Woroni Edition Eleven 2016 by Woroni

Woroni Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

Page 48 Page 3

Students respond to same-sex marriage plebiscite politics Lorane Gaborit

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Issue 11, Vol. 66

TERRARIUM TUTORIAL CALLUM BLAKE

Page 42

POC MENTAL HEALTH PHOTOGRAPHY CAMPAIGN

THE GRIEF AND FEAR OF LOSING A FRIEND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Page 57

SARAH EDWARDS

VIKRAM RAVENDRAN

ISIS AND THE FINANCIAL MARKET

Contents

Issue 11, Vol. 66 46

News

FEATURES

in the defence of fictional diplomacy

Students respond to same-sex marriage plebiscite politics

heaven knows

KENY ARCANGELI

Lorane Gaborit

Once upon a Time...

EXPERT PANEL PICKs apart neurodiversity kanika kirpalani

LSS BANS TICKETS FROM ELECTION kanika kirpalani

RETURNING OFFICER REVOKES STUDENT’s anusa membership

Jade mckenna WAnting chen

EIGHT OF THE GREATEST MYSTERIES OF ALL TIME CASLEY ROWAN

ELLEN JANE

michael turvey

THE PRONOUN PROBLEM

WILL TRUMP BE THE DEATH OF AMERICA? JAMES FROST

48 CALLUM BLAKE

WORONI words’ time to shine

WALKIRIA PEREZ

GRACE DUDLEY

TERRARIUM TUTORIAL

kanika kirpalani

Andrew Barr: A Leader

REUSABLE BOTTLES: untapped potential

HISTORY

infamous challenge club awakens

Comment

Environment

caroline hendy ZENA MASON

arts & reviews Creative writing

THE BENEFITS OF NATURE FOR YOUR HEALTH ZUHAL HAMIDI

Spring 2096: THE ENVIRONMENT GUIDE

imagination is my safe place

BRITTANY DAHL

dendy reviews

science 52

MONARCHISTS ANONYMOUS

THE FUTURE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY FUNDING

GUY EXTON

Drop dead: a review

VIKRAM RAVENDRAN

WHAT COUNTS AS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN? VAISHNAVI RATHINAM

THE GRIEF AND FEAR OF LOSING A FRIEND TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Rory Caddis

DR BRADBURY FIGHTS KONDO

AN INSIGHT INTO THE CREATIVE PROCESS

BRONTE MCHENRY

bad movies LEWIS LAVERTY WILSON

EVENT GUIDE

INTELLECTUAL SAFE SPACES & TRIBES ON CAMPUS

THE BOOK OF EVERYTHING: A REVIEW

IT’s QUOTAS OR NOTHING

SULLY: HOW TO PAD SCRIPTS AND ALIENATE PEOPLE

ADITI RAZDAN

ANNABELLE KLIMT & JOSH BEGBIE

LIFE & STYLE

RESPONSES TO “HO-ME-PHOBE – A Message to the Str8Acting Silent Majority” 14

BEETING THE CANBERRA COLD The FOOD Co-OP

ADRIAN HINDES

TEN QUESTIONS WITH PHILIP CLARK ARETI METUAMATE

RESPECT MY AUTHOR-ITY

Alexandra Elgue

WORST DATES

When Permanent World peace Comes Alexandra Elgue

I am not looking for a swain but for a pen and paper chandrima sengupta

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE: IT STARTS WITH YOUR PRESCRIPTION 55

WHAT IS THE GREATEST SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENT OF ALL TIME? 56

What will make the difference? TIMOTHY HUME

BUSINESS & ECONOMICS 57

ISIS AND THE FINANCIAL MARKET VIKRAM RAVENDRAN

THE STOCK MARKET VICTOR SUKEERTH MUNAGALA

HOW TO RUN A FIRST WEEK BACK 15

JENNIFER TINSTON

SARAH EDWARDS

SHAMIM MAZARI

HANNAH WRIGHT

AIRBNB DREAMS

iPhone 7’s lackluster launch: “Pass the aux cabl– oh wait…” MITCHELL SCOTT

SPORT 59

ALEXANDRA GREEN

INTERHALL SPORT

CANBERRA RAIDERS

ALICE SUTTON OF EDITION LABEL

NICK BENECKE

HENRY DELVES

GEORGIA LEAK

GREAT SPORTING MOMENTS

Ethics in global fashion Emma Wiggins

POC MENTAL HEALTH PHOTOGRAPHY CAMPAIGN

SATIRE & HUMOUR

A Strange fight to pick

MY BODY IS A TEMPLE

FAST FOOD BANTER REVIEW

HOWARD MCLEAN

MATTHEW MOTTOLA

pax australiana GUY EXTON

JUST A LITTLE, NOT TOO MUCH ANONYMOUS

style on campus

Woroni is published on the land of the Ngunnawal people. ‘Woroni’ translates to ‘mouthpiece’ in the Ngunnawal language.

Contact

Advertising inquiries and submissions can made at: advertising@woroni.com.au Phone: (02) 6125 9574 Shop 15, Lena Karmel Building 26 Barry Drive, Acton 2601 Woroni is printed by Capital Fine Print.

MORGAN ALEXANDER

SUSTAINABLE FOOD: WHY YOU SHOULD CARE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO

nikola rysava

Acknowledgement of Country

CLAUDIA ANSON

North Korea to Ban Organic ‘Western’ Health Foods HAMISH PAINE

DEAR MR BIRMINGHAM NICHOLAS ROBERT

Board of Editors

Editor In Chief - Ria Pflaum Deputy Editor in Chief - Daniel McKay Managing Editor - Liam Osawa News Editor - Miguel Galsim Communications Editor - Finn Pedersen Content Editor - Bronte McHenry Radio Director - Caitlin Magee Creative Editor - Joanne Leong

Staff

Admin Assistant - Gowrie Varma Financial Controller - Brendan Greenwood

Sub-Editors

News - Kanika Kirpalani, Alexander Joske, Lorane Gaborit & Mark Han Managing Assistant - Sam Taylor Marketing - Lorna Zhang Communications Sub-Eds: Photography - Bremer Sharp & Pubudu Dissanayake Instagram - Tony Gu Comment - Nishanth Pathy Features - Vera McCarthy Arts & Reviews - Gabriele Naktinyte & Grace Shalders International - Nahed Elrayes Life & Style - Alexandra Green Science - Jennifer Tinston Environment - Morgan Alexander Sport - Madhuri Kibria Satire - Zoe Saunders Radio Technical Officer Jamie Palamountain Radio Presenter Liaison - Oscar Jolly Radio Media Liaison Brittany Wallis Radio Music/DJ - Brendan Keller-Tuberg Radio Events: Paul Dickson Radio Digital Content: Loretta Lackner Design - Eva Krepsova Social Media - Michael Turvey & Annabelle Nshuti

news

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

Students respond to Same-Sex Marriage Plebiscite Politics LORANE GABORIT

On Tuesday the 13th of September plans to hold the same-sex marriage plebiscite on February 11 next year were approved by Federal Cabinet, along with a proposal to allocate $7.5 million in public funding to each of the “Yes” and “No” campaigns. Additionally, ministers agreed on the question to be put to voters: “Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?” In response, Labor has indicated that it will block the plebiscite, a decision which, once formalised by caucus and combined with the Greens, the Nick Xenophon Team and Derryn Hinch’s own decisions, means there is no chance of the legislation to establish the plebiscite passing the Senate. Such a move, if maintained, has come as a serious blow to proponents of the plebiscite. Students from both sides of the debate engaged in heavy debate on the online forum Stalkerspace. According to ANU student and social convenor for the ANU Liberal Club, Darcy Bee-Hickman, “the reality of the situation is that it’s a plebiscite or nothing if you want marriage equality in the next three years.” “Shame on the Labor Party and the Greens for selling out on their policy beliefs for political gain.” Ramon Bouckaert, policy convenor of the ANU Liberal Club, shares a similar opinion, saying that “without a plebiscite, the government have no mandate to legislate same-sex marriage, and the party room will never, ever approve it.” Bouckaert also claimed that in the absence of a plebiscite the government would be justified in dropping the same-sex marriage agenda as “the popular mandate the government has sought was to pursue a plebiscite on the issue, and, failing that, to retain traditional marriage.” However, many are supporting Labor’s decision to block the plebiscite,

citing the significant financial cost, estimated by PricewaterhouseCoopers to be upwards of $525 million, as a clear factor against. Additionally, the adverse effects that a far-reaching “No” campaign would have on the mental and social health of the LGBTQIA community have been discussed by activists and politicians alike. Opposition leader Bill Shorten himself commented that “if one child commits suicide over the plebiscite, then that is one too many.” ANU student Jason Clarke is similarly opposed to the plebiscite due to the potential harm it could have on LGBTQIA youth, saying that “I’d rather wait than have someone like my 14 year old self be subjected to the vitriol which would arise during the process. I don’t want self harming or suicidal LGBTI kids just so that I can get married, thanks.” In particular, opponents of the samesex marriage plebiscite have warned against the consequences of a “No” campaign in regional and remote areas, where LGBTQIA youth are already more likely to face homophobia, violence, discrimination and a lack of support. ANU student Chloe Harpley, originally from Wagga Wagga, is amongst those fighting for the voices of regional and rural LGBTQIA youth. Although Harpley is adamant that attention given to the “No” campaign will have an impact on the mental health and wellbeing of the whole LGBTQIA community, she believes these effects will be heightened in regional and rural Australia. “I genuinely fear for the lives of LGBTQIA people in regional and rural Australia as they are, in some cases, completely isolated from positive, supportive voices,” Harpley told Woroni, “The plebiscite will undoubtedly fuel more hate in environments that are generally more homophobic and, in turn, not only ruin lives but end them.”

As the prospect of a plebiscite becomes more and more unlikely, pressure on the government to legalise same-sex marriage without a plebiscite has increased, as proposed in a bill introduced by Labor last week. ANU student Howard Maclean is in favour of such a move, urging parliament to “do it’s job of passing legislation on this matter like it does on everything else rather than deferring to a glorified non-binding opinion poll.” “Only a slender majority of the party, which makes up an even more slender majority of the parliament, is opposed to same-sex marriage.” Maclean stated, “If it were a consciousness vote it would pass tomorrow.” “The only time a plebiscite has ever been held on substantive policy matter was on conscription a century ago. Are we really going to compare the prospect of two men or women having a slip of paper and a title to conscription?” Yet the alternative –scrapping the plebiscite and taking the issue straight to parliament – continues to be rejected by supporters of the current government like Bouckaert who maintain that the government has been elected “under a system of representative democracy, not direct democracy” and is therefore bound to the policies by which it was elected. Additionally, Bee-Hickman believes that to claim that the plebiscite would descend into a “Yes” versus “No” campaign is to simplify the issue, as “it’s pretty immature to imply that opponents of same sex marriage are against gay rights. There are equally valid and respectful arguments on both sides, which is why a plebiscite would be conducted on the most part respectfully and in good faith.” Nonetheless, current ANU Queer* Officer Fred Hanlin, while acknowledging that he could not represent every Queer* voice in the university, expressed his exhaustion with having to argue in favour of marriage equali-

ty. He shared with Woroni his frustration in an Australia, “who should not be so embarrassingly lagging behind, being hauled kicking and screaming into the 21st century.” He continued, “Prop 8 in California and the Irish Marriage Referendum showed that there’s going to be nothing but ugliness from a public debate about whether a secular legal contract between two people should have the ‘no gays’ clause removed from it.” “I know from growing up with homophobia how shitty it is for kids, and even adults, and that’s exactly what we’ll get. And this doesn’t even touch on how it’s an expensive boondoggle for something that several politicians across the parties have said they won’t be supporting regardless of the outcome.” He concluded to Woroni, speaking on the possible wait until the 2019 elections, “So this means another few years since the Liberal Party and enough of the Labor Party members who still align with the head of the Retail Workers Union aren’t going to vote on it? So be it.” As we wait for the results of the Labor caucus and the passing of the plebiscite bill in the Senate, eyes will certainly be turned towards the Australian LGBTQIA community. According to Harpley, all LGBTQIA activists and supporters can do in the meantime is to “try to drown out the hate with positivity, support, validation and love.”

news

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Expert Panel Picks Apart Neurodiversity Kanika Kirpalani

At the end of last term, the ANU Disabilities Student Association held a neurodiversity panel at Burgmann College. The panel consisted of four women who had all interacted with neurodiversity throughout their lives. Dr. Kristen Pammer, Associate Dean of Science at ANU, conducts research specialising in brain studies including synesthesia and dyslexia. Tori Haar is an advocate for neurodiversity with experience at a cooperative research center for people living with autism. Michelle Armstrong is a teacher to neurodiverse people and Clare Green a student at ANU who struggled to get diagnosed. The panel tackled the important question of what neurodiversity is.

Armstrong said, “our brains are wired differently, however I think everyone’s brain is wired differently”. This statement opened up an important topic of the night; the notion of people acknowledging and recognising the idea of a spectrum. Green stated, “It’s a relatively new thing. Most people don’t seem to think of people on the spectrum… as normal, mostly as different”. Dr Pammer, while not neurodiverse herself, explained that the term was more activist than scientific. She likened neurodiversity to looking at faces; we all have the same features, but every face is different. “Brains are exactly the same”, said Pammer, “we’re all neurodiverse”.

The panel moved onto the issues with getting diagnosed for conditions such as Aspergers, especially the prejudice they faced as women. Haar, who was diagnosed during her university studies, said that at the time Aspergers hadn’t been around for that long (as a diagnosis) and that her diagnosis was an uphill battle. What was most interesting was that all the panel members had the unique perspective of how diagnosis created exclusion. Green spoke about being bullied and unsupported by teachers who couldn’t reconcile her condition with her passion and aptitude for English.

communicate to someone what support they need, as a lot of the time individuals don’t always know why something isn’t working. “I think a lot of people haven’t built the self-confidence they need to be advocate for themselves”. The panel members provided unique perspectives into their experiences and struggles with neurodiversity and created an insight into the term.

Haar indicated how difficult it is to

LSS Bans Tickets from Elections Kanika Kirpalani

Recently the ANU Law Students’ Society (LSS) has decided to ban electoral tickets. The LSS is one of the largest societies on campus with a committee made up of around 35 people.

As such, Trevanion put forth the motion to amend section 3.4 of the LSS Election By-Law to state:

weren’t necessarily passionate about due to the need to fill roles on the ticket.

Tickets have largely been unpopular in LSS elections. Last year was one of the first years that candidates for the LSS election put together tickets. The election saw three tickets put forth candidates amongst a slew of independents.

‘No candidate may run on a ticket. A ticket is defined as more than one (1) candidate running under an express common name or organising co-promotion for the purposes of the election. Candidates may not make any reference to any other candidate for the purposes of the election in published material.’

Trevanion said, “the ANU LSS operates on the trust its members place in us as their representatives. Encouraging an election that perpetuates a perception of exclusivity undercuts our ability to act as representatives of our community”.

LSS President Dan Trevanion said although the use of tickets had been growing over the last three years, “the existing electoral by-laws of the Society did not adequately address the use of tickets and so I felt it was necessary for the Society to either formally accept or reject tickets in our elections”.

During their consideration the LSS committee discussed the exclusionary nature of tickets. Many stated that tickets discouraged people from running, as they might not feel they had the same support of those in tickets. There was the risk that people were also being pushed into portfolios they

Members also raised the point that the LSS is a functional body, rather than a political entity such as ANUSA. In many cases the LSS isn’t about putting forth policy reform but working in the already established portfolios to advocate for students in a variety of ways. Trevanion also stated that the LSS “is at its core a functional body that

operates through events. For this reason, individuals that have strong organisational skills, communicative ability and work-ethic are needed. These capacities are personal and are not strengthened by running together with other students”. The committee decided in a meeting on Sunday 21st August to ban the use of tickets as well to disallow students from endorsing one another in published material, as is commonly done in the Woroni elections. “To ensure the Society operates with the best personnel in the future it is critical that our elections encourage students with the appropriate attributes to run and allows for students to distinguish themselves on the basis of these attributes”, said Trevanion.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

news

Returning Officer Revokes Student’s ANUSA Membership Kanika Kirpalani During the week of ANUSA elections, a student made an online post in the ‘Stalkerspace’ forum containing defamatory content about a candidate running on the Amplify ticket.

decision informed by consultation with the Probity officers, as well as ANUSA’s executive and staff. However, it appears that this consultation never took place.

The post contained offensive statements about several disadvantaged groups in ANU and personally singled out the Amplify candidate as a person acting against the interests of ANU students. The post in question attacked the validity of mental health support and contained discriminatory statements about different cultural groups on campus.

Given the sensitivity of the circumstances, Probity made a bold recommendation to exclude the student from enjoying the privileges provided by ANUSA. Probity expected that this recommendation would warrant further consultation, yet the Returning Officer promptly returned Probity’s email, with the decision that the student’s ANUSA membership would be revoked.

The forum administrators quickly removed the post yet many students had already seen the defamatory statement. The matter fell to Probity officers who made the recommendation to the Returning Officer that the student’s ANUSA membership be revoked. This recommendation sought to effectively exclude the student from benefitting from the portion of their SSAF fees that ANUSA receives, which ANUSA uses to support clubs and societies and provide events for the larger ANU population. Moreover, the revocation of membership would deny the student ANUSA provides several services such as mental health support and pro-bono legal advisement. Here, the Returning Officer had the obligation to make an independent

This lack of consultation is problematic given the swiftness in depriving a student of the benefits of their SSAF fees and degrading their student experience. Moreover the student in question was not given the opportunity to respond to the allegations made against them. Though the matter at hand concerned particularly offensive and defamatory imputations, it begs the question of how offensive an online post has to be before a student’s rights are stripped without the opportunity to defend themselves. Probity found the speed of the decision surprising, with one ANUSA staffer extremely unhappy about depriving the student of their benefits. General Secretary, Sam Duncan had asked the Returning Officer to re-

consider, however a lag in communication found one of the Probity officers notifying the student before matters could be reconsidered. This miscommunication, or lack thereof, extended to ANUSA President Ben Gill who became informed of the situation when the student posted in another ANU online forum. The overall process of isolating a student from the general student body is problematic here. There was no consultation, no opportunity for the student to defend themselves and a lack of communication regarding review of the Returning Officer’s decision. Moreover, the constitutionality of revoking the student’s membership may be called into question. Section 7(1) of the ANUSA Constitution holds that there are no provisions for disciplining ordinary members of ANUSA. This reiterates issues surrounding the swift assuredness of the decision. Despite the lack of review concerning the Returning Officer’s initial decision to revoke the student’s membership, the situation has since undergone review with ANUSA executive. President Ben Gill stated that the revocation has been found to be invalid with the ANUSA Constitution and Election regulations. Gill cited the lack of precedence as a contributing factor to the swiftness and miscommunication surrounding the matter.

Gill also indicated that the severity of this situation has informed the proposed amendments to ANUSA’s Constitution in the upcoming OGM on Friday 24th September. Special Resolutions to amend the ANUSA Constitution Resolution (2) proposes to ‘amend section 7 of the Constitution to confirm the capacity of the Association to revoke membership rights’. Further under the ANUSA ‘Overview of Amendments’, Special Resolution (2) is supported by ‘note’ that the Returning Officer’s power to revoke membership under Electoral Regulations must ‘require the consent of the Executive, to ensure multiple stakeholders are consulted on this decision’. Given these sudden amendments to the ANUSA Constitution, it appears the organisation is trying to salvage the situation. The note attached to Special Resolution (2) seems to be aimed at making consultation a required step of any future revocation of membership. However, this amendment also appears to have little impact in the situation already played out. It seems that ANUSA have learned from their mistakes, seeking to enforce consultation in future serious matters of this kind.

