Togatus. Feb 2010 FREE!
. O-Week Guide . Human Trafficking . Green Beer . Foxes in Tasmania .
community wholefoods. community wholefoods CHEAP FOOD - THAT DOESN’T COST THE EARTH NOW AVAILABLE ON CAMPUS! Initiated by a group of students in 2005, Source Community Wholefoods encompasses a food store and cooperative, community garden, composting facility and community leisure space complete with a wood-fired pizza oven.
Join us during O’week for FREE wood-fired pizzas from 1-4pm on Wednesday and 4-6pm on Thursday. Source is a place to explore social and environmental issues, buy healthy delicious treats, learn new skills and get involved in a dynamic community. All are very welcome! You can find us by walking up the stairs behind ‘the Ref’ & TUU buildings or via French Street. Source is only in its infancy and the possibilities are endless! If you would like to get involved please email source.wholefoods@gmail.com, visit our website www.sourcewholefoods.org.au or come down and visit us.
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:
Julius Ross editor.togatus@utas.edu.au
Sub-editor: Ally Gibson
Design and Layout:
Alex Farner, Katie Hepper, Jacky Ho, Travis Hutchins
Cover:
Remi Chauvin
Advertising:
Please contact editor.togatus@utas.edu.au
Contributors:
Ashleigh Austin, Jenny Baxter, Katie Boutchard, Kim Burleigh, Amy Conley, Keith Crawford, Thomas Hyland, Shauna Mayben, Adam Nebbs, Simon McCulloch, Shantelle Rodman, Clare Rutherford, Michael Voss, Ben Waterworth, Alex Wise, Steph Zito Printed on FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) environmentally friendly paper by Print Directions Togatus PO Box 5055 Sandy Bay, Tas 7006 Email: editor.togatus@utas.edu.au www.togatus.com.au Togatus welcomes all contributions. Please email your work or ideas to editor.togatus@utas.edu.au. It is understood that any contribution sent to Togatus may be used for publication in either the magazine or the website, and that the final decision on whether to publish resides with the editor and the publishers. The editor reserves the right to make changes to submitted material as required. Togatus is published quarterly. Deadline for next issue is 19 March.
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FROM THE PRES IDENT Clare Rutherford
Welcome, or welcome back to UTas 2010! I am excited to be writing this, as it is one of my first duties as the new State President of the Tasmania University Union. The TUU holds elections every year allowing you to select the students you would like to represent you at the University and in greater community. This means that not only can you have your say, but you could potentially become involved as a student representative in a vibrant not-for-profit organisation, responsible for representation, advocacy, and the lively events that UTas students have come to know and love. Some exciting things to watch out for on an activity level this year are repeats of last year’s popular Multicultural Night and SEXPO as well as some new exciting events like UTas’ Got Talent, and The Great UTas Race. On a representation level your TUU student reps will continue to sit on a range of UTas committees and governing bodies, as well as many other community groups. We will also work on providing as many surveys and student forums as possible to ensure UTas and the community can hear what you have to say. On a political level watch out for changes in the voluntary student unionism federal policy, and a potential introduction of services and amenities fees which may get through the Senate this year. Throughout the year, rest assured that Togatus will keep you up to date with all matters important, relevant, and entertaining to you. Togatus has grown over the last year into a high quality publication which allows UTas students to voice their opinions on all matters. It’s so easy to be heard, so if you’ve got something you need to say, make sure you send it in to Togatus, because we’re all listening! I’m looking forward to seeing many of you around campus this year. If you need help with anything that affects your Uni life, make sure you come and see us, we’re here to support you. In 2010, Get involved, get heard, and make the most of Your Uni Life.
Clare Rutherford Phone: (03) 6226 2853 Email: President@tuu.utas.edu.au http://www.tuu.com.au
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From The Editor
Julius Ross
FROM THE EDITOR
As you are reading this, you may have just put down a beer or other alcoholic beverage to turn the page. If you haven’t, then it’s likely that you’ll pick one up before you finish reading. After all, it’s O-Week. Alcohol consumption in the first week of university is a tradition. It is ingrained in student culture.
Togatus is one such alternative. It’s a magazine that we’re pretty proud of here at UTas and it has a prestigious history. It is written by the students, for the students and illustrates that you can have a voice and make an impact in our university’s culture, aside from sculling five beers in three minutes.
But why is it that university students must go through the ritual of intoxicating themselves to the point of embarrassment and amnesia during 0-Week? Perhaps it’s because University can be a damn daunting place.
Don’t worry: Togatus is not an anti-drinking publication (actually, far from it), as you’ll see in our comprehensive and informative guide to O-Week festivities and our feature on Green Beer.
For those students starting anew, you are thrown in the deep end immediately. You have a new educational direction, a new format of learning and a large number of new faces to contend with on an alien campus.
But we do have some top-quality student journalism on other topics ranging from human trafficking to foxes invading Tasmania that will give your liver a hard-earned respite.
For existing students returning to their studies, there is financial pressure to achieve decent results (why spend thousands of dollars to fail Uni?) and many of you are keen to get out into the real world and escape the education system as quickly as possible.
So add Togatus to your O-Week diet. We guarantee that it’ll help replace those lost brain cells.
So O-Week is jam-packed with alcohol-fuelled activities and students are expected to lose their inhibitions in order to ease their way into uni life. But while beer will constitute your daily diet for much of O-Week, the University does offer alternatives to guzzling Cascade.
Cheers, Julius Ross Editor
Want to contribute to Togatus? Email the editor at: editor.togatus@utas.edu.au
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2011 The Viking Princess is refused dockage in Hoba rt after a child overboard scandal concocted by the government. The Tasmanian economy suffe rs as a result, yet the locals are happy they don’t have to deal with douche-bag American touris ts. The French, led by a short, slightly weird gene ral, invade the Middle East. They surprise everyone by actually winning a military skirm ish.
45th President of the 2012 a female is elected the s, ces suc a’s am Ob k g skills are put to good Hot on the heels of Barac s soars. Her multi-taskin on cti du pro le xti Te ca. outs. United States of Ameri ced to eat its brussel spr room and Palestine is for nate the gold medal mi do ally eci esp n use. Israel is sent to its me wo eir Th . ics mp domination in tally at the Oly 2012 as a year of female China wins the medal ils ha eer Gr e ain rm Ge sed, but count. Nobody is surpri cs. liti po d an both sport 2013 Morbid obesity reaches such a level that it beco
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year festive period’. 2014 ing renamed the ‘end of be as tm terfront ris Ch in s ult ucation system, yet wa Political correctness res yet again fuck up the ed to es cid de t en nm ver The Tasmanian Go lice commissioner. definitely y employ Robocop as po en wrong before, they are violence ends when the be ve ha y ma y the h ug that altho Religious groups claim ’t. to end in 2014. It doesn ing go is rld wo certain the 6
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2015 Tom Cruise shoc ks the world by di sowning Scientol Several other celeb ogy, shortly before rity stars follow Cr dying in an accide uise’s fate – nota world is emotiona nt. bly David Hasselh lly devastated; ho off and Jane Fond w ever, Jonathon M like he was for M a. The cCarthy is not im ichael Jackson an plicated in their m d Patrick Swayze The international ur . ders holiday, Hasselhof f Day, is instituted, worn at the beac whereby tiny red h and people run wedges of fabric in slow motion. It are is widely regarded as the ‘best holid ay ever’. te the global population. 2016 ic, threatening to elimina dem pan t nex the es om elligent and are trying to Monkey flu bec t animals are actually int tha , late too ost phants and some alm s, lise Mankind rea intense interrogation of ele er Aft e. eas dis the ing ead nt pandas, the eliminate humanity by spr gence’ is obtained from gia elli int l ima ‘an s, elle gaz aining pandas and they serious water boarding of nd captures the few rem nki Ma e. eas dis dly dea masterminds behind the pandemic. can launch ‘phase 2’ of the are executed before they gal.
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2017 Suicide bombers finally realise that the likelihood of receiving 72 virgins in Heav en who aren’t the spirits of male computer nerds or child ren is as feasible as this predictions guid e. They turn to peaceful protest and starve to death in hunger strikes. Osama Bin Laden relinquishes his title of World Hide and Seek Champion; sma shing Anne Franks’ measly second best effort of two years.
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O-WEEK SURVIVAL GUIDE by Stephanie Zito Many of you dear Tog readers will be familiar with O-Week. It is a University custom close to the hearts of students past and present and brings on nostalgic tendencies. But for those who are just starting out, here is a guide to O-Week that’ll make sure you remember it for the rest of your Uni days.
“IT MAY SURPRISE YOU, BUT SOCIETIES DAY HAS A PURPOSE OUTSIDE GETTING SLOSHED AND MEETING NEW PEOPLE.”
Popular to contrary belief, O-Week kicks off at UTas in the first week of Uni. That’s right; O-week is, in fact, Week One, which means instead of enjoying all the shenanigans without a care in the world, you actually have to attend class to see what you have enrolled in and elbow your way through to sign up for the best tute times. If you don’t you’re: (a) going to have no clue when Uni really gets going in Week Two, and (b) will be turning up for tutes at 6:00pm on a Friday. Take it from me; it’s my fifth and hopefully final O-Week (touch wood and a round of the rosary), so I know what I am talking about. MONDAY - Get acquainted The week typically starts off with a ‘Re-Union’; a low-key BBQ with beers and beats so the first year students can break the ice over a cold one and the recommencing students can reminisce on holiday stories and bitch about how they “can’t believe Uni is back already”. TUESDAY - Freebies and cheap thrills The week then kicks into gear on the Tuesday with the Student Lifestyle Expo held in the Activities Centre (located on the second floor of the TUU for all you new comers). This is where all kinds of organisations, businesses, banks and other various institutions offer you free junk (which will ultimately end up in some landfill) to entice you to give over your personal details so they can bombard you for the rest of the year with useless emails. Ok, so this is the cynic
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in me speaking, really I love to go and get free pens and post-its and if you play it right you won’t need to spend a cent on stationary for the rest of the year. Drink bottles, diaries and confectionery are also prevalent pick-ups. And if you legitimately need to find out about bus transport or need to set a bank account, learn about computers or grab a years’ supply of condoms for free, this is a must see for any new or seasoned Uni student.
