implied freedom. Professor Nicholas Aroney, from the University of Queensland wrote in the Federal Law Review that religious vilification laws are consistent with the implied freedom because they “only apply to the most extreme forms of hate speech”.
#opinion
While Prof Aroney may have put this argument too high, these academic arguments and the recent split in the High Court cast some doubt on other laws prohibiting offensive conduct. The best known example is s 18C of the Commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act. This section prohibits public acts which are reasonably likely to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or group of people” but not if the public act was done “reasonably” and in “good faith”. Though this section has never reached the High Court, it was recently (and controversially) upheld in a Federal Court case involving News Limited columnist Andrew Bolt. This suggests that parliaments in Australia are able to legislate to prohibit some offensive conduct. Reading down the meaning of “offensive” The dictionary meaning of offence includes mere hurt or irritated feelings. Consistent with Nicholas Aroney’s argument about religious vilification laws, and the interpretation of s 18C, the three judges who upheld the prohibition on offensive uses of the postal service in Monis ( Justices Crennan, Kiefel and Bell) did so on the basis that the meaning of the legislation should be “read down” so that only offensive conduct that provokes a “significant emotional reaction or psychological response” was prohibited. This approach is not without problems: how do we assess the appropriate degree of offence to prohibit? And, assuming that we can, might some offensive conduct that provokes a significant emotional reaction or psychological response be necessary to political communication? And, assuming that it is, isn’t the concept of “what is a political communication” vague? If we use the degree of offence to regulate what is protected by the implied freedom, might that degree gradually restrict less and less offensive speech over time? In Monis, Justice Hayne (who held the law did offend the implied freedom and so was invalid) expressed a similar concern; that the implied freedom would be “subordinated to small and creeping legislative intrusions” until it no longer effectively protected free political speech. In Monis Chief Justice French held the law was invalid because even when the meaning of offensive was read down, the law was so broad it would still apply to political communications “in a range of circumstances the limits of which are not able to be defined with any precision and which cannot be limited to the outer fringes of political discussion”. This case should raise serious legal questions about the validity of any law with the general purpose and effect of prohibiting offensive conduct. Such a law might not be saved by reading down the meaning of offensive; even if could be, the long term effects of such laws on free speech are unknown. “What’s done cannot be undone” One such law may be the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act.
The balance between free speech and a freedom from hateful or very offensive conduct is a complicated one.
The Attorney-General, Brian Wightman, recently introduced amendments to this law which, if passed by the Legislative Council, will prohibit offensive conduct directed against people on the basis of, amongst other things, their “political belief or affiliation”, “political activity”, “religious belief or affiliation” and “religious activity”. No doubt this law burdens the implied freedom. The provisions that protect individuals on the basis of who they are (eg race, gender and sexuality) are on stronger ground because, like the Racial Discrimination Act, they protect the inherent dignity of the individual. The provisions that are about opinions and beliefs are on far weaker ground. This law will also encounter problems because it tries to prohibit the offensive, not the very offensive or the hateful. Other laws prohibiting offensive conduct, like the Racial Discrimination Act and the law in Monis, have been consistent with the implied freedom because they have been read down to prohibit the very offensive, or more precisely conduct causing more than “mere hurt feelings”. The High Court has also previously said that certain types of “insults” might be constitutionally protected. Whether the amendments are valid will see them weighed against some pretty lofty considerations: the role free speech plays in creating a contested political system, informing public opinion and facilitating free and fair elections. The balance between free speech and a freedom from hateful or very offensive conduct is a complicated one. The High Court is yet to fully explore the scope of the implied freedom, and the Anti-Discrimination Act may provide yet another opportunity to refine the protection free speech has in Australia. Perhaps ironically, the Anti-Discrimination Act was enacted in 1998, the same year that the Iranian government stopped supporting the fatwa against Salman Rushdie. The fatwa can never be revoked because only the person who issued it can revoke it and Ayatollah Khomeini died in June 1989. A future parliament can revoke the laws passed by a previous parliament, but the long term trend in Australia is against removing restrictions on freedom of expression. Even more so than prohibiting the very offensive, prohibiting offensive conduct may effectively be an irrevocable change to how we understand freedom of expression. Remembering how offensive The Satanic Verses was to Muslims, we might be looking at banning books. 43
Supplementing Sport Simeon investigates the concerning trends behind the growing culture of bulk-building in the Australian sport zeitgeist. WORDS: SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON
