Newspaper Issue 4 - 2015

ISSUE NO. 4

29TH April University of Technology Sydney Student Publication

What the Frack? Individuals Rise Against Coal Seam Gas

News

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The Oldest Profession, NSW TAFEs face increased dropout rates, Stopping Racism Still As Challenging As Ever & Backlash over medicare merge

News And Opinion

by Emma Rapaport

With the rapid growth of the Coal Seam Gas industry, the anti-CSG movement is making progressive change through the power of the people.

The harmful nature of the Coal Seam Gas industry was first realised by Australians in the early 2000s, the enormity of the $200 billion dollar industry and experience of other nations shocking us to the core. As the years progressed, we’ve bore witness to a transformation in the political spectrum, watching the opposition to gas grow, stretching it’s influence across the nation. Speaking with a number of the individuals who founded the anti-coal-seam-gas movement, one is inspired to think differently, to believe that individuals do have the power to make a difference.

A diverse range of individuals: grandmothers, young families, conservative farmers and small business owners gathered together to stand up for what they believed in. From their humble beginnings, staging road-side protests and knit-ins, the anti-CSG move-

INSIDE

ment has effected real and measurable change, peaking last month as the Tasmanian legislature extended its moratorium on fracking. It is clear that movements for change are built upon a foundation of remarkable individuals, armed with an idea, and the courage to follow through.

In the early 2000s, the practice of drilling for coal seam gas reached Australian shores, and although this was not the first time the Australian subterranean had been explored for natural gas, it was the first time gas companies begun their activities on privately owned land, within metres of residential homes.

While rural communities at first welcomed gas companies onto their land, excited by the prospect of localised growth, their dreams were quickly shattered. Stories begun to surface of leaking gas wells, contamination of drinking water, and depletion of groundwater supplies in the drought-stricken communities of northern NSW, leaving many residents fearful for their future and the health

of their families. “We can’t eat coal” became a popular phrase in the farming community.

In community spaces across the state, complete strangers began to congregrate. The make-up of these gatherings could not be more diverse, including local business owners, young families, highly respected elderly community members, and conservative farmers whose families had lived and worked the land for generations.

United by fear of what the future might bring for their community, they resolved to take a stand against the gas companies.

Drawing upon the diverse range of skills on offer, people put their hand up to go door knocking, to lobby their local member, to stage rode-side protests and knit-ins, and in some cases, to ambush and lock-on to drilling equipment traveling to frack the gas wells.

Others were not so fortunate to be part of a united community, but received support to go out on their own from other towns facing similar threats.

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The Last Post, Russel Brand, Access All Areas & Labour of Love

Feature

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Rhodes must fall

Sport

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Heroic Strokes, Salaries Uncapped & Benaud Tribute

Pop Culture

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A Tidal Wave of Streaming, What to watch on Netflix & Noah’s Bane

Reviews

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Winterbourne gig, Donovan Frankenreiter gig, Tori Amos Album, X + Y, Jumpy, Harvey, Kingsmen & Le Samurai

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Issue no. 4

Contents News

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The Oldest Profession, NSW TAFEs face increased dropout rates, Stopping Racism Still As Challenging As Ever & Backlash over medicare merge

Clubs

Vertigo

Issue 4 Editorial

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UTS Backstage, UTS Intents & deUTSch

Letters

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Letters to the editors

News And Opinion

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The Last Post, Russel Brand, Access All Areas & Labour of Love

Major Reports

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President’s report, Education Vice president’s report, Secretary’s report & Treasurer’s report

Feature

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it together, through the sweat and tears and threats of divorce, you’ve got something you can be proud you made with your own two hands.

So just as you struggle to assemble your Scandinavian bookcase in your new Marrickville share house, this time we are bringing you something we put together ourselves, with students in mind. With a sturdy student news foundation we examine the changes to Tafe with Raveena Grover, and a look at the Racism Stops campaign with Kien Le Board. Our feature delves into student life in the wider world, with a look into the recent Rhodes Must Fall protests with Ninah Kopel, and our sporting pages look at some of the waves UTS students are making in the big wide world.

As a fourth child, and a terrible athlete, I know coming fourth is a mixed blessing.

There are fewer medals, and photos, less excitement for those of us a little late to the race, and for that reason we know you prob-

ably feel less of a jolt of excitement when you pick up this newspaper compared to the first ones, and that is ok.

Putting together our fourth newspaper feels a bit like what I can imagine it’s like raising a fourth child, we’re trying to learn from what we’ve screwed up on the last three, and like a fourth child always is, we hope it’s the best we’ve produced so far.

I want to take a moment for those of you who’ve read everything we’ve done so far (even you’re just picking it up for the sudoku) and say thank you. This newspaper is a new experience for everyone involved and we hope you’re enjoying it and we are so thrilled, humbled and encouraged by both the praise and criticism we have been receiving along the way.

We’ve been doing a lot of learning down in the Vertigo office this year, and I’m willing to bet on my Tegan and Sara vinyl collection, it’s only going to get better from here.

With love, Katie and the Vertigo team.

Editorial

Contributions

With support from

Editors

Cover Art

UTS Student Association Spotpress Pty Ltd. Marrickville

Allison Bermingham Cameron Hart Katie Kendall Gabrielle Lei June Murtagh Sambavi Seermaran Rachael Versace James Wilson Chris Quyen

Rose Wallace McEwen

It’s that time of year again, where half a semester is up and before we know it, we’ll be done with semester one. We’re only just starting to settle into this year and it’s flying out from under our feet already – and it feels a bit like that over in the Vertigo office.

Just like you, stumbling into a new year of learning, bright eyed and blinking, we started this newspaper fresh and uncertain at the beginning of this year. And here we are, four issues into the thing, and still only just figuring it out.

Putting together a newspaper is a bit like trying to build Ikea furniture. No one can give you decent instructions, at random moments it definitely feels like there are more or less parts than you should have, and you will break down crying several times throughout the process. You will decide you don’t need this minimalist bedframe, and you can sleep on the floor anyway, because who owns an Allen key these days.

But like Ikea furniture, once you’ve put

Rhodes must fall

Sport

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Heroic Strokes, Salaries Uncapped & Benaud Tribute

Pop Culture

VERTIGO

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A Tidal Wave of Streaming, What to watch on Netflix & Noah’s Bane

Reviews

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Winterbourne gig, Donovan Frankenreiter gig, Tori Amos Album, X + Y, Jumpy, Harvey, Kingsmen & Le Samurai

Book Review

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Reads to Ditch Your Reader For

Games

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Sudoku & Word puzzle

Advice Pages

21

Design

Horroscopes, Sex Column & Agony Aunt

Creative Directors

Rear Window

Ting He Rose Wallace McEwen

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Kanye West announces Release of Children’s, Right-Wing Teacher says something; Students don’t Complain Study find peacocks are the least evil bird & UTS Society not about depression but an ‘actual elephant’

Designers Cassie Ciccarelli Collette Duong Matthew Harrington Joy Li Bec Lorey Brian Nguyen Angela Tam

Writers Clare Aston Isha Bassi Alex Blair Nicol Bolas Divina Blanca Kiên Lê Board C.H.R.I.S. Andja Curic Harry Easton Liam Egan Raveena Grover Boaz Hadad Siobhan Kennedy Joseph Kilby Ninah Kopel Vivian Lin Jessica Marsden Oliver Morassut June Murtagh Bronte Naylor Ben Nielsen Jake Nielsen Tamim Rahimi Emma Rapaport

Carmen Roath Conchita SanchezMarquez Larissa Shearman Axeris Sondyre Gary Sun Benjamin Tosi D Turner James Wilson

Copyright Vertigo and its entire contents are protected by copyright. Vertigo will retain reprint rights; contributors retain all other rights for resale and republication. No material may be produced without the prior written consent of the copyright holders.

acknowledgements Vertigo would like to pay respect to the Traditional Owners of the land on which the UTS now stands, the Gadigal and Kuringgai people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge that more than 500 Indigenous Nations shared this land for over 40 000 years before European invasion. We extend our solidarity and commitment to those Indigenous peoples, in Australia and internationally, who partake in the ongoing struggle for the land rights, sovereignty, self-determination, and recognition and compensation for past injuries.

VERTIGO

29TH April

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Apologies and Corrections

p. 1 We would like to apologise for the headline which should have read “UTS Fails the Test to Divest” we meant to fix it, we just divested our focus elsewhere. p. 1 - Luke Skywalker’s father had been farther away than most for a portion of his life, but that doesn’t excuse us misspelling father. p. 2 - Deinvestment in our spell check has not gone well, and we meant to say Divestment. p. 2 - We apologise to Chris McKay once again for incorrectly labelling him as Salazar Slytherin. While we assure our readers it was an oversight, we are also sure that he is a truly evil being. p. 4 - In reference to the article about SRC workers getting underpaid, published in the last edition of Vertigo, writers Diala Salim and Raveena Grover would like to retract the statement that Clodagh Schofield was the former Environmental Officer for the SRC and was unpaid. We would like to reach it

with the statement that she is the current Sustainability Events Coordinator for the USU and is laid adequately for this position. We apologise for the misinformation. p. 6 - We look forward to the Revue Societies upcoming production of ‘Vertigo!’ so much so we ran them together. Apologies. p. 6 - We would like to apologise to UTS Writers’ Society for listing them as “Writers’ Society”. Although, hopefully you know which university you’re at. p. 10 - Author Surname was one of the great economists of the 18th Century, and with that in mind, we accidentally referred to Brigida Johns as that great business mind.

She’s not there yet, but one day! p.11 - You’ve got to love the irony when we apologise for mispelling Kate Alway’s name in the corrections then misspell it in the reports.

It always seems to happen. Sorry Kate! p. 17 - We would like to apologise for mimicking the release date, rating and credits for “’71” review and “Inherent Vice” review.

I guess no one reads the credits that closely after all. p. 18 - We would like to apologise for publicising the incorrect release date for Death Cab for Cutie’s “Kintsugi”. We were clearly too keen and set the date forward a month. p. 20 - We would like to apologise for the incorrect rating on the film review of “Citizen Kane” as “approved”. We do however approve of the film, and think you should check it out. p. 21 - We would like to apologise that the easy Sudoku was apparently not very easy.

Maybe you need to get on our level. p. 24 - The article attributed to Chreps McKey was incorrectly attributed to him. The article was in fact written by James Wilson, which is in turn a pseudonym for Vomitron Godiva, a 4th year Engineering student. We apologise for the confusion.

The editors would like to encourage anyone with a correction, complaint or confusion, large or small, to contact us at editorial@utsvertigo.com.au

mother of twelve and farmer Anne Kennedy faced similar threats to her home and the groundwater upon which the agricultural community survives. She describes herself as “never ever political in any way, or able to speak publicly”, but watching as the bore water supply on her farm decreased rapidly, and become contaminated with harmful chemicals, Anne knew that she had no choice but to speak out. Traveling down to BHP Billiton’s AGM, she expressed her concerns to a captivated 800 person audience.

“When I finished, everyone in the hall started clapping. It was huge, and someone up the back yelled: ‘Go you little Rottweiler!’, she said. “I’ve been transformed from a very quiet, conservative person into well...a ‘little Rottweiler’. I shouldn’t have to be doing these things but I’m fighting back for the sake of our grandchildren.”

From small town mutterings to a nationwide movement for change, Australians have watched as small town activists took on the big gas companies and governments alike, calling for a ban on coal seam gas drilling, and a royal commission into the human impact of mining. From their humble beginnings, the movement has inspired a big

budget documentary film, backing from community leaders as diverse as former Greens leader Bob Brown, and radio personality Alan Jones, and a promise from the NSW Labour leader to make the state CSG-free. From a grassroots campaign to the floor of the NSW legislature, the issue of Coal Seam Gas is sweeping the nation, as continued production is increasingly under question.

The face of the anti-coal seam gas movement is not that of a professional activist or even a hard line ‘greenie’. It is the Armidale grandmother who at sixty-three, locked herself to a truck in the Pilliga forest to protect its future. It’s the Lismore farmer and life-long national party voter, who after hearing about the plight of members of her community, travelled to Brisbane alone to join the protest movement. It’s the town Mayor who against all odds, fought and achieved a ban on coal seam gas exploration in the Lismore area.

Each of these people in their own unique way took it upon themselves to fight back, speaking up against the injustices they suffered, showing that it is truly the acts of a small few who inspire social change.

So often in our lives we hear of social injustices, whether they be localised or on an international scale, and re-coil in disgust, appalled at how we live in a society that allows these things to happen. In that one split moment we all have a choice. To scroll down to the next story on the list, or to take a stand and speak out for what we believe in. Listening to Anne, a farmer in Northern NSW, speak about her first protest in Brisbane, something she said really stuck with me: “I believe in having the courage of your convictions. If you believe in something... well you just got for it, you don’t wait for people to come and hold your hand. Have the courage to stand up and show others how to follow.”

It is clear that movements for change are built upon a foundation of remarkable individuals. Individuals who for no other reason, stand out because of an unbending determination to say “no”. When faced with a social injustice that deeply effect us, whatever that injustice may be, the experience of the antiCSG movement teaches us that we shouldn’t shy away from the challenge, but stand up and fight.

Page 1 Continued

Mother of three and fifth generation crop farmer Sarah Ciesiolka says that she’s never felt passionately about an issue before, let alone brave enough to speak on the radio, but the threat of coal seam gas to her farm, family and community give her a voice and a reason to stand up.

After watching children in the community suffer from nose bleeds and severe headaches, farmers struggling in their own country, forced from their homes to make way for gas, and crops under threat of chemical contamination, Sarah begun fiercely campaigning in her local community, putting her hand up to travel up and down the country to spread the word about gas. Her determination was not without opposition from a powerful industry, and even those she considered friends, but she remained resolved; “At the end of the day, we’re just ordinary, everyday Australians who have been forced to take extraordinary action to protect our communities, our farms, our water, and our health”, she explained. “I despair to think what sort of world we are leaving for our children, a toxic time-bomb waiting to be triggered.”

In a town just down the road, grand-

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Issue no. 4

Vertigo

The Oldest Profession

by Divina Blanca

You will meet at least one person in your life who’s a sex worker and you shouldn’t judge them, but let know that you’re there for them, and help if they need it.

In society, sex work is viewed as inherently degrading, and while some are sympathetic, this perspective is problematic. Sex work is a service with varying levels of specialisation, and nothing is lost in the process. But sex work is not easy, and much of this stems from horrible attitudes held by clients, police, legislators and society. Often it comes those who are trying to help, but don’t understand or respect the profession.

A fundamental overhaul of sex education and a movement away from the gendered, marginalised shame attached to sex is the only way to make sex work safer. The development of healthier understandings of sex, sexuality and relationships (be they romantic, non-romantic or professional) is mutually beneficial and has the capacity to lessen the stigma of sex work.

This was the rationale behind the UTSSA

hosting its first Rad Sex and Consent Week, which began on the March 9. The topics discussed ranged from Sex Toys 101 to Fandom and Sexuality Online.