NOTE: It may surprise you, but Societies Day has a purpose outside drinking excessively. Paying a small fee to a Society will actually give you discounted prices for events the society holds throughout the year, such as cocktail parties and balls, as well as educational opportunities.
WEDNESDAY - Forget sobriety, it’s Societies
THURSDAY - Recovery
Wednesday is the day everyone is waiting for during O-Week. It is Societies Day; the day of cheap drinks, raucous behaviour and endless embarrassments. Today all of the Societies at Uni come together to sign up members for the coming year, enticing their signature with the promise of excessive amounts of alcohol for bargain basement price.
Thursday holds not a lot as, well, everyone is recovering from Wednesday. There is a relaxing free breakfast, appropriately labelled ‘The Morning After’, on the Ref steps for maximising recuperation. Class still operates but generally lecturers realise your don’t actually want to be listening to their monotone rants so they will go easy, generally.
Each faculty has their own society and then there are numerous sporting, political and recreational societies to join up to. You won’t be able to miss this festivity if you try; you will see throngs of students heading in one direction (towards the REF steps), smell the scent of BBQs and spit roasts and hear the sound of Tako drums over the excitement of fellow Uni students.
FRIDAY - The Big Finale
It is a good idea to sign up to what you actually want first then pursue what else is on offer. However, it is often a game of best deal wins, with people signing up to the Medieval Society with no other intention other than smashing six beers for ten bucks. Try to stay away from the sleazy guy dressed up in some kind of costume who just keeps getting too close, but keep an eye out for the vodka jelly shots.
This year’s line-up is a cracker (if you don’t know it by now, check out pages 12-13).
The rule on Societies Day is two hands two cans, so make sure you leave your stuff elsewhere or have a side satchel; no backpacks should be lugged along or else you’re going to be the one apologising over spilled drinks every time you try and move. Be warned - things get very tight and squashed in the space provided. There is one handy little hint though; don’t get too messy because there are always cameras around and no doubt by the end of the week there could be some pretty humiliating shots of you circulating the Facebook news feed.
Friday finishes off the week in style with a concert down in the Rugby Oval car park. This means more drinking and celebrations and possibly some sunburn thrown in there too for good measure depending on what Hobart’s unpredictable weather throws into the mix.
By midnight on Friday we have come to the end of O-Week for another year. If you have survived, you’re probably feeling a little seedy but the memories outweigh the stomach cramps and headaches. You’ll have to face up to reality on Monday when the real work starts, which will probably give your liver a hard-earned rest – well until your new-found Society contacts you and offers you cheep booze for the next frivolous festivity. Find our Official O-Week Timetable on pages 12-13.
Image by Travis Hutchins
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O-Week Essentials 1. Beer Probably the most essential item for O-Week, a six-pack of beer (or pre-mixes for the light-hearted) will provide enough pre-drinking fuel to quash those first-week nerves. 2. Text Books While most of your week’s pay will be designated to various alcoholic beverages, you’ll have to set some aside for your textbooks. How dare the University compromise our drinking habits. 3. Satchel Bag While some people label them as a ‘metro’ accessory for guys, you’ll need a satchel this week to avoid smacking your backpack into various randoms and spilling drinks left, right and centre. Girls, bring a cute little handbag. But leave the Chihuahua at home. 4. Phone Go through O-Week without a phone and you’ll be like a dog without its bone. 5. Condoms You never know what will happen during O-Week. Hey, we’re not advocating coitus on campus, but be safe, not silly. That’s all we’re saying. 6. Keys/USB Keys are probably not an essential item for O-Week. Actually, they’re more likely to be a hazard. If you know you’re going to hit the turps hard, you’re probably better off leaving them at home to ensure you don’t drive. If you do bring them, make sure you attach a USB so you can pick up the latest episodes of Gossip Girl and Entourage off your mates to get you through the first week of lectures.
Image by Alex Wise
7. Notebooks Again, probably not an essential item, as the main activity with your hands will be lifting a cold one to your lips. However, you may need to jot down the rare sentence in a lecture and
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record your tutorial times for the following week. 8. Diary The UTas diary is a must for all students. The first thing you’ll need to do once you dust off your O-Week hangovers is get organised. The diary will help you do just that; it’s jam packed with info for students, semester timetables, quirky facts and of course all the days in 2010. 9. ID and Money If you want to drink during O-Week (which you undoubtedly will) you’ll need your proof of age. That’s about the extent of RSA during O-Week. No ID, no entry, but once you’re in, you’re basically free to consume as many cans as physically possible. Oh yeah, and bring some dosh to cover the cost of your drinks. You didn’t expect them to be free, did you? 10. Camera No event these days is complete without a few candid snaps of drunk people doing stupid shit. A must if you want to upload your drinking prowess to Facebook. 11. Laptop So we’ve said you won’t be doing much work this week, but it’s a good idea to bring along your laptop to get yourself hooked up to the wireless network. Be warned though, it takes around seven hours to configure… 12. Sunblock Charles Manson is a killer. So is skin cancer. 13.Sunglasses A more aesthetically pleasing protective layer than sunscreen that will cover your eyes so no-one will know you’re sloshed.
*Note: Togatus does not advocate irresponsible drinking. Ever heard of satire?
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Tuesday 23rd February
Monday 22nd February
Info on the latest gadgets, travel, health, banking and entertainment - all the advice (and freebies) a student needs packed into the TUU Activities Centre (10am - 2pm).
Welcome the new Uni year with beers and cheers on the Ref Steps (3pm-6pm).
Wednesday 24th February Arguably the biggest party of the week, Societies Day sees every Uni student put Mel Gibson’s drinking efforts to shame. Oh, and there’s the opportunity to sign up to various clubs and societies.
In the arvo, head down to the Fine Arts School on Hunter St where there will be a free BBQ, drinks for purchase and a DJ to lay down some beats (4pm - 7 pm).
Friday 26th February Don’t miss this one. Ref Steps (3pm - 6pm).
Thursday 25th February
For those who survive the hangover from Societies Day, we present a healthy lunch accompanied by live jazz. Drag yourself along to the Ref Steps by lunchtime (11.45 am - 1.45 pm).
Finish off the week in fine fashion with the O-Week Ample - Fire concert. With a top bill of acts including The Butterfly Effect, Bag Raiders, Muph & Plutonic and Miami Horror you’ll be rocking your socks off to this one. Rugby Oval Car Park (4pm - 11pm) Student $35 Non-Student $45 Tickets available at Entrepot, TUU Shop, Contact Centre Hobart and online at www.oztix.com.au 12
Tuesday 23rd February
Monday 22nd February
Check out all the student essentials at the Lifestyle Expo at the Uni Cafe. While you’re there grab your free TUU Diary and Year Planner (10.30am - 2pm).
Start O-Week off the right way; catch up with your mates, enjoy free pizza, cold beer and local DJs. Uni Beer Garden (3pm - 6pm) Get along to the Uni Bar for an afternoon of great Australian music. The entertainment will surprise you! Free entry (4pm - 8pm).
Wednesday 24th February
Thursday 25th February Drop in and say hello to your new TUU Student Reps, find out what they plan to do for you this year, share your thoughts and ideas while you’re here enjoy the free sausage sizzle. Uni Cafe Courtyard (12.30pm - 1.30pm).
Friday 26th February
Commence Launnie Cup Day celebrations with a free healthy breakfast at the Sunken Courtyard. Enjoy a range of yoghurts, milks and bananas. (10am-11am).
Make your way to the lawns at the front of the Academy of Arts at Inveresk for a free BBQ, cold beers and great beats. Get along to the final O Week event and chill out in the sun (3pm - 5pm).
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THE A
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by Simon McCulloch Consuming the news these days is much like eating a McValue meal at McDonalds; sure, it’s cheap and appears to be packed full of hearty content, but once you unwrap it and consume the first few (news) bites, you find it to be tacky and unsatisfying. Celebrity gossip and PR spin are infiltrating our news agenda as understaffed newsrooms struggle to keep newspapers afloat. So what is the future of journalism? News itself isn’t dying. It’s withering underneath the thick spread of trash, gossip and shortcuts, and it’s not news as we once knew, but it’s still there. Here’s a broad five-point guide as to what exactly is up.
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The Big Business Model of News Ok, we’ll start at the top, with the whole lot of squeezing of journalist staff budgets. Fairfax is one guilty party for shitcanning journalists en masse. Their most controversial staff cuts came in August 2008 when they slashed 550 jobs. None of the management faced unemployment, yet a host of writers did when their share prices hit rock bottom. In response to the job reductions, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) launched a campaign labelled ‘Fair Go, Fairfax: Don’t discount journalism’ to protest the job cuts and argue that such job losses would affect ‘quality journalism’. The MEAA argued that the management at Fairfax Media are “trying to drive down journalists’ wages and create a company that produces low-cost, low-quality journalism – a clear threat to keeping you informed.” The fact that 80 per cent of a newspaper’s revenue goes towards funding the hardcopy, according to the promisingly titled ‘newspaperdeathwatch.com’, doesn’t tie in well with the big business model either. Combine this with movement of the ‘rivers of gold’ classifieds from print to the (free and broader population of) Internet and an uptake on online news use over hardcopy, you’ve got the beginnings of a shake up.