In February, Essendon Football Club announced that the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority and the Australian Football League’s integrity unit were investigating their club over the use of performance enhancing supplements and steroids in its fitness program. This was the initial spark in a saga that is currently engulfing Australian sport, with teams and individuals in the AFL, NRL, and even horse racing being implicated in a scenario dubbed ‘The Blackest Day in Australian Sport.’ This revelation of performance enhancer use in professional sport, which has also been linked to organised crime in Australia, has raised questions of how widespread the use of performance enhancing supplements and steroids may be in Australia’s sporting landscape. The amount of performance enhancing supplements and steroids in Australia is rising dramatically, with figures from the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service showing that detections of performance enhancing drugs rose by 56 per cent and seizures of hormones doubled last year. Most of these products are being used, not by athletes, but by gym-goers in their pursuit of the perfect body, an obsession for some Australians. Many focus solely on gaining ‘aesthetic’ bodies with toned muscles and six-pack abs promoted by bodybuilders such as Aziz Shavershian, better known as Zyzz, who has amassed a cult following even after dying of a heart attack while on holiday in Thailand in 2011. In this superficial pursuit, the use of supplements are ever present, but while many supplements are beneficial for the body such as a type of protein, supplements such as pre-workout 44
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enhancers and thermogenic fat burners potentially pose health problems for individuals. These supplements contain ingredients such as synephrine, which can be used to create methamphetamines, in products such as the thermogenic fat burners that heat the body’s metabolism to lose fat. They also contain large amounts of caffeine, with pre-workout enhancers containing up to 400mg of caffeine in a single serving (the recommended daily dosage) and until last year before it was banned, dimethylamylamine or better known as DMAA, was used as an ingredient. These supplements can be obtained legally from shops across Australia and online supplement stores, with federations such as the Food and Drug Administration and other related federations not regulating many of these products. RX Muscle Australia Magazine Editor, personal trainer and bodybuilder, Xavier Wills, says gym-goers should exercise a large amount of caution if they use these products due to the substances that are in them, such as synephrine, and the large amounts of caffeine they also contain. “I think people should be careful when taking these products, I had a person contact me the other day and they told me they were taking a thermogenic fat burner and a preworkout enhancer together and after he took them he vomited.” “This was due to the large amounts of caffeine in those products, they both had about 300mg each of caffeine in them and its pretty stupid if your going to take that much, as its about six cups of coffee in one hit,” he explained. “I’m not a fan of products containing large amounts of caffeine as it’s really draining on your central nervous system and can damage it, and they’re really harsh on your body and lead to other problems such as liver toxicity and cardiac arrests if you have a heart problem,” Xavier added. Even though these products and other potentially dangerous supplements have known negative effects, it has been argued that
#feature
there is a ‘safe range’ of use. Dr Andrew Williams, an exercise science physiology and biochemistry lecturer at the University of Tasmania specialising in skeletal muscle metabolism, says the safe range talked about largely depends on the supplement and its products, but this hasn’t been fully researched. “Some of the thermogenic fat burners and similar supplements have five or six different products within them and the safe level of them might be quite different or has yet to be determined and this is a major issue with supplement use,” he said “For example there is anecdotal evidence that certain amino acid supplements may affect certain neurotransmitters and potentially lead to emotional or mental health issues but the research hasn’t been done so the evidence is very anecdotal,” he added. Despite the possible lack of a safe level, Dr Williams believes that many gym-goers and athletes disregard the safety concerns about these products, and due to this there is the possibility of overuse. “A lot of people who go to the gym don’t really think about the safety aspect of taking supplements. I think there is a general assumption in the community that if something is available for purchase then it’s safe and this isn’t always the case, especially when its something that has been bought over the internet and may not have to pass criteria for the Therapeutic Goods Association for safe use.” “There is a potential danger of overuse with people taking supplements. As for a lot of people and athletes, there’s a perception that if a little bit of something is good for me or helps me, then a lot of it will be better and quite often this is far from the case, especially with some supplements that we know can actually cause problems past a certain level of use,” he said.
steroids, many Australians still continue to use them in their pursuit to improve their body. 20-year-old Campbell Muskett has been pursuing the physique he views as physical perfection since he was 16. He believes the increase of bodybuilding images in mainstream and social media has contributed to the rise in Australians using potentially dangerous supplements and even steroids to achieve their desired results.“I think there’s a standard type of image due to all the input from the media and in the last couple of years it has been bigger and even leaner than before.” “There’s always been that fitness side to bodybuilding but now there is this ridiculous aesthetic look and an over the top dependence on aesthetics rather than fitness and wellbeing,” he said. Campbell says that to achieve this aesthetic look, he is seeing people use potentially dangerous supplements and steroids far earlier than recommended. “People usually consider using these types of products as a result of a lack of progression in the gym as you kind of expect to keep on getting bigger but it obviously slows down naturally.” “I think now it is moving away from a lack of progression as I’m starting to see more people take them early on and starting to disregard advice that you should wait until using these types of products and going for it immediately,” Campbell said. While he is worried about the types of products he uses, he continues to take them in his ever-lasting quest to improve his body and strength: “I am worried about the products in the supplements I take to a certain extent as I know they aren’t really regulated by governing bodies and you can slip just about anything in them. But despite this I continue to take them and I haven’t had any adverse reactions to any over-the counter-supplements.”