Infamous Challenge Club Awakens Michael Turvey Successful and scandalous, the ANU Challenge Club once held boozy parties, ran spectacular ANUSA joke tickets, and issued crazy challenges to students until its disappearance in 1997. Woroni sources have confirmed that this semester the Club is being re-created. The club had previously collapsed after the legendary Pencil Rort, in which members were challenged to collect branded pencils from Casino Canberra. After students started leaving with stuffed bags, police were called, arrests made, and several

challengers faced criminal charges; the Challenge Club fell apart and was non-existent for 20 years. But now, a group of anonymous students are attempting to re-launch the Challenge Club, led by the secretive re-founder of the Club, who goes by ‘The Maharaja’. The Maharaja’s vision for the new Challenge Club is somewhat different from the old. They wish to preserve the same basic ethos: Challenge the students, and in so doing, challenge the status quo. “I was inspired”, the Mahara-

ja said, “to help recreate the challenge club, by some of the jokes and references on Stalkerspace; … I thought it would be cool to have a club giving out crazy challenges.” This bringing back of the old includes the boozy culture surrounding the Challenge Club, and the Maharaja noted that while the anonymous leadership of the Club would make it difficult, they expressed a commitment to “make it happen.” The Maharaja seemed excited about the prospect of issuing challenges for students, yet was ap-

prehensive about the potential consequences. When asked how subversive challenges might be, they responded, “How far boundaries are pushed is not something I can control”. The Challenge Club now has a Facebook page with a growing following, and according to the Maharaja will soon start issuing challenges. When pressed to reveal anything about the challenges, all they would say was “Keep an eye out for... unusual clothing”

Comment

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Andrew Barr: A Leader Walkiria Perez, Edited by Graham Downie

Having been in Australia for just two weeks, coming from an island with a questionable political environment (Dominican Republic), it was refreshing to meet ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr. He caught my attention during his speech at the 2016 Students Welcome event, with the words: “A city that doesn’t open cannot grow”. He was one of the last to leave the venue, taking countless pictures and listening to the endless number of people who wanted to speak with him. His behaviour left me curious about his leadership style, so I asked him for a personal interview for one of my classes, and he agreed. Two months later I was in his office, as he honoured his commitment to a non-voter. His London Circuit office, full of young attentive public officials, was a relaxing first step to calm my first-time-interviewer anxiety. I began by asking how he renewed his passion when leadership became tiresome. He said it was good to go to different places to get a different perspective, and that there were cities with similar issues to those facing Canberra. “It can be useful to be in a different location, it gives you a sense of perspective and helps you to appreciate how good your home city is.” Barr told me that it can be very challenging to manage people who do not agree with him, but that he accepts that there are some people he will never convince. In others, he said, he will invest his time and effort in an attempt to persuade them, then indicating that it can take “a lot of patience and a sense of humour.” Dealing with criticism is part of what you signed up in politics, and Andrew said it is important to distinguish political party motivated criticism from genuine criticism. “I’ve come to accept that there are some people for whom I can point out the window and say, ‘Oh it is a nice sunny day’, and because I have said it, they will disagree. Others might disagree with me on one particular issue, but not necessarily have a starting point of opposing everything that I would do.... It is also important to remember that even in a very good election, half

Andrew also reiterated the importance of finding time to rest. He said, “I know it is an old cliché but I think is certainly true. I find my days are very long, but that the weeks, months and years go by very quickly. That is the other challenge of leadership: how quickly things happen, and how if you don’t manage your time and you don’t focus… things will happen and before you know it a whole lot of time [will have] passed.”

the people are not going to vote for you.” Talking to Andrew I came to realise that one of the biggest challenges he faces is to stay connected with the needs of the people who have trusted him. The time of year, no doubt, influences how much time he has to devote to people. Preparing for the ACT budget and the election, for example, produce a heavy workload. Despite this, however, contends that “it is always important to strive for that balance with time spent out in the community.” In addition to this, Andrew says, “I have a group of friends and family, and I guess I’d describe them as a group of independent stakeholders who can assist in providing that sort of grounding advice.” Then there are his staff, about which Andrew states, “There’s no point employing advisers you don’t listen to.” Asked how he would like to be remembered he said that since coming into office, things had already changed, before adding, “But I hope that the time to remember legacies is a little way away.” No matter how far off, Andrew likes to think he will make a difference, and that Canberra will be more nationally and internationally engaged. He hopes that Canberra will have a larger and more diverse population, with a larger economy that supports more jobs and ensures more inclusion and equality. Commenting on his leadership style he says, “You need to be able to work effectively with a variety of different people. That does require changes

in approaches or endeavours, to understand how other politicians and public servants might view a particular problem.” He added, however, that sometimes he disagrees that there is a problem at all as there are some people who need to keep busy and are always looking for solutions to a ‘problem’. Andrew indicated then while people may be in a panic saying, ‘We need to do something about this’, he might respond, “Do we?” “You certainly do need to learn how to sort through and prioritise what really is important. Because you will never have all of the resources you need to solve all the problems people will present.” Andrew says the most respected leaders are the people who can listen, and who then have the capacity to translate what they hear into something practical. Without this skill, one is just reflecting what they hear and not adding any value to it. In the 18 months since becoming ACT Chief Minister Andrew says he has learned there are plenty of people who will tell him things can’t happen, or won’t happen, or who will find a hundred reasons why he can’t do something. It is important, therefore, not to rush into things without thinking about the implications and consequences. Also, he says, it is always important to maintain an optimistic and goal-oriented outlook, because it is very easy to get bogged down by these one hundred reasons and find that “nothing will ever be done, and you look will back on it and think, ‘What did I actually achieve in that leadership role’.”

At times Andrew has to remind himself to be more patient, not to waste opportunities, and to fully understand the implications of all his decisions. From the vantage point of being 43, these are wisdoms that have come with time and experience. “There are a lot of mistakes that you make along the way”, he told me. Some, he stressed, are necessary and you can learn from. Others, however, will make “you look back and shake your head and say, ‘What were you thinking? How could you possibly have thought of that?’ But there we go, that is also part of life.” When I left Andrew’s office my past curiosity was replaced with admiration and wonder. I had asked everything I wanted to ask, and even took photos with a photo of Mr Paul Keating, his favourite and most admired political figure, in the background.

photography by Walkiria Perez

Comment

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

Will Trump be the death of America? James Frost

Could a civil war in the United States ever happen again?

edge was on full display in July at the GOP Convention, when Trump’s senior campaign advisor, Al Baldasaro, openly declared that Clinton should be shot for treason. This call for actual retribution came only months after Trump first hinted that his supporters would turn to violence if the GOP held him back from the party nomination. A violent undercurrent has clearly been brewing.

Today, more than ever, it does appear to be a real possibility. This time, however, it will not be a war fought between the Northern and Southern states (though it could easily mirror such a split), but between the far right-wing and a perceived illegitimate government in Washington. You may say this sounds overly hyperbolic; but is it?

It was in early August, however, that Trump planted the most fertile of seeds for future violence.

Granted, we probably won’t wake up tomorrow to find the news filled with reports of legions of gun-toting rednecks taking up their Second Amendment rights by storming the White House. Nor are we likely to see a new Confederation form after Hillary Clinton’s likely election victory this November.

At a press conference, Trump appeared to support violent resistance towards any future Democratic President that attempted to impose gun controls. With the national and international news media fixed on his every word, Trump declared that, “If [Hillary Clinton] gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks,” before adding, “Although the Second Amendment people — maybe there is, I don’t know.”

Violent conflict, however, could be much closer than we think. What we are witnessing in America today, with the rise of Donald Trump, is nothing short of the greatest rupture to the fabric of US politics since the outbreak of the American Civil. Indeed, one has to look no further than Trump’s Presidential campaign to see that there is something very unusual and potentially violent being unleashed on American politics, and society at-large. Even before Trump’s arrival on the political scene in May 2015, political scientists had pointed out that social polarisation was at levels previously unseen in America. Indeed, research carried out by the PEW Research Centre in 2014 showed that not only were Republicans’ and Democrats’ ideologically further apart than ever, but that almost a third of Democrats and 36% of polled Republicans viewed the other side as actual threats to the nation’s well-being. In this type of environment, it only takes a small spark to convince one side that other poses such a threat, that violence is the only legitimate solution. Enter bomb thrower extraordinaire: Donald Trump. Trumps entry to the Republican Primary race came at the most op-

portune time a populist demagogue could ever dream of. With suspicion and antipathy for their political opponents’ at an all-time high, all a cunning, power hungry politician needed to do, was stoke the fires of anger, fear and hate latent in American society, drawing out a rich vein of popular support – and this is exactly what we have seen over the past year. The violent and aggressive tendencies of a certain section of American society have been given a voice. Directed at minorities, immigrants, protesters, Democrats, and even fellow Republicans, the expression of what was initially burning frustration, has

morphed into something resembling a mood of ‘pre-violence’. The manifestation of this enmity is on display regularly, almost on a daily basis. Trump’s rallies epitomise this. They have understandably gained a name for themselves over the past year as frenzied arenas of leader worship and anger: a Nuremburg-esque spectacle, more big-show than focused evil, but with a dark and sinister vibe. Trump’s recent behaviour has reached dangerous new levels. In his constant attempts to secure free publicity by making news headlines, the rhetoric Trump and his team use has exceeded all acceptable limits. This sinister

Equally as concerning is that Trump appears to be setting the scene to argue, in the event of a loss, that Clinton’s win was thanks to a “rigged” election. This would make a Clinton presidency, in the eyes of Trump supporters, illegitimate. With over 14 million American’s voting for Trump in the primaries, this could easily create a political crisis - or maybe even open hostilities by an extreme rightwing group of Trump supporters, who are heavily armed and extremely agitated by the government’s control over anything that impacts on their perceived ‘freedoms’. With any luck, none of these dark forces will combine in the way I am suggesting they could. There is just as much likelihood that common sense will eventually prevail, with the populist character of Trump fully exposed, and the potential for violence fizzling out in the process. However, if there’s anything that this election campaign has already taught us, it is to ‘expect the unexpected’.

Comment

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Monarchists Anonymous Guy Exton Deep down, you love the monarchy. You accept that it’s impractical, you know it runs on tax payers’ money, you’re jealous of Kate Middleton, but you love them. The reason you love them is because of this very impracticality.

Indeed, I agree that Australian politics has lost the trust of the Australian people. I am, after all, an Australian citizen, and I just witnessed a disgustingly low vote for the Natural Party of Government (the Coalition (obviously)).

If you judge the monarchy and Australia’s place beneath it based on its ‘practicality’, you miss the point. Australia’s head of state is not there to be efficient - quite the opposite. The Queen is there to be a figurehead, to command respect, and personify Australia’s – and a quarter of the world’s – history. History matters because we are just living on the next page of it. If history doesn’t matter, today doesn’t matter - so we must value history. And so, the monarchy matters.

But, my fellow Australians, you are heading down the wrong path if you believe that throwing away a lot of what makes Australia great will revolutionise the Australian political system overnight. A half-hearted Republican push is not going to improve the Australian system. Think of this as Australia’s Brexit.

I challenge you to fault the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Your head of state literally fought the Nazis in World War II. She entertains presidents and has to shake hands with dirty school children. She is the longest ruling monarch and a great-grandmother. What have you done today?

the indigenous peoples of the new world and argue that this mismanagement outweighs any good our ancestors achieved. I am not arguing for the glorification of the dark pages of our history, I am arguing for the good ones. The Monarchy should mould to current day opinion, and reflect its subjects. Indigenous Australians and Australians from abroad ought not feel uninvited from the party that is the Monarchy, but should rally towards its open doors. The monarchy should be a source of pride for all who live beneath it.

Australia’s history is the history of discovery, of bravery, and of expansion. The rock through the good and the bad has been the monarchy - and it now serves as a history which should be used to inspire the future. Change for the sake of change is inefficient, but change out of desperation is dangerous.

I agree the monarchy is not perfect, but we should not deem it beyond repair. Many Australian’s feel disconnected, or even just uninformed, about our head of State. I would advocate for a renewed push of pride for the monarchy - the type of push that led Australians to name states after Queen Victoria, to volunteer and die to serve the empire against evils, and to build statues of our leaders.

Some, of course, disagree. Some will point to atrocities committed against

In classic millennial style, my readers are asking themselves what can they

get out of it. I would reply, ask not what your monarchy can do for you, but what you can do for your monarchy. If the past doesn’t convince you, perhaps the dystopian future will. Picture a future with Tony Abbott as President of Australia. That phrase was hard to type. If you’re telling yourself you’d never elect him, you already did in 2013. Far better to live under an unelected but dignified monarchy with no real power, than under an elected but humiliating President with executive authority. So, Australia, vote no for a republic. If Australia replaces the monarchy with a power hungry Australian president, I guarantee you will wake up the next day and feel as if a little bit of you has died.

FREE PUBLIC LECTURE Dr Karl Kruszelnicki

MONDAY OCTOBER 24 @ 6.30 PM LLEWELLYN HALL, William Herbert Place, ANU ADMISSION RSVP for

IS FREE numbers at

ALL WELCOME www.andrewleigh.com

Be a part of Doctor Karl’s mission to interpret the beauty and the mystery of the scientific world around us. The Fenner Lecture series is hosted by the Federal Member for Fenner, Andrew Leigh. With the new electorate of Fenner having been named after the scientist Frank Fenner, who better to christen the series than our most prolific and well known populariser of science, Karl “The Doctor” Kruszlenicki.

PRESENTED BY LABOR’S NORTHSIDE REPRESENTATIVE

Andrew Leigh MP

Authorised by Andrew Leigh, 8/1 Torrens St. Braddon 2612

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

Comment

What Counts as Violence Against Women? Vaishnavi Rathinam

Content Warning: domestic violence, PTSD Half a year ago, a psychologist explained to me that the troubles I’d described having with my ex boyfriend constituted as a domestic violence relationship. I tried to swallow this as he told me about methods of therapy available to PTSD sufferers. Months after the break up, I was fatigued, underweight, suffering anxiety attacks at work, and experiencing episodes of anger so intense they scared me. My body froze up the moment any man got too close, or raised his voice. Eventually this pushed me to quit my job and take program leave from ANU, because the thought of leaving my house and setting eyes on my ex or anyone who knew him made me hyperventilate. This was what had led me to finally visit the psychologist, as well as a GP. They both told me I was experiencing trauma, and that it often followed abusive relationships. Even then, I struggled to digest that I could really be a victim of domestic violence. So I looked around – in my life, on TV, in everything I read – for a woman who reflected my experience. But I couldn’t find one. Of course, I knew about the issue of violence against women, as did my friends and family. But I couldn’t connect the discussions and images that I saw of the issue, with my own personal experience. All I’d seen in the media were men who were obviously monsters, and women cowering underneath them. This was what the people around me said counted as abuse.

My past relationship, however, wasn’t as black and white. I didn’t feel sure I counted as a victim, nor he as an abuser.

Yes, he’d gotten in my face during arguments. Yes, he’d put his hands around my neck. Yes, he’d treated ‘no’ as a contest. Yes, he’d told me that his being obviously superior, as well as a man, made it only natural for him to claim control of the relationship. It’s crazy to me now, but at the time I, and everyone in our social circle, remained unconvinced this was sufficient to be abuse. Why? Because I’d often argued back, sometimes publicly. He’d never actually hit me. I hadn’t run away, moved out of the home we shared, or even complained much. In fact, he left me. I simply didn’t ‘look’ like a woman who’d experienced abuse, and my ex didn’t look like a man who’d perpetrated it. I was ashamed my body was reacting as if I’d experienced a severe trauma, when nobody around me believed I had. I wanted to know that there were other women in my shoes too, but I was unsure - a trial of ‘What counts?’ ensued in my head. Does it count if when he screams, you yell back? Does it count if other people saw, but didn’t feel the need to step in? Does it count if the trauma takes months to surface? Does it count if you’re typically confident, outspoken, a feminist, or if your friends and family keep saying they can’t believe it because you’re supposed to be ‘smart’ or ‘strong’? Does it count if your entire social network picks his side over yours, drops contact with you, and suddenly you’re the one with a terrible reputation? Does it count if he’s well liked, has female friends, if he walks by you on campus like he never hurt you? Does he have to leave marks? Whose stamp of approval do women need to get before what we experienced is ‘real’? I’d seen many people talk about violence against women, but the narrow-minded images depicting such violence left me alienated and confused. I didn’t want to pick between being the naïve, frail victim, or the drama queen fabricating abuse. Other women don’t need the insulting burden of this choice either. Pigeonholing what violence against women looks like reveals a troubling societal belief that abuse can only occur between certain ‘types’ of men and women, or that the abuse needs to

be extreme. Women who have experienced violence may find they don’t qualify as what a victim ‘looks like’, and feel required to justify how what they suffered is legitimate. The Stanford rape victim was repeatedly shamed for being intoxicated at the time of her assault. Plenty of media coverage regarding Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s divorce focused on her bisexuality and the couple’s age gap, labelling him a heartthrob and her a promiscuous gold digger. Time and time again we see heavily traumatized women forced to build a case to present to a society that’s eager to pounce on anything she may have done wrong - be it not being broken enough, or having a lesser reputation than her abuser.

The truth is this: with the frequency that violence against women occurs, we can’t afford to pretend it is limited to ‘certain types’ of men and women. Considering that macho talk and rape jokes are still widely deemed banter, and being groped while at a club is just considered ‘what happens’, it’s time

we recognise that this issue is about men and women - period. But in reality, we’re afraid to consider that violence could be committed by guys we’re friends with, guys we go to class with, guys who may have shouted us a drink when we’re out. We’re also afraid to admit that victims of violence may not be restricted to naïve, one-dimensional women who don’t exist, but instead can be true for real women: women with pasts, personalities and experiences of their own; women who seem and indeed are smart and strong; women who we work with, sit next to, or see at parties. Maybe even women whose stories we’ve automatically doubted, that go deeper than the arguments with her partner over which we’ve cast a tactful eye - the women whose struggles we’ve undermined. We all want to cling to the idea that the type of men who perpetrate violence are men we’d never associate with, and that therefore, the women we know could not possibly be victims. But the reality is, abusive relationships are comprised of many complex dynamics. Assault can occur in a variety of circumstances. Victims of emotional and physical violence don’t, and will never, all look the same. Some women may ‘fit’ the image of a victim more than others and some abusers may look a lot ‘nicer’ than others - so what are we as a society saying when we callously play a game of pick and choose regarding the women whose pain we deem real? We’re struggling to recognise violence against women when it happens around us. But with the statistics we’re dealing with, we can be sure that if it hasn’t already, then at some point, it will. When it does, we all need to have the courage to identify it, and the integrity to insist that it is always unacceptable. If we don’t, then we as a society have deeply wronged the women who will be left wondering when they’ve suffered enough for it to really ‘count’.

COMMENT

Issue 11, Vol. 66

The grief and fear of losing a friend to domestic violence Sarah Edwards

CONTENT WARNING: Domestic Violence, Violence, Murder

domestic violence. Obviously, I’ve always known that to be horrifying and unacceptable. Now, however, my rational thoughts are connected to a deep, immediate fear, rather than to the background discomfort of knowing the statistics. I am reminded of the thoughts I’ve had many times before, and now they make my hands shake. Things like the fact that no matter how much I exercise, I will never be able to prevent a full grown man from hurting me, if that’s what he wants to do. That there is nothing I can do which guarantees that I can maintain control over what happens to my own body. That obsession and entitlement is prevalent in so many of our relationships, and is inevitable in the end. That by interacting in society, in even the most basic way, we are exposing ourselves to the risk that we will attract the attention of a man who will cast us as the damsel in his fairy tale romance. That these men might decide that their fantasies are more important than our happiness, or our freedom, or our lives. That there is no safe course of action, no preventative measure great enough to keep women safe from these delusions and desires. That no matter how careful we are, no matter how clear our judgment may be, there is never a guarantee that we are safe.

Last week, Eve* was murdered by her ex-boyfriend. He forced entry into the house that she was staying in, and he killed her with an axe. Eve had been a friend of mine when I lived in France six years ago. We had been in the same class at school, and we were part of the same friendship group. She was always, unfailingly kind to me, which was not a given at the time, with my broken French and foreign accent. We ate together in the school cafeteria and we danced and smoked together at parties. Eve smoked too much - playing basketball in P.E. made her grip her ribs in shortbreathed pain. Eve and our friend Alice* sat in front of me during our five-hour cinema studies classes on Thursday afternoons, and they giggled through every film we watched. They had shared a room at the boarding house, and by the time I knew them they were inseparable - the archetype of teenage female friendship. Now Eve no longer exists, and the body that used to be hers is hacked and bloodied and empty. I hadn’t seen Eve in years, nor even spoken to her. Her death does not change my day-to-day life, but still, the horror is fresh and raw in me. I tell people that I “can’t get it out of my head,” and in truth, I’m not sure that I want to. Eve was viciously, violently murdered at the age of 21, and I worry that the second that I reconcile that with normality in my mind I will somehow contribute to the finality and the brutality of it all. It’s absurd, I know, but the idea of a world in which Eve’s murder is no longer so much as a thought in our minds, is somehow worse than a world in which I see her face, and imagine the terror of her final moments, every time my focus wanders. I suppose it’s an attempt to make my reaction an accurate reflection of

We all live in this world. We live in a world in which Eve has been killed, and in which soon enough we will, for the most part, think of that fact with the same clinical detachment we use to discuss historical battlefields. A world in which risk is ever-present, where fear is unavoidable and accepted, and in which statistics somehow don’t represent people in our minds until the slowly rising death toll finally claims someone that we know. the world. This is, after all, a world so brutal, and so senseless, that the body of a young, healthy woman is lying broken in a morgue in France, and the man who put her there is still talking to his loved ones, feeling air on his skin, and comforting himself in sleep and love and distraction. I feel like I need to maintain a certain sickness just to fit into this place.

She must have been so scared. To be killed by an axe, of all things, by a man who had decided that she was better off being dead than being happy without him. I know it isn’t rare. I know that women die in Australia at a rate higher than one per week as a result of

Rest in peace, Eve. The world is sadder, bleaker, and more frightening without you. *Names have been changed to protect identity Photography by Joanne Leong

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

COMMENT

Intellectual Safe Spaces & Tribes on Campus Shamim Mazari

Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called ‘trigger warnings,’ we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own. These words have achieved such notoriety over the past month that they don’t need much introduction. In case you’ve been living under a rock without Wi-Fi since August, this paragraph was part of a letter sent to incoming freshmen by the Dean of Students at Chicago University. It went viral – part of a broader debate at many campuses around trigger warnings and safe spaces, and the impact they have (if any) on freedom of speech.

not, university is a tribal environment. We’re tribal by instinct. Far from being a single society, university life is formed around different communities, subcultures and social circles which resist homogenisation. We like to take part in the broader community, but we also retreat back to a small circle of friends. This might be two or three people we meet ev-

day, when clubs and societies venture out into natural sunlight to set up stalls and find new recruits. The best clubs are able to promote, preach and persuade, to convince the vaguely interested passer-by why it’s worth paying five dollars and surrendering their email address. The best argument to join a club, I think, is for the community and support. The best clubs be-

For many, the dean’s letter came off as unwelcoming and authoritarian; antithetical to the idea that university is a place where diversity is encouraged. But I don’t think it’s so surprising when you consider what a university aims to be. Think about its etymology. It comes from the Latin universitas, which in turn derives from universus, “all turned into one.” When first applied to the University of Bologna in 1088, the term “university” referred to the student body as a single society, community or guild. Modern universities, while drawing on a diverse student population, still like to create something of a single society. A homogenised diversity. To understand the dean’s dislike of intellectual safe spaces, we have to look at how universities design student spaces and imagine they’ll be used. Think about the cultural geography of college dorms, residences and common rooms. They’re designed to bring a diverse mix of people together - and, in addition to Christian chaplaincies and Muslim prayer rooms, most universities I know also have a “multifaith space”. I’ve never seen one of these work as planned, but perhaps, in the university’s imagination, this is a space where Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and Christians will come together to talk shared theology, meditate together and make friends. These spaces don’t seem to work as they’re intended because, like it or

also a place to get help with essays and assignments, and debate what we learned in class. Reflecting on these experiences as an undergrad, I started wondering what this idea of intellectual safe spaces meant for new students on campus. Especially for those coming from a minority background, whose ideas about the world might be fundamentally at odds with the type of knowledge taught, and encouraged, at universities. I’m thinking of students from a religious background – the obvious example (to the point of being a cliché) is the Muslim or Christian student who doesn’t believe in evolution but ends up doing a degree in biology. This wasn’t me, but I knew a few, and the MSA sometimes became an intellectual safe space where faith which had been questioned in the tutorial room could be reaffirmed. As a member of a minority or subculture on campus, it was good to have a community who appreciated and shared the way I saw the world. It was good to have my own space to hang out, to make a cup of green tea, and always know a friend would come in. It was almost a better place to study because it came to resemble home. I’d imagine that other spaces on campus – women’s rooms, Queer spaces, chaplaincies – serve a similar function of being safe spaces and sanctuaries.

ery day at our favourite café, or have lunch with under a particular tree in the park, or play pool in the evening with over a craft beer. To me, this is what an intellectual safe space is. Not everyone is allowed in, and nor should they be. This is a sanctuary, a retreat from the academy, a place to critique the classroom. And for many, these spaces are vital for getting through university in one piece. When formalised, these spaces become clubs and societies. The most beautiful example of this is on market

come safe spaces for their members. What the dean was afraid of is when these become echo chambers. I joined the Muslim Students Association (MSA) in my first week of university, and it became my home, and sanctuary, for the rest of my undergrad degree. We had a prayer space (musalla) on campus. I rarely prayed there though. It was more a space to form friendships. To have community. To talk and debate. To sleep when I had stayed up till 3am writing an essay the night before. It was

That said, we all need to get out of our intellectual safe zones more. And perhaps, if welcome, venture into other people’s safe spaces. Don’t join a group, or go to a specific bar or café, just to hang out with your own people. Atheists should check out Bible study, at least once. Christians should knock on the Muslim prayer room door, or attend an Eid celebration. Muslims should try mindfulness meditation, and stay for a Buddhist discussion on reincarnation afterwards. They all need to go to at least one event hosted by the atheist society. Flat-Earthers need to go to barbeque hosted by the Black Hole Society. If you hate rap music, join the Kanye Appreciation Society. Listen. Engage. Debate. Be converted, if only for a moment. photograph from the woroni archives

COMMENT

Issue 11, Vol. 66

It’s Quotas or Nothing Aditi Razdan

Disclaimer: I am aware I do not discuss non-major parties or the private sector, as that would extend the issue beyond the word limit I could work with. Systemic sexism cannot be explored in just one article.

any party with mechanisms in place to hold the anachronistic to account, and make their actions a rarity rather than the norm. Quotas force people (men) to give up their institutional and societal privilege. Quotas force progression through institutional upheaval. The reality has always been that no social change or activist movement will ever be welcomed with open arms by the beneficiaries of the existing system. You would like some citation? See every progressive cause ever.