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Firstly. The Journalist to Public Relations ratio: Stemming from the previous point is one of the most cited problems with media at the moment. The Journo to PR ‘consultant’ ratio is way out of wack, with numbers greatly favouring PR. When press releases are flying thick and fast, the overworked journalist gets sloppy and starts regurgitating what they ate off the free platter of prewrapped news, often word for word. This isn’t a recent problem, and dates back to that time any ‘edgy’ news watch team (yes, before you, Hungry Beast) pulled the fake press release stunt, but does highlight the fact that quality and care is slipping out the door. Quality Control When you don’t have the time or money to fund investigative journalism, what do you get? Tiger Woods is what you get. Tiger Woods and his extra-marital affairs. Gossip-worthy yes, headlining news-worthy it’s not. If journalists were allowed to give as much attention to their own backyards as they did Tiger, Wacko Jacko and any other 15-second tramp we’d be getting somewhere. The argument here is that if it’s what the people want, then that’s what they’ll get. Believe it or not, there are a shitload of strange people out there who actually want to know about how many people Woods is banging. Sometimes down to the very detail. Media organisations recognise this and so feed the masses in order to make a buck. They are a business and like all businesses, income often takes priority. The point is, yes, people do know what they want, but it’s not necessarily what they need. It’s like responsible service of alcohol; sometimes people just don’t know what’s good for them until they wake up the next morning. Unfortunately, the trash is what pays the bills at the moment, which leads into a vicious cycle. The Fourth What? Believe it or not, journalism was founded on ideals of equality; keeping the big players (originally those in power – namely politicians) in check. This does not mean the ‘Utegate’ scandal, nor disgracing politicians with (fake or otherwise) nude photos.
the other three (the power holders) in check by telling the people what was up. I refer you to the PR regurgitation and the celebrity blitz of 2009 for two failings of the media to the people. In short, the foundations of journalism get undermined more and more everyday, with trash.
The Online News Revolution While not really accountable for the decline in quality, the shift to news ‘bytes’ and short sharp pieces of content are the new face of news. Whether news corporations will properly embrace it, rather than merely putting newspaper content online, is the key to their success. The issue is that the once profitable nature of supporting online news with banner advertising, is now not so. Blame the economic crisis, whatever, but the fact is that a real shift towards online adoption is needed, which is likely to involve some sort of subscription. How the public will react to paying for their once free news will be interesting, but it already works. Crikey.com is still here, isn’t it?
So, it’s Over? There are still glimmers of hope. Take Gary Hughes, writer for The Australian. Gary won the Gold Walkley last year for his reports on the Victorian Bushfires. He legged it out of his burning hometown to write a two-piece, first-person feature on the fires and their destruction, Black Saturday 1 & 2. It’s the suppression of such journalism which results in the worrying direction news is headed; toward a world of regurgitated tripe, where celebrity scandal takes priority over substance that is of importance. Remember, just because it appears as trash and gossip, it doesn’t mean journalists can’t write or don’t care anymore.
When the press gallery in parliament was first labelled the Fourth Estate, it was in light of the fact that they kept 15
Artist, Designer and Writer... A N D YOU THOUGHT YOU W ER E BUSY?
by Shauna Mayben It’s pouring down with rain as I meet Judith Abell on the corner of the street near her studio. Her studio is located in one of these amazing places that are tucked up in the rabbit warrens of old Hobart buildings. We climb the narrow stairs, with warped walls and a series of doors, to finally make it to her studio… I find myself short of breath. Judith is out of breath as well, but it’s not from climbing those stairs – she has been racing around all day, flat out with back-to-back meetings, stopping off quickly along the way to do the compulsory hunting and gathering around the local tip shops to pick up various materials. She opens the door to her modest studio and, as I enter, I trip over something that looks like a TV aerial. I apologise profusely as I try to untangle myself without breaking anything, or cause some sort of avalanche of random materials cluttered around her workshop. She lets me know she cleaned up for me. I laugh nervously. Judith’s studio is packed to the brim, a jungle of fantastic materials and objects that have been salvaged from the tip shop or somewhere along the way. “There is so much material out there, it really bothers me to buy new. I do a tour of duty of the tip shop on a really regular basis, probably every two weeks I go to at least two of them. For years I have had this fascination with the whole concept of the junk shop. I guess, you never know what you’re going to find and there is always some kind of treasure… there is that classic statement that one person’s trash is another’s treasure, it’s exciting every time I go, ”Judith said.
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Profile.
Judith Abell 17
I compose myself, take a deep breath, and press the record button on my portable voice recorder, armed with questions. “So Judith how would you describe your work?” I ask. She looks and smiles. She is all too familiar with the generic art questions.
Judith’s refined finishes and attention to detail create beautiful organic works that transcend the material’s previous life. Her sense of aesthetics is tightly in tune with the material she is using, always allowing the material to guide the making of the work.
“I have a complete fascination with materials. I don’t think it necessarily matters what the materials are, although I think I prefer the ordinary, the normally unseen, the stuff that passes most people by. Just looking around here, I have Venetian blinds and old shop shelving. I have an obsession with collecting,” she explains.
What I find most appealing about Judith’s work is they way she marries her materials with space. Each sculpture responds and relates to the area it inhabits. Like a living plant her work seems to breathe, move and respond, creating shadows, reflecting light or fluttering with the wind. Her works are never just ‘plonked’ in a space, rather they are carefully considered within the sensibility and understanding of place.
Judith Abell I Judith Abell is not only a Sculptor but an architect, designer, and a freelance arts writer for well known art and design magazines.
“It’s busy, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. My work in architecture is really busy, stressful, and full on every day so doing the art stuff really helps it… now people are saying ‘Hey Jude would you come and talk to us about this because we really like the fact you’re doing design and art’… What happens with my sculpture practice from my architecture experience is there is an understanding of how materials go together. The project management you need in architecture really helps for getting art projects done”.
This intimate understating of material and space allows Judith to create works that are both gentle and powerful.
“I’m only just beginning to hit my stride in terms of being an architect, I’m only just beginning to get somewhere in terms of being an artist. I really like thinking about how those things can come together.”
I press stop on the recorder; we have been talking for more than half an hour. It is dark outside now. I don’t mind though, and neither does she. I finish by saying that I can’t wait to see what she makes for the 2010 Moorilla exhibition.
have a complete fascination with materials Judith has gained so much knowledge and skill from working across all these disciplines, she tells me she feels as if she has an unfair advantage over other designers. However, after working hard for 10 years, I think she deserves it. Her years of experience in architecture, design and writing – blended with her strong sense of materials and aesthetics – have helped her secure public art commissions, fellowships, residencies and this year the Moorilla scholarship for 2010.
Laughing, she replies, “Neither can I.”
“With things like Moorilla I didn’t think I had very much chance of winning it… I saw a Moorilla exhibition in my first year and I remember getting excited about what could be possible with the money from that, I thought wow, wouldn’t it be great to win that.” As I look around her studio, Judith’s sculptures rest, quietly waiting until they are completed. All her sculptural pieces are mainly made from recycled and salvaged materials, “I would like to think I’m green in my thinking but we are all hypocrites when it comes down to it.”
Images provided by Shauna Mayben 18
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Profile.
Christine Milne by Adam Nebbs
The ‘Green debate’ may be one of the most pivotal political issues of the next decade. In the aftermath of the Climate Change conference at Copenhagen, Togatus contributor Adam Nebbs decided to pick the brain of one of Tasmania’s great environmental politicians, Senator Christine Milne. Promptly ushered into her office, Senator Milne was quick to defend her tired expression. Alluding to her recent efforts in the Senate, she aplogised in advance if she was not at her “sharpest” for our interview. To put her exhaustion into a political context, at the time of our interview the Emissions Trading Scheme had just been rejected in the Senate after several drawn-out months of discussion and disagreements. Senator Milne was openly pleased to see the ETS defeated and is determined the Government and the Greens can work together to develop something more effective in tackling climate change. “The Greens want strong action on climate change and the Government’s carbon pollution reduction scheme was not going to do that. It effectively ran up the white flag on climate change and was a bill which accepted that catastrophic climate change was going to happen.”
“IT EFFECTIVELY RAN UP THE WHITE FLAG ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND WAS A BILL WHICH ACCEPTED THAT CATASTROPHIC CLIMATE CHANGE WAS GOING TO HAPPEN”
While the Opposition effectively knocked back the ETS, Senator Milne believes that the tax-free carbon measures that the newly appointed Opposition leader, Tony Abbott, stated would save money for Australians is far from the best solution.