While there’s a potential danger when taking supplements and 45
Something for Kate Lead vocalist/lyricist Paul Dempsey reflects on all facets of the creative process. WORDS: HANNAH GREY
Something for Kate like to take their time to produce quality records. The three-piece recently kicked off their first extensive tour in six years to share the sounds of Leave Your Soul to Science, their sixth studio album. It could be said that front man Paul Dempsey’s lyrical virtuosity has been the magic element of the band’s success over the years. I spoke to the musician in an effort to peel back the layers that make up the mind of one of Australia’s best songwriters. Paul Dempsey has spent the last 19 years crafting and composing lyrics for Something for Kate. Surely this must be somewhat of a learned process by now? Paul laughs. “It is always a different process because you are always thinking about something different and writing about something different.” The singersongwriter notes that there is no guide or signpost to the process. “There is no method to it because you are in the wilderness. You are always trying to get somewhere, or trying to figure out how to get somewhere.” Perseverance is key. “You just have to kind of keep going. It is weird.” The musician forgets his technique every time he places the pen down, and explains that it always feels like a new practice. “Every song I write… I feel like it is the first song I have ever written. I would say that I still don’t know how to do it [write].” Even after finishing the album, Paul was stumped. “When we finished the record I thought, ‘how the hell did I write those songs?’ I don’t know where I started or when I decided they were finished, but it happened somehow.” Paul describes the degree of his doubt. “It’s mystifying and kind of scary. Sometimes I am scared that I will never really get there.” It has been said that Paul’s feelings of procrastination and perfectionism hindered his ability to write. I ask if it was this mindset, coinciding with bouts of clinical depression, which caused epochs of writers block. Or could he write creatively in the down times? Paul pauses before responding. “When I used 46
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to have trouble writing, I would think that I had writers block, and that would cause me to have a kind of crisis of confidence. I would think, ‘Maybe I don’t know how to do this?’ ‘Maybe I am kidding myself?’ and ‘Maybe I should just stop?’” Paul explains that he no longer defines this block in creativity. “The thing that has changed for me in the last couple of years is the fact that I just don’t call it writers block anymore. I stopped believing that writer’s block even exists.” Paul reflects on how this thinking has been a great help to his writing. “Now, if I am having trouble writing or stuck with ideas, I just try to put the pen down and do something else. Or, I just work harder.” Paul begins to explain about the importance of hard work. It is easy to imagine his meticulous work ethic. “I just keep trying. I remind myself that you don’t get anything good without hard work.” So, what about inspiration? The musician is unconvinced. “I don’t even think that there is such a thing as inspiration. People talk about inspiration like something wonderfully magical appears in your head out of nowhere.” The musician no longer believes that to be true anymore. “I think the brain is a lot more complicated and sophisticated than that. When you do have those moments where things seem to fall into place, it is because all this stuff has been in the back of your head for however long.” The songwriter describes how the pieces really just fall and form in his mind. He then talks of how, at some point, the pieces appear in front of him; that classic light globe goes on. “Then you think ‘wow, I have got it’ and this idea happens.” But Paul emphasises his point, repeating that he doesn’t buy this idea of a ‘flash’ of inspiration. “Ideas form gradually over time, and whether you are aware of them or not, at some point they just coalesce.” Something for Kate perform in Hobart as part of their Star-Crossed Cities tour at the Republic Bar on Saturday 29 June.
#sound
Every song I write‌ I feel like it is the first song I have ever written.