It is 2016, so why are we still debating whether equal representation is an absolute necessity in politics? Quotas have markedly improved women’s participation in politics - an arena that is mandated to represent all genders. Far too often I hear that someone “does not believe in quotas because they believe in merit, and quotas are in fact, condescending to women”. Cool, I believe in merit too. I just believe the metric for merit is one that recognizes men’s achievements, and I don’t believe that men are more meritorious than women. Unless you subscribe to a 1950s stream of overt sexism, you wouldn’t consider women inferior in capability or skill. So actually, what I find condescending is the implication that women aren’t equally represented because… they are somehow less meritorious. Women make up the majority of university graduates, bar a few sectors; women are socialized to juggle numerous expectations; women bear the burden of the community sector which advocates for the most vulnerable in our society - domestic violence and rape survivors, ethnic minorities and legal aid; and women’s voices in parliament and the public arena have catalysed progressive causes. So if we both believe in merit, what is your explanation for why the Coalition in Federal government has the lowest representation of women in 20 years? Why do women make up just 14% of the National Party, and 22% of the Liberal Party in the lower house? The other major party does not have this problem, though there are no surprises why… they have had quotas in place since the 1990s. Frankly, the Labor Party’s announcement that it would institute 50/50 quotas by 2025 couldn’t have come sooner, because fairness isn’t fairness until I am equally represented by the policy makers who determine the future of my country, and by extension, my future as well. There are a few familiar responses people use to explain why there are so few women in the quota-less Coalition in comparison to Labor, whilst maintaining they aren’t sexist and believe in merit.

What has to be understood is that fairness doesn’t exist in a structure that privileges one group (men), and merely hopes for the best outcome for women through lip service. Fairness is deconstructing the structures that hold one group back, that degrade them, that discourage them and shut them out of political discourse. One is that ‘women choose to step away from these roles… childbearing blah blah… domestic duties, family life blah blah’. Sorry did I miss something? Are Labor women having less babies than would-be Coalition women? Are Labor women negligent mothers whilst would-be Coalition women prioritize their children above all else? Or is it that the ideological agenda of the Coalition does not uplift these women, but instead, communicates that their roles are in the home. Is it that quotas do the opposite, and offer women a choice - in the way that it is a choice to stay home – to be involved in public discourse?

more women available for pre-selection, and by extension, election. To accept this would be a cop-out, and not in the Coalition’s best interests - there is a wealth of voter potential out there. Making an ideology more attractive to women will come about by including more women in the discourse, in the shaping of policy, and in the subsequent communication with electorates.

I support a woman’s choice to remain/ return to the workplace (in this case, politics), as well as her choice to be the primary caregiver at home. This logic also extends to men and their choice to shun traditional expectations that they bear the financial burden. Realistically, quotas will never “force” a woman to choose to return to or become involved in Party work rather than be the primary caregiver within the home. Instead, they support and uplift the choices - in the face of institutional barriers and unconscious bias - of the women who do choose to return to/remain at work.

This brings me to the most perplexing excuse of all: barriers. This vague term usually references some mixture of a “woman’s choice to stay home” and other “reasons” why women aren’t in politics. I think what is usually being referred to are the institutional barriers in place. The often male dominated pre-selection panels, and the years lost by women who look after a family, allowing apt time for men to build resumes and solidify the practice of backroom “favours” that are just a guise for middle-aged boys clubs. This practice plagues both major parties, and it shuts out many minorities and disadvantaged people. Labor unions, for instance, can be hyper-masculine, very Anglo-dominated and just another boys club. I will never defend any of this, no matter what party participates in it. What I will defend, however, is any party that actually addresses this beyond Malcolm Turnbull-esque displays of “feminism”. I will defend

Another explanation often thrown around relates to ‘ideological differences’ – i.e. maybe the major parties’ ideologies are vastly different, and maybe this has led to one that uplifts women in recognition of their merit and one that does not. Maybe the Labor ideology is more attractive to women, so there are proportionately

Do you know how to actually start to include women, to normalize their voices, and evolve our system into one that shifts the metric for merit away from male-centrism? Quotas.

Expecting me to work in a system that privileges certain men, whether it be in politics or the private sector, embodies inequality. The belief that “quotas are unfair to men” is a testament to the sense of entitlement certain groups are born with. It is not “unfair” to close the existing, unjust gaps. There is finite space within political parties, political discourse, company boards etc. Therefore, it is only logical that in the pursuit of equality, the group that takes up a disproportionate amount of space relinquishes some. I don’t see why I should be expected to accept the unfairness that is our dismal representation of women in the party that governs, but others (often, but not always, men) won’t accept an “unfairness” that would literally see their political voices being valued and respected equally to their female colleagues and opposition. Losing the upper hand you have been afforded because of ingrained inequality is not unfair; it is the reality of being an ally. Remember, if you’re not an ally, then you’re complicit in discriminatory structures, even if you don’t fancy yourself a 1950s overt sexist. Women have traditionally been shut out from discourse and public life having limited opportunities for public roles; we naturally took on the private roles. There are layers and layers of sexism that need to be unpacked, unpicked and destroyed, and quotas are a great and necessary part of this process. photograph from the woroni archives

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

COMMENT

Responses to “HO-ME-PHOBE – A Message to the Str8Acting Silent Majority” HANNAH W Dear Nic, In Woroni you wrote that you “do not feel the need to continually flaunt [your] sexuality”, and I also share this attitude. This does not, however, mean that I’m not visibly queer. I don’t believe having short hair and a girlfriend, who I don’t hesitate to clarify is not my roommate, means that I am flaunting my sexuality as a bisexual woman. Put simply: I have had a different experience, and mine is absolutely affected by internalised homophobia. I’m growing my hair out. I’m excited about it. It’s not even going to be a huge change, but enough to make a difference and I’m god damn excited about it. I first had it cut when I was fifteen, sixteen maybe, in the holidays between years nine and ten. My hairdresser was an older gay man, who was probably happy to usher in a visibly queer identity for the awkward girl in the chair in front of him. He fucked it up. He gave me a mullet. I don’t know about you, but I’m still not good at being confident and forthright to hairdressers as they snip away at my hair, let alone when I was younger. So I walked away from that experience with an awkward haircut that I wasn’t able to shake until year twelve. A short haircut. A ‘lesbian’ haircut. I grew up in a reasonably small place in Tasmania, and was remarkably lucky not to have had it worse. I appreciate that. Hell, I feel like I’m giving up and betraying my visibly queer brothers, sisters and siblings by giving in and trying to be ‘more feminine’ whatever that means - by growing my hair out. At the crux of it, I just want to try something different, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit there are going to be benefits from looking more straight. Yet, exactly like you said in your article, traits of perceived masculinity or femininity are not ‘gay’ or ‘straight’, but rather, just traits in general... But I don’t think you managed to stick to this wonderful sentiment as your discussion progressed, and I admit I haven’t either. Having short hair but being a little more, lanky-nerd-music-stu-

dent-bi than muscly-androgynous-or-butch-lesbian has made me resent those who fit into the latter group. This is hateful, and uncomfortable to admit, because it’s an ugly side of my own journey to self-acceptance that I’m still trying to shake. There is a line that we LGB folk seem to recognise. That is, “I’m ‘queer’ in ways A, B & C but I’m not D so it’s chill.” In my desperation to not fit a stereotype I have been cruel, and wanted to distance myself from those who do perform the queer woman stereotype in the way they dress and act. I cannot provide the answers to all these uncomfortable conflicts, and there’s a lot more to be done within the community before we can do so. I wish only to question your desire for your fellow str8-acting bros to come out so you’re no longer stereotyped alongside the femme qualities you seem to dislike. I’d like to make the point that the weak wristed, lisping, yaaaasssss queens to whom you refer might well be performing these stereotypes out of internalised homophobia of their own - or they might just be most comfortable that way. Personally, I found the words you used a little condescending and upsetting to read. Perhaps that is not how you meant them to come across, in fact I’m sure you didn’t, however, I read them as the mirror of what I once felt, and saw them as similar in sentiment. There is a lot of pressure to be a part of the ‘gay’ club, and if you haven’t had a privileged school experience (like you and I have), it is beyond reasonable to wear a badge and wave a flag in the hope of fostering pride within yourself. It’s not fair of us to condemn it. In this open letter to you, I simply want to recognise that I am growing my hair out, at least in part, to prevent me from being labelled a butch lesbian or ‘the man’ in my relationship. This choice is motivated by the internal and external homophobia and biphobia that I have experienced for years - it just is. Love, Hannah

Lawrence Rogers An article in the latest Woroni, ‘HOME-PHOBE – A Message to the Str8-Acting Silent Majority’ by Nic Bills, has grossly misrepresented the gay community. There are several issues with his discussion of gay identity that are frustrating, due to their lack of accuracy in representing genuine perceptions of the gay community, both internally and externally. Nic argues that there is a “misconception that being gay and being masculine are somehow mutually exclusive”. He also emphasises that there are two oppositional stereotypes for gay people: the ‘femmes’ – the “Meryl Streep-loving sass queens with loose wrists and lisps”, and the ‘str8-acting’ – a stereotype that “exemplifies more masculine traits and strongly contrasts with being ‘femme’”. He then goes on to say that because of the prevalence of the ‘femme’ stereotype, the “str8-acting, silent majority” are discouraged from coming out, due to their apprehension of being labelled as a part of the “perceivably pejorative stereotype” of the ‘femme’. The problem is, that although Nic attempts to challenge stereotypes, his argument actually strengthens them. I am neither ‘femme’ nor ‘str8-acting’, and I most definitely do not think about the gay community in these terms. I may have traits of both of these purported categories – I love Carly Rae Jepson, colourful clothing, going to the gym, rowing and having a goss in the college bathrooms while I shower with my friends. I don’t feel as though I fit into either of these stereotypes, and I don’t shape myself to be a part of them. I, like Nic, would argue that being gay is only one part of my identity, and that I don’t feel the need to “flaunt” my sexuality. The way, however, that Nic writes about a divide in the gay community only strengthens the stereotypes he calls to discredit. He simultaneously says these stereotypes must be challenged, whilst advocating a new regime of the dual ‘femme’ – ‘str8-acting’ spectrum. He is so heavily focused on these two opposing stereotypes that he fails to realize what it would actually mean to challenge them.

Nic asserts that he doesn’t feel the need to “flaunt” his sexuality, yet he calls upon the supposed ‘majority’ of gays that don’t want to come out – due to a fear of being associated with a ‘pejorative stereotype’ – to come out, so that the exclusive stereotype of the femme gay can be broken down. This is problematic for two reasons: Firstly, it assumes that there is actually a ‘majority’ of gay people who feel they are ‘str8-acting’, which he doesn’t substantiate in any way. This assumption misidentifies the whole gay community, and attempts to stereotype gay men as a group that fit mostly within the traditional heterosexual male norm. Secondly, it assumes that being associated with ‘femmes’ is something negative. Even if, as Nic claims, one doesn’t have anything against ‘femmes’ personally, the fact that a gay man may not want to come out, purely because of fear of association, suggests an internalized discrimination against this stereotype. Just breaking down the ‘femme’ stereotype will not stop discrimination against gay men. Nic’s experiences of being at a high school and not encountering discrimination do not translate to every masculine gay man. A friend of mine went to a same-sex school in which even the rugby captain, who was known to be gay, was often ridiculed and only (barely) passed the ‘masculinity’ test because of his role in school sport. Being associated with limp-wrists and Kylie Minogue isn’t what causes discrimination. Homophobia is something much more nuanced than that, and the cause of it cannot be attributed to a single stereotype. If the worst thing Nic thinks he could be called is ‘Gay Nic’, he should really think of something better to write about.

Comment

Issue 11, Vol. 66

(Inter)National Nitpickery Curious about world news, events or the occasional Australian political blunder? Every edition, we’ll be deconstructing politics and topical events from the outside world, poking the shitty bits with a nice long stick and commenting on its tangy smell. Perhaps we’ll find a nugget of golden wisdom lurking within?

How to Run a First Week Back Adrian Hindes

Everyone’s favourite right-wingman, Andrew Bolt, recently asked both Jeff Kennet and Peta Credlin a reasonably simple question “Can you name the achievements of the Turnbull government after one year in office?” - which received a resounding “...uh” and “um, well…” that was slightly awkward. It’s not like he was asking about last week’s shit flailing contest specifically. Seriously, not even uni students are so good at procrastinating that we’d get nothing done in an entire year. Okay, maybe that’s being a bit harsh - Turnbull’s government did manage to quite successfully piss off climate activists and the Australian LGBT and Muslim communities all in quick succession! I mean, if we want to get into the nitty gritty political details, they did sign a

piece of paper saying “free trade agreement”, and I think I recall hearing the word “innovation” a while back on some national agenda. But we’re forgetting their biggest success of all - winning the election! Obviously, the only reason Turnbull and Co. hadn’t gotten much done before the teacher came round to check their work was because they didn’t have all their pals at the desk. With a majority government, surely things will now start moving forward. If you happened to take a moment over the break to catch up on the news, you may have heard about their most recent victory regarding the royal banking commission in the House of Reps, which the pesky Opposition keeps bugging them about. Would you believe it, three pollies decided to go home early,

giving way to a swift and easy majority vote, pulled right out from under their noses! Wait - shit, I’ve got my left and right mixed up, it was Labor who did that - winning three consecutive votes in favour of the royal commission move, while some lazy Liberals decided to skip the debate. Damn sneaky move from left field, resulting in a literally historic (and hysteric) parliamentary result, with the majority government losing a vote in the Lower House for the first time since 1962. Unfortunately, the “stunt” didn’t quite work out entirely thanks to Speaker Tony Smith, who saved the day with his casting vote, buying more time for the latecomers to get back. Looks like we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see the banking commission pay off in its own glorious shitstorm.

Regardless, the Opposition succeeded in embarrassingly highlighting Turnbull’s razor thin majority, in their first week back no less! Lefties weren’t invulnerable to first week slip ups though, what with Labor frontbencher Sam Dastyari shooting himself in the foot with a travel bill payed for by a political donation. Thanks to his inadvertent martyrdom, the Q&A fan favourite finally brought to light the huge stinking gold plated money shitting elephant in the room. As a result, foreign (read: Chinese) political donations are now in the sights of Labor as the next line of attack. Good timing to be honest - with Turnbull’s underwhelming performance, they’ll probably want their money back!

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

Bored? Stressed? At a loss for intellectual stimulation? Well, looks like you need to take a look at a book, my friend. Whether you’re a literary prodigy or a novice at novels, stop by my column to see what to read and what to skip over. Keep on squirming, bookworms!

Respect my Author-ity Alexandra Elgue The Idiot by Dostoyevsky

The Girl on the Train by Yann Martel

You know how it is: it’s the holidays and you’re looking for a good book to pass the time. Well, if it’s a light read you’re after, I would certainly steer clear of this novel, in which Dostoyevsky explores the absurdity and inherent selfishness of the human race. If you weren’t already dripping in cynicism, the story of this Russian prince’s journey through love, war and politics will render you the sarcastic eye-roller your mother always feared. Yet somehow, the book actually retains a playful, tongue-in-cheek style that leaves it an enjoyable read.

Okay, okay, I get it. Thrillers with a strong female lead are making a comeback. Since Gone Girl, it seems that bookshelves are groaning with the weight of ominous looking softcovers promising a twist ending no one will see coming. Still, the Girl on the Train is one of the few books in that genre that managed to crack into the most popular books at the moment, even securing a Hollywood adaptation, starring Emily Blunt.

As a feminist, I must admit to finding his portrayal of women alarmingly narrow-minded: Algalaya and Nastassya, the two female love interests, are nothing if not the embodiment of the Madonna/whore binary. But it seems picky to fixate on this flaw when the rest of the story is bursting with larger-than-life literary creations with barely pronounceable names. The protagonist is a triumph of character development - a complex man from a sheltered home, with a naïve belief in the benevolence of humanity, and a desperate hero complex. Endearing, and never annoying, he acts as a touchstone throughout a story that seems to have very few anchors. The book is something of a roller coaster - mad tangents by the narrator on the issues of love and capital punishment interrupt the manic dialogue. You can actually almost see the writer go off on tangents, before making an effort to drag himself back into the story he decided to write. A relaxing read? Perhaps not, but if you are willing to dive into the madness, Dostoyevsky’s novel might be just crazy enough to keep you hooked.

Speaking of Blunt, I must speak my mind. I did not like this book. Not only did I not like this book, but I had to restrain myself from hurling it at the wall in frustration as I read it. Admittedly, I did not have the highest of expectations, but even my low bar was not met. Perhaps I am being a tad judgemental. The story itself is enjoyable enough, and the tone of mystery is upheld by changing narrative styles and a hefty dollop of foreshadowing. Still, it is hard to back the protagonist, a character who manages to be as frustrating as she is impulsive. Yes, it was a page-turner, but each page was interrupted by me angrily commenting on the stupidity of the main characters’ decisions. My opinion is not a popular one, judging by the widely positive repletion the novel received. So maybe I’m overly critical. Don’t take my word for it… pick up a copy and judge for yourself!

Comment

When Permanent World Peace Comes Juntao Liu We are always trying to find the best final destination for the course of human events. Human beings have experienced, instigated and participated in countless conflicts and clashes over thousands of years. We know that war is always accompanied by the loss of lives - each of these people could have made a great contribution to the society, but do not have the chance, however, because of war. With the development of economics and technology, the world has become smaller and our bond is stronger. Recently, the concept of a “community of human destiny” was emphasized during the 2016 G20 Hangzhou summit. Indeed, human beings are gradually realizing that the common good, to a large extent, is helping others, because we are also helping ourselves. Nations are all better off when they all agree on free trade. Each different country benefits from international cooperation because solidarity is powerful. The destiny of humankind is determined by us, and we only have two choices. One is to continue with war and lead uneasy lives until our own advanced technology destroys our planet. The other is to make war vanish forever. I look forward to the day we begin building a world without war, as then we will enjoy perpetual world peace. It has been proposed that we should start a final war to end all of wars. I strongly disagree with this point of view. The peace kept by force is neither normal nor perpetual. In my opinion, cultivating the spirit of the fraternity of mankind is the most appropriate and desirable way to bring about a permanent state of world peace. We should build a global government of the people, by the people, for the people. Significantly, the establishment of global government would not contradict patriotism. Here is a sound argument: I love both my hometown and my country, which is reasonable because my hometown is

belonged to my country. Similarly, I can love both my country and this world. In my opinion, there are four stages to the pursuit of a permanent state of peace. The first stage is the compulsory advertising and education of this idea - people will need to prepare for the process psychologically, and at the same time acquire sufficient knowledge to accept the decision. The second stage sees all government leaders and experts making a concrete plan together. When the best opportunity comes, the global government will be born – just like the birth of United Nations after World War Two. The third stage is the initial operation of the global government. For instance, some tax revenue must be collected from each country so that, under the universal rules, the funds can be used more appropriately. The final stage can only occur when mature systems are built. At this time, the global army will have the same objective: to fight for world peace and justice. If each stage of the process were carried out flawlessly, human beings would be able to welcome a permanent state of peace in this century. I now quote the words of Percy Bysshe Shelley: “the spring rebels not against winter but it succeeds it - the dawn rebels not against night but it disperses it”. I believe, one day, the flowers of peace in the garden of mankind will be forever in full bloom. I long for this fabulous future from the bottom of my heart.

International

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Indian Female Writers through History Chandrima is a Physics student at ANU, undertaking research in nuclear reaction dynamics. Her column recounts true and inspiring stories of Indian women - from the early medieval ages to modernity - who secured their position in society and combated all odds to shape the future.

I am not looking for a swain but for a pen and paper Chandrima Sengupta

“Am I supposed to talk to neighbours?” - No. “Am I supposed to laugh out loud?” - No. “Am I supposed to run?” - No. “Am I supposed to cry?” - Yes, but silently. These are the only things I learned in my childhood days from my parents. I was born in Pubna district, Bangladesh, in 1809. In this year, Mary Kies was the first woman to be issued a US patent. Sophia Brahe, the female Danish astronomer, had already made some wonderful observations that made up the basis of modern planetary orbit predictions. Catherine de Parthenay, a French Mathematician, was considered to be the most intelligent woman of the era. Scientists and philosophers from Maria Agnesi, to Genevieve Charlotte, Maria Angela, and Margaretha Kirch had left a huge impact on social life and inspired other women to come forward. And I, Rassundari Dasi, born a female baby, was an immediate point of depression to my family. No one blew a conch, no one cared for me, and the only ray of hope for them was that the newborn girl with beautiful eyes and a bright complexion would be well-fitted for marriage. I grew timid and frightened, so my mother taught me to pray to God.