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . thinks . you . deal . . change] . . . that . can . . with. [climate “[Abbott] . . . . . . . as. . . . . . . in a completely cost-neutral way. That is nonsense . . . knows . transform . economy . to . . out . of. fossil . fuel . . to. everybody . . . carbon . . you . have a. low . carbon/zero . economy . . to put . a . price. on . carbon . the . . . industries . . . . that. allows . renewable . . to. develop and . flourish . cuckoo . . …. He . is in. cloud . . land.” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Influenced . . . by. her. party’s . . views, . . Senator . . believes . . the. Labor and Liberal parties are part of an old order . . . . . . . . . . . . . that. emerged at a time when the world was seen as infinite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . long . Liberal . . that. the Earth . as. Labor . and . . still. believe . . can. “As . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sustain nine billion people at the same level of consumption . we’ve . now . that . Earth . . . got . and . the . . . . . as can continue to absorb . waste . . to. catastrophic . . change.” . . the . . is the . pathway . . . climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senator that. developed . . Milne . . also . believes . . . . . countries . . . must . . play. a pivotal . to. . . role. in . deciding . . appropriate . . . action counter climate change. However, in the first week of . . . . . . . . . . . . . the. Copenhagen . . . Conference . December . it. became . . . . . in . . . 2009, apparent that there was a division between developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . and developing nations over who should cut their carbon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . emissions and to what degree. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Milne . . is . adamant . . . nations . . that . wealthy . . have. Senator . . . developing . thus . . a moral . . . . countries . . . and . have exploited . . . . . . their . role. in contributing . . . to . . responsibility to accept . current and . past . . . and. should . assist . emissions . . developing . . countries . . . financially. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “The carbon atmosphere now . has . been. . . . dioxide . . in. the . . . right . . put there not by developing countries but by the developed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . world. Those who have created the problem have a moral . . . and. a . social . . obligation . . . to assist . justice . . the. obligation . . . . . . . . . . . . . fuel. developing world to leapfrog the problems of the fossil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . economy.” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Milne . . has. had . . of . campaigning . a . long. history . . . Senator . protect . . . She . at. the . forefront to . . the. environment. . was . . of. environmental . . . . action . when . emerging . . the environment . . . was . . . as . an . important . . political . . consideration. . . . In. December . . 1982, . . protests . . against . . the . Franklin . . . . Dam . . reached . . their . climax when . . the. current . . . . Australian . . Greens . . leader . . Bob . Brown led . people . in . a historical . . blockade. . . . The. protest . . received . . . international media coverage with over 1200 people . . . . . . . . . . . . . arrested, including author John Marsden, Bob Brown and. . . . . . . . . . . . . Senator Milne herself. At the time, Senator Milne. was. . . in. Devonport, . her . . . teacher . . . and. she. risked . career a. young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Profile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . be. part. of . . . . that . would . change . . . . the. political to a movement . . . . . . . and. . . . . . . status quo. While the blockade gathered momentum . . . resulted . . . . . . in. a . victory . . for . environmentalists, eventually . . Milne . . explained . . the . difficulties . . Senator . . . that. the . protesters encountered. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “I the back . went . my . . . and. on . . . . into . classroom . . wall. someone had put up the poster the Hydro workers . . . . . . . . . . were . using . . at the. time . . which . [suggested] . and . the. . . . if . you . were. to . come . join blockade, you had to be a dole bludger, play a tin whistle . be a. pot . smoker . . . . . of. stereotypical . . . and . and all of. this kind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nonsense.” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the . negative . to. . . labelling . . Hydro . . attempted . . to . apply Despite . protesters, . . Dam . was. . . . the. campaign . . against . . the. Franklin the . . . due successful . to. a wide . . range . of. tactics. . . Senator . . Milne. believes . . . that . similar . methods . be . . . when. . . . should . employed tackling climate . . . . . and . contemporary . change . . . . environmental . . . politics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “[We . . need] . lots . . marches; . . . of. public . . meetings . . and . public frankly on the climate change campaign that is exactly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . what we have to do. Get out of the backroom process of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . submissions and take it to the streets.” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine . . . believes . . another . . aim. is . . . the. Senator to convert . . of . . . change . . sceptics. . . . . . . . ideals the climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “What . . we’ve . . got. from . . of the . climate . some . . sceptics . . is. failed, . . marginalised . . . . academics, . . . who. suddenly . . . have. got . the . . . they. have . always . the. . attention . . craved . . by . being spokespeople for dodgy PR reports, [which are] funded . . . . . . . . . . . . . by. the . problem; . . fuel. sector.” . . the . fossil . . . . . . . . . . . . advocate . . for. the. . . . Senator Milne is clearly a . strong . . . . . . . . believer . . . . . . . environmental issues in Tasmania and is a strong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in having a well informed democracy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . think . . to. vote. . it. is really . . important . . when . . people . register “I . Australia . . . . . with. information . . . about. in are provided . . that . they the . political . political . . parties . . and . the . . context, . . so. that. they. can informed . make . . a more . . . . choice.” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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GREEN
BEER by Katie Boutchard
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Feature. Drought, climate change and the Emissions Trading Scheme are big issues in Australian society, and have left consumers increasingly conscious of the products they buy. Save water; drink beer, some would say. If only it was that simple. Brewing beer, in fact, requires a large amount of water and is extremely energy intensive. This raises the question: what are the environmental implications of enjoying a cold beer after a hard days work? Tapping into the emerging market for sustainable and environmentally friendly products, two very different Tasmanian breweries have developed their own way to provide consumers with an environmentally friendly beer. The end result is the 100 per cent carbon neutral beer, Cascade Green, and craft brewers the Two Metre Tall Company’s range of ales. Cascade and the Two Metre Tall Company have two very different approaches and philosophies when it comes to brewing their beer. However, both have positioned their beers as high quality, premium products that consider the many environmental implications that arise from brewing beer. Major Tasmanian-based brewer, Cascade, looked into all the elements of a ‘green’ beer’s life cycle; growing and souring the ingredients, brewing production, packaging, distribution and storage. This allowed them to calculate the total embedded greenhouse emissions and thus successfully reduced emissions by 16 per cent. In contrast, the Two Metre Tall Company is a farm and a brewery all in one, which aims to grow all the ingredients using organic principles and using compost instead of synthetic fertilizers. It is very conscious of food miles, so the aim is to keep everything on the farm and to promote Tasmanian grown ingredients. Scott Delzoppo, Sustainability Manager at the Fosters Group, (who owns Cascade) stated that Cascade implemented a range of strategies including reusing and recycling water to irrigate to address water usage. These include the installation of two water-recycling systems and applying a water management plan to increase water efficiency. These strategies have enabled Cascade to reduce their total water consumption by 30 per cent per unit of production over the past six years. Through rigorous monitoring, Cascade can calculate water usage and efficiency monthly. The Two Metre Tall Company’s aim is similar. They try to minimise water usage where possible; reusing water throughout the brewery and recycling water to irrigate the paddocks. Water usage is a major factor when brewing beer. Owen Johnston, head brewer at Moo Brew, contends that the Moorilla Brewery also recycles their water to irrigate their vines using a grey water irrigations system.
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However, Tasmanian breweries are not yet leading the way in water reduction. Drought in Queensland has seen strict water restrictions implemented throughout their state, and the Yatala Brewery on the Gold Coast has reduced their water consumption down to 2.2 litres of water for every one litre of beer produced. In contrast, Moo Brew uses 10 litres of water to produce one litre of beer. Still think that drinking beer saves water? Water is not the only factor that needs to be considered during the brewing process, especially if the brewery is trying to position itself as environmentally friendly. Both Cascade and the Two Metre Tall Company have identified that where the ingredients are sourced from will impact on the level of greenhouse emissions generated in the overall brewing process. The Two Metre Tall Company is the world’s only farm-based brewery. It is located in the Derwent Valley and is owned and operated by Jane and Ashley Huntington. Jane insists that they are “very conscious of food miles”. They have planted their own barley crop, but source hops from Bushy Park in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley - a 10-minute drive from their brewery. Their aim is to keep everything from growing to brewing on the farm site wherever possible; even the spent ingredients are fed to the cattle on the farm.
Cascade has a similar approach to sourcing ingredients. According to Delzoppo, hops and barley are sourced from Tasmanian farmers to ensure the transport component of the raw materials is reduced. Ingredients and water are two parts of the Green Beer issue. With contemporary political debate centred on climate change, Johnston notes there has been a change in consumption trends, leading to a decline in Australians consuming beer. Australians are now choosing to eat and drink healthier options. Both Cascade and the Two Metre Tall Company have identified that there is consumer demand for premium quality and environmentally friendly beers. Cascade conducted extensive research prior to the launch of Cascade Green to determine the consumer willingness towards environmental products. They found consumers had an increasing appetite for greener lifestyle choices. Delzoppo believes that developing the beer has given consumers the ability to contribute to reducing carbon emissions – drinking the green beer allows them to do something that is within their reach and lifestyle. The Two Metre Tall Company has a demand greater than their supply. The Huntingtons explain that their customers are interested in taste, quality and they value the use of local ingredients in the brewing process. In a similar vein 24
Features. Feature..
Images courtesy of Jane Huntington to Cascade, the Two Metre Tall Company developed their green strategy when they identified the contemporary trend that people are increasingly more interested in the quality of the food and drink they consume. They opt against the use of any preservatives in their ales and uses a natural fermentation process in order to tap into the food and health conscious consumer, as well as the environmentally aware. Carbon offsetting has become a major factor in Australian society, allowing businesses to make their product more environmentally friendly. Cascade and the Two Metre Tall Company have completely different approaches when it comes to offsetting their beer.
However, since Tasmania joined the national electricity grid through Basslink, not all electricity used in Tasmania is hydro generated. It is all well and good that there are now environmentally friendly beers available that consider water use, food miles and carbon offsetting, but will this mean taste is sacrificed? Both Cascade and the Two Metre Tall Company argue that, in fact, it is the complete opposite. The feedback received about their beers’ taste has been overwhelmingly positive. “We use the older variety hops to get full flavoured aromatics which is fundamental to the flavour of the beer,” Jane Huntington said.