Paul Dempsey, pictured above. 47
Food for Cheap WORDS: EMILY DUNN
It’s that time of year where we all begin to feel the bully of academia kneeing us into the dirt. When the pressure reaches boiling point, it turns into stress and to be perfectly honest, stress is super bad for your health—probably even up there with Russian roulette and sticking your head in the microwave. Life needs balance; ying and yang, mac and cheese, Sunny and Cher, hot girl and annoying laugh—study and leisure! Look, I know it’s hard to treat yourself when you’ve got no money, so I have a few solutions for all you students in the cheap seats. I love cooking at home, and there are many ways to satisfy your belly on a budget, but there’s nothing quite as satisfying as the spoils of hospitality. There is an abundance of eateries in Hobart, but the question is, where do the penniless Patsies and the wallet-less Wallies go? So here’s breakfast, lunch and dinner covered for under $10. Bon Appetit bitches! First off the mark we have breakfast… obviously, none of that cereal for dinner bull-turkey… so off we go to the Criterion St Cafe for a spot of brekky! Fixed in the hub of the city, the down to earth vibes and friendly staff have everything you need to feel special and appreciated between whipping sessions at the study desk. They’ve got heaps of tasty breakfast options under $10, but nothing warms you up on a cold morning quite like Aunt Mabel’s Porridge. Imagine being Goldilocks eating Baby Bear’s porridge, crossed with a memorable past-time of your ‘Aunt Mabel’ fixing together a heart-filled belly warmer, as you sit by the kitchen counter wrapped in a crocheted blanket… Somewhere in the middle this, is the pleasure you get from this yummy dish! 48
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Lunch time is a great excuse to snap shut the lappy and catch up with friends. Friends?! Yes friends. Friends are important and deserve your attention just as much as mistress MacBook. If you believe sharing is caring, then there is no better option than going to the Westend Pumphouse on Murray Street. If you’ve never been there before it seriously pays to go, check it out because it looks amazing! I mean, they have a wall made out of milk cartons, and forks coming out of the plaster… Anyway, their ‘morsels’ menu is brimming with delicious tasters for under $10. If you do have a care to share, your table becomes an abundant feast for those on a budget. The last stop on our study break is The Winston. Formerly known as the Alley Cat, the alehouse and eatery gets its inspiration from the food and drinking culture of America. As well as a plethora of international and local beers, the owner Caroline—who is from Maryland in the States— created their devilishly delicious street food menu from original family recipes. The onion rings are a must-try (what is in that batter!?) and there’s even a ‘Mom’s meatloaf’!
#food
Top: Beer Battered Chips and Aioli, Crispy Chicken and Hot Sauce, Ceviche, Radish, Cucumber and Yuzu. Photo: Nathan Gillam Above: New York style hotdog on a soft bun with ketchup, mustard‌ and added chilli and cheese. Photo: Emily Dunn Left: Creamy porridge with raisins, bananas and spiced toasted pecans. Photo: Campbell Nicol 49
#community
Final Notes Emma Hazell explores coffee culture in Hobart with Yellow Bernard’s David Jolly ahead of the annual Café Smart Day held this year on June 7th. Little boutique coffee shops are popping up all over Hobart to satisfy our ever-growing thirst for coffee. What has created this coffee culture, according to David Jolly, the proprietor of Yellow Bernard, is the availability of ‘specialty’ coffee in Hobart. “Certain cafes (including ours) have emerged that aim to push the standard of coffee and offer their customers a product that is discernibly better in quality than what is offered by alternative establishments”, he said. Not only is it the beans and the machines that aid the process of making great tasting coffee, but it also comes down to the baristas, and their craft. David stated that many elements go into making outstanding coffee, and different variables can alter its outcome. Having a skilled barista is the key, and as David said, “in the specialty coffee industry, a barista is a highly skilled profession rather than a job given to casual junior staff”. So what is it that keeps people coming back? That can be answered with regard to a mixture of elements: the vibe these coffee shops emit, the friendly and fast service you’re given and most importantly, the coffee you receive. Every time you go back there, the coffee is the same, if not better, than the last time you went. David attributes this to coffee industry saying that rings true. “You are only as good as your last cup”. Yellow Bernard is participating in CafeSmart, which brings together coffee roasters, cafes and coffee drinkers around the country to help people who are homeless. Participating cafes generously donate $1.00 per coffee sold to fund local projects. In 2012 232 Cafes around Australia raised close to $75,000. Visit www.streetsmartaustralia.org/cafesmart
TED Talks: Ideas Worth Spreading If you haven’t already heard of TED, you can thank us later. TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. On their website you will find a range of interesting, intellectual and inspiring video talks available for free. Watch Steve Jobs advise on how to live before you die or learn 10 facts you didn’t know about orgasms. On May 4th 2013 TEDx was hosted at the Sydney Opera House- and Hobart has just been given approval to run it’s own TEDX event in future. Visit www.ted.com and let the justified procrastination begin.
Fresh Food Swap Market Rather than letting excess fruit and vegetables go to waste, students at the Tasmanian College of the Arts (Inveresk) have created a Fresh Food Swap Market. Those with excess fruit and veg are invited to bring them to the Inveresk Art School 12 noon every Monday to swap with others. Items range from home grown fruit and vegetables , foraged fruit salvaged from ‘wild’ fruit trees, foraged vegetables from the Architecture School guerrilla garden, home made bread, cakes, biscuits, jam and preserves. The market operates on a free exchange service; money does not change hands. This is a free, grassroots event for students and the General Public supported by www.urbanfarmingtasmania.org
Atrium Art Gallery If you fancy a bit of culture, the Cradle Coast Campus has you covered. Home to the Atrium Gallery, exhibitions change every second month. Until the end of June, North-West Tasmanian Artist Louise Daniels presents her exceptional drawings in her show Unravelling. Following is Julie Irvine’s Understory until July. To register for exhibition updates or to find out how to exhibit your work: Contact: Exhibitions Coordinator: Joanna.Gair@utas.edu.au – www.cradle-coast.utas.edu.au
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