Our house also contained a primary school, where I had to sit close to the memsahib (teacher). I would cover my entire body and my face with a scarf, so no one could see me. I sat in a room full of boys, starting to learn Bengali and Parsi. This was the happiest time for me. I was able to imagine some thrilling stories which gave immense pleasure to my boring, uneventful life. At the age of twelve, I came to know that I would be wedded to a landlord. I was delighted to receive gifts and ornaments from others, without thinking that I had to leave my mother, or that I needed to go to a distant village to spend the rest of my life with people I had never met before. In my new home, the reality settled in. I would wake up early, cooking for every member and guest. All day I would tidy up the house, while looking after my husband and his parents. The work ended in the late night, when my husband returned from work and I, becoming so tired, often forgot to take my dinner. I was not supposed to talk to my husband. He was a shadowy figure who left no impression on me. I was even shamed for standing in front of his horse. I had always wished to read ‘Chaityna Bhagabat’ (a religious book), but the elderly would show a great deal of displeasure to see a single

piece of paper in a woman’s hand. How unfortunate it was! Having such a strong desire to read, even I was angry with myself at times. But I always tried to remember the letters I learned in Pathshala. In the meantime, I gave birth to ten children. One day I stole a palm leaf, on which my son used to practise handwriting, and another page from ‘Chaityna Bhagabat’, which my husband left on the table. I hid them in the kitchen and began to read at night when nobody was around. I pursued my studies secretly until every book available was finished. I could not write until a few years later, when my sons went to Kolkata for higher studies. They wanted to send me letters, and expected letters in return. I could not miss this opportunity. Finally, an idea came to my mind. I sat under my bed, where no one could

watch me, and began to record everything I could remember about my daily life. In our society, it was believed that a woman could not read or write because she lacked the intellectual capacity. Sometimes, I felt that my identity was restricted to being someone’s daughter, sister, wife or mother. I tried to knock all of these ideas. I decided to publish my writings as a form of book in two parts, describing the plight of women in those days, and pointing out the measure of injustice to them. This was the first autobiography in India written by an unknown, self-taught woman, living out far from the din and hustle of Kolkata To my utter despair, no one remembered me in the history of literature!

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

INTERNATIONAL

Ethics in Global Fashion Emma is a Law & International Relations student, and aspiring diplomat with a passion for journalism. This Semester she will be challenging the everyday choices we make, and the origins of the very clothes on our backs, as she explores a range of ethical concerns relating to global fashion.

WE NEED TO COTTON ON. Emma Wiggins

It’s that time of the year again. Time to pull those T-shirts, shorts, skirts and dresses you packed away for the Canberra winter back out again and restock your wardrobe, because we’re (finally) heading into summer! Where, I ask, would we be in this wardrobe makeover process without Vogue’s hottest summer tips to guide us through? According to Vogue, “There’s only really ever one bag you need for the summer season and that’s a tote [bag]. Throw everything from beachwear to books and work documents in it - it’s your [summer] companion… lightening up an office look, or putting the finishing touch to a sunshine-ready outfit.” They’re right. Tote canvas-style bags come in all sizes and designs: screen-printed, sewed, sequined, and even plain white for those DIY-design enthusiasts. They’re practical and accessible. Stores are even handing them out as sustainable “shopping bags” - because anything’s more sustainable than plastic shopping bags, right? Tote bags are made out of cotton, a material commonly used in clothing

manufacturing - 75% of all men’s clothing and 60% of women’s clothing items contain a cotton blend. Cotton, however, is not sustainable, for it cannot be sustainably produced. This is largely due to the enormous amount of water its production requires. Let’s break down the facts. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) suggests that approximately 20,000 litres of water is required to produce a single pair of jeans. Now, think of the jeans in your closet. Multiply that pair by the rough population of Australia. Keep multiplying, by the number of people internationally who own jeans, denim jackets and denim tops, and then add the number of denim garments sitting in stores waiting to be sold. You end up with over 18 billion kilograms of cotton produced annually, with each kilogram requiring 20 000 litres of water. That’s an enormous amount of water consumed by cotton-farming alone each year. It wouldn’t matter if we used that amount of water on cotton, provided there was enough to go around, but there isn’t. Cotton farms have sapped

eco-systems. Satellite images released earlier this month show that the Aral Sea in cotton-farming Central Asia has dropped 23 meters from its natural level. Aside from the fact that this water source is slowing drying up – jeopardizing the livelihood of the people and wildlife who live there – the drop in water levels has increased salinity and fish can no longer survive there. 43,430 tons of fish would be caught annually in the Aral Sea during the 1960s. Today, there are not enough fish to capture even one ton. Similar situations of drought and environmental despair are seen in other major cotton exporters, most notably in Pakistan. The country is in a drought so severe that crops have failed. This has led it a food shortage causing up to 139 children to die of dehydration and malnutrition in each month of 2016 so far. Yet despite this, because of the revenue that it brings the country, Pakistan’s second largest export is cotton. It’s ugly to hear, but our clothes are robbing children of life, and we don’t even realize it. These are the environmental consequences of producing the material that 68% of clothing in the world is

made from. Cotton is not the easy, accessible and convenient material it is so often made out to be. We glamourize cotton when we shouldn’t. There’s even an entire clothing chain named “Cotton On” - a cheeky, cute brand name revolving around the production of a material which breaks ecosystems. Our cotton tote bag is not a practical solution to plastic bags. A study by the UK Environmental Agency found that “reusing a single plastic bag three times has the same [positive] environmental impact as using a cotton tote bag 393 times.” Cotton is not the sustainable “summer companion” it initially appears to be. It’s time we cottoned on to the fact that the cotton we wear every day is irreparably damaging our planet. So when you’re constructing your “sunshine ready” wardrobe this season, embracing recycled, op-shop clothing may be the way to go.

INTERNATIONAL

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Scarborough Howard is a third year PPE/Law Student with a passion for international affairs, politics and economics. He writes about all of these things in such profuse amounts normally, that he felt it best to channel into something constructive, like a Woroni column.

A Strange Fight to Pick Howard Maclean

China’s military adventurism in the South China Sea has been the focal point of regional tensions for more than a year now, shaping regional politics and opinion against China, and successfully tipping the allegiance of several crucial, pivotal states closer to the United States. China’s nine-dash-line claim conflicts with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. The threat of further Chinese expansion was arguably one of the largest factors contributing to the drastically increased Vietnam-US cooperation that has developed over recent years, punctuated by Obama’s visit to Vietnam in May, and the corresponding lift of their long-standing arms embargo. On the other side of the South China Sea, the US’s support of the Filipino position in the dispute has been one of the few remaining lynchpins on the historic alliance, following the turbulence of Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency and comments. More widely, the PCA’s (Permanent Council of Arbitration) July decision in support of the Philippines reflects a broad international consensus against the Chinese position. Determining the exact state of national opinion on the South China Sea is difficult, not in the least because Chinese press claims widely inflated support. On July 13, for instance, China Daily

claimed 66 states supported the Chinese position. In response to this, Poland, Cambodia, Slovenia and Fiji released public statements denying these Chinese claims of support. The Asian Maritime Transparency Initiative currently tracks only five countries opposing the PCA ruling. It is hard to imagine a way that China could more effectively align the bulk of its regional neighbours’ opinions, and international law, against it - except perhaps by simultaneously picking a fight with its other neighbouring island state, Japan. All of this prompts the question: why? The South China Sea is no great prize in itself. The combined total area of the Spratly Islands, which lie at the centre of the dispute, is only slightly larger than that of ANU’s campus. The 200-kilometre Economic Exclusion Zone radiating from each claimed landmass, however, is more valuable, especially considering the South China Sea’s potentially substantial gas and oil deposits. But this is a paltry gain relative to the immense diplomatic cost, weakening

Chinese soft power throughout the region and the world, while strengthening the US’s position in Southeast Asia as a result. China’s actions have very little to do with the South China Sea, or even with effective Chinese foreign policy. Like the Senkaku island dispute with Japan in the north, China’s actions in the sea are intended for internal consumption. The South China Sea dispute is fuel for a narrative - a narrative which reinforces the perception of external threats against China (by way of the US), while also stoking nationalist sentiment regarding China’s “Cartography of Humiliation”, casting the South China Sea as the rightful target of a Chinese Reconquista. Both of these sentiments serve to shore up government support at home, and ensure that western political and cultural ideas remain safely heterodox as the ideas of a “hostile nation”. The conflict is more a war for the hearts and minds of Chinese citizens at home and abroad, rather than one over a collection of atolls.

It’s a war fought with a deliberate revision of history, a collection of groundless attacks, and the dismissal of positions critical of the Chinese government. This often serves to conflate criticism of the government with being “anti-China”, rather than engaging a debate on the facts. And it’s a war that has come to our university, including to Woroni. An article written by Chinese international student, Petal Wang, published in Edition 3 of this Semester, demonstrated what I see to be a textbook opinion. It characterised the Australian support of the Filipino decision as the result of racism-tinged xenophobia, compared Western criticism of the Chinese human rights abuses and authoritarianism to prejudice against the LGBTQ community, and accused the PCA of being “a misleading agent controlled by US-led alliances”, while insinuating that its judges had “suspicious motivations”. Neither of these claims were substantiated. Please. On the South China Sea, we should neither compromise our belief in the equal application of international law, nor compromise the fundamental legal principles that underpin it.

INTERNATIONAL

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

The Armchair Expert by guy Exton As an Arts and IR student from Melbourne, my column offers a broad perspective on current International affairs. I’m in my first year, draw political cartoons and major in history. Living on campus and keen on politics, my column Armchair Expert hopes to keep you informed for when politics come up in conversation.

Pax Australiana

Historically, Australian foreign policy drifts somewhere between America and China. We are simultaneously drawn towards China’s economic orbit and America’s seemingly infinite military. But with an editorial in the Chinese state media calling Australia an “ideal target to warn and strike” in the South China Sea, and faced with potential President Trump’s neglect accelerating a U.S. decline, Australia is at a crossroad it has never before had to consider. Australia is seen by many in the East as a Western outpost on their doorstep, and perhaps with good reason. By 2017, 2500 U.S. Marines will be stationed in Darwin. The elite Marine Rotation is designed for the rapid capture and hold of territory until reinforcements arrive. Not exactly one of Beijing’s Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. But this move is not the first in the chess game between East and West. From Chinese donations to Australian politicians, to an attempted purchase of AusGrid, to an attempt by Chinese state investment firms to purchase a cattle station roughly 1% of Australia’s landmass, there do seem to

be ulterior motives behind these business ventures. As the South China Sea (and in the not-too-distant future, the Pacific Ocean) become contested waters, Australia faces a difficult question: should we sign up for an unknown and untested Chinese alliance, or should Australia place its bets with old reliable U.S. hegemony? A ‘one or the other’ choice is dangerous. If we cosy up to China, short-term economic benefits will come at the cost of a pro-democracy worldview and the withdrawal of American security. However, if we fall in line behind America yet again, China will punish us economically. But perhaps there is a third choice? Perhaps we have more chips on the table then we think. Perhaps they need us, more than we need them. Whilst we are admittedly - and sadly - a middle power, we are strong economically, militarily and politically. We have leverage over both the U.S. and China. Yes, if either lost our support they would continue on without so

much as a blink, but our allegiance is symbolic for a chain of regional powers that includes South Korea, Japan, India, Indonesia, Thailand and New Zealand. One arrow is weak, many arrows are strong and the biggest arrow in the region is Australia. So Australia should have demands of its own. Demands such as free trade without open flow of investment. Foreign investment in Australian assets such as, let’s say, housing, shoots up demand, making it near impossible for Australians such as myself to live near a city. I don’t want to be paying my rent in Yuan to the CCP when I’m 25. This ought to encourage Australia to invest in industries that aren’t reliant on Chinese demand, such as agriculture. Above all, do not think that Australia needs a greater power to survive. Australia is the power. Australia’s potential for regional dominance has not been capitalised upon in its 250-year history as a modern nation. Increasing immigration to regional Australia, drawing in big business through tax cuts, capitalising on our com-

petitive advantages of resource and agricultural wealth, boosting our military, and being able to effectively deploy it in the region, would all increase the (already substantial) leverage Australia wields in international politics. We already spend the twelfthmost on our military globally. Australia hasn’t had a recession for 25 years, while America has had three. Demand for Australian goods is strong. All in all, Malcolm Turnbull put it best when he said “there’s never been a more exciting time to be an Australian.” Australia ought to throw its weight around on the world stage. This is, after all, the dawn of a multipolar era. The country must take more assertive positions over such issues as the South China Sea dispute, and not be afraid to show leadership with our neighbours over resource management and human rights violations. Between China and America, I choose America. Between America and Australia, I choose Australia.

FEATURES

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

HEAVEN KNOWS Jade McKenna

On January 10, I called my mother. I needed to be the first to tell her that David Bowie had died - I did not want her to find out from a screen that someone who had influenced her life so much had died from the same disease that had confined her to hospitals and oxygen concentrators. We both cried on the phone until she had to hang up so she could focus on breathing. I am very strangely comforted by the fact that he died of cancer. It has made me feel quite calm. This is very weird. I am trying to work out why I feel like this. She died on May 13. She called out my name, my brother’s name and her mother’s name during the night. She left me boxes of Bowie records and her mother’s jewelry. The last thing she said to me was “I love you too, honey.” My mother had cancer for ten years,

and we both knew that she would eventually die from it. But these last words, mementos, and the knowledge that my time with her would always be limited did not make it easier. I did not anticipate that having time to prepare wouldn’t mean the time after her death would be easier. When I finished high school I moved cities and became as independent as I possibly could, knowing that there would be a time when I would be unable to go to my mother for help. I carved out a life that was separate from everything I had left behind. I forged a family through friends. ‘Home’ became a share house with two other women I loved. Sometimes I played Bowie in our living room. They became the people I went to for advice and love and support. I received a phone call from my father the day before she died. I was at work and my father never called me. I cried

from this point on, to the airport, to the plane, to the train, to the palliative care unit where I held her hand. We organised the funeral, and I came home and tried not to cry anymore. The home we had created in Canberra burnt down on August 4, and suddenly it did not matter that I was living my life independently in a new city. I had no home anywhere and my mother was dead. I felt vulnerable and broken. My mother was too young for death to be okay. Time had done nothing someone I loved had died. It did not matter that I had gotten to say goodbye, because I had never wanted to.

live my life in a way that means it will be normal that my mother won’t see my 21st birthday, or my graduation. People lose parents. People’s houses burn down. As someone who has found themselves in and out of psych wards, I should know that everything and nothing is normal. But somehow, I cannot find a way to think about time and grief that makes sense. Nothing is getting better or worse. Grief is realising something you loved is gone, and that there is no solution, because it is not a problem. It just is.

People keep telling me that grief does not get easier with time - Rather, that you just have to find a new way to live your life. I am grieving for my home, but I know I can find another place to feel safe and comforted again. But I cannot get my mother back. I do not understand how I will find a way to

(Woroni Writing Competition Winner)

‘Once upon a time…’ WANTING CHEN

Once upon a time there was a witch named Jack who had the power to make those around him feel guilt. He spent his days creating misconceptions in every individual he came across. Jack got gaiety from doing this, even though other people suffered from the guilt. Lily was a victim of Jack’s magic. She couldn’t help feeling guilty in her relationship. She felt she owed much to her boyfriend, so she tried hard to cook food for him, tolerated his coldness, made excuses for him, and spent several hours dressing up for each date. Additionally, Lily felt guilt towards her study. No matter how much time she invested in her homework, she still felt

too stupid to pass her exams. She felt guilty for not reading an extra line in her textbook, not figuring out how the answers were worked out, and not understanding what the Lecturer meant. Lily also feel guilty for spending her parents’ money to study abroad. Initially, Jack, this trouble maker, gained delight from man’s guilty pain. Gradually, however, Jack also tasted guilt. Just as the saying goes - ‘fortune knocks at least once at every man’s door’ - the same goes for the unlucky stuff. Jack eventually began to blame him-

self for having contributed to mankind’s emotional pain, so he went to God and asked how he could relieve his guilt.

can cause bitterness, but it can also make people tough. The only guilt we should try to avoid is that on unnecessary incidents.”

The God said: “My dear witch Jack, although you let people feel guilty, such mental pain can also improve some conditions and hold positive impacts, just like a two-edged sword. Because guilt exists, care is proved. Guilt in relationships can also allow people to understand each other more readily. Guilt in study can motivate a student to study more industriously. Guilt in spending one’s parents’ money can inspire students to find a part-time job so as to reduce their financial burden and promote their independence. Guilt

The God’s words comforted Jack. He, a witch who had behaved naughtily before, had now become kind-hearted. He realised that his magic of guilt could cultivate intimate companionships, motivate study and encourage people to live self-sufficiently - despite still causing some heart ache.

FEATURES

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Eight of the Greatest Mysteries of All Time Casley Rowan

Anything unexplainable or creepy seems to hold an intense grip over the human mind, as we seek answers and logic in every aspect of our lives. Though science has given us so many answers, the world still has pockets of mystery, conspiracy, and the paranormal, all of which continue to capture the imagination. The following eight mysteries have sparked wild theories and countless explanation attempts – perhaps, however, part of their beauty is that they will never be 100% solved, and represent the possibility that there is more around us than meets the eye.

Voynich Manuscript In 1912, a Polish rare-book dealer, Wilfrid Voynich, purchased a 240page manuscript, filled with detailed paragraphs, illustrations and diagrams. What is so bizarre and remarkable about this manuscript is that it is written in a language that has been impossible to translate or decipher. This language is unknown to man and there is no other historical record of it. The text is written out smoothly, and there is no evidence of any errors, corrections, or even pauses within the writing, which would suggest that this was the natural, mother language of the author. Carbon dating has pinpointed the time of creation to between 1404 and 1438; however, the author and their origins remain a mystery. Expert and amateur cryptographers and code breakers have tried and failed to crack this ancient language, and many thereby believe that the manuscript is an elaborate hoax which will never be deciphered at all. The Pollock Twins The Pollock family consisted of John and Florence, and their two daughters, Joanna (11) and Jacqueline (6). In May 1957, both girls were struck down by a car and killed instantly. One year

later, Florence fell pregnant again and John, despite the doctor insisting that Florence was only expecting one child, was convinced that she would give birth to twins, and that these twins would be the reincarnation of their deceased daughters. Florence did indeed give birth to twin girls, Gillian and Jennifer. Jennifer possessed a white scar across her forehead and two birthmarks, all identical to those possessed by Jacqueline. The family relocated, and in order to protect their twins never mentioned Joanna and Jacqueline. The twins soon began recognising and naming toys that had belonged to their sisters that they had never seen before, both developed an irrational fear of cars, and would play chilling games involving them pretending to be hit by cars and calmly explaining to their parents that they were bleeding because the “car had got them”. When the Pollock’s drove the girls through their old neighbourhood, the twins pointed out their old home despite never being there before, and even described details of the school that their deceased sisters had attended. Many psychologists and religious figures have studied this case, and many have concluded that it proves the existence of reincarnation. The SS Ourang Medan The Ourang Meden is perhaps one of the most famous and contentious ghost ships of all time. In 1947, off the coast of Malaysia, multiple ships received an urgent and chilling SOS message coming from the Ourang Meden: “All officers including captain are dead. Possibly whole crew dead”. The final message was simple: “I die”. A nearby ship, the Silver Star, responded to the call, and when they boarded the ship found the entire crew lying dead, their bodies scattered across the deck – everyone had their eyes open, terrified expressions frozen on their faces, with their arms outstretched and pointing. There were, however, no signs of wounds or injury to any of the deceased. Further investigation was aborted when a mysterious fire began below the deck, and after the crew

of the Silver Star had evacuated, the ship exploded and sank. What is even more bizarre is that the Lloyd’s Registry, a mandatory registry for all ships at the time, makes no mention of either the Ourang Meden or the Silver Star, despite the other ships in the area verifying their existence. Theories range from the illicit cargo of nerve gas, to acid, to a supernatural attack. Stonehenge Stonehenge is a massive group of roughly-rectangular stones that were arranged in a bizarre fashion between 4000 and 5000 years ago. Located near Salisbury, England, thousands flock to marvel at the collection of stones, and form theories about why they were positioned in such a way. The origins of some of the stones have been traced to locations between 32 and 225 kilometres away from the final site, meaning that they were purposely transported from around Britain and Wales - it is unknown how these ancient workers moved them so far. From scientific research, it is thought that the plain on which Stonehenge lies was a sacred place long before its construction, because, as early as 10,500 years ago, three large posts, or totem poles, were erected at the site. Wild theories have been spun about the purpose of Stonehenge since the Middle Ages. A 12th century myth credits the wizard Merlin for the construction, while modern theories include ancient aliens. While it has always been seen as an isolated, stand-alone structure, recent discoveries have led to the conclusion that beneath Stonehenge lies a treasure trove of thousands of monuments, including shrines, burial mounds, deep pits and other unexplained features. More likely theories suggest it was used either as a burial site, a place of healing and pilgrimage, or that its circular shape was created to mimic a sound illusion. Another view is that Stonehenge was likely constructed with the Sun in mind, as it faces the Summer Solstice sunrise, and there is evidence that pigs were slaughtered at the sight in December, suggesting rituals around the Winter Solstice.