“The Green component is built upon a number of layers; the ultimate part is that we are offsetting 100 per cent of all the green house gas emissions that are generated,” Delzoppo said.
“The environmental offsetting is seen as an added component to the fact that it is a really good beer ... with a distinct fruity aroma and people are responding favourably,” Delzoppo added.
Cascade has calculated that producing a carton of beer (24 beers) produces 16 kg of carbon emissions. To offset, Cascade follows the guidelines and standards set out by the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change and this enables them to purchase carbon credits to offset the emissions. Reducing greenhouse emissions during production has been achieved through using hydropower and reducing the use of oil fired boilers and boil time.
Depending on what you look for in a beer, whether it is the environmental component, quality or taste, there is a new market emerging to suit the conscious consumer. Unfortunately for all the avid beer drinkers out there, drinking more beer does not help save water. However, if you are after a way to help ease your ‘green conscience’ perhaps ask for an environmentally friendly beer next time you are at your favourite ‘watering hole’. 25
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
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Feature.
by Jenny Baxter Legally, slavery no longer exists. It was officially abolished in most of the British Empire on 1 August 1834, 173 years ago. To further enforce the abolition, Article 4 of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights prohibited slavery, and the slave trade worldwide, on 10 December 1948, 61 years ago. Despite these injunctions, illegal trafficking, and the related crime of illegal slavery, is a huge, hidden and lucrative enterprise. Today, slavery of men, women and children occurs in greater numbers than ever before. Precise numbers are difficult to obtain because slave traders operate underground. However, David Bales of non-for-profit organisation Free the Slaves, has done extensive research to arrive at the figure of 27 million people who are subject to slavery globally. Human trafficking is the modern-day term for the slave trade. It is now the fastest growing illicit activity in the world, second in size only to drug trafficking. Siddharth Kara, author of Sex Trafficking (2008), wrote that “the total revenue generated by the exploitation of all victims of human trafficking in 2007 was $US58.6 billion”. It is the multiple ‘use’ of humans that makes their sale so lucrative. Some women are forced to ‘service’ multiple clients, seven days a week, 365 days a year. No reprieve during their monthly cycle, no downtime if they are sick and no way out if they are pregnant. It is estimated that 80 per cent of trafficked victims are destined for involuntary sexual servitude. Most are women and children. Christine Caine, a Greek-Australian itinerant speaker based in Sydney, was horrified to learn about trafficking when she saw the walls of Thessaloniki airport, Greece, covered in photos of girls who had ‘gone missing’. In response, she began the A21 Campaign, which is administered from Sydney, Thessaloniki and California. Annie Dollarhide, A21 Campaign’s Marketing and Communications Manger, said girls in Thessaloniki are physically and psychologically abused, and forcibly confined to do work they find abhorrent. “Girls may be locked in a room, or held simply in a prison of fear,” she said. “Often the police are clients. So if a girl escapes she may be sent back to the brothel or else she may be charged for being an illegal immigrant. She may also be deported, but her family are so ashamed of her, she is often rejected.”
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Only one per cent of victims are rescued – their rehabilitation takes time, care and dedication.
“...HOW CAN WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE FIGHTING?”
Professor Les Holmes, of the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne has done extensive research into human trafficking particularly in Europe. “Legalisation of prostitution in some states means there is social approval. This increases demand, which increases supply,” Holmes said. Demand is created by consumers and a supply is provided by traffickers, tapping into the bottomless pit of those desperate enough to be deceived. Australia is not exempt from trafficking. The 2007-2008 Federal Budget allocated $38.3 million to counteract people trafficking over a four-year period. While the number of people trafficked into Australia is low compared to many other countries, the Australian Government is committed to combating all forms of people trafficking, including trafficking for sexual servitude and labour exploitation. Project Respect is an Australian organisation that promotes the rights of trafficked sex workers. Due to the nature of the problem, definite figures are difficult to obtain. However, Project Respect estimates about 1000 women are trafficked into Australia each year. Nina Vallins of Project Respect is pleased the government has allocated funding, but disappointed no one is paid to research the exact extent of the problem. “We don’t have a sophisticated awareness of the continuum of trafficking here – from willing prostitution all the way to involuntary servitude. So how can we know what we are fighting?” Australia’s involvement in the sex trade is not confined to its own shores. Male holidaymakers travel to Asia to engage in so-called ‘holiday sex’, often unplanned but sometimes well orchestrated. Research conducted by the John Hopkins University in Baltimore, indicates Australians make up the largest proportion of foreign sex offenders in Thailand. These figures were based on studies of arrests and prosecutions from 1995-2006. Bernadette McMenamin, CEO of ChildWise Australia said, “There is a growing demand for child sex. The figures [from John Hopkins University] do not indicate travelling sex offenders are the main offenders – locals also take part in sexual activities with children.” The pattern once again emerges: demand entices traffickers to supply the victims. While sex slavery is a common ‘use’ for trafficked victims, the buck does not stop there. Tim Costello, CEO of World Vision Australia, recently interviewed David Batstone, a Professor of Ethics at the University of San Francisco and President of the Not For Sale Campaign – an organisation, which according to their website, “equips and mobilizes Smart Activists to deploy innovative solutions to re-abolish slavery”.
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Feature. Batstone remarked, “Car tyres are made by slaves in Liberia; cotton, sugar, cocoa and coffee beans are harvested in West Africa; and pig iron is extracted for cars in Brazil”. No country is exempt. In Sex Trafficking, Kara comments on the Chinese practice of children being sold for organ harvesting. He wrote, “There is no crime more disgraceful than murdering innocent children, profiting from the removal of their hearts, livers, kidneys and eyes, and tossing the remains out like refuse”. John Miller, former US State Ambassador said, “We are not talking here about whether someone gets a longer work break, a few more cents per hour or if someone in a brothel gets a condom. We are not talking about working conditions. We are talking here about slavery – the loss of freedom. We are talking about the threat of force or the actual use of violence to deprive someone of their freedom.” So, what is being done to combat this crime against humanity? In 2000, the United Nations adopted the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Palermo, Italy. Among other actions the Palermo Protocol prohibits the trafficking of children, ensures trafficked persons will not be punished, attends to immigration and visa issues, and suggests traffickers should be punished in proportion to their crime. Many UN states, including Australia, agreed to the Protocol, but enacting it is not straightforward. “Many countries have not made the changes necessary, with at least 70 per cent of states having worked hard on the punishment and prevention side of the issue, but have not done much in regard to the protection of victims,” Professor Holmes said.
“WE ARE TALKING HERE ABOUT SLAVERY - THE LOSS OF FREEDOM.”
Costello suggests there is hope. “Through projects that prevent people from being vulnerable to trafficking, to protection of victims, effective prosecution and policy, World Vision’s work is helping to bring this atrocity to an end”. But it is not just up to World Vision or governments to end injustice. “Each person can take a stand against human trafficking and slavery each day. Our Don’t Trade Lives campaign is about equipping everyday Australians, to make everyday choices that reduce demand for exploitative labour and raise a voice for our neighbours, particularly in South Asia, who are impacted by this immoral trade,” Costello said. As much as we enjoy a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude,Australians must take responsibility for this situation. We are the ones creating the demand. Our men insist on sex with young Asians both here and overseas. We want cheap clothing, we consume outrageous amounts of sugar and we gorge ourselves on chocolate. Then, in the biggest twist of all, we have lowered the bar by reducing the intimate act of lovemaking, into a legitimate occupation which can be legally bought and sold. Professor Holmes said, “Neo-liberalism focuses on the ends rather than the means, which has led to a decline in ethics”. We so easily forget that nothing comes cheaply – if we don’t pay, then someone else does. Images by Jacky Ho 29
A sly in Foxes In TASMANIA
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Feature.