A few days ago, I spoke with Sophie*, a woman who once worked in the industry, to get her opinion on the sex work legislation in Australia.

Sophie said: “There’s a focus on brothels and independent sex workers and the legislations surrounding them but we don’t ever seem to worry about the agencies.”

‘Agencies’ are organisations, usually compromised of current or past sex workers, who provide advice to those interested in entering the industry and help find clients. These agencies provide important information for those wanting a job in the industry, however, there is still an opportunity for people to take advantage of these individuals.

“I’ve heard stories of people paying these agencies $2500 upfront to get started on finding work and that’s before they even have a customer. They’re taking complete advan-

tage of these people who already don’t have a lot of money. Sex work is like any other job: you work because you need money.”

The sex work industry is in many ways, a forgotten industry. Widespread dismissal and stigma by society does nothing to aid the health and safety of sex workers. If we want to improve the conditions of sex workers, legislative changes need to be made to support the industry.

The current culture on and off campus means many students are misinformed as to the true nature of sex work, and the lives of sex workers.

Sophie said: “I guess you just need to be sensitive to the industry. There’s already a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to it. If someone tells you they’re a sex worker then be supportive and even if they don’t, don’t act like being a sex worker is a bad thing.”

This is written by a third party who hasn’t been involved in the sex work industry. We apologise if issues have been misrepresented or offense taken.

NSW TAFEs face increased dropout rates

by Raveena Grover

With funding cuts resulting in increased dropout rates, TAFE has seen its fair share of changes and challenges.

Sydney TAFE student Diala Salim, studying at the Ultimo College in her third TAFE degree said: “Funding cuts have affected me because they have resulted in higher fees charged per course. My diploma of legal services course now costs over 6,000 dollars, whereas before it was around the 4, 000 dollar mark.”

“There’s been a huge cut in resources provided, even down to the small things such as printing.”

Salim said dropping out of TAFE is not uncommon.

“In my current course, there were 22 [students] initially in my class. Now there are 12.”

“One of the initial students in my class dropped out because he is an international student and it was costing him too much to attend 3 times a week.

A Senior Officer from the Department of

Education NSW spokesperson said however more students are able to access training at TAFE due to changes in fees.

“46,000 more students can train than would be possible if the current fees were retained.”

“In 2015, the NSW Government will pay an average of 55-75% of the cost of the course, with students contributing the balance.”

“If a student enrolls in a Diploma, an Advanced Diploma or, in some cases, a Certificate IV qualification, they may be eligible for a VET FEE-HELP loan.” They said.

Open Training and Education Network (OTEN) TAFE student, Rachel Lobo, said cuts have also shifted the priority of where funding goes.

“In NSW, students with a disability used to be eligible for their course fees covered either by an exemption up to the diploma level.”

“Under the Smart and Skilled Program - these exemptions allegedly only apply to TAFE courses listed under the Smart &

Skilled priority list.”

“That means we’re worse off than we were before this ridiculous program was introduced in 2015.”

The new pricing arrangements for training under Smart and Skilled reform took effect on 1 January 2015.

The Department of Education spokesperson said: “Smart and Skilled reforms of the vocational education and training sector have been designed to ensure the continuity of TAFE NSW in meeting the skills needs of NSW.” “[TAFE] will receive Community Service Obligation funding to support disadvantaged students.”

Though funding is a big issue for TAFE, local students who can afford their degree(s) are also affected by the poor enrollment processes.

“The process to get your course covered by HECS can be so tedious…I’ve never encountered worse administration than at TAFE.

They are so unhelpful.” Salim said.

“When I initially contacted them, they couldn’t answer any of my questions and so [they] put me through to administration for another course, who also couldn’t help me.”

“I had to call them back and be transferred around 3 people until I got what I wanted.”

Salim says some students were sent an email informing them of a start date that was different to what the online course description. “[As a result of this], half the students started 3 weeks later and some were unable to catch up, so they dropped out.”

Salim also says the sub-par level of teaching has also led to increased dropout rates.

“One of the reasons [dropping out] is [common] is because the TAFE learning environment is not very stimulating, especially because there are huge age gaps.”

“People often find themselves isolated in and out of class.”

We were unable to get a quote from TAFE NSW as TAFEs are closed due to holidays.

VERTIGO

29TH April

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BACKLASH OVER MEDICARE MERGE

by Isha Bassi & Siobhan Kennedy

Member for Ryde, Victor Dominello, is facing backlash over a Federal Government decision to merge the Eastwood Medicare Centre with the Centrelink at the Ryde Service Centre in April.

The proposed merge is part of a Federal Government initiative to give local residents access to more government services by creating ‘one-stop shops,’ where multiple services will be available under one roof.

Labor candidate for Ryde, Jerome Laxale, has slammed the merge, calling it a “terrible decision by Victor [Dominello],” who is “clearly out of touch with the local community.”

There are concerns over the possible impact on local businesses located in Eastwood, as well as a lack of access for the elderly to Medicare services.

The Medicare Centre is currently located in the Eastwood Shopping Centre, which is conveniently located in close proximity to other health-related businesses such as a medical centre, optometrist and pathology unit.

According to Mr Laxale, these businesses are easily accessible for the elderly, as they are all in the one location.

Mr Laxale said: “Government services [such as Medicare] act as a hub.”

“If it’s gone, people won’t come to Eastwood and it will affect the local economy including the local shopping centre… it will be bad for business.”

There is also concern that the elderly living in and around Eastwood would find it difficult to travel to the new location if they were unable to drive or take more complicated public transport routes.

If the proposed merge goes forward the Medicare Centre would be relocated to the Ryde Service Centre, which is located on Devlin Street, NSW’s third busiest intersection.

The area surrounding Devlin Street is only accessible in one direction and there is limited parking available for customers.

Medicare claims the decision was made due to a decrease in customers visiting the

centre at Eastwood, as 95 per cent of all national Medicare services are now being claimed electronically.

The consolidation of both Medicare and Centrelink services in the Ryde-Eastwood area is intended to make accessing government services more convenient for local residents.

Department of Human Services General manager, Hank Jongen, said: “We are meeting the expectations of the community for more convenient access to government services.”

“Customers… [will be] able to access more services from a single entry point.”

Councillor for Ryde, Terry Perram, was unaware of the proposed merge but anticipated the streamlining of Medicare services in communities around NSW. He said: “Medicare has now been automated to the extent that you don’t need to visit the Centre to submit a claim.”

Since 2009, Medicare has established 170 one-stop shops nationally.

STOPPING RACISM STILL AS CHALLENGING AS EVER

by Kiên Lê Board

Last month, UTS launched the “Racism. It Stops With Me” campaign, coinciding with the 40th Anniversary of the Federal Racial Discrimination Act and other Harmony Week activities.

Hakan Harman, CEO of Multicultural NSW and keynote speaker, says the overall aim of anti-racism campaigns is to develop a culturally diverse state through building awareness.

“It’s about giving everyone the right to practice and profess their own cultural, ethnic, social, racial and linguistic background,’ Mr Harman said. ‘No matter what your background, everyone should have equal access to participate in society.’

The campaign launch, developed by the National Anti-Racism Partnership through the Australian Human Rights Commission, also coincided with the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

MC for the event, Vice President of the

UTS Muslim Society, Rahaf Ahmed, said that racism remained a significant problem in Australia and that speaking out against racism was vital for a fair society.

“When you’re not the majority then we will always be behind and the environments we work on will never be healthy and suitable for everyone. Racism comes in different shapes and forms and it’s actually the hidden ones that affect us the most.”

“The legislation does not mean that people can be prosecuted and convicted under the law.”

Of the 7 million people living in NSW, 46% of them are either born overseas or have one parent born overseas, as well as having nearly 240 different languages spoken, meaning that addressing racial issues is a top priority.

More than 160 organisations have undertaken in support of the campaign since it began in 2012, although concerns remain regarding the practical application of the law against racism.

Protections against racism under federal law is a controversial topic, after AttorneyGeneral George Brandis infamously declared that “everyone has the right to be a bigot” in parliament last year.

The Racial Discrimination Act and its precise function remains unclear as many assume it is supposed to punish people for being racist, whilst policy makers aren’t convinced.

Race Discrimination Commissioner Dr Tim Soutphommasane said that the act was more about creating a legislative framework rather than specific legal avenue against racism.

“The legislation does not mean that people can be prosecuted and convicted under the law. Nor does it enable media outlets to be

‘shut down’ if they publish or broadcast racially offensive material. It works not through coercion but through conciliation.”

A further question is whether conciliation and awareness on UTS campus really addresses racism. Selfies of people in front of anti-racism banners from the Instagram campaign were plastered across the UTS screens for weeks after the event, although whether this has had a measurable impact on discrimination is hard to tell.

Sebastian Reategui, MAP and International Studies student, said “the advertising attached a personal imperative to its message although since UTS is reasonably educated about racism, the campaign definitely needs to expand to other areas of the community.” #racismitstopswithme continues to trend on twitter.

For more information you can also like the Facebook page https://www. facebook.com/pages/ R acism-Stops-atUTS/612993402167853?fref=ts

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ISSUE NO. 4

VERTIGO

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Vertigo,

Dear Vertigo Newspaper,

I thought I might bring your attention to the issue of safe-sex and the Queer Space that has recently appeared on UTS Confessions.

I’m excited to see the new medium of newspaper take off so well in the university, as the legacy of Vertigo continues at a greater speed than ever before. My letter this fortnight is reflective of Issue 3’s discussions of feminism, and a little word I’d like to bring up: Intersectionality.

Essentially, according to the Students’ Association, that you and I pay for with our Student Services Amenities Fee (SSAF), they have bought condoms and lubricant, that apparently is only for those whom identify as Gay/Lesbian etc.

As someone that frequently has sex, I would like to obtain said condoms, but since I do not identify as Gay or Lesbian, it seems that I am not allowed to obtain them. Furthermore, since this very issue exploded onto UTS Confessions, I have gone into the Queer Space to grab some rubbers, only to discover that they have been removed entirely.

I have no issue with Gay people getting condoms, I just think we should all have access. Why is the Queer department intent on stopping me from practising Safe Sex? Anonymous

Hi Vertigo, A bit confused here – at O-Day this year, and in events that have happened this year, I’ve been approached by the ALP Club, and the Labor Club – twice, from two different sources. I thought Labor and ALP were the same? And is one with Activate and the other with the Students’ Association? It’s very confusing. Why do the ALP need 3 different clubs? And what’s the difference between the Liberal Club and the Conservative Club?

Aren’t they both the same thing? Before I give money to one of these groups I would like to know the difference.

Cheers, Selina Humphries Dear UTS Vertigo, I voted for divestment last year. I read your front page last issue, and thought that the entire point of my voting last year was to bring about 100% renewable energy to UTS. It seems though this was a pipe dream brought about by a group of people that didn’t have the authority to even implement that change.

What is the point of this, and why did they waste my time with such an absurdity, if there was no possibility of change?

Ernesto Sanchez Deer You Tea Ess Vurteego, Y R sew mani ohz the werdz U youse seaplt wrung? Eye waz readding ur newz pauper & eye faund aye loot off mistooks. Hau ded this happn? Plz, tel meh!

Jissycha Smif Ed: Approoprigies.

I’m ashamed that in “All About Women: How To Be A Feminist” by Eliza Berlage, that she discusses Germaine Greer’s advocacy “for better inclusiveness of older women in feminism” but fails to provide a critique or discussion around her sexist, disgusting views on the exclusion of trans and nonbinary women in feminism. Further, I’m disappointed as Berlage works herself on a feminist radio show called “Double X” / “XX”, a stereotypical second-wave body essentialist view that any one part of your sex characteristics defines your gender.

The silence around identifying where cisgender feminists fall down continues to be perpetuated at UTS, and as an active member of the Queer Collective since 2011 I’m tired of having to repeat myself when it comes to trans and non-binary inclusion.

Intersectionality isn’t about a token addition on the end of an article to “include representation of more disabled and trans wom*n”, but a direct discussion in how our feminism isn’t supporting the complex identities of women who should be included in our movement. To quote the article, and the amazing intersectional feminist Celeste Liddle, “being a feminist and being Aboriginal were inextricable”. You can’t talk about feminism and stay silent, and not provide accurate descriptors of intersecting identities like race, body-diversity and disability.

Unfortunately, this is the smaller complaint I have compared to the half-page write up on “The Changing Face of the Australian Defence Force”. To take an organisation so backwards, so oppressive, and so unnecessary, and to put it on a pedestal was the flaw of the “All About Women Festival” that questioned how middle-class feminism still dominates our society. The empowerment and leadership skills of “Commander Hayes...”, “the first woman to command an Australian warship in the Middle East”, display a feminism that takes to war against countries in the Middle East we have no right to engage in.

Fear-mongering displayed by Australia’s media and right-wing Government around Women of Colour, Asylum Seekers and Muslim Women is not what I consider feminist. Colonialism and racism are not tools which we should be using to empower women in our military, and continue to place emphasis on the divides created by Western Imperialism, in lay-persons terms, the Western World’s idea that it can do no wrong.

It is people like Sam Howes, Katie Kendall and the UTS Wom*n’s collective that are leading the way when it comes to gender equality at UTS. The Wom*n’s collective is the largest hub of Intersectional feminism on campus, and whilst I am aware of extreme transphobia and cissexism in the previous 3 years, I know plenty of members of the

collective are progressive in the values they hold. If you’re wanting more understanding of Intersectionality, read Howes’ “Apologies To Our Mothers”, bringing the contemporary, inclusive and radical punch that Vertigo needs in every issue. Alongside Kendall’s harsh truths exhibited in “Feminist’ Is A Dirty Word / Which Is Exactly Why We Need To Use It” including arguing via parenthesis that anyone should be a feminist, and reminding the problematic men in the room that they are not hated because she’s a feminist, but rather “because they suck”.

Wom*n’s Officer, Sarah Mulhearn’s intersectional work this year in the Wom*n’s Collective has been “incredibly valuable in reminding us of the importance of recognising that experiences of womnhood re not universal, but rather differ greatly depending on the intersections of different kinds of marginalisation, and that it is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that we centre the voices of marginalised womn in our conversations and politics surrounding gender”.

I’d also encourage the any folks who are Transgender and Non-binary to write more for Vertigo, so that we have more feminism represented in Vertigo that doesn’t make me want to tear up specific pages. Overall, I’m looking forward to more representation of societally-disenfranchised groups in Vertigo Newspaper and Magazine, and encourage the editors to look towards Honi Soit, who often will dedicate an entire issue towards LGBTI folks, the Wom*n’s collective, or Indigenous peoples.

Dedicated reader since 2011, Andy Zephyr, Communications Student.

VERTIGO

29TH APRIL

7

CLUBS & ACTIVITIES UTS INTENTS

utsintents@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/utsintents Instagram: @utsintents

Get wild in the wilderness with UTS Intents!