The Eilean Mor Lighthouse Off the Scottish coast is a cluster of small islands, one being Eilean Mor, which is uninhabited. A lighthouse was constructed on this island in the 70’s, meant to guide ships through the series of dangerous channels surrounding it, and 3 experienced lighthouse keepers were stationed on the island. In December 1990, Joseph Moore was sent to the island as a replacement for one of the keepers. He was surprised to find no one waiting for him at the dock, and there was no response to his flare. As he trekked up to the lighthouse, he felt an overwhelming foreboding feeling, and when he arrived, he was confronted with an empty lighthouse. Two of the three oil-skinned coats were missing, there was a meal left half eaten, and a chair overturned, as if someone had jumped out of it in a hurry. The kitchen clock was also frozen. A search was conducted for the missing men but they were never found. In the weeks after the discovery, the investigation unearthed the lighthouse logbook. On December 12th the second assistant had written, “severe winds, the likes of which I have never seen before in twenty years”, also noting that the Principle lighthouse keeper had been “very quiet” and that the third keeper, a renowned Scottish fighter, had been crying. On December 13th and 14th the keepers noted that the storm was still raging and that they had began to pray for it to stop. The final log entry on December 15th stated simply, “storm ended, sea calm, God is over all”. What is so bizarre about this, however, is that there were no storm reported in the area within those dates. In fact, nearby islands could clearly see the lighthouse during that period and reported no strong winds or thick clouds obscuring it from view. The only clues were the ropes found strewn over the rocks near a small landing platform - ropes that were usually kept 70 feet away from where they were found.

FEATURES

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

The Dancing Plague – 1518

The Bermuda Triangle

In 1518, residents of Strasbourg, France were overcome with a deadly and bizarre plague known as Choreomania. Far from the usual sicknesses of the time, residents were struck by an inexplicable urge to dance. It began with one woman, who began to silently dance in the middle of the town centre. Within a week, 34 others had joined her and within a month, 400 of the town’s residents were dancing to a silent tune. Doctors and priests were called to try to offer a solution, and all the while, the dancing continued. The villagers constructed a stage and professional dancers and musicians were called in, as authorities concluded that the only solution was to let the dancers dance it out of their systems. Many collapsed due to exhaustion, dehydration and hunger, and many died from heart attacks and strokes. Finally, the dancers were taken to a mountaintop shrine to pray for forgiveness, and the dancing ceased. Surprisingly, this is not the only bizarre dancing plague - similar manic episodes have taken place in Switzerland, Germany and Holland. There are many theories around what caused this strange event, ranging from a secret religious cult ritual to stress-induced hysteria, poisoning, epilepsy and mass psychogenic illness… but we will never know for sure.

The Bermuda Triangle has long puzzled maritime and aviation experts and fascinated conspiracy theorists. Christopher Columbus was the first to report about the strangeness of the area, noting in his journals that his compass had stopped working and that he had seen a fireball in the sky. It is one of the rare places on earth where compasses do not point magnetic north, but rather, towards true north. The area covers over 700,000kms of ocean off the coast of Central America - on average, 4 aircrafts and 20 boats go missing in this area every year, and throughout the past 100 years, at least 1000 lives have been lost. People experience a time warp in the area, due to an electronic fog. Pilot Bruce Gernon claims that he lost 28 minutes of time after flying through a time warping cloud tunnel. His plane went missing from radars upon entering the area, only to re-emerge in Miami Beach, much sooner than the realistic travel time. One of the most famous disappearances in the area, is that of the U.S. Military bombers that took place in 1945. Five U.S. Navy bombers flew from Florida en route to the island of Bimini, with 14 men on board. After an hour and a half, the radio operators were notified that the compass had stopped working and shortly after, communication was lost. The bomb-

ers were never found, and the three search planes also disappeared. Debris or black boxes are also rarely found when there is a disappearance in the triangle. Theories for the strange occurrences range from alien activity and giant underwater craters, to the city of Atlantis being located under the triangle and the US Government’s Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Centre being located nearby. The Alcatraz Prisoners Prisons are designed to be hard to escape from, and none more so than Alcatraz - the island prison literally guarded by water, which traps its inmates away from civilisation. In June 1962, however, the only successful escape in the history of the prison took place. Three inmates - Clarence Anglin, John Anglin and Frank Morris - escaped the prison on the morning of the 12th of July. They had made paper-mâché versions of their own heads and tucked them into their beds, broken out of the main prison building via an abandoned utility corridor, and left the island on an improvised inflatable raft. A large air, sea and land search was conducted by the military, FBI and CIA over the next 10 days. While materials such as a paddle, a wallet, some shreds of raincoat material and a life jacket were recovered, no

human remains or any other evidence of the fate of the three prisoners has ever been found. After a 17-year investigation, the FBI closed its file on the case, however, the Marshal Service investigation continues and they receive leads regularly. While the FBI has stated that there were no reports of stolen vehicles on Angel Island on the day of the escape, an investigative program by the National Geographic Channel reinterviewed residents, who claimed that there had been a car stolen and that there were footprints on the beach that morning. The family of the Anglin brothers believe them to still be alive as in 1962 an individual called and said, “This is John Anglin”, and a card reading ‘To Mother, from John, Merry Christmas’ arrived. Officially, the prisoners are presumed dead, but many believe that they live happily on a farm in Brazil.

arts@ woroni. com.au

FEATURES

Issue 11, Vol. 66

History Ellen Jane

I come from an old gold mining town where time is visible everywhere. You feel it passing in the shadows of the trees, can see in the old houses, and watch it accumulate in the older resident’s faces. None of us in the village are untouched by the past – the history is so strong that it is everywhere. This might be due to the building restrictions - half the buildings are around 160 years old. My tiny village has just 150 mining cottages, all situated in the middle of a tall forest in Victoria. Walking around you can see, feel and relive time. I thought I knew rain. In my time, I had experienced its soft greys and pummelling navy – but then I saw real rain. I saw what water could do. Witnessed how it wasn’t just drops that fell from the sky to soak into the earth. I

saw how powerfully it could amass in ditches and holes, lakes and rivers. I had read about the intensity of flooding, seen the measurements in the news, but I didn’t think I would ever see or experience it firsthand. Driving up to Canberra, I witnessed a slow unstoppable force of rain that quickly became floodwater. It was constant rain that had fallen for days and filled every crevice to expand and dissolve the old and new. Flood warnings? I had heard them so often, but they never seemed to eventuate in my path. But now, driving along the road in the downpour, the signs were everywhere. Road closed. Bridge closed. Water on road. Flood conditions. I was scared, and I was excited. The broad Murrumbidgee River had burst its banks. The water was slow moving, but seemingly unstoppable, lapping at the steps of people’s houses. I felt that something timeless

and ancient had reared its head. I had thought I knew rain, until this recent trip, that is. This soggy drive along the river wetlands opened my eyes. Canberra, to me, had always seemed strange. It lacked ‘old’ things. The architecture was ‘Pizza Hut 60’s’ and kind of newglass-monolith. Even Melbourne is a mixture of gothic wind vines and stained glass banks, sky reaching architecture and brick veneer houses. Canberra seemed so young, but even Canberra has a history, just one that the town planners and the government of the day evidently saw no value in. To its designers, Canberra was meant to be new, with everything perfect. I used to think that there was no ‘time’ here. Yet, exploring Canberra over the mid-semester break, I found that hid-

den within Canberra’s industrial estates are relics of the pioneers. Here, dating back to the same time as the gold mines in my hometown, are stations and settlements. Houses, sheds, cattle runs - I was amazed. Digging around it seemed to me that in the quest to design the perfect modern capital, history had been abandoned. Why had no one treasured these locations? Now they sit abandoned, forgotten and surrounded by dumps and industrial tyre retailers. Just like land is buried beneath gushing waters, the old Canberra is concealed.

Photograph from the woroni archives

FEATURES

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

Slip of the Lip Hailing from the glorious city of Queanbeyan, I spent my first year of uni dabbling in Physics, Maths, English and Music. By some drastic turn of events, I am now majoring in German and Linguistics. A Slip of the Lip is a linguistics student’s attempt to provide interesting and (reasonably) well-researched language titbits.

The Pronoun Problem Zena Mason

Woroni Words’ Time to Shine

Caroline Hendy In news that made it all the way to The New York Times, the Australian National Dictionary – produced right here on campus at the Australian National Dictionary Centre – recently released its second edition. Words and phrases like “Goon of Fortune,” “budgie smugglers” and “Canberran” are now immortalised. As if this weren’t enough, in an extra win for ANU students, our very own Woroni has been cited 44 times as a historical print source, according to Chief Editor Dr Bruce Moore.

without stripping away their distinct Boganity.”

One of the features that sets the Australian National Dictionary apart is its basis on “historical principles”. As Dr Moore explains, this, among other things, entails “that the bulk of the dictionary is made up of short quotations from books, newspapers, diaries, etc., that demonstrate how a word has been used over time.” That’s where Woroni comes in. “Bush Week,” for example, is cited as appearing in Woroni in 1960, in the sentence: “I would like to use your columns to express my gratitude to the organisers of ‘Bush Week’.”

“Anyway one day we were all sittin’ in the dunny smokin’ some junk we thought was that drug stuff, when Penelope who was sittin’ on the furthest throne yelled out that there should be finger holes in dunny paper for people who like to scratch their bum while they’re wipin’ it.”

Some of the quotes are so intriguing that it’s like the Australian National Dictionary is trying to lure you into studying lexicography (dictionary making). The quote cited with the entry for “Boganity” (the quality of being bogan), for example, is: “Sure it will be difficult to liberate them from their false consciousness

Whose Boganity? Queanbeyanites’? What is this false consciousness from which they need to be liberated? Have they since succeeded? Become a lexicographer to find out all this and more! My personal favourite Woroni contribution is the citation for “Dunny paper”. In 1975, Woroni published the story:

If that Penelope person didn’t receive a university medal then, what even is the point. What all this really shows is that you don’t have to be a fancy-pants writer in order to be a legitimate source. As Dr Moore puts it, “dictionary makers will accept any words, as long as the evidence is there.” So even though language-snobs may scoff at your use of “ranga” and “mugachino,” just know that the dictionary makers have your back.

In our gender diverse world, personal pronouns are still stuck in the past. In the future I hope that we will have updated our language to suit the needs of modern citizens. Currently, difficult moments can arise when talking about a third person whose gender is unknown, as it’s impossible to find quite the right word. I like to use ‘one’, but in spoken language and outside of an academic context it sounds too stiff and formal. I could use ‘it’, but unless I was referring to a baby, it would sound creepy and off. I could use ‘he or she’, or ‘she or he’, but it sounds clumsy out loud. I usually end up saying ‘they’, which fits perfectly as a gender-neutral plural pronoun, but more awkwardly as a singular one. Hopefully, greater linguistic diversity will mean that we will face dilemmas like this less frequently by 2116. But how will we get there? As the world is globalising, environments and people are changing. One could assume then, that the English language would adapt to its users’ new identifications and add non-gendered alternatives. Unfortunately, most languages have genders woven through them. Mandarin has a generic pronoun for feminine, masculine and neutral, which all have the same sound. Arabic and Spanish are even harder, for they are distinctly gendered. Japanese can often ignore pronouns altogether, but the very fabric of the language is built on a rigid hierarchy that identifies one’s social standing and yes, gender. Perhaps we should look elsewhere then... An alternative is to consider that language develops from social needs, and either create a new pronoun or re-re-purpose an already existing one like ‘they’. The Swedish have already coined a new pronoun, ‘hen’ - a phonetic compromise between the masculine ‘han’ and feminine ‘hon’. This modern term has found its way into the Swedish dictionary, mainly due to widespread lobbying by activists. Despite various proposals since the 18th century for an English gender-neutral third person pronoun, none have been widely accepted

- recent attempts have been ‘ze’, ‘e’ and ‘ey’. When I was thinking about what could be a phonetic compromise between ‘he’ and ‘she’, I came up with ‘che’ – to be pronounced like the Mandarin ‘chi’, as in ‘tai chi’. People often argue that by using a pronoun such as ‘they’ inclusively, we are misusing and destroying the English language, but constructed languages give us the opportunity to not just accumulate vocabulary, but to deconstruct and adapt them over time. Creating new grammar rules could help us re-evaluate the new dynamics of society.

Pronouns are used when the name of the subject has been already used, or is unknown, but as our perceptions of sexuality become more fluid, so too should our usage of language. As to whether or not ‘they’ will still be used for a singular personal pronoun by 2116, hopefully we will have reached a consensus on a new pronoun by then. Ideally, education on matters of linguistic equality will have meant that we have obtained the maturity to not assume that anyone is a ‘he’ or a ‘she’. For the time being, however, let’s use ‘they’.

FEATURES

Issue 11, Vol. 66

CREATIVE WRITING Softly Falls the Rain Daniel McKay forward flits the spark and rumble goes the roar softly falls the rain gently churns the sky slip away the silent streams from frogs sweet arias softly falls the rain gently churns the sky quick darts the man fast swoops his chum softly falls the rain gently churns the sky shelter now the two, again beneath glossy canopy softly falls the rain gently churns the sky easily they embrace caress ‘mid falling drops softly ends the rain gently clears the sky Revulsion Anonymous I feel nothing but a hardened pain, I can’t stand up so I fall in vain, I see nothing but the looks of disdain, I only long for a sense of pride or fame. I can’t see past the barrier of lies, A blackened soul which always cries, My teardrops flow which I despise, There is no more time for

your goodbyes. I see the world through black and white, A cold unwelcoming out of spite. There is no more life in a world of hate, For surely, another life was taken tonight. I leave this world, with no pain or shame, In the end, there is only me to blame, I leave this world, with only one hope and aim, That no-one would know of how we became. Elapsed Fateh Singh A river wears a mirror’s view, Enchanting thoughts for me and you, Barren plains breed scummy weeds, Wild creatures lurk in heavy seas. A litter’s runt will not survive, And smoke disperses from a hive, The numbers displaced steadily increase. Didn’t heed the call of jungle birds, Found comfort in the spoken word, Trifles passed and then were born anew. Static eyes on ticking hands, Have turned away from troubled lands, While the aim strays further from the truth. Board a vessel to a space of dreams, Where all is well and as it seems, And sunlight drips from leaves in morning dew. For a summer’s rain cannot heal, What tumbles off the even keel, And infinity is lost in rear view.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

FEATURES

Four coffee drinkers Matthew Hammerton I Warm liquid tar shoved down the throat A caffeine hit A morning punch Then onwards without afterthought

III Insatiable desire for sensory delight Sharp flavours Subtle palate Hours spent in fruitless search

II Self-styled authenticity Obscure brew Artisan pretentions One thousand Instagram followers

IV Morning ritual of the secular age Favourite cup Swift routine Basking in a fleeting warmth

It’s time. Linda Jian Often they say that life is an hourglass Too heavy to lift with solely the power of medicine. Experience, care, health... They are ways to slow the fall, but will never reverse the motion. Thus, it is the power of death which inverts the glass, And as one is losing time, Another is unknowingly waiting for their first few grains to slip through the opening in anticipation. Does the hourglass really end the time completely? For their peoples’ depend on all the things they’ve done, Of how inerasable their now invisible touch left… On everything. For the resonating shhh as the grains slip by as if they were still alive With each mention, each thought, each breath we take in anguish, pain, anger. We - the ones left behind. But what is wrong with being left behind? It is a challenge for us, A different one of lengthening our time – No. Of maximising our unchanging time To not spend days in mindless mourning, but In times of happiness recall the fond memories spent And to remember the ones before for what they stood for rather than what we lost.

FEATURES

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Sleepless Summer Night Daniel McKay cool through window rushes hush the darkness holds slip the starry black towards a silver’d arc lonely stirs, and songs distant rattling trucks piercing quiet, bold yet soon resuming a hum of presence more a feeling – or a promise kept but good nonetheless throng, chorus, hark! naught so bleak. or curs’d beak. but loud, brute… BEEP BEEP BEEP 6:00AM

It’s time. Alex Johnston will this itch ever go away maybe there will be a day when my nails won’t be led astray but for now this itch is an itch here and here to stay (Ed’s note: We recommend using Cortizone)

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

ARTS & REVIEWS

Imagination is my Safe Space. Nikola RysAva

The main themes I work with find their roots in my inner world and literature. Working on my sculptures is often therapeutic in nature, and the outcome is influenced by my amateur interest in psychoanalysis. For these pieces, I was greatly inspired by Jeffrey Eugenide’s novel ‘The Virgin Suicides’, because the story was told in the first-person plural from the perspective of an anonymous group, which mades it harder to find the truth and motives behind the story. I often combine other people’s stories together with my own in my work, so in a way I too, am disguising the actual narrator. Art is a form of communication, my own attempt to have some sort of an emotional or intellectual connection with viewers. I believe that a work of art is a mirror of the artist’s personality. Some of my work reflects my social anxieties, dilemmas, and insecurities. Imagination is my safe space, the place where I feel at home, and through which I try to speak out. The contradiction and duality of working with both kitsch and found objects I have a personal history with - and attachment to -is visible in my work. Something intimate and fragile

is usually hidden under the first striking visual layer that often can seem either macabre or childlike. I also like to work with childhood memorabilia and the excess that I have associated with adolescence. I think that art in general should make us feel something; it should enrich us, and ideally even make us stop and think. Works of art should convey emotions and thoughts. The artist has done his or her job right when the artwork provides pleasure and offers creative inspiration, or when it sets up a dialogue and brings issues to the viewers’ attention.

ARTS & REVIEWS

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Dendy Film Reviews

Sausage Party reviewed by Alex Johnston

This isn’t a drill, this is Sausage Party. It is a movie you can enjoy even when sober, though you could also watch it drunk and probably have the same experience. Using the word “raunchy” to describe this movie would be

The Secret Life of Pets reviewed by Zac Rayson

BRIDGET JONES’s BABY reviewed by Eliza McConville

Picking up around ten years after the previous film, Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) is once again without a partner and seeking to reinvent herself, this time as a single woman com-

an offense to the word - this movie goes above and beyond the limitations of personal preference, and ends up being a chuckle machine (if you’re in the right mood). Sausage Party is the latest (and first) animated movie from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, also featuring their usual buddies: Michael Cera, Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. The film looks at the interactions between food items in a suburban supermarket as they anticipate exiting into “the Great Beyond” - not knowing what is in (or out of) store, their fate is actually the kitchen.

laughs. It does, however, wear thin in the final third of the movie, but overall, this cocktail of animated crudeness retains its pizzazz. A clear parody of Disney/Pixar movies, it is great fun seeing how they play with characteristic tropes - one example being Seth Rogen’s Sausage eagerly awaiting the opening morning song, saying “They’re about to sing the song, guys!” In conclusion, though decidedly unold-fashioned, this party is a goer.

Along the way there’s a load of racial stereotypes, dick jokes and shock Ever wonder what your pets do when you’re not home? It’s a simple concept, but a thoroughly entertaining one. Yes, it may be a ‘Toy Story’ with dogs, but Toy Story is one of the greatest films of all time, so it’s not a bad film to emulate! The similarities are clear – there is the old favourite and the upstart who (spoiler alert) reconcile their differences in an arduous journey home. The supporting squad is made up of a diverse and funny list of characters, including my favourite children’s movie love interest in years, and a sausage dog almost identical to the one in a certain Pixar classic. The script is witty and the plot is fast-paced, full of gags that almost always deliver. The animation is a clear strength, bringing New York to life with all its glorious vibrancy

(and its grimy underbelly). The pets, too, are brilliantly portrayed. Credit must go to the collection of actors behind the voices, nearly all of whom are talented comedians - a fact which shines through constantly. There are also moral lessons, of course, teaching us to cherish and respect our pets. Yet these truths don’t overwhelm what is a thoroughly enjoyable and light-hearted piece of entertainment. So what do pets get up to when we’re away? Apparently quite a lot!

mitted to her news producer position. Modernised, with an iPad instead of a material diary, bearded hipsters, and an abundance of pop culture references (#letsdothis), the film follows Bridget as she finds out about her pregnancy, struggles to keep her job, and tries to deduce the father of her baby. Perfectly blending classic Bridget Jones humour with modern sensibilities, the plot neither stagnates nor goes too far. The characters remain true to their personalities, yet it is clear that the years have passed and their priorities have necessarily changed. The cringe-worthy gaffs that make you laugh out loud and want to bury your face in your hands endure, yet the writers have come up

with whole new ways of presenting them. With real life problems and fictional world solutions, the film is light-hearted, humorous, slightly ridiculous and utterly enjoyable to watch. It is a welcome addition to the series, and works hard to ensure that it doesn’t appear awkwardly tacked on. Overall, it is a fantastic and easy-to-watch romantic comedy, and makes no pretensions about what it is trying to achieve.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

ARTS & REVIEWS

Free tickets! just Write a 300 word review contact Arts@woroni.com.au

War Dogs reviewed by Jennifer McRae

War Dogs promised to be Lord of War (2005) meets The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) – the moral dissonance of an individual profiting from the business of war as seen in Nicolas Cage’s 2005 performance, embodied instead by characters who are amoral and edgy.

Drop Dead: A Review Rory Caddis Oh my Lord, I do not think I have laughed as hard at any other ANU production as I did at John XXIII College’s performance of Drop Dead. It can be summed up as literally hilarious. The characters were not only facets of ridiculous physical comedy, but hyperbolic representations of the many theatrical ‘characters’ one might face in any dramatic production. The actors played all their characters to a tee without one slip, which is especially commendable in a play that seemed quite complex in plot and technicalities. Basically, the story involved a play within a play, a script in shambles, a $35-dollar set, incompetent but egotistical actors, and a chilling and un-suspected murderer. The play moves through rehearsals and into opening night, where the playwright, who is so angered by the changes to the play made by the borderline insane director, decides to step in. The

opening night sees murder and chaos, however, the show must go on and the characters finish the play and arrest the murderer. The set, of course, was brilliantly shabby, and the dodgy snowflakes falling outside the solo window were simply phenomenal. A special mention must go to the actors behind Candy Apple and her older special male ‘friend’ (Alex Roman and Conagh McMahon-Hogan respectively), whose performance and on stage chemistry was cringy without being decidedly sickening: bravo. Unfortunately, by the time you are reading this the play will have ended, however, the performances of John XXIII College are always of such a brilliant quality that I would recommend attending one in the years to come.

The first twenty minutes or so of the film are uncomfortable, mostly due to Miles Teller’s jarring narration. This opening promises little for the hour and thirty minutes to come. Once invested in the story, however, the film becomes interesting and fast-paced, thanks to Director Todd Phillips. The soundtrack conforms to the recent trend of using covers of classic pop songs throughout, but pulls it off surprisingly well. His experience in delivering comedy blockbusters carries through at times, as does Jonah Hill’s comedic timing, but these are largely held back by the comedic limitations of the lead actor, and a screenplay that favours lazy crudity over actual jokes. The characters, as mentioned,

are difficult to relate to. They exist in a context that has the potential to be an interesting discussion of right and wrong, and the role one plays in the perpetuation of death, as we see in Lord of War. However, instead of characters who toe-the-line between personal ambitions and moral responsibilities, we have characters who are amoral, but with no redeeming qualities. Regardless of how interesting the story becomes, if you can’t relate to or empathise with a character, then it is difficult to truly care what happens to them. Perhaps worth a watch, but watch Lord of War after.