invasion by Kim Burleigh Peering through the undergrowth on a clear Tasmanian night, a pair of luminous eyes gleam at you. Before you can register what the animal is, it leaves without a trace. Your last vision is of the tip of its tail and the grass parting as it moves like a snake slithering to safety. What do you think it is? Did a fox ever occur to you? In the last decade, the likelihood of seeing a European Red Fox in certain ‘hotspots’ around the state has increased considerably. Since it was formed in 2006, the Fox Eradication Program (formerly the Fox Free Taskforce) has gathered enough physical evidence, in the form of scats and footprints, to confirm the presence of these elusive creatures and it is widely recognised that the introduced predators are now roaming our island. In 2009, the taskforce identified 10 positive scat marks in various locations across the state. Unfortunately, while the evidence does exist, sceptics still remain in both Tasmania and interstate. Foxes are wary and elusive and the discovery of fox activity is often inadequate. While Matt Marrison, Community Engagement Section Leader of the FEP, argues that: “The Fox Eradication Program receives tri-partisan support from the major political parties in Tasmania and has widespread support from the general public”, the Federal Government has decided to strip the Program’s funding, which has inevitably placed enormous strain on its capacity to effectively eradicate foxes. This announcement has perturbed many; including Greens MP Environment spokesperson Cassy O’Connor who believes that the Federal Government’s decision cannot be justified. “I think in part it’s inexplicable because there is enough scientific evidence to prove that there are foxes in Tasmania.” O’Connor is concerned that the 31
Federal Government might be listening to the sceptics. “Unfortunately, there is a small group of sceptics who have really managed to muddy the water.” In 2006, the Tasmanian Government committed to provide $2.53 million per year for the next 10 years (funding commenced in 2007) to fox eradication, indicating that foxes are a serious threat to Tasmania’s environment, biodiversity and economy. However, this funding has been slashed by more than half, to around $1 million per year. FEP’s Matt Marrison is deeply concerned with the reduced funding. “The Fox Eradication Program has been, and is currently, reviewing all operations to find ways of cost-cutting to achieve the goals of the program with substantially less funds,” Marrison said. Some of these changes include cutting back staff, which, in turn, results in a reduced number of field operations that are an essential part of the program. “Many timelines will now have to be extended to achieve program targets and goals. The longer the timeline for an eradication program, the less likely it is to be successful,” Marrison said. The consequences that threaten the survival of the Program appear too serious to ignore. After this significant financial blow, it is clear that the FEP needs continued support if it is going to claw its way back to being Tasmania’s most suitable option for fox eradication. O’Connor, a passionate advocate for the state’s ‘clean and green’ image, is aware of the processes that need to be put in place. “The first thing we have to do is strengthen the arm of the Program and support their work and make sure they are properly funded,” she said. Equally important, according to O’Connor, is to educate the public. “I believe that the Government does need to engage in a really effective advertising campaign to alert Tasmanians to the dangers of foxes.” According to a report conducted by the FEP, the greatest threat foxes provide is to livestock, wildlife and eco-tourism. Foxes kill up to 30 per cent of lambs in some areas of Victoria. Foxes can carry distemper, mange, parvovirus and hydatids, which can be spread to native fauna. In a recent transcript, O’Connor stated that if foxes are left to establish themselves in Tasmania, 78 native species will be placed ‘at risk’, including the Eastern barred bandicoot and the longnosed potoroo. Yet, instead of supporting funding to prevent maximum impact, funding has been cut. Nevertheless, O’Connor continues to rally support for the program. “I think that the Fox Eradication Program has done such a good job in getting the evidence that the voices of the sceptics are getting smaller and smaller,” she said. Michael Scanlan, of Jane Franklin Hall at the University of Tasmania, praises the program’s swift action after he and his wife saw a fox as they drove through the little village of Westerway late one Sunday night in January 2007. “We approached a railway line with caution and approximately 20 metres in front of our headlights a fox crossed the railroad. We’d been spotlighting at Russell Falls 32
Interviews. Feature. National Park for hours beforehand so we were still in the mindset.” “I have seen plenty of foxes. We are from the mainland, you see, and I have even shot at one before,” he said. As the sighting was at night Scanlan and his wife thought it best to wait until morning to ring the FEP even though the Program does have a 24-hour hot line. “On the phone my wife described the fox as being orange in colour, having a very long snout and tail while quickly gliding into the long grass before disappearing. They definitely thought that it was a credible description and described the location as a ‘hot spot’ for sightings.” Scanlan is also aware of the scepticism concerning the eradication program. “I think it’s a shame that people rubbish it because the risk of foxes establishing themselves is so great. Sceptics usually have issues with the Government and its funding. They often bring other issues into their argument,” he said. A fear that resonates with the FEP and particularly Scanlan is the potential impact of foxes in our state. “The real issue is if foxes become established there is no doubt that they will do tremendous damage to the native habitat.” This fear will become a reality if the FEP does not receive adequate funding. In actuality, the long-term impacts may well cost the State Government millions in repairing the damage to Tasmania’s eco-tourism, wildlife and agriculture. The irony being that it would inevitably cost taxpayers more than what the FEP currently requires to enact its preventative measures. Marrison is all too aware of these potential ramifications. “Without the support of the community, or if we pull resources from the program too soon, we will never again live in a fox-free Tasmania.” “I personally would hope that this issue serves as a reminder to all in our community that we need to take responsibility to manage and conserve our precious and unique wildlife. It is a shame that many people only realise what they stand to lose when it is too late and long gone.”
According to a report conducted by
the FEP, the
greatest threat foxes
provide is to
livestock, wildlife and ecotourism.
Images By Alex Wise
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Volunteering in Asia by Keith Crawford Uni students love to travel. Many of you may have just returned from a gap year, others may be planning their next trip away. And we all know that mature-age students have travelled extensively, as they are kind enough to recount their life stories to us in lectures and tutorials every week.
“WHAT WE ASPIRE TO GAIN AS A WESTERN SOCIETY - MONEY, POWER AND SUCCESS - THE PEOPLE OF MEDAN DO NOT HAVE. WHAT THEY DO HAVE IS HAPPINESS.”
With travel such a popular leisure activity among students, there have become available a variety of travel options. Many tour packages are now aimed at the student crowd and with the advent of budget airlines, travelling has become even more enticing for the cash-strapped uni student. Young people have been tempted into backpacking through Europe for years; however, now travel agents are luring students with the opportunity to “make a difference” or experience “meaningful travel” as part of a new travel movement - volunteer tourism. Make no mistake - volunteer tourism is big business. It is becoming a more prevalent feature of the tourism market and tour operators have been taking notice. A vast number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have begun offering travel opportunities for tourists who are looking for more than just sightseeing. Chances are that you or someone you know will participate in volunteering overseas. Last year, I spent five weeks volunteering as an English teacher in the city of Medan, Indonesia, as part of the UTAS unit called Professional Placement in Asia. It was an opportunity that I jumped at as soon as I heard about it. I had always been interested in volunteering overseas, and being able to gain University credit while travelling made the idea even more appealing. I took
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the prerequisite unit, Volunteering in Asia, in semester one 2009, and completed my term of volunteering straight after the semester two exam period in November and December 2009.
– eight hours a day, six days a week. For two hours a day, I taught English to almost one hundred students, while the rest of the time was devoted to class preparation, centre maintenance and administration work for IHF.
You may be wondering what type of degree would let me travel and gain university credit? Well, it’s a good old Bachelor of Arts. To all BA students – ignore the naysayers. Your BA degree is what you make it, and there are a multitude of overseas units to choose from. Professional Placement in Asia is just one of several overseas units offered by the School of Asian Languages and Studies and the Faculty of Arts. In fact, this is the second opportunity I have been given that has allowed me to travel while in the midst of my studies. In 2008 I enrolled in a UTAS exchange program learning Japanese in Japan for both semesters. That means that almost half of my BA degree has been completed overseas, and it’s fair to say that my Bachelor of Arts has been the biggest learning experience of my life.
At IHF’s Medan centre, there were modest living quarters. My room was large, including two bunk beds, and a bathroom that didn’t work. Actually, ‘didn’t work’ described the centre well. There was a stove that didn’t work, a water pump that didn’t work, some doors didn’t close and others didn’t open. Areas of the roof looked like they were on the verge of caving in, and the building appeared to have various electrical hazards.
Indonesia was yet another learning curve. It didn’t even feel like I had left Australia until I landed in Medan. The arrivals section of the airport was chaos, though the customs section was a breeze with its lack of security. Grabbing my bag from the crowded bag carousel, I spotted a taxi driver holding a sign with my name on it. Knowing he had been sent by the NGO, I hopped into his taxi and were off.
In a way, I already knew it, but it only really becomes apparent when you experience it yourself. What we aspire to gain as a Western society - money, power and success - the people of Medan do not have. What they do have is happiness. Over my time volunteering, I fixed the stove and turned my broken bathroom into a working ensuite. I wasn’t electrocuted and the roof didn’t fall in. What didn’t change; however, were the people. They were more welcoming, friendly and amazing than I could ever have imagined.
As I stared out the window from the backseat of the taxi, I realised that I had entered another world. Medan attacked my senses; the noise from hundreds of honking cars, motorbike horns, and screaming engines and the smells of a thousand indescribable smells. The sights – the mayhem of the traffic, the crumbling buildings that blurred past my window, the cloud of pollution in the air. The NGO I was volunteering with, International Humanity Foundation (IHF), is one of the smaller NGOs offering overseas placements to volunteers. IHF has centres in Indonesia, Thailand and Kenya and aims to provide the poor with a decent education about the world - and to educate the world about the poor. I chose IHF because it seemed like a genuine NGO – I didn’t have to pay to volunteer (my weekly fee of US$50 covered food, power and other living costs), and the organisation is non-profit, non-religious and non-political. The work was intensive and time-consuming
However, despite all of this - the poverty, the pollution, the poor functionality - all of these ‘issues’ contrasted with the wonderful people I came to meet over the coming days. These included the other volunteer teachers from the local community and from overseas, the friendly people from the local community and the amazing children, who turned up to all their classes ready and eager to learn.
Volunteering overseas is an opportunity that I would recommend to anyone who can take it. It provides such an important insight into the lives of others who share completely different morals and cultural norms. You not only learn and explore someone else’s culture, but you realise, as a result, that there are many things that need to be improved in our own society. So if you are thinking about travelling in the near or distant future, keep volunteering in mind. There are many ways in which you can help the world, and perhaps even learn more about yourself in the process. For more information on the School of Asian Languages and Studies, visit http://fcms.its.utas.edu.au/arts/asianstudies/ For more information on the International Humanity Foundation, visit: http://www.ihfonline.org/ 36
5 Tips for Overseas Volunteering 1. The first step in setting out on a volunteer tourism adventure is to take a moment to outline why it is that you want to travel in this way. If a big priority for you is to visit a beachside location and to surf whenever you have time off, you probably won’t enjoy volunteering somewhere that requires you to work throughout the day and only have time off in the evenings!
Feature.