We’re your social camping society dedicated to having heaps of fun in the bush. If you’re looking for rock climbing, hiking or any other adventurous activities, unfortunately, you’ve come to the wrong society. However, if you want to eat, drink, and sleep in tents, look no further because as our (unofficial) motto suggests; we get Wild in the Wilderness.

If you’re wondering what we as a society do, we really don’t do much, but we do host regular social events at bars in close proximity to UTS (because we know everyone hates the extra travel). Our main event (and the reason this club exists) is our camping trips held every semester during the Vice Chancellor’s week. During this, 30 UTS students travel to our camping site and, as mentioned before, we eat, drink, and sleep for 3 days and 2 nights. But that’s not all we do. We swim at the closest beach during the day, we watch shooting stars at night, and we make great friends that will last a lifetime.

If you are a typical 21st century young person, you probably have plenty of social media accounts. If you do, follow our Facebook page or add us as a friend to keep up to date with all the events we host. Don’t forget to follow our Instagram, @utsintents, to check out our sick snaps from previous UTS Intents camps and events. You can email us at utsintents@gmail.com but we probably won’t reply because we don’t check it that often. Keep an eye out for our invitation to the next camping trip and make sure you cancel all your plans to join us. It’ll be intense!

DEUTSCH

BACKSTAGE

Instagram: @deutsch_uts

drawingcircle.uts@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/UTSBackstage http://www.utsbackstage.com

Our German members often laugh when we first mention our fortnightly Stammtisch meet-ups. To them, the word evokes a bunch of balding guys who meet up once in a while in a provincial pub to escape their wives and talk about the glory days when you could buy a litre of beer for five marks. But for us, it means a chance to make new friends and meet up with old ones. A chance to sample the Loft’s special Tuesday night cocktails (or, if you’re not that adventurous, have a beer).

Sometimes, there might be a German drinking song or two, or an argument about who has the dodgier German accent, but many of our members speak no German and we love them all the same. It doesn’t matter if your there for the company, the schnitzel or the opportunity to sometimes see everyone looking uncomfortable in their lederhosen or dirndl. In fact, for a wonderful selection of awkward costumes, be sure to come along to our Eurovision party on Monday the 25th of May. We pride ourselves on facilitating GermanAustralian cultural exchange, so while you’ll sometimes find us digging into our sauerkraut, we’re just as likely to be planning a surfing trip to Manly to help our German friends adapt to Aussie life. At the moment, we’re riding high on the success of hearing one German exchange student give another a long and eloquent “MAAAAAAATE” during a friendly disagreement. Because if there’s anything that DeUTSch club teaches us, it’s that life is lived for the small things: good company, good beer and good food.

Calling all thespians, film buffs and theatre fanatics alike – UTS Backstage is here and ready to satisfy all your dramatic desires. As your resident film and theatre society here at UTS, we’re dedicated to providing you with a vast range of opportunities to get involved with one of the most hip’n’happening crowds on campus.

Throughout the year, we host a large variety of events to get as many people involved as possible. Whether you’re interested in acting, directing, writing, producing, set design, costume design, stage management, sound and lighting, watching theatre and film, or simply having a good old party (disclaimer: we party hard), we’ll have something tucked up our sleeve for you. Between our major productions, film nights, parties, workshops and excursions, we’ve always got something going on.

We always love to meet new faces, so feel free to drop by any of our events to suss out the vibes and get to know our beautiful members.

Upcoming events include our first major production of the year, Doubt, A Parable, which is playing in the Bon Marche Theatre from 23-25 April. We also have our first Short Play and Film Night of the year from 5-6 May in the Underground, guaranteed to be a night of belly laughs and good old fashioned fun times. If you’d like to give auditioning a crack, be sure to come along to our Ruben Guthrie auditions from 29 April – 1 May and The Frogs: The Musical auditions from 11-14 May. Be sure to like us on Facebook and check out our website to stay up to date with the latest shenanigans, and feel free to drop us a line at utsbackstage@gmail.com if you have any questions whatsoever. Hope to see you around!

8

ISSUE NO. 4

VERTIGO

BRANDING LAZY POLITICS

By Jake Neilsen

If you haven’t been privy to Russell Brands new political endeavours then I don’t understand how you were even able to vote last month. He is an utter fool who has jumbled together some stale charisma with the worlds most basic, bite size ideas on politics out there today.

Russell started putting together his new image after the publication of his third (that’s right THIRD!) book appropriately titled “Revolution”. You may have been lucky enough to sample his YouTube show “The Trews” (true news). Within this lazy political discourse, he waxes philosophical about politics, media, corporations, economics, race, gender and religion all from the comfort of his bedroom and usually without a shirt on. The show embodies all the arrogance, idiocy and pigheadedness of our generation, which is strange as he is a good two decades older than us.

There are a lot of problems with “The Trews”’. He recycles opinions that any thinking person should already hold and

presents them as if he is the first human to have come to these conclusions. In his video on the Sydney siege (which by the way is shot whilst he is topless and wearing a makeshift vale) he states that labelling Man Haron Monis as a terrorist is a technique used by the media to attach his actions to Islam and to make it sound like his actions were meticulously planned. In reality he was just a lone mad man who picked Islam as his excuse for the violence he wanted to create.

His entire show is a clever magic trick in which he takes basic opinions and elementary ideas and appears to be informed and entertaining by punctuating them with cut aways and hackneyed jokes. This is why he flourishes so well online. To properly engage in politics you have to do some work exploring facts, contexts and history. A lot of people want the most complicated and grey areas of news and politics to be condensed so they can learn it in under 10 minutes. The current climate of our online world means that there is no accountability as long as you are currently portraying a liberal attitude.

THE LAST POST

FAME IS A FICKLE FRIEND

By Ben Neilsen

By Katie Kendall

I performed ‘The Last Post’ for the first time in 2006, at an ANZAC Day service in Adelaide. My bugle’s call was like the striking of a clock at dawn; lingering tones to farewell the dead.

I recently had my hair dyed, which meant sitting with bleach in my hair for nearly two hours, and the reading material provided was of course everything from Ok! to Womens Weekly. I became acutely bothered by something I had been long suspicious of – these magazines predominantly report on the mishaps and shames of women.

At around the same age, my maternal grandfather, Sergeant Lyall Aird, began his service with the Australian Imperial Forces, and my father narrowly dodged the threat of conscription during the 1960s.

Beyond this, I don’t have a real connection with war. It’s as if I peer at it through a keyhole – try as I may to understand what’s happening on the other side of the locked door, I have a small and fractured view.

In school, I was told stories of noble warriors who made the ultimate sacrifice for Australia. I was made to feel fortunate and proud to live in a country whose future was secured by the past. I was challenged to equal the qualities of strength, mateship and patriotism embodied by the young soldiers.

What can I really make of war, though? It’s a distant and incomprehensible idea.

I have performed at many ANZAC Day, Remembrance Day and military funerals since 2006. At such occasions, war is inescapable.

It’s there in the red poppies, the laying of the wreaths, and the Rouse and Reveille of ‘The Last Post’. The recognisable notes of the bugle fill the open air and resonate in the chests of those who listen.

We commemorate those who have fallen, but war is no longer a measure of ourselves or a catalyst for serious national debate. So, in a moment of silence and solidarity, what is it that we really stand for?

We all love the idea of becoming famous, and we all love the idea of shaming those who became famous in our place. Be it Britney or Kim, everyone’s opened a trashy mag every once in a while to see what the latest train wreck is in Hollywood that can remind us how much better we’re doing.

Beyond the deep invasion of privacy and the inappropriateness of deeming Kim Kardashian’s hair colour newsworthy, there is something unsettling behind the gloss women are always to blame. Headlines that should call out abuse by ex partners, infidelity and heartbreak for the women involved all fixate on the notion of shame and this we reinforces the idea time and time again that women ought to be ashamed of the wrongs men have done them.

I read a short article about Taylor Swift’s wild partying costing Karlie Kloss her place as a Victoria Secret Angel. Now while the most obvious factual inaccuracy here is that Taylor Swift does anything other than stay home with her cats, but the darker problem is that Karlie Kloss left the Victoria Secret group to attend NYU and receive an education. But there is nothing trashy-newsworthy about that, so the truth must be spun so the women are seen as behaving in a way that is shameful.

And so why is such an obvious thing so hard for so many people to see? His YouTube show is just as meticulously constructed to hide the truth as the mainstream media. His laid back attitude, his casual approach, his catchy theme song and his working class demeanour make his viewers relaxed and comfortable. They think they’re getting a no bull shit approach to the daily events. When in reality it’s the same powers of image we see at play in the nightly news just working in reverse. It all seems so legitimate and earnest to them that they ignore the fact that every video is proceeded by a commercial and all output is just an attempt to continue his drastic re-branding.

The sad fact is that when he creates these videos, when he reduces these issues to such a simplistic and basic representation, it is dumbing down our generation. If it took Russell Brand taking about sexism for you to take notice, you probably shouldn’t be part of the conversation cause you probably don’t really care or know what you’re taking about. You are part of his machine, you are

I don’t believe this is a case of feminist hypersensitivity on my part, but it seems to me that the only thing we are comfortable shaming men about is displays of femininity.

From the unconfirmed and deeply inappropriate speculation around Bruce Jenner’s gender identity, to the latest name and shame for which male actor supposedly coming out of the closet, women are consistently and underhandedly fed the idea that to be feminine is to be shameful.

It seems to me that fame is ultimately less than desirable because while we could just shake this off as the haters going to hate like always, it represents a far darker problem in the way we perceive women and femininity in society.

Image: Huffington Post

part of his image and you are part of the problem.

At the centre of it all is one big ego, one more person out for themselves using the very clever pastiche of being out for everyone else. Politics shouldn’t be easy, engaging with it shouldn’t be something that takes ten minutes and it definitely shouldn’t be a passive exercise. He is creating an army of easily led automatons that push him back into the public eye, share his videos and push his net worth up. It is important to be wary of people who discourage you from seeking out a range of ideas and opinions and instead tell you they have the answers.

There’s some Trews for you, you fucking sheep! Now please listen to my podcast at www.thegraduatespodcast.com

VERTIGO

29TH APRIL

9

LABOUR OF LOVE

by Bronte Naylor

I recently had a conversation with an Asylum Seeker about what he’d imagined Australia would be like before he got on the boat that took him here. He said he’d imagined a country filled with flowers.

The recent Intergenerational Report by the Australian government has outlined the future challenges Australia will face in the fiscal realm. As population levels shift there will be greater strain placed on the working population to maintain and grow current standards of living.

It has been predicted that over the next forty years life expectancy will increase and Australians can look forward to “more active and engaged retirement years”, as predicted in the Intergenerational Report, as advances in health improve the quality of life.

However, it predicted that the number of people between the traditional working ages of 15 to 64 in ratio to those over 65, will fall from 4.5 to 2.7 over the next 40 years. The financial burden of caring for the very young

and the elderly through both public and private means will be placed on a thinning generation of workers. The future you could say is, both literally and metaphorically, grey. Lacking the flowers and beauty many envision of our nation.

The solution to this problem, as presented by the Intergenerational Report, includes increasing productivity and work force participation. Whilst technological advances continue to increase productivity, the main obstacle to overcome is how to increase work force participation.

for their children whilst the role of the stayat-home parent, whether male or female, should never be undervalued. We need an alternative solution; a solution that enables us to increase our workforce participation without undermining the role of some of our most important, though unappreciated, members of society.

The two ways proposed to include encouraging older people to remain in the working force longer and women to return to the workforce sooner after pregnancy.

Whilst I rejoice at the advances in healthcare that may see many of us happily working to the age of 85 and am encouraged by the idea of more women in the workforce, I dislike the idea that elderly people and stay-at-home mothers are uneconomic.

Elderly people play an extremely important role in providing free child-care

Certainly, language and cultural barriers exist that will make participation in the workforce difficult. At first it may appear more burdensome than economical. However familial loyalty, hope and courage are all attributes that Australians proudly identify with and which asylum seekers are greatly affinitive with. In increasing our intake of asylum seekers we increase the potential of our future generation to be multicultural, diverse, hardworking and courageous.

Fortunately for us there are multitudes of people desperately longing to be able to be given a chance to be part of our nation. Most asylum seekers, given the opportunity and training, are willing to work.

For such a vision to work, government and community organisations need to increase and develop their capacity to integrate refugees into society and the workforce.

The visa applications of asylum seekers in detention need to be processed much more quickly, reducing the time refugees suffer, and remain idle.

Finally, Australians in general need to be more welcoming of the desperate and different. In our wealth and prosperity, let us not be accused of being selfish and ignorant.

We are in such a powerful position to help the vulnerable. So, as discussions continue about the outcomes needed in response to the intergenerational report, let us hope that these include a push towards more diverse and welcoming nation.

ACCESS ALL AREAS

by Jessica Marsden and Larissa Shearman After a year of planning, Gig Buddies is ready to launch in Sydney with four volunteers set to take part in a project that aims to spice up the social lives of people with mental disabilities.

Gig Buddies is a volunteer initiative run by the Assisted Community Living (ACL) Disability Services that pairs adults with learning disabilities or autism with volunteers to attend live events.

A chance meeting between CEO Carol Smail and the UK chapter of Gig Buddies led to the establishment of the program in Sydney.

“At the moment we have 21 potential participants and 4 active. I just had another 15 come through today” said Sean Willenberg, Project Coordinator.

The main goal of the program is to reduce social isolation for people with disabilities and increase access to their community.

This is especially important in Australia, as 50% of people with a mild or moderate disability have never been to a performing arts event.

One of the unique aspects of Gig Buddies is its ability to involve young people as carers, as the majority of carers are 55-64 years old and are less likely to share the same musical and cultural interests as those they are caring for.

The program works by pairing up participants with volunteers who share similar interests. These pairs then meet up to work out what events they would like Image: Craig Tredinnick

to attend and the logistics, such as transport, involved.

“Once a month, we’ll meet and go to one gig… I want to go to all types of gigs and experience different bands,” Tim Hardyman, a participant with special needs, explained.

A challenge in the program is the potential for the atmosphere of a gig to be overwhelming for a participant. To combat this, Gig Buddies has steps in place to ease them into the experience, such as starting off with smaller gigs. Gig Buddies will also contact the venue where possible in order to alert the organisers that a participant and volunteer will be attending. The program itself faces challenges, mostly centred around securing funding as they look to establish themselves and expand into all major metro areas in NSW. “We’re a non- for- profit organisation so funding is always an issue…we’ve been very lucky, we’ve got a lot of organisations around [Sydney] who are very supportive” said Matt Collins, Social Media Coordinator for Gig Buddies.

In the UK, the charity Gig Buddies grew from one band’s campaign to help people with disabilities known as Stay Up Late.

Initially concentrated in Sussex, within 5 weeks of setting up the program it already had 30 volunteers and 20 participants, according to their website.