ARTS & REVIEWS

Issue 9, Vol. 66

An Insight into the Creative Process Yann Martel, author of ‘Life of Pi’, speaks at the 2016 Canberra Writers Festival Hannah Wright We appreciate creative works once they are finished, with little regard for the process of creation. This process is rarely a shared experience, with mistakes and dead ends left unrevealed. Just think of how many rewrites, alternative endings, and reproductions must exist amongst our most loved works. Even Edward Munch produced two pastel and two oil painting versions of the ‘The Scream’ (1893). Imagine then, how many other copies of creative works have been destroyed or reinterpreted that we don’t know of, see or read. We only know of the final revision, the one that has been polished, framed and deemed ready for the viewer’s interpretation.

On one hand, I think most of us hold the perception that artists will all of a sudden have a flash of inspiration. On one hand many artists do attest to experiencing a moment of clarity, wherein an idea will almost reveal itself to them, but on the other hand, we just as often learn that the pathway to creative inspiration is anchored in tireless research and endeavor. It was a breath of clarity therefore, to hear Yann Martel, the author of ‘Life of Pi’, so enthusiastically share his own experience of the creative process at the Canberra Writers Festival. Martel’s creative process is intriguing, and reflects his particularly imaginative yet logical mind. After experiencing a moment of inspiration, he

commenced extensive research into the historical and cultural context of the story. For Life of Pi, this included traveling to India, reading the Mahabharata, learning about the Hindu religion, and studying the habits of the animals that so heavily define his work.

Although only two hours long, Martel’s enthusiasm was infectious. His excitement in retelling stories, and his engagement with the questions the audience asked, highlighted the potential for the Canberra Writer’s Festival to inspire Canberra with intellectual enthusiasm.

Partnered with his vocational experiences, Martel also began a creative flurry, noting concepts, research material and small sketches in his note book. He then cut up the pages of the notebook to include anecdotes, observations and such, sorted them into piles, and systematically compiled them in different folders for each chapter.

Hopefully the Canberra Writers Festival will become a staple in every Canberran’s annual calendar.

‘Bad’ Movies Lewis Laverty Wilson “The end of creativity and originality in filmmaking is upon us.” From this statement, you probably feel like I’m just another self-proclaimed film expert, yelling at the unwatched masses from his ivory tower of ‘Citizen Kane’ and ‘Pulp Fiction’ – however, I’m definitely not that. Truth be told I’ve never watched Citizen Kane, and it took me two sittings to get through Pulp Fiction. I enjoy all kinds of movies - though the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise holds a special place in my heart, and I even cried when Paul Walker died. While I can happily enjoy a relatively mindless action-adventure romp, I despise lazy filmmaking, and, more specifically, lazy screenwriting. This is why I declare that creativity and originality have been banished from the offices and studios of Hollywood.

I have come to this conclusion from my observations of the word “bad”. It is a simple adjective, and a good word to describe the majority of films produced by the Hollywood machine. There is an issue, however, beyond the majority of these films being “bad”. The end of creativity is embodied by the choice of screenwriters and filmmakers to put the word “bad” in front of an arbitrary noun, and using the ‘bad + noun’ formula as the premise for an entire movie. Since 2010, films titled ‘bad neighbors’, ‘bad mums’, ‘bad teacher’, ‘bad grandpa’ and ‘bad words’ have blessed our screens. While filmmakers might think that they are being unique and original by subverting stereotypes and making these traditional characters “edgy”, they’re not. This proliferation of the ‘adjective + noun’ formula is eroding the foundations of good filmmaking and screenwriting practices. I came away fearing for my movie-watching

life after seeing ‘Dirty Grandpa’, another unoriginal premise, grounded solely in the placement of “dirty” in front of a noun. So what really started this ‘bad trend’ for film titles? The original subversion of stereotypes came in the form of 1992’s ‘Bad Lieutenant’, in which the screenwriter successfully distorted the role of a police officer. This film was unique and offered a new take on a traditional role, relying on solid performances and an original script, instead of the novelty of the premise alone. The seed of this current plague of ‘bad’ movies, however, is 2003’s ‘Bad Santa’ - a quality film in which the performance of a drunken Billy Bob Thornton, coupled with a smart screenplay, lifted the film beyond the novelty value provided by its premise. If only screenwriters Glenn Ficarra and John Requa understood the devastating repercussions their choices would have.

For all the complaining I’ve managed to fit into this piece, however, there is hope. 2014’s ‘Bad Words’ managed to soar above the heap of the ‘bad films’, utilising Jason Bateman’s proven comedic acumen and a deliciously vulgar script. What needs to be taken away from this is an understanding that we need to return original screenwriting to Hollywood, and throughout the rest of the world. Films like the ‘The Lobster’ and ‘Hunt for the Wilder people’ are too quickly becoming exceptions to the screenwriting norm. There is definitely a place for simple and enjoyable movies, but screenwriters cannot simply rely on an ‘adjective + noun’ as their entire premise. If we continue down this ‘bad’ path we will soon see the end of all creativity and originality in filmmaking.

Event GUide If you have an event coming up, and would like it to feature in our Event Guide, email us at eventguide@woroni.com.au

19/9 Our Plastic World Photospace ANU SOA, 10am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5pm Runs till 23/09 đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E; Week 1 at Floriade and Nightfest Commonwealth Park, 9am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; late đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E; Climate Cafe: Art, Climate Change and Dangerous Ideas, with speaker Ngaio Fitzpatrick Springbank Room JG Crawford Building, 12.15 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1.45pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x2022; Mean Girls Quote Along Dendy, 6.30pm ANU/The Canberra Times â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Meet the Authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Event: Graeme Simsion MCC Theatre 2, 6.30 - 7.30pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

20/9 International Law Society OGM Law Common Room, 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x2022;

ANU Giving Day Pop Up Tent Union Court, 11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x2022;

Oaktree Presents Trivia ANU Bar, 4.30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

Panel Discussion: How do we define Racism in Modern Australia? The Auditorium, 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2pm & đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

Woroni Student Consultation on SSAF Woroni Office, 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E; Phil Carswell OAM on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Did the Grim Reaper win?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Menzies Building, 5.30pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E; LSS: Speaker Series: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Law in the Digital Ageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Law Lecture Theatre, 5.30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7pm & đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E; Women of Note: Professor Gillian Triggs Llewellyn Hall, 6:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8pm & đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

26/9

27/9

Week 2 at Floriade and Nightfest @ Commonwealth Park, 9am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; late đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

Big Ideas: the rule of law: pasts, presents, and two possible futures HC Coombs Room 1.04, 12.30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1.30pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

The Princess Bride Quote Along Dendy, 6.30pm

21/9

Battle for the ACT Seat of Kurrajong Manning Clarke Lecture Theatre, 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8.30pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

22/9 ANUSA Student Consultation on SSAF ANUSA Office, 12 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x2022; Bonfire Night Forestry Firepit, 4.30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x2022;

23/9 SAFIA UC Refectory, 8pm, $44.90 Eat, drink and be literary with Steve Lewis and Chris Uhlmann University House, 7:15pm, $70

Piper-Heidsieck Pop Up Bar Ostani, 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8pm, $15

Stranger Things - A night of music La De Da, 8pm, $5

Introduction to Natural Dyeing: Sally Blake Canberra Environment Centre, 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8pm, $20

Public Astronomy Night Mt. Stromlo Observatory, 7-9pm, gold coin donation

Let the quantam be! Finkel Theatre, 6.30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7.30pm & đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

Nepal Info Night The Hungry Buddha, 6pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

Interhall 40 Hours of Film Manning Clarke Lecture Theatre 2, 6.30 - 9pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

Open Day Government House, 11am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

Active Nation Day @ Patrick White Lawns, 9 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9.40am, BYO towel and water bottle đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

Gypsy Scholars Floriade Stage 88, 1.40 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3.25pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E; Screening: A Little Princess (1995) National Portrait Gallery, 3pm, gold coin donation Tanna Q&A Screening with Director Martin Butler HC Coombs Lecture Theatre, 7pm, $15

Old Bus Depot Markets Kingston, 10am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E; Lo//Cutter Presents: Holy Balm Lobrow, 8pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1am, $25

Icons: Sibelius by Canberra Youth Orchestra Llewellyn Hall, 7.30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10.30pm

29/9

30/9

Piper-Heidsieck Pop Up Bar Ostani, 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8pm, $15

RiRi Appreciation Night Mr Wolf, 10pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5am

Fastfest 2016 National Convention Centre, 6.30pm and 8.30pm Runs till 01/10 BALL PARK MUSIC ANU Bar, 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11.45pm, $40

1/10 See the Constitution National Archives of Australia, 9am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5pm & Runs till 03/10 đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E; Wellness Masterclass with Bianca Cheah Canberra Centre, 10am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1pm, $23 Queer Screen Arc Cinema, 4 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8.30pm, 2 films screening, $19 each David Christie Live The Front, 8.30pm, $10 UniVibes Have You Seen My Shirt? Australian Croatian Club Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, 9pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3am, $5 member $10 non-member

đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E; 0$ Free đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x2022; Food provided

Spring 360 Fashion Market Fitters Workshop Kingston, 10am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3pm & đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

So You Think You Can Drag Ainsle Arts Centre, 7.30pm, $25

Collected Resonances Ainslie Arts Centre, 8pm, $5

Fix and Make: The Fixing of Things Panel Palace Cinemas, 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8pm, $25 inc. drink

25/9

The Salt Room Gorman Arts Centre, 7.30pm, $5

ANU Arts Revueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s FUN Nation ANU Arts Centre, 8pm, $15 students Runs till 24/09

28/9

24/9

2/10 Green Living Festival Albert Hall, 10am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E; Old Bus Depot Markets Kingston, 10am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E; Drawn In National Portrait Gallery, 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3pm đ&#x;&#x2026;&#x17E;

Arts & reviews

Issue 9, Vol. 66

The Book of Everything: A Review ANONYMOUS Content Warning: Depictions of Domestic Violence Burgmann presents ‘The Book of Everything’ by Richard Tulloch - an exploration of religious conservatism, domestic violence and a young boy’s imagination. Originally based on a Dutch children’s book in the early 1950s, Thomas Klopper centres as the precociously affable nine (almost ten) year-old. Basil Jones plays Thomas with great skill, his child-like demeanour is energetic, believable, and heart-breaking. Jones very much carried a show that at times, lacked creative vision and cohesiveness. Director, Eden Lim, struck gold with the casting of the Klopper family, including a few seasoned actors: Ben McCarthy is a convincing abusive

father, Kate Garrow beautifully conveys both the weakness and strength of Mrs Klopper, and Bronte Wilson adds silliness to the role of 16-year old Margot Klopper. Mrs Van Amersfoort, portrayed by Mia Waltow, brought a grace to the stage which was magically paired with Thomas’, adding enormous chemistry to their scenes. Max Winterbottom, as Jesus, brought a lot of comic relief, but lacked a real stage presence beyond capitalising on the wackiness of his character. Phoebe Cook (Eliza), and Grace Bramwell (Aunty Pie), were supporting characters that lacked any real character development. Like most amateur productions at ANU, the transitions between scenes were incredibly bulky, leaving the

audience in pitch black listening to actors change props and set pieces. With a piece that preaches the power of the imagination, director Lim could have used more of hers. The play dealt with some heavy themes of domestic violence, and this is where the play really struggled to stay believable and engaging. Lim completely ignored the intended stylization of abuse in Tulloch’s work, instead showing both the physical act of abuse and the stylized narration by other actors on stage. The result was clunky, ineffective, and uncomfortable to watch. Margot’s (Wilson) attack of her abusive Father (McCarthy) was over the top, and lacked real emotion beyond shock-value - the continued threat of the knife to her Father was completely unbelievable. Even Aunty Pie’s rant about her hus-

band’s abuse felt more like a 20-yearold reading a speech she could not understand, than a real declaration. The set design was simple, with changing scenes flipping along with the pages of Thomas’ larger-than-life book of everything. Props must go to Stage Manager, Despina Panagiotopolous, for her incredible work bringing this vision to life. The choice of sound was, at times, incredibly done. The recurring love song for Thomas and Eliza’s interactions was comical, and made their moments seem bigger than life. The lighting needed a little bit more work on the balcony scenes, as Max Winterbottom as Jesus was constantly cut off from the light - an almost constant struggle with taller actors in amateur productions.

Follow Fash ‘n’ Treasure at www.instagram.com /fash.n.treasure

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

Arts & reviews

SKIPPY AND BEAGLE Skippy and Beagle met in a dusty Film Studies tute (because who goes to Film lectures?) back in 2014. The amount of times the pair have agreed on a film is about the same amount of times as you’ve used your mid-semester break to actually catch up on readings. Now, at the end of their degrees, they have realised that writing a Woroni column is the most use they will get out of their Minor, so they figure they might as well get their money’s worth.

Sully: How to pad scripts and alienate people Annabelle Klimt and Josh Begbie

‘Sully’ tells the true story of Captain Sullenburger, who successfully crash-landed United Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River in 2009. Clint Eastwood builds upon the familiar lens of crash investigation to explore every detail around the infamous moment. Also, Tom Hanks is in it. B: Imagine you’ve got a 3000 word essay to do. You’ve done some research, written a plan, and figure that you’ve got enough to get there so you dive in and start writing. Before you know it, you’ve hit about 2400 words and said everything you have to say. So what do you do? You pad. You explore every point, over examine every angle, and flog that horse until it’s as dead as your hopes for an HD after week 7. That’s what ‘Sully’ feels like. S: I think you’re being a bit harsh. How else can you make a movie about the 240 seconds following a plane’s engine breaking down without padding? B: Easy - just don’t make the movie! It’s a pretty obvious and predictable cash grab if you ask me. That doesn’t mean that the whole thing is without merit, but at the end of the day, I think somewhere along the line somebody should have said, “hold on, there is only about 60 minutes of content here, max”.

S: I’m sure there was someone who said exactly that, which is why they capped it at 96 minutes - pretty short for a modern day blockbuster. In terms of the merit, I think there are some incredibly strong moments. The way Clint Eastwood recreated the crash is phenomenal. As an audience member, I don’t think you could’ve felt more involved in the crash unless you were in one of those 4-D cinemas and actually felt the water splashing around your ankles. B: Foath. From the moment the plane takes off, to when all the passengers are accounted for, ‘Sully’ is genuinely gripping. I’m always impressed by films that can create an emotional response even though the audience already knows the plot - it highlights that it’s often how you tell the story that matters, rather than the content itself. S: In terms of content though, I got really stuck on Eastwood’s attempt to humanise the passengers. I couldn’t stop cringing at the introductory scene where everyone boarded the plane, creating the chummiest group of flyers I’ve ever seen. When do ever you see a group of strangers smiling and laughing with each other before a flight takes off? You don’t. In my experience flying, it always seems to be the complete opposite, so to

see Eastwood’s characters carry on in such an artificially friendly way, was frankly annoying. B: Yeah, I had similar issues with the attempt to make Sully’s home life more dramatic. You could have heard my eyes rolling when his wife called him to say that they still hadn’t found tenants for their investment property. Poor guys! S: Those types of moments were used by Eastwood to make the movie more about the American Dream etc. etc. rather than just the crash. Pretty ambitious, and I guess perhaps not effective? B: The film student in me wants be believe it was an attempt to add thematic layers, as you say, but the realist in me thinks it was just poor storytelling. The 15th anniversary of 9/11 was last week, so the timing of the film’s release was probably a deliberate choice. How do you think the film dealt with these issues? S: I would’ve liked to see them addressed more directly, because to me, when watching the scenes where the airplane was flying dangerously close to the New York skyline unfold, all I could think about was 9/11. B: See, I thought the opposite in terms of directness. There were

some pretty heavy-handed 9/11 references in there, which I don’t think we needed - you’d have to be pretty clueless to see planes flying through New York and not be reminded of the World Trade Centres. I did like the way the film focused on the ability of New York’s citizens to pitch in and help though, it appropriated some of the nicer sentiments from 9/11, without stoking the vengeful side of American patriotism. S: I do think some of the reason why Sully was historically lauded as such a hero was because the 2009 crash came off the back of 9/11. The contexts were just so similar, so I think it is hard to separate the two events, even subconsciously. The crash shows the flipside of the 9/11 tragedy, in the way that it represents a miracle, and the strength of the American spirit. B: All in all, I was pleasantly surprised about how well this story was told, although some of the additions were disappointing. 2.5 Beagles. S: I’m a bit of a sucker for Tom Hanks, so I’m bumping it up to 3 Skippy’s.

Radio

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Woroni Radio Playlists: Time Brendan Keller-Tuberg

Why Podcasting? Loretta Lackner

The relationship between the human experience and time is a recurring theme in music. In this Edition’s Time playlist, artists like Bon Iver, Pink Floyd and Preoccupations ruminate on personal struggles originating from our experience of time, while others like Father John Misty, Noname, and Chance the Rapper choose to reflect on vivid memories and their relationship to their present identities. Look out for recently released music from Angel Olson, American Football, Frank Ocean and more. Enjoy, and look out for more playlists in future Editions!

1. 22 (OVER S∞∞N) – Bon Iver 2. Time – Pink Floyd 3. Ivy – Frank Ocean 4. Hey – Duck Duck Ghost 5. Those Were the Days – Angel Olson 6. Summer Friends – Chance the Rapper 7. Reelin’ In The Years – Steely Dan 8. 12:51 – The Strokes 9. Remember – Oneohtrix Point Never 10. Diddy Bop - Noname 11. The Wait – Tobias Jesso Jr. 12. I’ve Been Lost For So Long – American Football 13. Started From the Bottom – Drake 14. Memory – Preoccupations 15. Timeless (feat Vince Staples) – James Blake 16. Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear 17. Time After Time – The Bad Plus 18. In Time – FKA twigs 19. Infinity – The xx 20. I Went To The Store One Day – Father John Misty

A while ago I listened to a podcast episode from ‘The Generation Why’ that was wild. It was about a minister (Kevin) who saw angels and demons as parts of everyday life, saw car crashes before they happened, and knew when people were going to die. Naturally, I thought that was ridiculous, so I sent the podcast creators a very long-winded message. I politely asked why they didn’t question this Kevin guy on anything of the things he had said, especially considering some of the things he was saying were absolutely mental, and that I really respected their show. This is the response I got: “Justin here. The Christianity and Supernatural [episode] was really supposed to focus on the origins of our fears and how those are interpreted into supernatural or natural things. Kevin (our guest) was super excited to talk about this and we granted him the time. We allow all of our guests the time to speak, and are not in the business to attack their views. That said, we were not prepared for, or expecting, what transpired that day. We could’ve questioned or contested his remarks, but lets be honest, we’re not changing his mind or getting through to someone who believes the things he does. Aaron and I have our own beliefs, and at the end of the day, at least for me, the take away from that episode is just knowing [there are] people in the world who think the way Kevin does.” This is what I love about podcasting - the relationship that both the guests, and the listeners, have with the presenters is very direct. It was Justin who replied to me, not an assistant, not a corporation, but the guy who started this podcast with his friend. And he was unapologetic. A lot of podcasts I have been listening to for a while have grown with me. The first episodes have poor sound quality, no advertisement or business model built around them, and are very experimental, but as time goes on, you hear them announce they’ve landed a sponsor (probably Square Space, Audible or Casper). Soon after, they have money to buy a decent mic, and before you know it, they have some really

rad guest who might be a listener to the show, or a high profile comedian. Another reason I like the podcast medium is because the presenters are the creators, editors, producers and audience. There is no one telling them what they can or cannot say, no one advising them against speaking about that taboo topic – and this makes for guaranteed interesting listening, whether it be about angels and demons, or dropping all the swear words in the English vocabulary. Opinions are served straight up as they come, and everyone has an unrestricted amount of time to voice theirs. So if you asked me, ‘Why podcasting?’, I would tell you that it’s because it is a unique platform, through which any person can access untapped ideas and opinions on a multitude of subjects. By simply downloading an episode from an app, I can be included in a conversation about how the universe works, learn how economic principles affect me, or better understand politics. Ultimately, it provides a means to deepen my understanding of the world around me at the click of a button.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

Life & Style

The Food Co-op

Beeting the Canberra Cold Unlike the temperamental nature of Canberra weather, Australian politics, or your feelings about being at work or Uni on any given day, the Food Co-op Shop & Café continues to be a consistent source of good music, good people, delicious food and a supportive community. This recipe series aims to give you an insight into the incredible meals prepared by volunteers for the rush and bustle of rugged up Uni students, office workers, and miscellaneous hungry individuals. All of the meals at ‘The Co-op’ are vegan, organic, cheap, healthy and hearty, based around seasonal fresh, local produce, spices and whole foods (all stocked in the shop). If your taste buds are firing just reading this column then come in and join us for lunch 12-2pm weekdays, or volunteer in the mornings with the inviting and friendly kitchen gang to learn some skills and earn a 15% discount (valid for 2 weeks with every 1 hour worked) to use when you buy your own ingredients for cooking your $5 meal at home!

There are few things more revitalising and comforting than beetroot and potato on a cold and windy winter day. It was a day just like this in Canberra when I nestled into The Food Co-Op, and prepared myself for a heart-warming lunch of Beetroot and Potato Nepalese Curry, prepared by their delightful chef Emma. This dish is not only vegan and made from The Food Co-Op’s all organic produce, but it is also nutritious and imbued with a vibrant beetroot red colour. Beetroot is an all round outstanding vegetable, rich in fibre and folic acid that detoxifies the liver and helps lower cholesterol levels. With only 43 calories and 3g of fibre in every 100g serving, this vegetable is definitely the star of the dish. This curry is simple, cheap, nutritious and easy to prepare for an impressive weekend or weeknight meal. Served on brown rice and a slice of bread, it is one thing you can’t wait to cuddle up on the couch with. This recipe serves approximately 6-8 people and all measurements can be adjusted according to personal preferences. Every ingredient can be found at The Food Co-Op Shop and, if bought in the given quantity, will cost approximately $18 in total (not accounting for a member’s discount).