2. Outline your skills and interests and try to find a volunteering program that relates to these. You will be the most effective volunteering doing something that you already know. Also, be aware of what you are getting yourself into. Never forget the seriousness of the situation - understand that you may be exposed to extreme poverty and other traumatic situations.
3. Research, research, research. You will most likely be volunteering through a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), and there are thousands to choose from. Every volunteer organisation is different, so it is important that you find one that suits the direction of volunteering you are looking at. The interne t is your best tool. Once you have found an interesting NGO, use an online search engine to see if the organisation is trustworthy. Google is a great way to see if your chosen organisation has been up to anything dodgy! Be aware that the bigger NGOs will charge you money for volunteering and that it can actually be quite expensive. There is both an upside and a downside to this. On the upside, you can be sure that you will have the support you need and that your experience should be a comfor table one, but on the downside you are actually paying to volunteer! There are many smaller NGOs that offer volunteering opportunities at little or no expense, so once again take the time to research this. Remem ber; however, that the vast majority of NGOs will require you to pay for your own airfares and insurance.
4. Learn about the culture you are visiting. Take the time to at least learn the basics of the local language, as this will go a long way in helping you engage with the community. Learning numbers and greetings is a good place to start.
5. Most importantly, prepare to be unprepared! Things will go wrong and you will face many challenges. Having expectations of your volunteering experience will only set you up for disappointment, so set goals instead. Write down realistic aims, like what you want to achieve through volunteering, and at the end of your time volunteering write down what you feel you achieved and compare these. Images By Keith Crawford
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A CONVERSATION WITH JONOTHAN
AUF DER HEIDE by Thomas Hyland
Following the release of his debut film, Van Diemen’s Land, young Tasmanian writer and director Jonothan Auf Der Heide sat down with Togatus to talk about Tasmania, cannibalism and Alexander Pearce. T: Historically, the Alexander Pearce tale is about what a man has to overcome in order to survive. There’s a great sense of Darwinisitic survival about Pearce, it wasn’t that he was just a monster. Is this something you were interested about portraying in the movie?
Image by Lisa Dittman
J: Yeah. I’d read a lot of books about Pearce that were demonising him and making him into to be the bloodthirsty convict cannibal. I really wanted to tear that away 38
Interviews. and look at the actual confession of Alexander Pearce and try to get some insight into the humanity of the story; what circumstances would lead him into this heart of darkness where he would have to tap into this killer instinct in order to survive. I think the reason Pearce does come out on top, well in our story anyway, is that he understands what that is, quicker than any of the others. He is quite quick to leave his morality at the door. T: Exactly. Do you think it is fitting that in the end Pearce is almost resigned to death, given the horrors he had endured to survive? J: Well the way I read the story, in the confessions, by the end of it he wants to be hanged. After the first escape I imagine he would have wanted to be hanged rather than being sent back to Macquarie Harbour, which he did see as a hell, where he would be a slave for the next seven years. It was either that or escape back into an even worse hell in the Tasmanian wilderness. I mean, in his second escape where he mutilated the young man Thomas Cox, I think that was an indication that he had had enough. T: Well there is a world of difference between the killings in the first escape and that of Thomas Cox. It does seem like it was no longer about killing to survive, by this stage he had changed. J: Yeah, the Cox element of the story is certainly interesting and something I would have dealt with if I was looking to make an Alexander Pearce biopic. I avoided it because I wanted to make a quite contained film where it is very much about ‘the escape’ to ‘the last man standing’. By just having that excerpt of the story, without going into the second chapter, I think the film works better. It’s quite a circular story where we end and where we begin. I think if I did address the Cox element, where we get a better idea of how Alexander Pearce changes and meets his death, it would have been another Assassination of Jesse James type film. T: Was it a conscious decision to omit such elements of the story? J: Yeah, I wanted to engage in the whole ‘man versus nature’ and ‘man exploring the depths of his own nature’. I wanted to approach Alexander Pearce as though he was having a conversation with us, the audience, or with God, where he is questioning his instincts. I think the first thing any of us would do if we had to commit cannibalism is to think ‘what is it about me, that doesn’t seem to have a problem with this? Why am I willing to go to these lengths, when
others seem to be quite troubled by it’. T: There were a few sensational reports of people throwing up and fainting during screenings of your film. Were you conscious about shying away from the obvious brutality of the time and the Pearce tale? J: Well... I didn’t feel I had to shy away from anything in the film. I just wanted, with every element, to make a really authentic film. I mean, this film is nowhere near as gory or bloody or violent as 90 per cent of the films that are out there at the moment (laughs) in so many respects, because I don’t show the violence, it’s all an implied violence. I think the reason some people have had problems with it is that it doesn’t follow the cinematic language of... ‘someone punches you in the face, then the blood splatters against the wall’. You know, when you see a regular Hollywood film there are things that you expect and when you don’t get them it seems quite brutal and real. The vomiting thing, I wrote that in my blog, and that’s how the reporters got hold of it and it has actually been the biggest blessing for the film because it’s just spread everywhere. Our distributor panicked and thought ‘this isn’t the film we wanted’ (laughs). But this film is closer to Thin Red Line than it is Wolf Creek; it’s contemplative. It’s very much about nature, and what it means to be human and the discussion between Pearce and God. So to put it out there as some sort of thrill ride where you might come out spewing... (laughs) it’s not quite what we’re into. T: The use of Gaelic, in the film, is a nice touch of authenticity. Did you have any reservations in using another language in your film to satisfy conservative cinema-goers? J: No not at all. It really served two purposes. Firstly, it was to further the authenticity of these characters. Irish or Gaelic would have been Pearce’s first language so I thought it was very important to put that in. Secondly the use of Gaelic really helps to alienate a Tasmanian audience to their own landscape. I mean everyone knows how beautiful it is, but this was a chance to view it through the eyes of these convicts who had never seen anything like it before. I tried to make the landscape a very foreboding force in the film, it is the antagonist to these characters and the use of subtitles over a Tasmanian landscape only emphasises that to the audience. T: So what started your infatuation with Pearce? It seems there’s been quite a revival in recent times 39
of our brutal convict past, but you obviously started work on this film a number of years ago. J: Well I’m from Tasmania and I went up the west coast performing in a play and I did a tour of Sarah Island. To see firsthand the landscape and hear the tale was really fascinating; such a contrast with the beauty of the land and the brutality of the tale. A few of my mates are very big on the story of Pearce and every time we’d have a few beers we’d talk about what might have went on and how the characters might have been. T: This is essentially where the idea of the film came from then?
Proposition. This film will be based around the New South Wales bushranger Ben Hall. But yeah, things are going quite well for me at the moment. I’m getting a lot of interest from people in L.A. and overseas – agents trying to call me and shit like that. These people haven’t even seen the film, they’ve just seen the trailers (laughs). T: Well all the initial reviews seem to be really positive. J: Well we got the four stars from [David] Stratton so I was really happy (laughs). I mean you grow up just dreaming of one day making a film that might get on the movie show and to get David Stratton to endorse the film like that is just so exciting.
J: For sure. There are so many notes of what each of the people did on a day to day basis [in Pearce’ confession] so it was easy for us to flesh out these characters. We could see why each character was doing the things they were doing. So when you read that Mathers desperately tries to get fern roots for a soup after two people have already been murdered, he’s doing so because he knows that he is next. T: Van Dieman’s Land and its precursor, Hells Gates, essentially make up the entirety of your film-making career. What are your plans now? Are you going to continue working with this team that you’ve set up? J: Yep, Oscar [Reading] and I are co-writing, at the moment, a bushranger western. Similar vein to something like The 40
Togatus
Needs You!
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Needs You!
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Needs You!
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Needs You! Journalists, Photographers, Artists, Designers, Editors
Get Around It and Get In it www.togatus.com.au Contact editor.togatus@utas.edu.au
Deadline next issue: 19 March 2010
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Movie. Reviews.
‘The Code’ EP DISCOTOUCH Amy Conley With a name like Discotouch, one would expect this outfit to deliver tracks packed with tongue-in-cheek funky pop goodness and The Code doesn’t disappoint. The title track has an almost annoyingly catchy chorus that I can guarantee you’ll be singing for hours after hearing. The EP consists mainly of remixes, which should please fans of the Electro Pop genre that is making waves in the music industry at moment, and should sound familiar to anybody who frequents Hobart’s Syrup nightclub. Far from being monotonous, the remixes bring variety to the EP, and, especially in the case of the club mix, improve upon the radio edit greatly. The male vocals on The Code are reminiscent of TV Rock’s Flaunt it, and fans of TV’s will find much to like here. The female vocals drip the track in infectious disco goodness and bring a lighter mood to the song. Far from being a collection of cold house tracks, a sense of frivolity permeates the entire EP and draws the listener into Discotouch’s quirky soundscape.
Marooned GUTTER PARTIES
Ashleigh Austin
Gutter Parties is the bedroom brainchild of 22-year-old Hobartian Saul Latham. In September 2009, the debut EP entitled Marooned was released for free download. Last November, Marooned was released in a hard copy, handpainted version at a debut show in Hobart and was capped to 20 copies. Here on his first EP, the landscape is lo-fi and homespun, usually propelled by mesmerising beats from the subcontinent or Africa. Latham’s songs touch on the primal, nostalgia, intangibles, and your inner freak. Latham takes djembe drums, 60-year-old banjos, a poor quality ukulele and meditation balls and not only makes them part of a distinct artistic vision, but also keeps them organic. Gutter Parties could be compared to early catalogue Animal Collective. However, Marooned feels more insular, selfcontained, and unsettling. Then again, these aren’t shouts from a house party, but from a solitary bedroom. Moreover, Latham’s outbursts are often tempered and sandwiched between clipped samples (opener Be The Right Kind of Primitive) or (Sashi) that help congeal the album as a whole. Marooned ain’t perfect; but it doesn’t try to be. Over a melted beat and his own back-up oooooooh’s and aaaaaah’s, Latham wants to tell you something. Give it a listen. Or don’t, it’s your life. 42
Classic. Movie. Music. Reviews.