While still in the early stages, Gig Buddies Australia currently has 70 applications to become a volunteer and hopes to one day meet the needs of 150 participants.

10

Issue no. 4

Vertigo

Major Reports president’s Report

learning, not teaching: · Semester is over 11 weeks, rather than 13 weeks · Introduction of STUVAC (study vacation before exam period) no new content in the week before exams · Shift to new learning outcomes, which are more focused on learning and ‘professional thinking’. · Starting learning in Orientation so the first week is not wasted on going through subject outline, but rather starts with a subject overview instead of just administration

by Dean Mattar

How many semesters will there be next year!?

Have you heard whisperings or rumours about trimesters / balanced semesters / balanced teaching periods being introduced at U TS in 2016?

Do you want to know more about these changes, but don’t know who to ask? The Students Association, in conjunction with the Student Council Liaison’s Group will be coordinating a student forum to allow you to convey your concerns. In the meantime, hopefully we can clarify some of the misinformation and concerns.

Misinformation and myths: · Not trimesters, as not all programs will be offered in each semester · Spring and Autumn semester will remain the main teaching periods (Summer semester will be optional) · More accurate to call it ‘balanced teaching periods’ as all three semesters will be of equal length, and the attendance in all three will not be compulsory Reasons for balanced semester model: · More room or flexibility for internships fit in alternative programs or longer internships in Summer semester · Strategic: bracing for sudden government changes Balanced semester structure – focus on

Education vice president’s Report

by Max Murphy

G’day Vertigo reader.

Been a pretty quiet past while here at the UTSSA as all you students are on mid-sem break. However there are a few things that are on the horizon that all you people need to get down with!

Effects on study load – full or part time: · Full or part time load is determined by enrolments in subjects adding up to the adequate credit points in the calendar year (Jan Dec) · 18 credit points in Autumn semester + 18 credit points in Spring semester = full time study Does this mean I can finish my degree faster? · It will depend on what you are studying, some degrees have minimum clinical or placement hours that are required before you are accredited, however this will provide you with greater flexibility in your life, work, study balance.

We know there are many more questions left unanswered! And we would like to hear from you. We have received over 300 messages as of current, and will provide the opportunity to attend a forum to convey your concerns. But in the meantime, please email us at students.association@uts.edu. au if you have any questions or concerns about balanced semester. Or check us out on facebook by searching “UTS Students Association” for more information. We are more than happy to convey your concerns on your behalf and try to answer them as swiftly as possible.

? If not, what are you doing reading this, go check out Lynda.com Lynda.com is a vast online library of instructional videos. Taught by accomplished teachers a nd recog n ised i ndust r y experts, lynda.com covers the latest in technology, creative, and business skills.

Playlists can be created and linked in UTS Online, and exercises are available for many courses.

Tu t o r i a l s range from beginner

in to

difficult y advanced.

Some examples: · Microsoft Office software · Adobe Creative Suite, inc. PhotoShop · Web design · Programming languages · MYOB · Photography, video and audio · Career skills · Communication skills · Business skills · 3D design · Animation · Project management · English grammar and much more.

Simply search for lynda.com in the Library catalogue.

Call Out For Wom*n’s Collective Vertigo Edition Every two years the UTS Wom*n’s Collective puts out an edition of Vertigo which is sourced and edited autonomously by womn on campus. This is a long standing biennial tradition at UTS which centres and celebrates the voices of womn on campus. If you would like more information or are interested in submitting an article, please email our womn’s officer at womens@ utsstudentsassociation.org

What is NEW at UTS ?!?

Have you checked the UTS Library website lately? Or have you heard of Lynda

The Students Association is in the formative stages of developing a campaign to tell students about the impact staff casualisation has on the quality of our education and we want as many students to get involved in helping out with that and the UTS Education Action Group (EAG), so if you head to https://www.facebook.com/ groups/383297531699546/ you can check out our FB Group our if you manage to read this in time, there is the first of what will now become regular fortnightly meetings in the activist space: https://www.facebook.com/ events/1375370072791363/.

In lieu of there being any substantial thing for me to actually talk about and the fact that this is likely to happen again, I’ve decided to start a segment of my report called: What the Federal Government did this week to fuck over students.

This weeks item is in regards to the $4 Million dollars the Government to some bloke called Bjørn Lomborg to set up what he calls a “Consenus centre” at the University of Western Australia with the intention of trying to argue that Climate Change is real yet not by any stretch of the imagination a priority issue. What has Bjørn been puffing on?!?! The Vice-Chancellor there said that Lomborg “will contribute to the intellectual life of the university when he is in Western Australia”. So when the Government have spent the last year and a half saying that there had to be extensive cuts and “reform” to tertiary education, they managed to find enough money to fund a partisan think tank to help it argue against science and undermine science faculties Australia wide.

See you at the EAG meeting.

In Solidarity, Max Murphy

VERTIGO

29TH april

11

Reports continued

secretary report

by Jess Xu

Hello UTSers! We’re already past the halfway mark of semester & yes, we still don’t know what the (tap n) go is with Opal concession cards.. That pun was horrible, but is it as bad as that anxiety of being cornered by a police or transport officer, even though you know you haven’t done anything wrong by their books? ...It’s not just me, right…?

After watching Citizenfour (doco spoiler: the US government & corporations spy on millions of people) and now with the Australian government capable of mass surveillance with newly approved data retention laws, the requirement of linking your personal details given to uni to Opal in order to receive a concession raises huge privacy concerns. This isn’t about hunting us down

Treasurer Report

by Brigida Johns Now is the time of year to get underway with strict budgeting of the UTS Students’ Association’s 2015 budget. As mentioned in my last report, it is of utmost importance to comb through previous years’ statements of

for unpaid library fines (Food for Fines, here I come!) - the Opal card could potentially be a tracking device, with information that government agencies can access without reason or warrant. When asked about UTS Opal concessions, Deputy Vice Chancellor Shirley Alexander has said she is not prepared to compromise students’ privacy. We’re yet to know whether this means that UTS students won’t have Opal concessions at all..

If this first semester feels like it’s flying by quickly for you too, we’ll have to brace together for a huge change in semesters next year.. The whisperings of trimesters are (partially) true - UTS management staff are clarifying that 2016 will bring shorter Spring & Autumn semesters, balanced with an extended, and still optional, Summer. Senior management staff have told us that official communications about semester changes in 2016 will start in the next few weeks.

As much as Max (Education Vice President), Nidhi (International Students Collective Co-Convenor) and I did our best to convey your concerns to those who sit figuratively atop the tower in a recent meeting, there are still so many unanswered questions.

If you look on ‘The UTS Students’ Association’ Facebook page, we’ve made an event where you can keep the questions, concerns, comic relief, and possibly tears, flowing until senior management opens up more channels

profit and loss and statements of cash flows to compile a financial summary for the year ahead. Dean and I will be convening a meeting for the UTS Budget Committee to set a firm budget for 2015. in regards to collectives, this will involve each collective coming forward and outlining prospective expenses for 2015. If you know of any conferences that you would like to attend and are in the interest of a certain collective, feel free to notify the Student’s Association and we can try and accommodate accordingly.

This year we will adhere to the budget given to the Student’s Association by UTS. We have costs that will remain constant, such as Legal Services and Blue Bird Brekkie (which now serves avocado!). other expenses are expected to change such as orientations expenses going down due to effective liaising on behalf of Student’s Association and

to A our Qs. Apart from being swamped the usual paperworky secretarial stuff, I’m really excited to report that there’s been a lot of activity amongst the many Collectives and PERC Clubs since O’Day! Just some of the happenings: inaugural UTS Rad Sex & Consent Week run by Wom*n’s and Queer Collectives Postgraduate Representative Union welcome event & hosting a national meeting of postgrad representatives Enviro Collective’s human sign to ‘DIVEST’ on Fossil Fools Day - check out UTS Fossil Free Indigenous Collective preparing to host a national conference International Students Collective meet & greet event Ethnocultural Collective’s stall with zines on white privilege at Racism It Stops with Me campaign launch Disabilities Action Group of Students in action with more meeting times the launch of UTS African Students Association the Atheists’ Society Skepticamp in the works Phew! Also, notes of SRC meetings and full reports from various student representatives are on the UTSSA website for you to check out: http://www.sa.uts.edu.au/SRC

potentially expanding conference budgets to further benefit the students of UTS and provide opportunities that they otherwise wouldn’t have.

An excellent initiative, tabled by Max Murphy (the Education Vice President) involves creating a digital database for the caseworkers of the UTSSA. They have hard copy records which makes it problematic to obtain previous data. This online database will improve the efficiency of the work and is a worthy investment.

We are also looking to increase the budget of the UTSSA Second Hand Bookshop to bring in the UTS Textbook Equity Scheme which would be run by the UTS Second Hand Bookshop, so that a free loan system is in place for all UTS students who are financially struggling.

12

Issue no. 4

Vertigo

image by: Justin Sullivan

Rhodes must fall

by Ninah Kopel

A bag of faeces has won South Africans the chance to reconstruct their history. It has served a winning blow against a monument of stone and a legacy of colonisation. Rhodes has fallen at Cape Town University (UCT), and the trend is set to spread.

Covered in paint and bound by the chains that pulled it away, the Rhodes statue looked well and truly defeated as students claimed their victory. “The pain of a single black student, and the pain of millions of black South Africans has now culminated into the movement known as Rhodes Must Fall,” said a spokesperson for the ‘Rhodes Must Fall’ collective.

The Rhodes statue is a symbol for disenfranchised students, and was a physical focus for their greater frustrations and fears. Students involved in the campaign believe that education at UCT has emerged from enlightenment era thinking that cultivates European ideals at the cost of others. Mbali Matandela in an article for the Mail and Guardian, said this can be seen in the racism that still exists on campus.

“At UCT black students feel this oppression in the way black identity is not shown in the university’s buildings, statues, lecturers and curriculum. What this shows them is that their history, culture and language is inferior. How this makes students feel about themselves is at the core of the Rhodes Must Fall Movement,” said Matandela.

“In my second year, I was sitting in a lecture and the accent of a black lecturer triggered comments from white students about the credibility of his expertise. This made me so angry because in that moment I realised that there must be so many students who were too scared of expressing their opinions in lectures because of the fear of being mocked about their accents. I felt that my own intelligence and knowledge would

either be questioned or dismissed in this space which is actually meant to promote engagement and critical thinking,” she said in her article.

Cecil Rhodes, born in 1853, was a significant force of British colonialism in Africa, with vast areas of the continent once named after him. He founded The De Beer’s mining company and was one of the world’s richest men by the time he was 34 and was elected Prime Minister of The Cape in 1890.

On the other hand, he was racist, who stole land from the African people, and whose ideological supporters include Hitler.

Infamously, in 1887 Rhodes told the House of Assembly, “the native is to be treated as a child and denied the franchise. We must adopt a system of despotism in our relations with the barbarians of South Africa.”

The Rhodes Statue at UCT has been a topic of contention for decades, and plays into a larger debate facing many countries in the portrayal of their national history. In Australia, representation of our own colonial heritage is just as contested, but perhaps less controversial. Throwing excrement at statues isn’t on Australian student’s to-do list (yet).

Associate Professor of Politics at Melbourne University, Sarah Maddison, says these debates are not just about history. They are important factors in shaping how nations transform themselves. “Part of the resistance to removing or relocating monuments like the Rhodes Monument is the desire to pretend that that’s somehow not political. That the protest against it is political but the existence of the monument itself is somehow not a political statement and of course it is. It obviously is,” she said.

“i don’t think protests need to be polite” - associate professor sarah maddison “People are making the point that statues like that might have a place in a museum where people go particularly to talk about and think about history and there’s often good curatorial practice that invite people to reflect on history in some more difficult and complex ways,” she said. “That’s quite different to a big piece of statuary in a public place that attempts to celebrate that history in a less complicated manner.”

VERTIGO

29TH April

In a statement on the University’s website, the UCT’s Academic Union supports the removal of the Rhodes statue. Before it was removed they said, “That the statue is not appropriate on campus in its present position, where members of the university community are confronted with its hurtful symbolism on a daily basis.”

For students in the ‘Rhodes Must Fall’ collective, the fight is not over. Students have been occupying what the university calls the Bremner Building, but what students are calling Azania House, for almost a month.

Initially UCT management had agreed to the occupation on certain terms. The University said the students promised they would leave if Rhodes was removed.

“it’s a debate about a nation’s identity and the way south africans tell their history”

In a statement on the UCT website, the Vice Chancellor said while some students have left the building as was initially agreed, many have failed to vacate. “We have informed students that failure to comply with the requirement that they end their occupation of the building will be unlawful, will be a contravention of the rules of conduct and will have disciplinary consequences,” said the Vice Chancellor, Dr Max Price.

Rhodes was racist and oppressive, murdering those who got in the way of his land grabs, but for those against the Rhodes Must Fall campaign, there is a powerful argument at their disposal: the Madiba way. In 2002 Nelson Mandela became Patron of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation; an organisation set up with the Rhodes Trust to foster leadership skills in young South Africans. It was a controversial move that saw two seemingly opposite forces in history join together.

In 2003 Mandela himself described it as “ a symbolic moment in the closing of a historic circle…”

It is “the Madiba way” that Shaun Johnson, executive director of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, encourages when considering how to grapple with history and monuments from the colonial era. In an article for The Times he said, “ I have seen South Africans and South Africa at their finest when they confront historical contradictions head on, and grind out a sincere and honourable compromise”.

Those against the removal of Rhodes, say monuments paint a picture of the nation’s past. To them, painting over Rhodes is painting over the country’s memory. It only takes a dive into the social media world to see the prevalence of this opinion. An album uploaded by Facebook Page ‘Sullivan Photography’, for example, asks individuals to look to creation rather than destruction.

The first picture taken by Justin Sullivan at UCT shows the words “fuck Rhodes”, scrawled across the campus’ World War Memorial. “Not only has the movement #RhodesMustFall disrupted studies for some of the students, it has now defaced a historical plaque that has nothing to do with the Rhodes statue or anything the statue represents,” said Sullivan.

“By acknowledging his mistakes rather than erasing his influence we can learn, grow and transform into the ‘Rainbow Nation’ that we promote to the world,” said Sullivan. “However, the recent violent and malicious acts surrounding this type of movement, reminds me that this country still has a long way to go before becoming a prosperous ‘Rainbow Nation’.”

Associate Professor Maddison, applauds the students who campaigned for the removal of Rhodes. She said, “I don’t think protest needs to be polite. And I think it’s very much a part of South African Political culture that protest has been markedly disruptive. I think that’s part of the struggle of the history that ultimately produced a democratic transition in that country, away from the brutal and racist regime that oppressed the lives of the vast majority if not all of the black and coloured South Africans.” Associate Professor Maddison’s book ‘Conflict Transformation and Reconciliation’, published by Routledge, will be available in July.