What you will need: Large Metal Pot Chopping Board Large Knife Blender Large Wooden Spoon Saucepan or Rice Cooker Teaspoon Tablespoon Cup Measure Stove Ingredients: 1 Tbsp Olive Oil 1 Tbsp Fenugreek Powder 1 Tbsp Cumin Powder 1 Tbsp Turmeric Powder 20g sliced fresh Ginger Pinch of Sugar Pinch of Salt 1 Onion, halved 1 Cup Yellow Split Peas 2 large Beetroots 2 large Potatoes 1 ½ Cups Water ½ Cabbage 1 Tsp Coconut Cream 2 Cups Brown Rice Bread

Nutritional Information:

Method:

The nutritional information below is for a small serving of the Beetroot and Potato Nepalese Curry. All information is approximate and dependent on serving size. Calories: 156 Protein: 6.6g Fat: 1.5g Saturated Fat: 0.3g Carbohydrate: 25.1g Sodium: 36mg

Dice half the onion and add to a blender with the olive oil, fenugreek, cumin, turmeric, ginger, sugar and salt. Combine these ingredients to make a paste and put to the side. Cook the yellow split peas until tender and dice the other half of the onion. Blend these two ingredients together and put to the side. Roughly chop the beetroots and potatoes. Heat the fenugreek paste in a pot and add beetroot and potatoes. Coat vegetables in the spices and cook until tender. Fill the saucepan with water and bring to the boil, adding the brown rice and cooking until soft. Add roughly 1 ½ cups of water and the split pea and onion mixture. Simmer until the curry starts to thicken, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Chop the cabbage roughly and add it to the pot along with the coconut cream. Simmer until the cabbage is cooked and the curry is thickened to taste. . Serve the curry over brown rice with a slice of fresh bread. Garnish with paprika to taste and enjoy!

Life & Style

Issue 11, Vol. 66

ANU Alumni Series

Ten Questions with Philip Clark, Host of ABC 666 Breakfast Radio Areti Metuamate

If you had your time over again, would you still come to ANU and study what you did?

In 1980, Philip Clark, who in 2014 was crowned Canberra’s ‘king of breakfast radio’, left ANU having successfully completed his Arts/ Law degree. A young Clark had come to Canberra from Tasmania and lived at Burgmann College with the likes of Kevin Rudd and Therese Rein. In those days it was Clark, not Rudd, who was the politician, having been elected to the post of President of Burgmann College. Clark went on to become a lawyer, a political staffer, a senior journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald and then a widely regarded radio broadcaster in Sydney, before returning to Canberra to be the host of ABC’s 666 breakfast show. A passionate ANU alumnus, Clark is also the father of former Woroni editor Olivia Clark and has another daughter currently in her 4th year at ANU. Woroni was fortunate to chat with Philip Clark as part of our ANU alumni series.

What did you love and hate the most about Canberra? I loved the fact that it was a community of people from all over the country, the freedom, being away from home, the exhilaration of meeting a lot of smart people, and the study! I really loved staying at Burgmann College. I don’t think I hated too much. It was pretty cold in winter I guess, but until I lived in a student house and had to pay for heating it didn’t worry me too much. I loved Canberra’s seasons.

Yes! It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I especially loved the History and Political Science courses I did. I mostly enjoyed Law - glad I did it. It’s a great way to learn how the world works. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your ANU student self?

What else did you do (other than study) at ANU? I was the President of the Residents Association at Burgmann, played a bit of AFL for the college, and got out in the bush a bit. What was your goto student meal? Spaghetti bolognese. Some things never change... Where did you socialise the most? Mostly at Burgmann but also quite often the ANU Union Bar. Later the Boot and Flogger bar (since deceased).

What was the biggest political issue affecting you and your mates when you were at ANU, and what were your views on it? The dismissal of the Whitlam government in 1975 was big. I went over to Parliament house that day. There were large crowds. I thought Fraser was wrong and had hijacked the government. Did you have a favourite ANU academic and what was it that you liked about her/him? I loved John Ritchie who taught 19th century British history, he made history a lot of fun. I also loved the intellectual excitement of Ian Hancock. In Law, I loved Prof Leslie Zines - a great teacher of constitutional Law and Equity.

I would definitely work harder. When I was at ANU there was a general culture of not doing too much work if you could help it. It made for a lot of fun, but in retrospect I missed some things along the way. If the Vice Chancellor called you up today and asked you to tell him one thing you think he should do to change/improve ANU, what would it be? Come up with better ways to teach than lectures, and improve the quality and size of small group tutorials. Canberra gets a pretty hard time from people who live in Sydney, Melbourne and even Brisbane. What do you say to people who hate on Canberra? The only people who hate on Canberra have never visited or lived here. Let’s face it, Canberra is a fantastic place to live. It’s small enough to be a “university town” and yet there’s plenty on. The bush is everywhere, there’s everything you want, and there’s no traffic or fuss. I love it.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

Life & STYLE

Worst Dates

A Deadly Date Anonymous

Young Love Anonymous

Butterflies gone bad James Hamilton

I went out on a Monday night, headed to Phoenix for happy hour, and saw a guy I knew doing a trial shift. I sat by the bar and made some small talk, telling myself I’d be out before the happy hour ended, but I keep meeting people I knew and they keep buying me drinks, so I thought, “what the hell, I’ll stay a bit longer”. The guy doing the trial shift quit, deciding he’d rather stay on the other side of the bar. We started drinking together, and soon enough we hit another pub.

I was 14 and it was Valentine’s day. It started at 10am when we went to Pancake Parlour on a 3-way date, where the 6 of us sat rigidly in a booth. After, the two other couples left to continue their romantic afternoon. We, a couple for only a week, stood stiff as boards in the foyer of the Jam Factory, not sure what to do next. He then turned to me and said, “My parents won’t be home for a few more hours, we could go to my house and ‘watch a movie’”. You see, he was in the year above, had just recently turned 16, and really only had one thing on his mind. I quickly responded, “Let’s go to a film instead”. The only available screening was Bride Wars, which, this boy, did not entirely love. Maybe because he was the only male in the cinema, or perhaps it was due to me declining to his invitation to “give him gobbies”.

When I was a recently graduated Year 12 student, I ended up vomiting on my date at the movies. Well, not so much “vomited on”, but she did cop a bit of splash-damage. Now, this wasn’t because of anything I had eaten or drunk, I was just nervous. The movie was Pitch Perfect, and the incident (let’s call it “V-day”) coincided perfectly with the scene where Hana Mae Lee starts swimming in a pool of throw-up… you all know the one. Needless to say, Anna Kendrick movies give me anxiety attacks, but I digress. As for my date, we are now good friends and keep in regular-ish contact, yet the memory still haunts me, and I fear it will forever.

After, we headed to his and smoked a J as soon as we got there... that’s when things changed - he looked pretty smashed. “Do you still want to fuck?” I asked him, “I don’t know hey” he replied. He then took off his shirt, lay on the floor and started to hyperventilate. He proceeded to ask me if I could call him an ambulance. I dialed 000 and the dispatcher started asking me questions, which I then in turn, asked the guy. As the dispatcher could recognise the person inflicted was responding, he asked to talk to him directly. They talked - there was no need for an ambulance, I sleep it off on the couch, woke up at 6.00am, and got a bus home. The end.

Finally, the movie finished, but his parents STILL were not home, so I had to think of yet another activity. I suggested we go hang out at the local skate park. He jumped at the idea, excited to “see the boys”. After an hour of watching him skate, the date got worse as I realised I was missing something - my trusty motorola. The water-works started, and I finally called my mum to come pick me up (from what she thought was a movie with girlfriends). Safe to say the relationship didn’t last. We broke up a week later after he asked me if the reason I didn’t want to have sex was because I was “on my rags”. In fact, I hadn’t even gotten my first period yet.

Somewhat related: looking for someone to take to the movies for an evening of romance. For those interested, PM me on Facebook, or send me an email at u5352277@anu.edu.au.

Just A Ring James Kitchin I sit at the bar waiting anxiously. This is my first date in a long time and, despite my brother’s encouraging words, I’m extremely nervous. Why? I couldn’t say. I’ve never been nervous like this before. Maybe it’s just because this is my first foray into the Tinder dating world, or maybe I have gained some humility with my 20th birthday. Regardless, I wait with a gin and lemonade in hand. Then he appears, every bit as handsome as his pictures. He’s a tad older - a vibrant 27 - but god, that certainly doesn’t matter. He recognizes me and his first line is just as charming as you’d expect. We sit down at a table. We order. We have a drink. We laugh. It’s fantastic… until I notice something a little off about one of his fingers. There’s a small white band disturbing the luminous tan on the second finger from the end on his left hand. I enquire about it. “It’s just a ring,” he says. “See? It comes off!”

image from the woroni archives

LIFE & STYLE

Issue 11, Vol. 66

AIRBNB Dreams Alexandra Green

VIC, Apollo Bay

If you find yourself in Victoria and you have a car, then you need to take a trip down the Great Ocean Road. On your travels stop at the Twelve Apostles for some candid photos, and take a dip in the ocean at every opportunity. After doing a little snooping, I discovered this idyllic property on 1.5 acres. It’s located on the brink of the Otway Nature Reserves, yet is still proximate to beaches and shopping conveniences. If there was ever to be a The Secret Garden spin off with Pinocchio, this is where it would be set. The description says it fits 5 guests, meaning it is perfect for a full carload. WA, Margaret River

SA, Robe

Robe is just on the border of Victoria and South Australia, and I stumbled upon it when doing a roadtrip from Melbourne to Adelaide (which I highly recommend). It’s also just a short drive away from Long Beach, which, as the name suggests, is a very long beach where cars are permitted - look it up. I thought Jomos beach house was a perfect Airbnb choice. It’s only a short walk to the previously praised Long Beach, and with the capacity for 6 people at 200 a night, it’s the same price as any hostel in the area. When you add the amenities though - your own private pool, a “wet room that steams” (I’ll leave that to your imagination), a 50-inch TV, and an outdoor BBQ - why would you even consider a hostel? TAS, Cradle Mountain

than welcome to use the fruits and vegetables grown in the surrounding organic vegetable gardens.

and best of all, a campfire fit: so bring your guitar with you and buy a shit tonne of marshmallows.

QLD, Daintree Rainforest

NSW, Blue Mountains

Don’t let the red-haired shadow that looms over QLD draw you away, there is a secret haven north of Cairns - the Daintree Rainforest. Pack your books and be prepared for a wifi-free and worry-free week. This World Heritage property contains a two storey structure, extensive gardens, and is totally one-of-a-kind. It also offers an outdoor bathtub overlooking the rainforest (effectively designed for Instagram photos) and multiple hammocks.

I don’t think I need to convince ANU students about the wonders of the Blue Mountains. Rain or shine it’s perfect for a weekend away. This house is only 900m to the Hazelbook Village trainstation and shops - meaning there is every possibility of getting there without a car - whilst also being surrounded by the Blue Mountains World Heritage Park. I also have a little soft spot for this house because it is straw and mud based, and entirely off-the-grid with no television or wifi. Plus, just in case you weren’t convinced, the owners can organise some yoga classes for you - yes please.

It has 4 beds and accommodates 8 people, and with 26 reviews all giving it 5 stars, it is guaranteed to be a hoot so bring all your friends. NT, Noonomah

Humour me for a moment. I know it’s HUGE, but with 6 bedrooms (and 10 beds) you could fit 15 people comfortably, meaning it would end up being just $40 a person. The architecture is amazing, there are sweeping wooden ceilings, and a luxury spa. The owner mentions that “partying into the night will not be permitted”, but considering that the property is surrounded by wineries, maybe all drinking endeavours will have to just occur in daylight hours.

If you’re even the slightest bit into hiking or walking you have to visit Cradle Mountain. Go in summer though, unless you’re trying to re-enact the recent Everest block-buster. Kentisbury Country House is the perfect location to adventure off from, into one of Australia’s natural wonders. You can either stay there for a night and use it as your base to do a 4 day trek through the ranges, or organise multiple day trips from the house, always returning for a hot shower. With the beds doned in red velvet and numerous chesterfield couches it screams bourgeoisie swingers party. Perhaps the best perk of all is that you’re more

Airbnb options in the Northern Territory are very limited, and honestly, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The best way to see the Northern Territory is to go camping and lie under the stars, because you’ll never see a brighter, clearer, shinier sky. Nonetheless, Noonomah is an outer rural suburb near Darwin, and the perfect starting point for a journey into Kakadu National Park. This house is fantastic. It has the perfect beachfeel, a swimming pool, a pool table,

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

LIFE & STYLE

Sonder Sonder is defined as the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own - populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness. In a series of interviews, Arts student, Georgia Leak, aims to explore the lives of the colourful characters that call the ANU home.

Interview: Alice Sutton of EDITION label Georgia Leak

Have you ever given much thought to the impact your fashion purchases have on the world? If I’m being honest, I hadn’t. In a world driven by fast-paced trends, I’ve always succumbed to the sale racks of H&M or Zara, unaware of the magnitude to which this industry exploits workers, copies the work of other designers, and contributes massively to our ever-growing carbon footprint. With every ignorant swipe of my debit card I’ve unknowingly supported forced labour practices and wasted thousands of litres of water used in the production of garments, and, as a mindless consumer in a world permeated by the likes of mass media and materialism, I probably would’ve continued to do so, had I not spoken to Canberra fashion designer Alice Sutton… Working to create sustainable fashion that produces little to no waste, Alice’s label EDITION has begun to cause quite the stir. Selected to feature in the upcoming FashFest (29 Sep - 1 Oct) at the

Canberra Convention Centre, the young CIT graduate has her sights set on making eco-friendly pieces, which highlight and shape the ever-growing identity of Canberra’s fashion industry. “I hope that through my work I can make an impact - no matter how small - on the buying habits of Australian consumers. I just want people to buy garments that have been made ethically and will be worn for years, as opposed to low quality and unethical fast fashion items that affect the environment in insurmountable ways.” Alice is stepping a little farther outside of her comfort zone for EDITION’s FashFest showcase and is playing with jersey and wool - materials normally associated with more casual wear - to create comfortable and functional formal wear. According to Alice, her customers’ comfort is one of her highest priorities. “One of my major influences is my customers,” says the young designer. “They give me the most valuable feedback about fit, colour, what’s flattering, and what needs improv-

ing. In turn, I can only hope that I’m able to make garments that they’re able to look beautiful and feel confident in, without compromising their own comfort… or the environment for that matter!” Even with FashFest looming just around the corner, Alice is already planning ahead, and has new and exciting projects on the horizon. “After FashFest I’ll be working on an Open Studio day with Australian National Capital Artists, and then on a new collection,” she told me with much excitement. In all of her endeavours, Alice hopes her dedication and unbreakable zeal for designing ethical and sustainable fashion will inspire other young Canberrans to follow suit. “Plans and goals for the future change all the time but always involve doing what I love: thinking, creating and making.” In today’s fast-paced fashion industry it takes courage for upand-coming designers to speak out against the unethical practices commonly committed by household brands. EDITION’s

Alice Sutton has done just that taking criticism in her stride, she has worked tirelessly to right the wrongs of an industry tarnished by cruel and polluting practices. When I asked her if she thought of herself as brave for taking a stand for what she believed in, she told me she’d never given it much thought, that she was just doing what was right. Though, in her humbleness, Alice might regard her firm and revolutionary stance as anything but exceptional, what she may not realise is that through her work in EDITION she’s begun to educate those around her thoughtless consumers like myself - about the detrimental impacts their buying habits have on the wider world. Changing the globe one dress purchase at a time - I don’t know about you, but I think that’s pretty special. Alice’s showcase will feature during Spectra on the closing night of FashFest, Saturday 1 October, at 6.30 pm.

LIFE & STYLE

Issue 11, Vol. 66

PoC Mental Health Photography Campaign The ANU Ethnocultural Committee is a collective of ANUSA that represents all students on campus who identify as ethnically and culturally diverse. This Committee is open to all those who self-identify as people of colour, including, but not limited to, people who come from minority Ethnocultural backgrounds, are white-passing, are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, and have been marked or marginalised by white supremacy. The Committee will become a Department next year. This term we are running a PoC Mental Health Photography Campaign, and are looking for ANU Students of Colour to feature as subjects. Resa Le has participated in the campaign, and her feature has been included below in a pre-emptive attempt to answer FAQs.

Participation means a photograph (which we will take), 1-2 sentences on your mental illness and how it intersects with your Ethnocultural identity, and an optional 200-300 word story. If you are interested in participating, then contact ‘sa.ethnocultural@anu.edu.au’ or message us at our Facebook page ‘ANU Ethnocultural Committee’. The photos will be published during Mental Health Week (week 11) to increase awareness, visibility, and reduce the stigma of mental illness in people of colour.

Resa Le You can’t just tell your Vietnamese parents that you, a Vietnamese girl in year 11, have an abusive boyfriend. You should be studying hard to make your family proud. While you’re being

a model student and daughter, you feel isolated as your abuser controls you. It is when you’re in your room alone studying that you turn off autopilot, and only then do you let yourself feel that you want to die. You open up a browser. The Internet is the only place he can’t control you. This is how you cope. Addiction is a pathological, maladaptive dependency. You can be obsessed with Stalkerspace, but it doesn’t compare to every day religiously following and reading the Tumblrs, Instagrams and Twitters of people you hardly know from school. You have to read these YouTube and Cracked comments for 1-2 hours straight to shut off your brain. Without the Internet, you become fidgety. You panic, and you’re constantly thinking about the next time you can access the internet. It took me until year 12 to realise I had an Internet addiction, and until this year to recognise I am depressed. In Australia, depression is represented as a white teenager who physical-

ly self-harms, takes substances and eventually destroys their life. For me, being a part of my Asian family meant I couldn’t even conceive using such coping methods without the repercussions and shame so implicit in my cultural values. All throughout school, I was a stereotypical Asian girl who didn’t socialise or misbehave. I had a long-term relationship, played classical music and achieved astounding grades. This is not what depression “looks like”, but I was still depressed. Depression and addiction can manifest themselves in different ways when you are a person of colour. I hope my story, and this campaign, helps other PoC to address their own mental health and seek help if they need to. You’re not weak or bringing shame. You are not alone.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

LIFE & STYLE

My body is a temple Matthew Mottola

Each week I adhere to a strict maintenance regime so thorough, it would probably leave Nigella feeling inadequate. I’ll spare you the details, but suffice to say the staff at Priceline, Aesop and Lush all know my name. Sitting on my bathroom shelves – amongst the lotions and potions, creams and cleansers, masks and moisturisers – is my electric razor. That Phillips razor has trimmed hair from my cheeks to my toes, and in a lot of other places that few have dared to venture. But nowadays, apart from before the casual drag performance, my razor just collects dust. There are huge societal pressures, norms, and expectations on men to groom themselves… so why do I no longer participate in the “manscaping movement”? Like any good story, mine begins in O-Week. I was a free spirit in a new city, living up the single life. Of course, O-Week

was the catalyst for an assortment of fleeting hook-ups, one-night stands, and various other decisions, which I later came to regret. My sexual liberation and self-discovery had begun. I started to shave my body and pubic hair, I shopped online for sex toys and underwear, and I had more frequent sexual health checkups. In a seemingly natural progression, I soon jumped into the murky waters of semi-anonymous hook-up platforms, like Grindr. But as debauched as my lifestyle may have been, I came to realise just how toxic Grindr was - the ignorance, casual racism and body shaming were pervasive and insidious. By and large, there was an expectation for you to look like a porn star, and anything less than a hairless body and flat stomach could result in an outright rejection. It took me a

long time to realise that Grindr seriously eroded my self-esteem.

long as we weren’t missing our trees for the forest.

When I started to date someone shortly after deleting Grindr, my thoughts were plagued with self-doubt. Paired with a major lack of confidence, and no real sense of self-worth, the relationship floundered.

At the beginning of this new relationship I thought about a lot of things. A regular reflection was how relieving it was to escape the pervasive body hate, and harmful expectations that exist on apps like Grindr.

So how did I turn this around?

I’ve been told that my morning routine is excessive, but at least I am doing it for me and for my own pleasure. My body is a temple, my body is my own, and my body is beautiful as it is.

First, I learnt to love my body and love my hair. It was hard, and it took a while, but eventually I stopped shaving myself for other people. Gradually, I rebuilt my temple and started to look after myself again. Then, some months later - having reclaimed a healthy mental state - I found a partner, and after a discussion we both decided that there was no need to regularly mow the lawns. We were tired of the shaming we had both experienced when single, so we agreed that everything was a-ok, as

Changing how you look, or altering your mentality for other people, in any way, is an unsustainable and unhealthy rationale. After all, if you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you going to love somebody else?

Just a little, not too much Anonymous

I’ve had a few hair struggles as of late. I feel like when you’re in a serious relationship, you ignore the state of your body hair. I felt perfectly fine having a small Malaysian forest growing downstairs – without fear that my partner would care. It is only now, after breaking up, that I have realised the importance of serious bodily hair grooming. The dating scene has expectations of length and the status of the overall state of disrepair downstairs. I now experience significant body hair anxiety. Everyday is now a struggle to find the balance between wannabe porn star and overt naturalist. The most important thing is to retain hair. Yes, nothing downstairs probably does make it bigger, but does it reflect

you? You need a bit of lawn or coverage to show that you’re relaxed and real. The idea that ‘no hair is sexy’ is completely false. It’s weird. It makes you look like a pre-pubescent primary school student, as opposed to the cool sex-loving scholar that you are. To my housemate’s absolute horror, I recently went beyond just genital fur and shaved my beard. For all those thinking about shaving their beard, please think carefully about what type of chin you have. I realised that I have no chin, and therefore, I require facial hair to give my awkward face any semblance of structure and attractiveness. My last bit of advice – grow hair anywhere you like; it looks cool.