Gorilla Manor LOCAL NATIVES
Lovebites SUPER 700
Adam Nebbs
Adam Nebbs
Those who are fans of the Fleet Foxes will love the debut album from Silver Lake band the Local Natives.
Lovebites is the second album from Berlin septet Super 700. It is one of those very polished works that is lyrically deep and emotionally compelling. The lead vocalist Ibadet Ramadani is clearly a virtuoso in her own right, drawing upon classical training but not being confined to it. The band members are in perfect harmony with one other from the backing vocals of Ramadani’s twin siblings, Ilirjana and Albana, through to the guitar and drums that are blended seamlessly. The song Fortuneteller is a fantastic example of how the band adds layers of colour into each song by using each instrument sparingly.
The interestingly titled Gorilla Manor is driven by a strong use of percussion and soft a cappella vocals from singer Taylor Rice. The first single Camera Talk is a fast paced track that is in the same vein as what you would expect from Arcade Fire. The song relaxes listeners with lyrics like “Even though I can’t be sure, memory tells me that these times are worth working for.” The violin and piano in Stranger Things makes for a beautiful song; but the band also has a punk element to them that can be seen with the raw guitar and vocals present in Sun Hands. The album is well thought out and is a must have for those who enjoy the style of the Fleet Foxes.
The album was supervised by producer Rob Kirwan, responsible for the fame of U2 and Depeche Mode, who clearly enabled Super 700 to delve into their pool of talent. The song writing abilities of Ibadet and guitar player Johannes shine through with songs like Somebody Tried to Steal My Car and Spring (The Old Pretender) that are deep and somewhat haunting. But Super 700 do not stay inside the box displayed in the song Second in Line that is taken from the African sub language of Wolof and backed by singer Sambake “Paptiam” Malamine. It is refreshing to see a band work so hard and thrive in all the areas that make a record great.
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T R A B O H
S D N A ST
P U
by Ben Waterworth When it comes to events held in Hobart, many would say we are spoilt for choice. Every year our great city plays host to an array of events from International Cricket to internationally renowned food and wine festivals. If you venture out of Hobart you can even attend AFL matches and music festivals billed with top list acts. But for many, myself included, this is not enough. People with the same opinion often believe our city is left out from the ‘bigger picture’ that seems to be painted without the representation of our beautiful Apple Isle. As a tired observer – sick of sitting around and being quiet – I finally decided to stand up and do something about. That is when I created The Brink. No, another boundary or region was not created, not something teetering on the verge of collapse, rather a radio show with a slight reference to the station it appears on. The Brink was created with the mission to help Hobart and Tasmania have a chance. A say. A voice for inclusion. Commencing on Hobart’s leading community station, Edge Radio, on a Monday afternoon in 2006, the show soon moved into the highly competitive and heavily rotated Friday 44
The Brink. Music. End Reviews. Notes. morning breakfast slot where it has stayed for the last three years with massive success. The core element behind this success has been the show’s theme of attempting to attract big events to our city. Events that may seem impossible and way too out of our league. What events may these be? Just more International Cricket matches and food festivals? More AFL matches? Far from it. The Brink sets the bar high and dares to dream, with ambitious attempts to attract the Big Day Out, Eurovision and the crème de la crème of international events; The Olympics. And while you may scoff and laugh, it certainly has not been an ‘in joke’, with support for the ideas stretching all the way from the streets right up to the Premier himself, with David Bartlett recently confirming his and the Government’s ‘full support’ on our recent 200th edition of the show for the Olympic Bid. With over 4500 members on Facebook, the public opinion for an Olympics in Hobart, as well as other high profile events in our city certainly is soaring. While the foundations of the show are built on giving Hobart a voice, the guests who appear on the show certainly add to the attraction of such a radio show. Previous guests that have been interviewed in the past include Vanessa Amorosi, Home & Away actors Paul O’Brien and Cornelia Frances,WIN Television newsreader John Remess and Tasmanian media legend Tim Franklin. Such an array of guests appearing on a community radio show is rare and plans are in foot for the likes of Mark Webber, Craig Lowndes, Ricky Ponting and even Eddie McGuire and Daryl Somers to appear on the show in the not too distant future. This certainly adds flavour to an already robust show. But what else holds listeners tuning into a community radio breakfast show over the more highly advertised and seemingly popular commercial stations such as Sea FM and HO FM?
secrets of our city and make us a closer-knit community. We allow our listeners to ‘ask’ us for advice, and instead of having a ‘generic’ letters section asking for praise, we prefer to air our listener ‘complaints’ so that we can openly discuss our faults and allow the listeners to either agree or disagree with our ways of dealing with them. Add poor impersonations of celebrities, a self imposed karaoke styled segment as well as our very own radio soap opera that combines everything from Home & Away to The X-Files and everything in between and you have a recipe for radio success. So if you are like me, and sick of Tasmania missing out on the big picture. Sick of having to spend endless amounts of money to travel to the mainland in order to see your favourite events and are sick of sales driven radio hosts who rant out the same utter dribble, then maybe it’s time to adjust the dial on your radio and get involved and lend your voice. As Premier David Bartlett recently said; “The Brink has become an integral part of life in Hobart and its breakfast diet.” Perhaps now more than ever, it’s time to change your cereal. The Brink airs every Friday morning on Edge Radio. More information can be found at http://thebrinkradioshow. googlepages.com Images courtesy of Edge Radio
“It is the local flavour,” co-host Josh Shoobridge says, “the sense that we are both local guys who aren’t being paid to sell products and spruke vacuum cleaners”. It certainly does help that both Josh and I host the show for nothing more than our pure love of not only radio, but our city and state and that we see ourselves as spokespeople for obtaining recognition for Tassie. Yes, the guests help. As does the community spirit and growing support from our citizens. But we would also like to think our chemistry on air is a driving force behind listeners tuning in, as is the large audience participation element of our show. We allow listeners to send in their ‘confessions’ in order to reveal the 45
AGENT FONTAINE
Image by Sean Fennessey The band from L-R: Andrew Morrisby, James O’Shannessey, Patrick Durkin, Bec Badcock, Grant Cooper
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BandOpinion. Review. End Notes. music has appealed to a mass audience, with their groupies eager to bop to their distinctive beat. The band has even gone so far as to suggest that “beer tastes better” when listening to their music. At their live gigs, Agent Fontaine place as much importance on entertainment as they do on projecting good music.
by Shantelle Rodman Agent Fontaine are the new kids on the block in Hobart’s thriving music scene. Formed in April 2008, the band already boasts a large following, with their song Old Loves ranked in the top 100 on Triple J’s Unearthed Charts in 2009. Describing their sound as “Old School Beatle-esque rock, with the smiling tint of post-modern irony”, their music harks back to a golden age in rock ‘n’ roll that is fused and adapted to meet the contemporary music world. Agent Fontaine draws on the influences of Ben Folds Five, The Beach Boys, Crowded House and Cog to create a sound representing a mixture of The Beatles, The Kinks, and Split Enz.
“We’re trying to provide the best medium for people to come along and have a good time,” Andrew said. “We want to play music people will enjoy because we enjoy it so much. We want to share it with people – it’s more about other people’s enjoyment than our own”. The band have so far recorded a demo tape featuring the songs Old Loves, Nobody’s Baby, Where Are You Now? (WAYN), and Crying Smiles - all of which can be heard on their Myspace page. Plans to release their first EP are definitely on the cards with the band hoping to record within the next year. Boasting an exceptional history in music performance, writing, and recording, the band members are quite serious about their music and would all quite happily turn in their professional day jobs for their music.
This mixture produces tunes that are catchy yet intricately composed, demonstrating much creative freedom based on each member’s own broad musical taste.
Agent Fontaine are James “Jimmy” O’Shannessey (bass/ vocals), Patrick “Durka” Dirkin (vocals), Bec “Indie” Badcock (drums), Andrew “Mozz” Morrisby (keys/vocals), and Grant “Pistons” Cooper (guitar).
Stylistic influences range from motown, rock, funk, metal, and alternative, giving the band a unique sound, irrespective of the genres they have drawn upon.
More information on Agent Fontaine can be found on their Facebook Fan Page and their Myspace:
The upbeat happy-go-lucky rhythms in their songs are played in contrast to a bed of intense poetic lyrics taken from their own personal experiences, and carry a lot of depth but also irony. “What we’re really trying to do is bring back the soul in rock ‘n’ roll,” keyboardist and vocalist Andrew Morrisby said. “We all just love rock ‘n’ roll and try to take things from all genres and put it into something we like to play.” Having already performed numerous gigs, Agent Fontaine’s
www.facebook.com/pages/agent-fontaine/51663941462 www.myspace.com/agentfontaine
“...‘BEER TASTES BETTER’ WHEN LISTENING TO THEIR MUSIC.” 47
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Alcohol is a drug too! THI NK BEF ORE YOU DRI NK To find out more call the DEN Information & Refer ral Service
1300 369 319 Email dutyofficer@den.or g.au
www.den.org.au
Original artwork by Tasmanian student Nic Gipson
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