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The Vice Chancellor said the students’ continued occupation will not diminish the university’s efforts to reform. He promises a forum for students to review the symbols and names used on campus, and the opportunity for staff and students to engage more with curriculum reviews.

The ‘Rhodes Must Fall’ collective, however, are not satisfied. “The University claims that it wants to establish meaningful forums for discussions in light of ‘Council’s renewed commitment to the project of transformation at UCT’ yet within hours of the removal of the statue, management has sought to forcibly remove us from Azania House,” the group posted online.

This issue is not a debate about one statue, on one university campus. It’s a debate about a nation’s identity and the way South Africans tell their history. So what does decolonisation in South Africa look like, away from Student representative councils and University Management? Exactly the same.

If you were to get really lost one day, cross two oceans, and find yourself in a small town in South Africa, you may notice a strange phenomenon. Ask a local where you are and they might say you are in Tlokwe. Ask another and they will say Potchefstroom.

Why? The town has been renamed and stripped of its colonial roots.

Associate Professor Maddison said changing place names is an essential transformative process. “The fact that they are hotly contested political initiatives suggests that there is actually a lot at stake in terms of how the country thinks about itself and how it thinks about the space and who owns it and how its marked. These are very lively and painful debates and it’s encouraging, I think, that they continue in South Africa when some other aspects of the transformation have stalled so spectacularly.”

“On the other hand, he was racist, who stole land from the African people, and whose ideological supporters include Hitler” image by: Justin Sullivan

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ISSUE NO. 4

VERTIGO

SPORTS SALARIES UNCAPPED

by Benjamin Tosi

The English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga, French Ligue 1 and Italian Serie A all have one thing in common. No salary cap.

Perth Glory’s recent embroilment in yet another Australian sporting salary-cap-saga has given fuel to the debate on whether the salary cap has a place in the future of Australian football and while the FFA are remaining staunch, the future of the salary cap has is certainly under threat.

Regarded by some as an essential economic equaliser for the less financially bolstered of clubs, the salary cap, in theory, breeds competition.

A sense of ‘competition’ that could see a team such as Perth Glory finishing eighth in the 2013/2014 season and challenging for the title just nine months later. They were the prime example of how the salary cap works and why it is engrained in Australian sporting culture.

Or were they?

Late last week the FFA (Football Federation Australia) announced the dumping of the Glory, within touching distance of the title, out of the final series and to seventh place all but ending any hope of Asian Champions League qualification for a $400,000 breach

of the salary cap over the past three seasons.

The Glory had gone from heroic underdog to cheating villain in a matter of days.

Overseas however, the salary cap is an ideological myth, but does it at all stymie the competitive nature of some of world football’s most entertaining leagues? No. Yes, a direct correlation between the amount of money willing to be spent on players’ wages and the teams competitiveness is often found. Exceptions do exist though and far too frequently to suggest that the lack of a salary cap will result in the monopolisation of Australian football.

THE GLORY HAD GONE FROM

Image: Foxsports

RICHIE BENAUD A TRIBUTE

by Alex Blair

HEROIC UNDERDOG TO CHEATING VILLAIN IN A MATTER OF DAYS. While the exclusions of the international, junior and Australian marquee salaries afford clubs the opportunity to spend big outside the cap it is simply not enough. The best clubs overseas do not have one or two stars, but four or five.

The case for the salary cap does not get much stronger when you consider that seven of the current nine A-League championships are held by just three teams.

Mark Bosnich best summed up the situation on-air with FOX SPORTS when he said: “This may result in us having a competitive league but being internationally, uncompetitive.”

If Australian football is to progress, David Gallop must abolish the cap.

It’s not often the sporting world sees a man as great as Richie Benaud. His 50 year career as a journalist, author and cricket icon will be remembered amongst the worldwide cricketing community as nothing short of extraordinary. His passing is a great loss to fans and players alike; never again will his iconic voice grace the TV sets of millions of Australians as it had for nearly 40 summers.

However, Richie Benaud’s legacy will live on for decades to come.

As a contributor to the sport both on and off the field, Richie never failed to represent the classic gentlemanly spirit of the game through his captaincy and commentary. It is without doubt that Richie’s contribution to the game in the form of analysis and observation is among the most valuable of the 20th century, often being compared to the greatest player in history, Sir Donald Bradman.

Never one to shy away from controversy,

HEROIC STROKES

by Harry Easton After a week of intense competition, the 2015 Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships came to an end last Friday.

The Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre played host to the country’s best swimmers, all vying for a spot in the Australian team that will compete at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia.

Former UTS student Kurt Herzog, 23, earned a spot on the team after finishing sixth in the men’s 200m freestyle.

“I’m pretty excited to have qualified to

Day 8 finals at the 2015 Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Championships

compete for the 4x200 freestyle relay at the world champs in Russia, but what adds to the excitement more is that I’m doing it with a childhood hero of mine, Grant Hackett,” he said.

“I believe that this world champs is going to be a crucial stepping stone and learning curve to assist me in my preparation towards improving and qualifying for the Rio 2016 [Olympics].”

Some of the highlights of the competition

Image: Swimming Australia

included the return of 34-year-old Grant Hackett.

Hackett won gold in the men’s 1500m freestyle at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, and his return to competition in the 200m and 400m freestyle events had been hotly anticipated.

However, Hackett would have to settle for bronze in the latter after Mack Horton won the final in 3:42.84, a personal best time for the rising star.

Richie’s Benaud’s famous statement to the public following the infamous underarm delivery in 1981 shows just how much the man respected the integrity of the game over national pride.

Benaud was undoubtedly the father of modern cricket in Australia, introducing aggressive new captaincy techniques and shining a light in the direction of new legspin bowlers such as leading wicket-taker Shane Warne.

Benaud’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the game shone through in the commentary box, delivering insightful anecdotes through witty humour, charm and undeniable class. His philosophy on commentating was plain and simple: “Put your brain into gear and if you can add to what’s on the screen then do it, otherwise shut up.” Richie proved time and time again that it wasn’t just a job for retired players to squeeze into and sit comfortably for decades, but an intricate profession in itself.

His unique voice will be imprinted in the minds of any Australian who watched even an hour of cricket in the past 40 years, undeniably becoming affectionately known as the ‘voice of cricket.’ It is hard to imagine the first morning of the summer without Richie greeting us with the obligatory “Morning, everyone!” However, in our mourning of the Aussie icon’s passing, it is safe to say that his life efforts have been nothing short of spectacular and of course, marvellous.

The veteran had one final chance to qualify for the Australian team on night three.

In a thrilling 200m freestyle final, 20-year-old student physicist Cameron McEvoy (1:45.94) won gold while Hackett’s fourth place finish was enough to earn him a ticket to Russia.

The men’s 100m freestyle final was the hottest ticket in town on night four, as McEvoy went head-to-head with James ‘The Missile’ Magnussen.

McEvoy came away as the victor, posting the world’s fastest time this year with 48.06 seconds.

Elsewhere, it was a sister act in the women’s 100m freestyle final, as reigning world champion Cate Campbell edged out younger sister Bronte with a time of 52.69 seconds.

The sibling rivalry continued on the final night of competition, with the sister’s facing off in the women’s 50m freestyle final.

The race saw Bronte (24.19) finish on top of the podium ahead of Cate (24.33).

The Australian team of 38 swimmers now enjoy a much-needed break before they fly out to Russia in July.

VERTIGO

29TH APRIL

15

POP CULTURE NOAH’S BANE

by Clare Aston

As I’m sure we all know, The Daily Show is a popular American satire that revolves around the headlines and politics of their (sometimes backwards) country. It airs on Comedy Central, and has often been classed as a ‘fake’ news show where comedians take apart current events and explain their stupidity. (Seriously, look up their piece on American/Australian gun laws with John Oliver). John Stewart has been its host since 1999, and understandably, he’s heading towards retirement. I mean, who wouldn’t be, after sixteen years on the job?

On the 30th of March, comedian Trevor Noah was announced as Stuart’s successor.

Of course, the public being the public, and no one ever happy about anything; there was an immediate backlash. Fans being fans, started to scroll back through Noah’s tweet-feed, and you know what happened? They found something they didn’t like. You know what else happened? They shared it with the entire world. Because, you know, that’s what we do now.

I read the tweets, and they’re not the funniest, and they’re not in the best taste. I didn’t laugh at the one about the fat woman, and frankly, I didn’t understand some of the racism ones. However, the majority of these tweets were from 2011 (albeit, there has been few here and there since).

Let’s be honest; how were you holding up four years ago? Because I was still in high school, knew nothing of the real world, and my views on everything sure have changed since. How about we conduct a bit of an

TOP SHOWS TO WATCH ON NETFLIX

The first episode of the show doesn’t really do the series justice. Eventually it picks up as the protagonist rounds itself out. Amell’s character plays a rich brat turned Robin Hood, following his entrapment on a stranded Island for five years. In an era where every TV company is throwing blank checks at superhero franchises, Arrow stands out as a legitimately entertaining superhero prospect

by Tamim Rahimi

Broke university students rejoice!

Entertainment powerhouse Netflix has officially become available in Australia.

With the age of overpriced premium television quickly coming to an end, Netflix has carved itself a niche in the market and gained immense success in a manner of years.

Outdated services like Foxtel will finally will be forced to adapt or risk losing their market share for good. In the meantime, with so much to watch, it can be mind numbing to flick through endless lists until you collapse on the floor in a drooling, noncommittal mess. So without further ado: the top 5 shows to immediately binge-watch on Netflix.

5. The IT Crowd - 5 Seasons (Comedy) This British comedy follows the story of Roy, Moss and Jen, the IT department of a large corporation by the name of Denim Industries. It’s a quirky show that’s very self-aware and never tries to step out of its boundaries. The jokes are often of the lowhanging fruit variety, but the combination of your short attention span and the execution by the trio of perfectly awkward protagonists makes for a hilarious watch.

experiment? Do me a favour and scroll through your Facebook wall of 2011 and tell me that you don’t cringe at some of the statuses you made. I’m sure you’re not the same person who wrote those posts.

To be clear: I’m not agreeing with what Noah said. What I’m saying is that his worth as a TV show host shouldn’t be determined before he’s even sat down in that puffy chair behind the shiny desk. Because we all know that if he hadn’t gotten the job, no one would have gone through the feed, and no one would remember what he tweeted about four years ago. People went looking for a reason to dislike him.

As John Stewart implored his audience to give Noah a chance to earn their trust and respect, I will reserve my judgement until the next time he tweets something insulting.

Because as much as I don’t agree with the lynch-mob, if he writes something like that again, I don’t think anyone will see it as funny.

Image: Techly

4. Suits - 5 Seasons (Comedy/Drama) Fake it till you make is the life motto of Mike Ross. With the gift of photographic memory, Mike convinces top tier lawyer Harvey Specter to take him under his wing as an associate lawyer at Pearson-Hardman law firm. Having never attended law school in his life, Mike constantly teeters the rope of fraud as he learns the tricks of the trade. The show feels a little rushed in its first season when most episodes cover an entire case, while also simultaneously attempting to get you close to the characters. However, in later seasons the show utilises a broader story arc while overlapping the narratives of multiple characters and relationships, heightening the drama. The playful banter between Mike and Harvey also improves as the show progresses.

I promise.

3. Arrow - 4 Seasons (Action/Adventure) Who doesn’t like a good superhero? Oliver Queen, played by Stephen Amell, plays a green, masked vigilante who takes down bad guys. (No, it’s not the Green Lantern.

We don’t talk about that film, remember?)

2. Orange is the New Black - 2 Seasons (Comedy/Drama) Put a straight-edge, white collar woman in her 30’s into a high security women’s prison, and hilarity will ensue. After being charged for a crime she committed more than a decade ago, Piper Chapman, played by Taylor Schilling, is thrown into a completely different world where she is forced to adapt in order to survive. While awkward at the best of times, her character is easily likable and relatable as the underdog. The show also does a fantastic job at explaining the back-story of each major character, through its multiple perspectives and flashbacks. This helps establish an odd emotional attachment to even the most unlikable characters. Because of this, there is an added depth to each character, which makes their eventual suffering or success that much more meaningful.

1. House of Cards - 3 Seasons (Drama/Politics) House of Cards is hands down the best political drama in television today.

Frank Underwood, our protagonist, plays a congreswwsman who does just about anything to exact his revenge on those who prevented him from achieving his full political potential. Kevin Spacey, who plays Underwood, does a fantastic job, particularly in the first season, to set up the character as a true Machiavellian vice. As Spacey works his way up the totem pole, he consistently reaffirms his audience of his true intentions through soliloquy. Spacey’s delivery when he breaks the fourth wall is so well done that even Frankie Muniz is taking notes.

A TIDAL WAVE OF STREAMING

by Joseph Kilby

Artist and entrepreneur Jay-Z has announced plans to relaunch the music streaming service ‘Tidal’ after buying out the parent company.

Streaming is an increasingly common practice amongst our music consumption habits. The industry was worth $1.9 billion in 2014, and looks set to overtake CD sales and iTunes-style downloads over the next couple of years. However, artists have given their fair share of criticism towards the industry in recent years, most recognisable in Taylor Swift’s decision to pull her latest album off major provider Spotify.

Most streaming platforms operate on a ‘freemium’ model. Taking Spotify as an example, it costs nothing to access the basic services. Although advertisement-funded, the occasional promotion between songs isn’t enough to push most users into the ‘premium subscription’. This subscription costs $11.99/month, allowing individuals to enjoy ad-free streaming and download higher quality music to listen to offline. Despite these benefits, 75% of the Spotify community are free members.

STREAMING IS AN INCREASINGLY COMMON PRACTICE AMONGST OUR MUSIC CONSUMPTION HABITS. According to Jay-Z and executives of Tidal, this devalues music, and royalty payments often suffer due to lack of premium subscriptions. Tidal has no free option; users either pay $11.99/month for standard features, or $23.99/month for advanced features – including lossless quality audio files and access to exclusive content published by artists themselves. There are also plans to increase the royalty payments above those offered by other services. A number of successful artists have already rallied behind the venture, including Kanye West, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj.

Critics of Tidal have noticed that, despite all the talk about supporting artists, only well-established musicians have been involved thus far. Although there have been talks of engaging lesser-known artists and their fans, it is unclear how this will work.

Furthermore, lossless sound quality is only recognisable on high-end audio equipment, gearing the premium subscription tier toward audiophiles. Tidal has approximately 17,000 subscribers to date.

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ISSUE NO. 4

VERTIGO

REVIEWS

GIGS WINTERBOURNE

by Andja Curcic

Gracing the stage at Newtown Social Club, Central Coast folk duo Winterbourne (James Draper and Jordan Brady) showcased the musical artistry of their new EP All But the Sun and so much more. On their first headline tour, the duo was supported by the electric sounds of Paul Conrad, and the sweet ambient style of Gordi.

All But the Sun is an outstanding example of how a simple folk sound, when done well, can create a world of intricacy in musicality, lyrics and musicianship. Though constantly cracking jokes about their musical inferiority, from the get-go Winterbourne and their backing band demonstrated a unity and understanding within live performance no doubt a lesson learned from their days of busking.

Within their fast-paced renditions of songs such as ‘Steady My Bones’, the smooth acoustic sounds of Winterbourne were heightened with the addition of heavy drums and a full band. These songs demonstrated Winterbourne at their best, as the audience was taken on various journeys through build-ups and crescendos of sound, complete with the lovely mandolin solos of Jordan Brady.

Not a beat was missed as the band dem-

MUSIC TORI AMOS

by Gary Sun

Image: Tori Amos

onstrated a strong connection to one another, as well as a great enjoyment in playing. This musical unity was cohesively expressed in their cover of The Kinks’ song ‘Sunny Afternoon’. Again, the song effectively built up to an exploration of hard rock in a musical breakdown, and flourished with the coarse vocals of James Draper. This song is also where Draper and Brady’s harmonies were strongest – their live vocal harmonies struggled at times in the slower, acoustic pieces.

The duo was incredibly charismatic, inserting spurs of witty banter anywhere they could as they battled a very talkative Newtown crowd. They urged the crowd to help name their song and as a sort of humorous post-modern twist, announced and explained that there was going to be an encore.

The gig was an incredibly promising stride in establishing the band within the Australian music scene. With catchy folk tunes, great musicianship and a real connectedness on stage, Winterbourne was a pure delight to watch. One can only hope that the duo continues to explore and expand on the musical path they’ve already begun.

with plenty of groove. Then after playing his hit ‘Free’ about a third of the way in, the bass guitar and drum kit were abandoned for a conga and harmonica.

Things got pretty funky when the drummer was smashing out amazing rhythms on the conga at inhuman tempo.

The multi-talented bass/harmonica/piano/ singer/percussion player also had his time in the limelight - improvising counter melodies and small solos on every instrument he could lay his hands on.

In the final third of the show the bass and drums were back, but it was rockier and had more punch. When he accelerated gracefully into a guitar solo I felt as though I should have been piled into a beat up bomb with a bunch of boards, whizzing off up the coast to surf and live the dream. The solo came to an end, and I found myself still anchored by the stickiness of week-old spilt beer to the wooden floor of the Factory.

The show ended with ‘It Don’t Matter’, guest-starring random drunk old man from the crowd who was heaved onto the stage to join in the final chorus. Surprisingly okay voice, but poor selfie skills.

It was with tired feet and ears full of catchy choruses that we wandered home. The cherry on the cake was gelato at The Cow and The Moon. The guy accidentally gave me $3 too much change and I didn’t notice until I got home. Winning.

I decided to try and be a cool big brother to my 16-year-old surf-rat sibling this year by shouting him tickets and flights to see Ben Howard at the Hordern in March.

Alas, the tour was postponed due to

unforeseen circumstances and the flights were non-refundable.

So then I had to face the last minute prospect of trying to find other avenues to entertain my brother for a weekend. The vast array of bars and pubs strewn through the city aren’t very conducive to entertaining a 16-year-old, and most all-ages gigs worth going to were sold out.

I did stumble upon a gig at the Factory Theatre where a guy called Donavon Frankenreiter was playing. I had heard my brother mention him before and decided to look into it. Turns out I knew a fair few of his songs (and reckon you would too - ‘Free’ for example). It was 18+, but we decided to take our chances.

We rocked up, and after some severe grovelling at the feet of the venue manager I managed to convince them that I wouldn’t be supplying a minor with alcohol at any point during the gig - as if I would anyway - they had run out of everything except VB. Many critics and reviewers compare Donavon to Jack Johnson and lump them together in the genre ‘Surf Rock’. Donavon is like Jack Johnson in a way, although more like if J.J. had been marooned on an island for five years, grown a magnificent My Name is Earl moustache and developed a lot of 80’s rock style and influence. To be honest I wasn’t expecting anything amazing.

I was blown away.

His somehow powerful yet mellow voice filled the room, and the crowd, young and old, danced and stamped to the infectious rhythms. The first third was classic Donavon - songs straight from the record

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault It has undoubtedly been too long of a wait for Amos’ first debut solo record Little Earthquakes to be remastered and repackaged in a deluxe edition, just as the very same record went through an equally painful long wait to be embraced with full recognition and released by Atlantic record 23 years ago.

Encountered with countless rejections, Amos finally provided the world with something so emotionally raw yet spiritually powerful, with which she effortlessly transformed millions of listeners, mostly psychologically wounded women and people from the LGBT community, into ‘toriphiles’ - a recent coinage denoting zealous fans of Amos who would always faithfully gather at her live concerts at any expense, watching her going berserk alongside her grand piano like a bunch of preyers full of piety, tears in their eyes.

Over the last 15 years, Amos has gone through various phases of being a spiritual pilgrim on Scarlet’s Walk, an affectionate mother with saccharine sweetness on The Beekeeper, a hipster MILF on American Doll Posse and a sonic architect on Night of Hunters. But during the early years of her solo career, she simply played the role of a badass folklore deity who happened to be her very self.

Almost everything about her and Little Earthquakes - her unrepentant look, her unruly red hair and the way she straddles on the piano bench, eyes looking fiercely towards somewhere as if she is confronting some gruesome demons, come to symbolise women’s own emancipation from invisible chains exerted by personal traumas and gender norms and their decision not to treat themselves as victims ever again, as Amos declares on the opening track Crucify ‘My heart is sick of being in chains.’

Although songs on this album quickly remind people of renowned songstresses such as the whimsical Kate Bush and the poetic Joni Mitchell, what makes them unique is their almost disquieting bluntness about the singer’s personal life struggles, her pains and her outrage: the cathartic Silent All These Years discloses the incessant inner struggles that Amos went through after she was raped by a fan at gun point, empowering her to finally unlock the silence and unleash her rage and disappointment at violence against the vulnerable; Girl is an explicit touch on the third-wave feminism, presenting a prototype of women living in contemporary society, regardless of their age, race, religion and social class, who would subjugate to wills of everyone else but herself.

The line ‘“Sit in the chair and be good now” and become all that they told you’ is an upfront accusation that society attempts to condition women to give away their autonomy in favour of men’s needs and become a second-class; Amos’ anguish and bitterness reach the peak in Previous Things, where she recalls with startling boldness how her selfesteem as a younger woman was ruthlessly smashed by boys who found her undesirable compared to ‘those demigods’, appreciating these experiences for making who she is today, whereas Winter is a heartwarming piano ballad written for her father, the man who got her the very first proper singing job in a gay bar, who shared her ups and downs with her and who will always protect his little girl no matter what it takes.

Little Earthquakes & Under The Pink are available April 17

DONOVAN FRANKENREITER

by Daniel Turner

VERTIGO

29TH APRIL

FILM

HARVEY

Image: Universal International Pictures

Rating: G Genre: Comedy/Drama Released: 1950 Director: Henry Koster Writers: Mary Chase, Oscar Brodney, Myles Connolly Starring: James Stewart, Josephine Hull, Peggy Dow

by Oliver Morassut

Harvey, directed by Henry Koster, is a heartwarming story about the good-natured Elwood P. Dowd and his constant companion, Harvey, a six-foot rabbit only seen by him. This causes much displeasure to his sister, Veta Louise, and his niece, Myrtle, who decide it’s time to place Elwood in an institution and rid him of his delusions.

When the plan backfires, Elwood must use his pleasant nature and kindly philosophy to smooth out the mess.

James Stewart gives a stand out performance as Elwood P. Dowd, managing to light up the screen with every entrance he makes. He walks on with a smile and greets everyone like an old friend, instantly likeable in whatever he does. Stewart’s performance may quite as well be his best as he cleverly makes the audience believe in the reality of a talking rabbit. It’s hard not to like Elwood P. Dowd.

Veta Louise, is played by Josephine Hull, who won the Academy Award for Best Sup-

THEATRE JUMPY

by Chris McKay

porting Actress for her performance. The energy Hull brings in her depiction of the frantic sister makes her enjoyable to watch in each scene. A highlight of her portrayal lies in the way she makes Veta Louise seem more confused about how her brother should be treated. Clearly distraught at how she and her niece are shunned from the socialised society due to her brother’s eccentricity, she still remains loving and caring.

One of the cleverest techniques used in the film is to make the audience believe Harvey is there without ever showing him. Harvey’s presence is suggested by the actions of Elwood’s and Dr Chumley’s (Cecil Kellaway), interaction with the six-foot rabbit. Stewart had even insisted that the director film scenes in a wider angle to arouse the audience’s belief that Harvey is present. Furthermore, the composition used in the cinematography was also designed to create the awareness of Harvey’s presence. James Stewart is often not positioned in the centre of the shot, suggesting he is not alone, while the soft lighting adds to the films gentle delivery. Eventually, we are shown evidence of Harvey’s existence in the final scenes of the film when we see a swing chair moving on its own and the electronic gates to the institute being opened by an invisible presence. The film’s genius is allowing the audience to use their own imagination to input their depictions of Harvey on screen, making Harvey seem all the more real.

Sound is a device used to humorously display the entry of certain characters. A specific scene would be the preparation for Veta’s party, where the cook enters the room interrupting Veta’s and Myrtle’s serious conversation with her squeaking steps. Music is also used in certain scenes to suggest the footsteps of Harvey through the use of plucking of strings and xylophone beats. The music, composed by Frank Skimmer, is light and quite joyous, utilising strings and flutes.

Though some themes have changed since the making of the film, the message is one that continues to remain relevant today. It is a lesson of accepting one’s self against all odds and living life to the fullest that can be taken to heart. It is summed up perfectly by Elwood Dowd’s line; “In life you can either be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. For years I tried to be smart. I recommend pleasant.”

‘Jumpy’ is a rare gem from the Sydney Theatre Company- a simply constructed, unassumingly funny play. Unlike most of the comedies that get staged around Sydney, particularly by the STC, ‘Jumpy’ doesn’t have an agenda- it has themes, it has a message, but it lets them exist in the background of an intriguing character study. The production underplays everything, allowing the audience

Image: Sydney Theatre Company

17

Image: Origin Pictures

X+Y Rating: M Genre: Comedy/Drama Released: 8th Mar 2015 Director: Morgan Matthews Writer: James Graham Starring: Asa Butterfield, Rafe Spall, Sally Hawkins

by Vivian Lin

Nathan Ellis (Asa Butterfield) is a teenager who is “on the spectrum” of autism, often finding it difficult to connect with those around him. After the sudden death of the only person who really understands him, his father (Martin McCann), he comforts himself with the only thing he understands; patterns.

Thus begins his discovery of mathematics, and how much he likes it. Once his mother (Sally Hawkins) realises his advanced mathematical ability, he is introduced to an unconventional maths teacher (Rafe Spall) and, subsequently, the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). X + Y follows Nathan and his journey as he faces both mathematical and social challenges, along with the most unexpected challenge of all – understanding what love is.

X + Y has many layers – it’s hard to be certain of the direction it attempts to take.

It is very much a film about the challenges of someone being ‘different’, how it affects those around them and how others perceive

the situation. It’s heartwarming, and both funny and serious without struggling to balance the two. Visually, it is nothing out of the ordinary for an indie film, with lovely cinematic moments that provide a glimpse into what Nathan is feeling. Asa Butterfield is flawless in the role, portraying the character’s idiosyncrasies with seemingly minimal effort.

His chemistry with Hawkins and Spall often makes the film seem like a documentary into their lives. While a particular romantic development is unnecessary and draws away from the focus of Nathan, the film is quite cohesive as a whole. The ending is rather abrupt, leaving many loose ends untied, but rather than being a drawback, it rings true to what life is. Definitely recommend watching.

to take away what they will, rather than constantly attempting to show them how clever the creative team it.

‘Jumpy’ is unashamedly a vehicle for Jane Turner, best known for her work on ‘Kath and Kim’, but the cast as a whole is very strong. Turner is clearly a centre pointbringing the show together not only through the significance of her character, but with her surprisingly subtle stage presence. Her character, Hilary, doesn’t have the manic energy of Kath, and yet Turner is able to turn the seemingly mundane into the source of great comedy. More importantly, she is able to slide into the background when required, giving the other actors, most notably Brenna Harding (who plays 15 year old Tilly) their moments to shine.

The script, by English dramatist April De Angelis, is particularly strong, bouncing from irreverent humour to moments of poignancy without losing its momentum.

The play takes place over more than a year, and, since the amount of time that elapses between each scene varies, following the specifics early on can be tricky. But I quickly found myself caught up in the tribulations of Hilary, who quickly reveals herself to be more than the ‘stressed out mother’ cliché. As mentioned earlier, the cast is particularly and

consistently strong; giving them this script and a blank stage would have still resulted in a very enjoyable show. But- and this is where ‘Jumpy’ really distinguishes itself from STC’s other recent comedies, every production element they add on top of the cast and script enhances it.

From the way the scenes transition, constantly moving with the size of the stage shrinking and growing, to the lighting states and the constantly recurring musical score, it all contributes to this ongoing sense of a woman constantly battling against her own existence. Yet none of this gets in the way of the characters or the story- It is a production that is confident enough in its audience to trust them to engage and to understand, without needing to constantly remind them of symbolism and themes.

The biggest problem I have with ‘Jumpy’ is the price. As an STC production at the Sydney Opera House it was never going to be a cheap show, but with concession tickets starting at $80, they seem to have lost a large chunk of their audience. But, if you can convince your parents/rich friends to take you along, ‘Jumpy’ is a solid and beautiful piece of theatre.

‘Jumpy’ is runs until May 16th at the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre.

18

ISSUE NO. 4

VERTIGO

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE

By Liam Egan Kingsmen: The Secret Service is a great movie that mixes the ultra-violence of modern Bond with the levity of Roger Moore-era Bond films.

However, if you are looking for a category for this film to fit into, you won’t find one. You can call it a spy movie if that’s easier for you, but it is too explosive and too tongue-in-cheek to fit in today’s idea of the genre.

What we have here is the makings of a classic Bond movie, minus 007. With Matthew Vaughn, the writer/director/producer behind Layer Cake, Kick-Ass and X-Men: Days of Future Past in the director’s chair you have an incredible film fitting of that pedigree. You don’t have to look further than the fight scenes to understand that Vaughn is looking for pure fun out of this movie. If that fun can be found with a sabre-legged alluring murder machine or with the shotgun-umbrella (‘shotgumbrella’),

go for it. It’s not a film where you examine the human condition; you just sit back and enjoy the seeing a boy strapping a pug inside his bulletproof vest.

The action sequences are incredible, whether they have an entire mob of angry revellers or just ‘Eggsy’ (Taron Egerton) fighting the ultimate villainous valet Gazelle (Sofia Boutella), while fireworks go on all around them.

This film is adorable, and it’s because Vaughn has made a mash-up of some of the best moments of Bond and thrown in the heart-stopping action sequences of the comic-film genre.

Verdict: Tremendous film. Will definitely see again.

Images from www.foxmovies.com

LE SAMOURAI

By Boaz Hadad

Rating: Genre: Released:

PG Crime 1967, France

Director:

Jean-Pierre Melville

Writers:

Jean-Pierre Melville Georges Pellegrin

Starring: Alain Delon Caty Rosier Francois Perier Jaques Leroy Michel Boisrond Nathalie Delon Images from www.tresspassmag.com

“There is no solitude greater than a samurai’s, unless perhaps it is that of a tiger in the jungle.”

– The Book of Bushido This solemn quote opens the 1967 cult classic Le Samourai, and its exact meaning is elusive. The quote is entirely the invention of the director Jean-Pierre Melville, but that doesn’t deprive it of any meaning. Is it a device for framing our understanding of the methods employed by the various characters? A kind of modern day Bushido that’s enthralled all the key players in 1960’s Paris? Or rather, does it foreshadow the solitude and isolation of the protagonist throughout this sombre and methodical film?

Perhaps it’s a bit of both, but this allusion to the meticulous way of the Samurai is certainly well placed in an exceedingly wellconstructed film.

The film begins in the early evening with the protagonist Jef Costello (Alain Delon) fully clothed and smoking in bed, while the opening credits play out beside his coiling

cigarette smoke. The apartment is totally bare, except for a small birdcage at his bedside. Jef gets up and proceeds to get ready for his evening, stealing a Citroen parked on the street and taking it somewhere outside Paris to have its number plates changed and registration papers swapped. Jef hands the man in the garage cash and receives a gun, all with scarcely a facial expression or hand gesture. He then sets out to construct an elaborate alibi for his night, forewarning his associates and visiting a woman named Jane (who appears to be his lover) to inform her of his whereabouts. For Jef, you see, is a hit man; and tonight he is to assassinate a nightclub owner at his club. What follows is a series of complications, intrigue, and suspense. Suffice it to say that this is one film with an outcome that is very difficult to predict. Even until the last moment, final victory is anyone’s game.

It should be known that up until Jef’s meeting with Jane, the entire movie is without

dialogue, relying solely on subtle music and Delon’s masterful stoicism. That’s ten whole minutes in a movie only 105 minutes long and it sets the tone for the rest of the film beautifully. While there is less dialogue than you would otherwise expect, every single line of it is necessary. Everything about this film is precisely measured, meticulously executed, Spartan in its simplicity – just like Jef and the assassination he carries out. Each scene unfolds in a concise manner, lasting precisely as long as it has to with very little room to linger. Even the camera work is pretty straight forward, with none of the fancy tricks and techniques we’ve grown used to in contemporary Hollywood cinema. The stoic way of the Samurai evoked by Melville in his opening scene is not only a reflection on the way the plot unfolds, but also on his methods as a director and storyteller. Such a tightly made and well-thought-out film is a real breath of fresh air in a world of superfluous and gaudy spectacle.

That said, the film is not without its challenges. This tight-lipped film is somewhat opaque on first viewing, precisely because it tries to say as little as possible. The fallout of this is that at times it feels a lot slower than it actually is, especially at the beginning.

It takes 15 minutes to set up theplot and an hour and a half to resolve it, but those first 15 minutes feel almost as long as the rest of the film. This might detract from the entertainment value of this film for some, by making it feel somewhat inaccessible.

However, if you are patient with Melville and to persevere until the very end, you will find yourself faced with one of the most satisfying and poignant climaxes of any movie. The pay out at the end is definitely worth the slog.

Final verdict: Whilst intellectually stimulating to the viewer, Le Samourai is probably not as exciting as some people would like. Despite this, it is a great film and a notoriously underrated classic.

VERTIGO

29TH APRIL 2015

19

READS TO DITCH YOUR READER FOR.

By Claire Aston

THE CLASSIC NOVEL: JANE EYRE BY CHARLOTTE BRONTE

I am not going to pretend to be a classic novel lover. I hold appreciation for any literary work that’s survived more than a hundred years, but that doesn’t mean I found all the Austen novels easy to read. With copious amounts of description and overly long, convoluted sentences that makes the plot fuzzy; classics were never my go-to genre.

BUT. I take it all back for Jane Eyre. This is the first classic novel where it’s possible to read without the flowery language getting in the way. The plot kept me interested because it was different from the plain girl-meets-boy love story (hello crazy lady in the roof!). It has the token Victorian-style gentleman and the young Victorian lady, but Charlotte Bronte has an amazing ability to make an unbelievable plot genuine.

If you’re like me and you’ve been burned by classics then this is the one to restore your faith. And if you’ve never tried one, then Jane Eyre is the perfect starter.

Trust me; it’s better than the readings you’re avoiding.

THE AUSSIE AUTHOR: JASPER JONES BY CRAIG SILVEY

I always cheer for an Aussie author and I’m always strangely proud whenever one of them makes it big time. Jasper Jones made it big by winning multiple awards that it thoroughly deserved. It is a compelling novel that can be easily classified as modern literature. It reads well and uses just enough big words to make you feel smart for choosing it.

Set in a rural town in 1965 Jasper Jones tells the story of two very different boys who become weird and unlikely friends. However, this isn’t a ‘let’s be friends forever’. The societal backdrop creates a grim view of Australian life at the time, focusing on the racism which envelopes the town. The plot revolves around a mystery that antagonises the people against one of the boys as racism permeates their friendship.

If you want to avoid even more readings I suggest looking up Craig Silvey’s debut novel: Rhubarb.

THE GUILTY PLEASURE: BITTER GREENS BY KATE FORSYTH

We all remember the fables and fairy tales from before bedtime: Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Goldilocks and The Little Mermaid. Then we grew up and the tales grew up with us. We’ve got so many movie adaptions like Beastly and Maleficent. However, like the fairy tales of old, they’ve still got that child-like quality: everything turns out right in the end.

Bitter Greens is a retelling of Rapunzel. The story follows three different perspectives: Rapunzel, the Witch, and Charlotte-Rose de la Force, the original author of Persinette, the story that later became Rapunzel. Bitter Greens is the fairy tale that grew up with you. It’s dark, with death and sex and deals gone wrong.

It reads like history. Forsyth did extensive research into the original tale and then went out of her way to investigate the life of Charlotte and how it influenced the writing of the Rapunzel. The magic of the fairy tale is explained away so that everything (even the ridiculously long hair) is made to seem horrifyingly real.

Bitter Greens is the read that keeps you enthralled for a lot longer than the bedtime story ever did.

THE BOOK TURNED MOVIE:

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER BY STEPHEN CHBOSKY It’s often been said that the movie can never quite compare to the book and that a lot gets lost in the making of it. For the most part, it’s something that I agree with. I’m always one of those snobs saying ‘the book is better’. But Perks of Being a Wallflower? Man they did that well.

They’ve managed to convey the literary content of the book into the movie without cheesy narration. The integrity of the story isn’t lost behind the production, and for once, the movie actually answered questions that I had left over after reading.

Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of my favourite distractions. HINT: It takes up even more time if you read the book and then watch the movie. You won’t be disappointed.

THE ONE I HAVEN’T FINISHED: GONE GIRL BY GILLIAN FLYNN

Don’t immediately disregard this review just because I haven’t finished the book. It’s deliberate. I’ve purposely stopped after part one because all I’ve ever heard about this book is that there is a twist and/or ending that you either love or hate. However, as of yet the book hasn’t been ruined, so don’t worry, I won’t ruin it for you either. What I realised is that the twist and ending are the only things that anyone ever talked about. No one could tell me about how it read, how it was written, and even if it was even any good apart from those damn shock factors.

I’ve deliberately not finished the book so I could talk about it without the twist clouding my view of it. As far as I’ve read, Gone Girl is amazingly well written.

It switches between two perspectives and two time periods. It follows the husband (Nick) at the time of his wife’s (Amy’s) disappearance, while simultaneously telling Amy’s recollection of how her and Nick started out. Flynn uses completely different writing styles to differentiate between Nick’s and Amy’s perspective, pointing to the novel’s sophistication.

This is one of those novels that keeps you up reading past 3am. You promise yourself that at the end of the next chapter you’re going to sleep but then it’s ten chapters later and you’re still going. It’s easy to read but the intelligence of the writing makes you feel intelligent yourself. It’s worth skipping that reading for.

20

Issue no. 4

Vertigo

GAMES

9 3 2

6

7 2 5 1 9

4 5 2 3 7

9 4 8 2 9

2 6 5 8 3

7 3 8 6

MEDIUM

Š Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com

A M N G X I P E L

EASY

1 3

4 9

5

7

8

2 1 6 3 2 7 9 4 8 6 7 6 1 9 2 6 4 9 7 8 2 4 Create and solve your Sudoku puzzles for FREE.

Play Sudoku and win prizes

at:

prizesudoku.com

The Sudoku Source of

“Vertigo�.

Š Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com

Find as many words as you can that contain the centre letter, using the letters in the grid.

VERTIGO

29TH april

21

SEX column

Horoscopes

Rejection and Affection

by James Wilson

by Carmen Roath

Aries April 18 — May 13. This month pink will be a colour, that, like Pikachu versus a water-type Pokemon, is super effective. Wear more and more of it and your life will be complete.

Taurus May 13 — June 21. Like a confused Catholic, you will be all about the beads this month. Just ensure you hold onto them tightly, lest you let loose all you hold dear.

Gemini June 21 — July 20. Having multiple personality disorder, this month will no doubt prove to be exciting and boring for you. Stay true to yourself and let those feelings of happiness and sorrow wash over you.

Cancer July 20 — Aug 10. That rash on your face is growing bigger. You can see it out of the corner of your eye. It’s okay. It will go away soon. Yes it will. Yes it will.

Leo Aug 10 — Sept 16. You will take a job this month as a plumber, helping a trio of sisters with their life problems surreptitiously, while also worming your way into the heart of the plain, boring one. Congratulations?

Agony Aunt This week’s responder is Ral Zarek- a planewalker; a mystical being capable of manipulating the very fabric of reality, and of moving between the planes of existence.

By drawing power from the land itself, in the form of mana, Ral is able to perform amazing magical feats, and answer questions posed to him by UTS students.

Dear Agony Aunt, I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a little over a month, and we’ve yet to have sex. I know there’s more to a relationship than just the physical side, but I don’t know how to raise the subject with him. Please help!

Kind Regards, Lets Get Physical

Virgo

Sagittarius

Sept 16 — Oct 30. The moon is in the 7th parallel and your composite signs are Aquarius and Ophiuchus. You know what this means.

Dec 17 — Jan 20. Jupiter is Ascending which either means great things for you this month or a similarly named film is out at the movies.

Libra

Capricorn

Oct 30 — Nov 23. The void of existence is staring you in the face. Will you face it? Or run? Or go to sleep because it’s too hard, like your assignments? My money is on the latter.

Jan 20 — Feb 16. You will be so horny this month you will have sex with every person you meet. Also, you will have an extreme dandruff problem.

Scorpio Nov 23 — 29. Fire is all around you this month. Your house, your life and your pants. If nothing else, take out home and contents insurance, because the chlamydia is treatable.

Ophiuchus Nov 29 — Dec 17. Finally, you are being noticed. Hold onto this feeling, because next month everyone will forget who you are.

To Lets Get Physical, Regarding your concerns about not having sufficient ability to breach a conversation with a significant other, I would provide two pieces of advice.

Firstly, cast a ‘heightened awareness’ spell, or engage in a similar act of sorcery, in order that you may increase your comprehension beyond that of a mere mortal; at least temporarily. Secondly, consider replacing your boyfriend with a homunculus. Those artificial life forms have proven ideal companions, providing not only utterly dependable behavior, with little to no effort required, but can also be sacrificed in order to counteract an opponents attempts at summoning. Truly, they are ideal.

From, Ral Zarek, Izzet League Guildmage Dear Agony Aunt, I moved out of home at the beginning of the year, and I’m struggling to keep my finances under control. Do you have any advice to avoid over-spending, and manage income?

Yours, Money Matters To Money Matters, Currency is not something I generally associate with- not only does it vary wildly depending on what plane I find myself on, but it tends to have less inherent value than knowledge. However, it should be noted that a willingness to give in

Aquarius Feb 16 — March 11. Mars is in retrograde. Your lucky numbers are 3, 67 and 901,902,456,720. These seemingly random things will bring luck, and much more.

Typhoid.

Pisces March 11 — April 18. Your job life and your home life will be secure this month.

Convenient, as you do not actually exist.

to impulse is an important aspect of any individual seeking true success and freedom- if your impulses drive you towards purchases, then so be it. I myself have been known to invest in sigents or charms during travels, but always seek to evaluate the worth of the item not only in terms of vendor/purchase, but in the implicit value its absence may have in someone else life. That’s how one turns a profit.

From, Ral Zarek, Loyal Servant of NivMizzet Dear Agony Aunt, There’s a girl in my class of Asian decent, and I think she’s being bullied because of her race. Should I say something to her? Or to the tutor? She has become very withdrawn lately, and I’m worried for her. Please help, Race Relations Dear Race Relations, I once new a goblin alchemist called Skreeg, who found himself the target of an investigation by the Azorius Council. While fleeing to the Undercity he befriended an elf necroshaman working with the Golgari. My point is that race doesn’t matter. Unless you’re a kobold, those guys are terrible. From, Ral Zarek, Champion of the Implicit Maze

When we like someone, it’s bizarrely considered almost natural to go to extreme and usually mortifying lengths to see our affections realised and returned. Often, these lengths can be feeble, ineffective, or worse, horrifically ignominious. Everyone’s heard that story about someone who liked someone else and did something so obvious in their bid for love that when we hear this tale of tragedy, the inundating feeling of secondhand embarrassment is so intense that the only response is to seriously consider tearing off one’s face as we cringe forevermore.

Personally, I have always strived to avoid becoming this cautionary tale to other hopeless romantics as they sigh away their infatuation and draw hearts around initials in their notebooks. Yet, I have had my fair share of embarrassing experiences which fill me with brief waves of revulsion every time I take a quick jaunt down memory lane. So much so, that I’ve become rather fond of keeping a list of names of all those who have scorned me, as I bide my time until I am recognised as the rightful queen of Australia by virtue of divine providence and seek retribution against all those who have wronged me (you know who you are). Until then, I thought it might be interesting to explore this strange phenomenon.

For instance, people who are normally possessive of an acute self-awareness of their own human worth will allow themselves to be mistreated simply for the slim chance of intimacy with someone who probably likes them a lot less than they originally thought.

We have all been here, and in these circumstances, the advice of our friends is to simply persevere, and I’m here to tell you that the idea that waiting around is a good thing is fucking trash.

You shouldn’t have to persevere, or wait for someone to realise how special and magnificent you are, because if they don’t realise it the instant that you meet, then it’s their loss. The same goes for anyone who expects you to be quieter, smaller, or dimmer in any way so that they can shine brighter. If someone really likes you, then they’ll want you to unapologetically be aware of how goddamn fucking awesome of a human being you are, so that they can share your collective awesomeness together.

Don’t wait through six days of radio silence for a reply to your email. Don’t frantically wonder if they ever think about you as much as you do them while they’re with someone else. Don’t accept being publically ignored even though they’re literally sitting across from you in the same café reading a newspaper to avoid making eye contact.

Just don’t. In these instances, rejection can be a good thing, because the harsh necessity of not getting what you want gives you a newfound sense of appreciation for the value of the things that you do have, and it also gives you the newfound purpose to find something valuable, and learn how to fight for it.

20

Issue no. 4

Vertigo

GAMES

9 3 2

6

7 2 5 1 9

4 5 2 3 7

9 4 8 2 9

2 6 5 8 3

7 3 8 6

MEDIUM

Š Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com

A M N G X I P E L

EASY

1 3

4 9

5

7

8

2 1 6 3 2 7 9 4 8 6 7 6 1 9 2 6 4 9 7 8 2 4 Create and solve your Sudoku puzzles for FREE.

Play Sudoku and win prizes

at:

prizesudoku.com

The Sudoku Source of

“Vertigo�.

Š Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com

Find as many words as you can that contain the centre letter, using the letters in the grid.

VERTIGO

29TH april

21

SEX column

Horoscopes

Rejection and Affection

by James Wilson

by Carmen Roath

Aries April 18 — May 13. This month pink will be a colour, that, like Pikachu versus a water-type Pokemon, is super effective. Wear more and more of it and your life will be complete.

Taurus May 13 — June 21. Like a confused Catholic, you will be all about the beads this month. Just ensure you hold onto them tightly, lest you let loose all you hold dear.

Gemini June 21 — July 20. Having multiple personality disorder, this month will no doubt prove to be exciting and boring for you. Stay true to yourself and let those feelings of happiness and sorrow wash over you.

Cancer July 20 — Aug 10. That rash on your face is growing bigger. You can see it out of the corner of your eye. It’s okay. It will go away soon. Yes it will. Yes it will.

Leo Aug 10 — Sept 16. You will take a job this month as a plumber, helping a trio of sisters with their life problems surreptitiously, while also worming your way into the heart of the plain, boring one. Congratulations?

Agony Aunt This week’s responder is Ral Zarek- a planewalker; a mystical being capable of manipulating the very fabric of reality, and of moving between the planes of existence.

By drawing power from the land itself, in the form of mana, Ral is able to perform amazing magical feats, and answer questions posed to him by UTS students.

Dear Agony Aunt, I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a little over a month, and we’ve yet to have sex. I know there’s more to a relationship than just the physical side, but I don’t know how to raise the subject with him. Please help!

Kind Regards, Lets Get Physical

Virgo

Sagittarius

Sept 16 — Oct 30. The moon is in the 7th parallel and your composite signs are Aquarius and Ophiuchus. You know what this means.

Dec 17 — Jan 20. Jupiter is Ascending which either means great things for you this month or a similarly named film is out at the movies.

Libra

Capricorn

Oct 30 — Nov 23. The void of existence is staring you in the face. Will you face it? Or run? Or go to sleep because it’s too hard, like your assignments? My money is on the latter.

Jan 20 — Feb 16. You will be so horny this month you will have sex with every person you meet. Also, you will have an extreme dandruff problem.

Scorpio Nov 23 — 29. Fire is all around you this month. Your house, your life and your pants. If nothing else, take out home and contents insurance, because the chlamydia is treatable.

Ophiuchus Nov 29 — Dec 17. Finally, you are being noticed. Hold onto this feeling, because next month everyone will forget who you are.

To Lets Get Physical, Regarding your concerns about not having sufficient ability to breach a conversation with a significant other, I would provide two pieces of advice.

Firstly, cast a ‘heightened awareness’ spell, or engage in a similar act of sorcery, in order that you may increase your comprehension beyond that of a mere mortal; at least temporarily. Secondly, consider replacing your boyfriend with a homunculus. Those artificial life forms have proven ideal companions, providing not only utterly dependable behavior, with little to no effort required, but can also be sacrificed in order to counteract an opponents attempts at summoning. Truly, they are ideal.

From, Ral Zarek, Izzet League Guildmage Dear Agony Aunt, I moved out of home at the beginning of the year, and I’m struggling to keep my finances under control. Do you have any advice to avoid over-spending, and manage income?

Yours, Money Matters To Money Matters, Currency is not something I generally associate with- not only does it vary wildly depending on what plane I find myself on, but it tends to have less inherent value than knowledge. However, it should be noted that a willingness to give in

Aquarius Feb 16 — March 11. Mars is in retrograde. Your lucky numbers are 3, 67 and 901,902,456,720. These seemingly random things will bring luck, and much more.

Typhoid.

Pisces March 11 — April 18. Your job life and your home life will be secure this month.

Convenient, as you do not actually exist.

to impulse is an important aspect of any individual seeking true success and freedom- if your impulses drive you towards purchases, then so be it. I myself have been known to invest in sigents or charms during travels, but always seek to evaluate the worth of the item not only in terms of vendor/purchase, but in the implicit value its absence may have in someone else life. That’s how one turns a profit.

From, Ral Zarek, Loyal Servant of NivMizzet Dear Agony Aunt, There’s a girl in my class of Asian decent, and I think she’s being bullied because of her race. Should I say something to her? Or to the tutor? She has become very withdrawn lately, and I’m worried for her. Please help, Race Relations Dear Race Relations, I once new a goblin alchemist called Skreeg, who found himself the target of an investigation by the Azorius Council. While fleeing to the Undercity he befriended an elf necroshaman working with the Golgari. My point is that race doesn’t matter. Unless you’re a kobold, those guys are terrible. From, Ral Zarek, Champion of the Implicit Maze

When we like someone, it’s bizarrely considered almost natural to go to extreme and usually mortifying lengths to see our affections realised and returned. Often, these lengths can be feeble, ineffective, or worse, horrifically ignominious. Everyone’s heard that story about someone who liked someone else and did something so obvious in their bid for love that when we hear this tale of tragedy, the inundating feeling of secondhand embarrassment is so intense that the only response is to seriously consider tearing off one’s face as we cringe forevermore.

Personally, I have always strived to avoid becoming this cautionary tale to other hopeless romantics as they sigh away their infatuation and draw hearts around initials in their notebooks. Yet, I have had my fair share of embarrassing experiences which fill me with brief waves of revulsion every time I take a quick jaunt down memory lane. So much so, that I’ve become rather fond of keeping a list of names of all those who have scorned me, as I bide my time until I am recognised as the rightful queen of Australia by virtue of divine providence and seek retribution against all those who have wronged me (you know who you are). Until then, I thought it might be interesting to explore this strange phenomenon.

For instance, people who are normally possessive of an acute self-awareness of their own human worth will allow themselves to be mistreated simply for the slim chance of intimacy with someone who probably likes them a lot less than they originally thought.

We have all been here, and in these circumstances, the advice of our friends is to simply persevere, and I’m here to tell you that the idea that waiting around is a good thing is fucking trash.

You shouldn’t have to persevere, or wait for someone to realise how special and magnificent you are, because if they don’t realise it the instant that you meet, then it’s their loss. The same goes for anyone who expects you to be quieter, smaller, or dimmer in any way so that they can shine brighter. If someone really likes you, then they’ll want you to unapologetically be aware of how goddamn fucking awesome of a human being you are, so that they can share your collective awesomeness together.

Don’t wait through six days of radio silence for a reply to your email. Don’t frantically wonder if they ever think about you as much as you do them while they’re with someone else. Don’t accept being publically ignored even though they’re literally sitting across from you in the same café reading a newspaper to avoid making eye contact.

Just don’t. In these instances, rejection can be a good thing, because the harsh necessity of not getting what you want gives you a newfound sense of appreciation for the value of the things that you do have, and it also gives you the newfound purpose to find something valuable, and learn how to fight for it.

ISSUE NO. 4

29TH APRIL University of Technology Sydney Student Publication

KANYE WEST ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF CHILDREN’S BOOK

by June Murtagh

American rapper, producer, songwriter, entrepreneur and designer Kanye West is taking a break from interrupting Grammys speeches as he embarks on his latest artistic journey – writing a collection of children’s stories.

What started out as a personal project to teach daughter North West life lessons via a series of haikus has now developed into a lengthy collection of short stories, poetry, and art, which West plans to release by the end of the year.

“The book is titled Kanye West Discovers The True Meaning Of Friendship, And

Other Bedtime Stories”, West announced at a recent press conference. “It is about the time that I, Kanye West, discovered the true meaning of friendship. It also includes several other bedtime stories for children between the ages of zero and one hundred.”

The book, which will include stories such as “Imma Let You Finish Your Dinner, And No Dessert Until You Do” and “I Don’t Care If You Were The Fastest Sprinter In Your Age Group, Beyoncé Should Have Won That Award”, will be self-published by his new publishing house, Books For The NonReaders. An anonymous spokesperson from

the company stated that he is excited and confident that West will become “the next A. A. Milne”.

“I want to inspire kids to be the best they can be, but also reinforce that they will never be as good as me. The sooner they accept that, the better,” stated West, before dropping the mic and strutting offstage to the echoing cries of a horrified Beyoncé.

Kanye West Discovers The True Meaning Of Friendship, And Other Bedtime Stories will be accompanied Jane Goodall’s favourite chimp art.

RIGHT-WING TEACHER SAYS SOMETHING; STUDENTS DON’T COMPLAIN

by James Wilson A lecturer at UTS did the unthinkable last week and said something moderately rightwing.

The Social Enquiry tutor, Ms. Hughes*, claimed that in the grand scheme of things, the US invasion of Iraq was ‘probably not all that bad’.

More surprisingly, however, was the complete lack of reaction from students in the class.

In an exclusive response to Vertigo, the tutor said, “Frankly, I’m surprised. Normally my students get riled up if I even so much as spell words with ‘man’ somewhere in there. I don’t understand what’s happening.”

Pericles Easton, one of the students present said of the comment, “I feel that Hughes was right, in a way. I mean, I’m not a fan of the war, or any war, or anything

that looks like a war. I mean, I don’t even like those three letters put together. Or separately. Or even the sound. In fact, I don’t like anything at all, and while I would normally make it my duty to complain loudly, you know, sometimes you just have to pick your battles. Like how Bush did all those years ago.”

Hughes feels emboldened by the change of atmosphere.

“I’m thinking of other ways I might try and do what university is supposed to be about – to challenge people’s opinions and make them think about issues rather than force-feeding them the same old trash that springs up on Q&A each week and makes it seem palatable.

I’m going to start asking people why we don’t go for Nuclear Power, or start talking

about the extinction of manatees, which has always been impossible… until now.”

Easton says though the tutor’s win will be short-lived.

“To be honest, I think most of us were distracted by the new Game of Thrones.

What a great show. Everything in there is A-OK by us!” * Not their real name.

ISSUE NO. 4

29TH APRIL University of Technology Sydney Student Publication

ISSUE NO. 4

29TH APRIL University of Technology Sydney Student Publication

UTS SOCIETY NOT ABOUT DEPRESSION BUT AN ‘ACTUAL ELEPHANT’

by Nicol Bolas

Depression and mental illness have long been considered the ‘elephant in the room’, but the new society RHONX is more concerned with the actual elephant that is currently living in UTS. The expression ‘elephant in the room’ is commonly used in reference to mental illness, or more generally for any topic that, while important, people are reluctant to talk about- such as the fact that there’s a 6000kg elephant wandering around Building 10.

UTS has a proud tradition of studentdriven campaigns tackling social issues, most recently with the creation of the ‘Racism Stops at UTS’ series of posters.

Founder of RHONX, Michael Illwater, states that while he finds the drive and ambition of those organizations noble, RHONX isn’t concerned with such causes. “Drawing attention to issues like racism or discrimination is an important issue, and one which all too often gets ignored. I absolutely support those students trying to make a difference, but would also encourage them to call animal support, because male African Bull Elephants are highly aggressive.”

Illwater founded RHONX earlier this year, when he and fellow UTS student Barbra Latin suspected a classmate of suffering from being stepped on by an elephant.

Their suspicions proved right, and they were able to get him help- but it was a chilling reminder that so often, elephant-related issues go unreported. RHONX was formed to raise awareness of the cause, but Illwater was surprised by the incredible show of support his organisation received during orientation week. “We had a huge number of people sign up, and pledge support to discuss the elephant in the room,” Illwater stated, adding “It took me about a week to realise people thought we were talking figuratively.”

Illwater accepts some responsibility for the confusion, noting that the fact ‘elephant

in the room’ is a common expression, as well as a genuine concern for those needing to access classrooms in Building 10 ‘didn’t occur’ to him while writing the promotional material. He also expressed hope that the ‘terminological confusion’ doesn’t distract from the real issue- that there is an elephant on campus that no one seems to be doing anything about, or even be aware of.

If you have been affected by the elephant in the room, or want additional information on the subject Illwater can be reached through the RHONX office, located near the ostriches’ sandbox, just behind the closet inhabited by sentient skeletons.

Not all the news to come out of the study was surprising- the ibis lead charge in overall evilness, with a Sinfullness Index of 7. Seagulls, in turn, were shown to be utterly evil, while magpies were completely evil. Almost all birds surveyed were found to be horrible creatures spawned from a particularly uncaring part of Hell. But Dr. Mae was keen to stress that the methods used do not absolutely mean that birds have no souls. “We used seventeen different methods of detecting evil in our study,” says Mae, who describes herself as ‘A cat person, insofar as cats eat birds’, “and we compared it against a control group of fishthe world’s most neutral animals. While the results are intriguing, it’s important to note that they may not tell the whole story. Birds

may be much, much more evil than we give them credit for.”

The results of the study come just days after the Abbott government showed surprising common sense by announcing that any individual who owns a bird will be denied government benefits. Mr Abbott also stressed that emus, as always, “are not evil and are actually pretty awesome. I mean, have you heard what their cry sounds like?

It’s all deep and booming and you’re like, ‘what?! That’s what emus sound like?’”

Peacocks, however, are happy at the news that they are the most tolerable species of birds, and celebrated in traditional style by strutting everywhere like they own the goddamn place.

STUDY FINDS PEACOCKS ARE THE ‘LEAST EVIL’ BIRD

by C.H.R.I.S. (The bane of the IT department) People have long been suspicious of birds, what with their eyes filled with anger and ability to fly that seemingly transcends all laws of physics. But a recent study by the Aven Psychology department at UTS has concluded that peacock’s are the least evil of birds- a fact that seems at odds with popular opinion regarding those show-offs.

Dr. Sabrina Mae lead the study, which was conducted over five years, and states that peacocks were a clear frontrunner.

“Peacocks, unlike other birds, rarely murder for the thrill of it. They also show very little interest in starting fires. What was perhaps the most solid piece of evidence for them not being entirely soulless monstrosities was that they seem to show remorse after certain villainous actions.”