LIFE & STYLE

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Style on Campus Instagram: @woroni #styleoncampus Tony Gu

Vihan (20) studies a PhB in Science, his favourite spot on campus is â&#x20AC;&#x153;bench near creekâ&#x20AC;? and his favourite brands are Aquila and MJ Bale. Jacket: vintage Jumper: Ralph Lauren Shirt: Country Road Bottoms: Asos Shoes: Aquila Bag: JAG Sunglasses: Rayban

Dom (19) studies PPE. His favourite brands include A.P.C. and CDG, he is a strong advocate for refugee rights, and his favourite band is Midnight Oil. Today he is wearing a Refugee Action Comittee pin, Norse Projects sweater, Bleu De Paname pants, and 2nd hand hiking boots.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

LIFE & STYLE

Interested in taking photos for campus style? Email photography@woroni.com.au Get featured! Follow our facebook and instagram for updates: we’ll post where and when we’ll be taking photographs

Celeste (18) studies Criminology and Psychology. Shirt: Salvos Trousers: Tree of Life Bag: A market in Thailand

Jeremy (23) studies Arts and Commerce. Favourite brand: “being fab & fierce” Favourite music: 90s Female RnB Favourite spot on campus: BKSS Jacket: Opshop Top: Asos Bottoms: Zara Shoes: Iconic

LIFE & STYLE

Issue 11, Vol. 66

In the defence of fictional diplomacy Keny Arcangeli

Every time I mention Model United Nations (MUN), most of my friends end up rolling their eyes and scramble to change the topic. It’s fair enough. I understand why people may have an adverse reaction to the practice of what I refer to as ‘fictional diplomacy’, but I feel like most people are forming an opinion without undergoing a proper MUN experience. The gist of a MUN conference is that participants, who are referred to as delegates, represent a particular country on a specific international committee of sorts, and discuss a particular topic. For example, one could represent the Kingdom of Jordan on the Disarmament and International Security Committee, discussing the issue of weapons trading within the Levant. Through extensive debate, negotiation and compromise, committees aim to produce a draft resolution addressing the issue assigned. At the conclusion of the conference,

the committee then votes whether to pass or block the proposed resolution.

corporate what it means to act in a diplomatic fashion.

The purpose of MUN is to create an environment where more than just influential public speaking is required, and strong policy drafting and negotiation skills are also tested. It’s easy to classify MUN as a deformed style of debating, yet the goal is not to solely argue a particular point of view, but find a middle ground where most of your colleagues are willing to support you. I have witnessed strong orators beautifully defend their views, but completely fail at negotiating a policy supported by a majority. Not all the action occurs in the verbal sparring, but also in the construction of particular clauses and compromises. Therefore, individuals wishing to participate do not need to be the next interhall public speaking champion, or LSS negotiations winner. Rather, they need to be someone willing to develop well-rounded skills that in-

What is more important, is the friendships one forms whilst at a MUN conference. After three or more days of engaging debate, you’re inevitably bound to bond with those you’ve been opposing or supporting. To make this process even easier, the addition of committee dinners, social events and MUN’s own social media world, provide a scene where delegates can choose what they want to get out of their experience. Most MUN conferences in Australia are attended by students from universities across Australia. As a result, many attendees form friendships with people from nearly every major city, and the frequency of these conferences allows everyone to rekindle their friendships on a constant basis. Plus, people save thousands of dollars in accommodation when travelling inter-state.

So while you may be only pretending to solve the world’s problems, or some individuals may not actually represent a country entirely accurately, MUN conferences are a unique experience that allows participants to explore and expand their diplomatic skills. The opportunity to connect with people across the country, as well as test your speaking and negotiation capabilities, is what MUN can definitely offer to any engaged individual. So before you roll your eyes next time someone mentions MUN, why don’t you find out what you’re missing out on and attend one? Keny Arcangeli is a member of the National Capital Model United Nations Conference Secretariat, being hosted at the ANU from September 30th to October 2nd 2016.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

ENVIRONMENT

Reusable bottles: untapped potential Grace Dudley Plastic Island in Trafalgar Square. Art installation by Madrid-based Luzinterruptus, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;an anonymous artistic group, who carries out urban interventions in public spacesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; using light. Here, they aim to highlight the issue of plastic waste in a piece commissioned by Lumiere London 2016. See more at www.luzinterruptus.com. Photo by Lola MartĂnez. dotted throughout ANU campus and inside libraries, providing no obstacle to frequent refills. For those weak to the temptation of purchasing unhealthy bottled sugary drinks, try using a thermos to keep tea hot or smoothies cool as an alternative. Kabi bottles, for example, are made with vacuum sealed insulation, which allows them to keep drinks hot for 12 hours, or cool for 24 hours. This versatility is an undeniable advantage over plastic bottles, adding to the appeal of stainless steel products. Who else thinks it is a bit ridiculous to buy water in a plastic bottle when you can get the same thing from the tap for free? Labelled with images of fresh waterfalls and crisp lakes, bottled water has entered the market as a legitimate item to purchase. However, this now everyday item has serious impacts on our environment, as well as our wallets. Fortunately, reusable bottles address these problems and present numerous practical advantages for anyone seeking to incorporate sustainable choices into their daily routine. Buying a bottle of water means paying 1000 times more than the cost of tap water. Australians spend over $500 million dollars on bottled water per year, with each of us buying an average of fourteen bottles annually, and 99% of these costs relating to the production of the actual plastic bottle, lid and label. The clear financial costs associated with our purchases are paired with the massive environmental impacts of producing, packaging, transporting and refrigerating bottled water. The amount of bottles purchased annually equates to 60,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia alone. The disposable plastic bottles are produced of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a material derived

from petroleum hydrocarbons. During the manufacturing process, at least 3 litres of water is required to produce just 1 litre of drinking water, and the waste and pollution of bottled-water manufacturing is further exacerbated by the subsequent energy used in the transportation of bottles via fossil-fuelled vehicles, and storage in energy intensive refrigerators. The environmental damage continues post consumption, with a central concern with plastic bottles being the immense amount of waste they create. While plastic bottles can be recycled, a lot of them end up in the wrong place. They are one of the most common items to be found as litter in our environment, and though a large proportion end up in landfills, plastic bottles may take up to 1000 years to break down. These 600ml villains are also a significant cause of harm in marine ecosystems, with many animals mistaking small broken pieces of plastic for food, and often dying as a consequence. In fact, the CSIRO estimates that 50% of damage in our oceans comes from littered beverage containers. To help mitigate these kinds of environmental impacts and to reduce personal costs, there has been a gradual shift toward ditching unsustainable

plastic bottles and returning to tap water, and with this, a range of reusable bottles that are both functional and stylish have been developed. Keen to actively contribute to the movement away from wasteful plastic bottles, I recently bought a 500ml stainless steel water bottle. Stainless steel is a popular alternative to plastic for many reusable bottles, and is, in many ways, both more sustainable and more functional than plastic. In the last 2 months, I have continued to knock the assumption that I would eventually forget my bottle and be forced to counterproductively buy a plastic bottle anyway. Rather, the contrary has occurred; I use my bottle every day without fail, signifying how easily remembering to bring reusable items can quickly become part of a daily routine. There are dozens of options for reusable stainless steel water bottles, with mine coming from the Australian brand Kabi. Kabi exclusively produces stainless steel water bottles, and is based on a sustainable business model, supporting local Australian charities and aiming to promote awareness and the use of reusable products. Most reusable bottles are relatively light, making them easy to transport from home to work or university. There are plenty of public fountains and taps

It is valid to note that materials other than plastic have their own environmental impacts, and stainless steel is no exception as there are energy intensive processes associated with the production. However, by keeping the same bottle, these initial environmental costs can be redeemed over time. Using a reusable bottle means there is less demand for unsustainable, disposable plastic bottles, that less waste is produced, and that fewer plastic bottles end up in landfills. Stainless steel also has the ability to remain out of the waste stream by virtue of its durability, and capacity to be completely recycled once its long lifespan is complete. Whilst no sustainable choice is ever clear cut, overall, reusable bottles provide a logical means of decreasing the demand for the disposable plastic alternative. The economic and environmental futility of buying bottled water is clear when tap water is 1000 times cheaper and has a much smaller environmental impact. The next step is to rethink our choices when we realise that altering daily habits is an achievable goal. Note: For those that need a little extra nudge in the sustainable direction, Kabi is offering 10% off to the first 50 ANU students to make an online order and use the code ANU10.

ENVIRONMENT

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Terrarium Tutorial Callum Blake, photography by Morgan ALexander

Let’s face it, not everyone has green fingers. Many of us are hesitant to take on the responsibility of caring for a little green friend due to concerns about time and money, despite the well-documented benefits of having plants in our everyday lives. Terrariums provide the perfect alternative to pot plants: they are self-contained, self-sustaining ecosystems, which require little-to-no maintenance and will create a lush jungle feel in that forgotten corner of your room. They are easy to make, and come in a variety of forms (open vs. lidded), types (desert vs. jungle), and sizes (jam jars to fish bowls). You can make them as expensively or cheaply as you’d like to, depending on the materials you choose. Here are five easy steps to explain the basic principles - just add a bit of creativity and the (miniature) world is your oyster!

Step 1:

Gather your materials You will need a glass container, something large enough to fit a few plants as well as some soil. For an affordable option, have a look in your local Vinnies or Salvos. You’ll also need some gravel, sphagnum moss (can be replaced with activated charcoal or wet newspaper), some potting mix, some small rocks or pebbles, and plants. Select two or three plants of varying heights and colours to create interest, and ensure they all have similar water requirements (don’t put a cactus in with something that likes it wet!) Here we used a Syngonium (about $7 from a local garden centre) and two varieties of moss (foraged for free from the garden).

Step 2:

Build from the ground up Add your first couple of layers: on the bottom scatter about an inch of gravel, and then add your sphagnum, charcoal, or newspaper. The second layer will collect excess water and save the soil from getting too wet. Top it off with a thin layer of potting mix.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

ENVIRONMENT

Step 3:

Start building your landscape Choose your largest plant and shake off as much soil as possible from its roots. Place it towards the back of the terrarium, spreading the roots and ensuring it is low enough that it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stick out of the top of the container. Add some more soil around the plant, mounding it to create your miniature landscape. The soil should be deeper around your large plant and shallow at the front of the container.

Step 4:

FILL WITH GREEN Place in the greenery (such as moss) and rocks chopsticks may make this easier! Again, aim to have low-growing plants at the front and taller plants towards the back.

Step 5:

FINAL TOUCHES Add in extra decorations - terrariums can tell a story with the right elements. Water in your plants, being careful to not over-saturate the soil: depending on the size of the container you may only need a third of a cup or so. Try to pour the water down the side of the glass to clean off any grime from the building process. Check back after a few hours and if the soil still looks dry add a bit more water. If your container has a lid (this is recommended for easy upkeep), your little ecosystem will soon start its own water cycle, so you may get some condensation forming on the inside of the glass.

Troubleshooting: You terrarium will do best in a warm, well-lit spot out of direct sunlight. You may get some algae growth (green grime) in the soil or on the inside of the glass, but this is normal in small amounts. Monitor for mould; if any should develop, remove the affected leaves and place the terrarium in a sunny position with the lid open for a few days. Some terrariums can go decades without having to be opened, but if any plants get too large go ahead and cut off excess growth. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an amazing sense of satisfaction that comes from watching your plants grow, so give this a go and enjoy your new mini-ecosystem!

ENVIRONMENT

Issue 11, Vol. 66

The benefits of nature for your health Zuhal Hamidi

Ever felt drained? Ever felt that sharp, stinging pain piercing through your back as you lean, slouched over the wooden tables in Chifley? Like when you are trying to reach the word count or finish cramming in all your references before clicking submit on Turnitin, after which you hurry straight back to your room. We’ve all been there, and it isn’t much fun. It may be surprising, though, to realise that a simple yet effective remedy to those study-time blues is literally right outside. When was the last time you took a few minutes from your day and enjoyed the natural environment around you? Not many of us can say too often. As students navigating late nights, long days at the library, the rush of exam periods, assessment pileups and hours in front of computer screens, we are often faced with major health concerns. From depression to colds, anxiety to that sluggish, lethargic feeling, the pressure of studying can be intense. We’re always on the hunt for ways to reduce stress levels. We visit health practitioners and other medical professionals who may overlook the great outdoors as a health buffer, and we may overlook it ourselves, instead using nights out or copious amounts of coffee to keep pushing on. Our busy routines may mean we spend less time in the great

outdoors than is ideal. Active lifestyles, wellbeing and contact with nature all tend to impact one another, and the consequences can be either positive or negative. As our western society submerges deeper into urban areas and urban lifestyles, our connectedness with nature, and the potential health benefits of this relationship, has tended to wane. Interaction with nature is proven to have material health benefits, like reducing blood pressure, while providing other positive opportunities, like encouraging individuals to exercise, or interact with one another for recreation. For many, these benefits represent a higher quality of life and health. Too often though, we find ourselves trapped by never ending to-do lists that don’t allow us to breathe, and we forget to escape outside for a moment. So the question is, how can we actively change this dynamic? There are several possibilities. One helpful practice is found in Japanese culture where traditional Japanese medicine has established the preventative health care therapy of shinrin-yoku, or ‘forest bathing’. Less odd than it sounds, shinrin-yoku is the simple practice of taking in the forest atmosphere. The goal is to fully immerse all your senses and adopt a calm, meditative state. Scientifical-

ly tested, forest bathing offers both mental and physical health benefits. While mentally improving mood, focus, intuition and the ability to connect with other individuals, the practice also offers physical benefits as participants experience increases in energy levels, a boost in their immune systems and a reduction in blood pressure. If you don’t have time to bathe yourself in forest therapy, research has suggested even quick bursts of nature may be beneficial. One index, the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scale, can be used to identity one’s connectedness with nature. With this scale, it is possible to compare different levels of health and their relationship with nature. Researchers have used such methods to examine a range of behaviors, and isolate some common benefits of interacting with nature findings suggest that spending only 5 minutes looking out the window may reduce levels of stress, anxiety and depression, while regular exposure to nature may also boost your immune system, ability to sleep and overall happiness. The point of all this is that finding the time to enjoy the natural environment can be much easier than it may seem. It is as simple as a change in scenery,

taking a moment to intentionally appreciate nature during a study break, or getting yourself out of a library to eat lunch under a tree. Even if you take a more active approach and develop habits to regularly immerse yourself in nature, it doesn’t have to be complicated. A 15-minute jog, or even a stroll around your block, could boost your mood and productivity throughout the day. Choosing to walk or ride your bike to and around campus instead of driving is another simple option. Plus, as your exposure to the natural environment increases, it will becomes even easier, almost addictive - all while improving your overall wellbeing and ability to cope with the daily stresses of a busy life. We all want the opportunity to stroll around outside and breathe, relax, touch, listen, wander and free our minds of anxiety. It is easier than you may think, and with the numerous benefits that await you, you now have an excuse to stop and smell the wattle. So if you’re stuck in the studytime blues, drop your notebook, step away from your computer, and head out into nature. Doctor’s orders.

Photograph by bremer sharp, woroni photo sub-ed

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

ENVIRONMENT

Spring 2096: The Environment Guide Morgan Alexander The scent of wattle in the air, the sunrise before 7 am, the slow hibernation of winter fog - yes, spring is upon us. At the other end of the 21st century, spring-time in the capital was an awkward transition between the now-fabled snow season and the beach-going pleasures of tolerably hot summers. We have known for years now that spring ceased to be this transient go-between, and has become the window of opportunity for anyone seeking a dose of nature, authentic or otherwise, in our great republic. Whether you have an unquenchable thirst for the latest VR technology or yearn for something other than the urban syth-gardens, are searching for an internship in water farming or seeking something slightly more unlaxing, read on. We have you covered. The Impending Graduate Now is the ideal moment to join the post-industrial farming movement. Following the environmental fallout from industrial agricultural, the shift to techno-agriculture has been heralded as a boon for world food and nutrition quotas. Techno-ag circum-

vents soil degradation and produces fortified GE hyperponics 4 times faster than millennial-generation methods. Similarly, water harvesting has become a significant industry since the drought cycle emerged. Industry leaders in the post-industrial farming movement, including The Hyperponics Enterprise and Tasmin Rainwater Inc., offer a range of opportunities to final-year students and recent graduates. Contact ANU Careers for more information. The Intellectual For the techno-enthusiasts among us, Ersatz Pty Ltd - industry leaders in virtual reality hard-and-soft-ware - are unveiling their latest computerised garden interface, CGI (the Canberra Botanic Experience), on the eastern base of Black Mountain at the edge of ANU campus. The creative force behind similar instalments around the world, Ersatz has reinhabited the former National Botanic Gardens with their interactive VR technology. The CGI allows visitors to experience the National Botanic Gardens as they were 80 years ago. Augmented with tactile synth-gardens, the Canberra

Botanic Experience offers a tantalising cocktail of quasi-nature and technology. Discounted tickets are available for the grand opening on the first day of spring: 15 credits (12 credits with student-concession status). The Changing Seasons exhibition also opens this month. A collaboration between the ANU School of Art and the National Gallery of Australia, the exhibition is ANU’s latest instalment in a series of celebrations for this year’s sesquicentenary. Both institutions have plundered their archives to assemble a vibrant collection of vintage digi-pics, capturing the evolution of Australia’s landscape. From the First Great Drought (formerly known as the Millennium Drought) to the more recent flooding of the airports at Sydney and Brisbane, the exhibition is stunning, shocking, and perfectly thought-provoking. Opening night: September 19, with the exhibition running till the end of October. Tickets may be purchased through the School of Art interface.

The Thrill Seeker If your spirit yearns for something more active and authentic, experience the real thing before the summer climate quarantines kick in. Those looking to escape to the coast for an adventure could scuba at Barrier Reef Minor, a classic and sentimental option. For those looking for something more contemporary, however, consider joining the urban snorkelling vogue. The rise of this phenomenon over the last year or two is attributed to a handful of entrepreneurs investing in inundated coast-side residential neighbourhoods and parkland. Reinforcing these once-eerie landand-city-scapes with levies, these visionaries have repurposed them into burgeoning urban snorkelling parks for marine explorers.* As an option for quick a weekend away from Canberra, check out Botany Bay Urban Snorkelling in Sydney. *While not prohibited at the time of writing, independent snorkelling outside designated parks is not recommended. Please snorkel responsibly.

Sustainable food: why you should care and what you can do Brittany Dahl It is not always easy to find a product that really deserves your time and money. What do I mean by that? Well, using your purchases to reflect your values is a powerful tool, but the purchases that reflect your values do not necessarily jump out at you. Sustainable food, for instance, can be a challenge, especially for university students with university-student budgets. Finding food without plastic packaging, eating seasonal, local, or organic produce - I have tried to do all this in the past - and like I said, it isn’t always easy. It is, however, important, and here is why. First, it is important to note there is no one definition of ‘sustainable’. Sustainability is a broad term that encompasses the ecological, social, cultural, and economic endurance of global systems and processes. In a perfect world, all food would meet the standards of these four pillars of sustainability. In our imperfect world, buying food which meets the criteria of at least one of the sustainability components is usually the best option available. The best way to eat sustainably is finding the definition that fits best with your values and means. Sustainable food, therefore, looks different to each person. It may

be food that represents a reduction in plastic or use of chemicals, that is locally produced or fairly traded, or that is farmed ethically and responsibly. Industrial agriculture is the contemporary model to supply food to the world’s growing population, however, industrial agricultural methods are chemically-intensive and arguably unsustainable. In this now conventional model, synthetic fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides produce chemical run-off from farms; damage water and soil quality; have fatal impacts on native insects, such as bees; and lead to a chemical resistance to common synthetic products. The ecological impacts of industrial agriculture are one of the foremost threats to the environment and sustainability. Organic food, on the other hand, is often considered to be the height of sustainability. Organic agriculture aims to produce food in an environmentally friendly manner through avoiding all synthetic fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides. By doing so, organic agricultural practices offer an alternative to industrial agriculture. Sounds great? Perhaps, but

organic shouldn’t be considered the superman of sustainability. Organic farming can often involve less sustainable methods, such as burning crop residues and using mined limestone to balance pH acidity levels in soil. More topical for our uni-student wallets is that the certifications required, and reductions in yield realised by organic agriculture, means organic produce is almost always more expensive. The good news is that there are many ways for you to make sustainable choices. One option is locally grown and produced food. If you consider food miles (the distance food travels from farm to plate) and factor in the energy used to transport, store and care for food during its journey from field to plate, the local product may be just as, if not more, sustainable that the organic counterpart. Though the produce may not be certified as organic, local farms may use less chemically-intensive methods than industrial agriculture. Other sustainable options might include cutting down on plastic packaging (easily done at many farmers’ markets) and growing your own food where possible. Sustainable food may look

different to each person, but everyone can support it somehow. Here are a few simple steps to help you determine what sustainable food means to you. First, be aware of what you buy and where you buy it. Taking an interest in the alternative food network is a great first step to becoming more sustainable. Second, understand how to find products and produce that suit your economic, social, cultural, and ecological values. This may seem complicated, but it can be easily overcome with the use of resources such as the ‘Fair Food Forger,’ which lists sustainable food sources across Australia. Alternatively, try exploring a local farmers’ market or the Food Coop located on the ANU Campus, and investigate what options are best for you. Third, and perhaps most importantly, educate yourself and be aware of how your food choices impact the world around you. Learn how to make the most out of the food you buy to reduce your waste and carbon footprint. This may seem complex, but it can be surprisingly easy and achievable, even for a university student.

SCIENCE

Issue 11, Vol. 66

The future of renewable energy funding Vikram Ravendran

Renewable energy researchers in Australia are regarded as some of the best in the world, and in the field of solar power especially, statistics and projections suggest Australia is an industry leader. The PERC solar cell, for example, developed by researchers at ANU and the University of New South Wales (UNSW), is now commonplace in solar-panel production globally and worth some $9 billion a year. Estimates say PERC cells will be a standard feature in more than half of all solar panels produced globally by 2020, and will save around $750 million in electricity production costs within Australia over the next 10 years. Advances like these have helped bring about the recent global boom in solar power, and Australia has continued to contribute personnel, technology and expertise to the biggest solar power manufacturers around the world. This contribution has only been possible because of the establishment of various renewable energy funding agencies in Australia in the last 30 to 40 years. The current funding program ARENA (Australian Renewable Energy Agency) possesses around $2.5 billion in grant money, and is the lifeblood of renewable energy research in universities such as ANU, and of renewable power projects scattered across the country. The future of ARENA, however, looks grim, as the Turnbull government is currently attempting to pass a budget saving bill that would abolish nearly all of ARENA’s funds. If this bill is passed, ARENA will be absorbed into the existing Clean Energy Innovation Fund, which provides debt and equity financing for renewable energy projects, and requires loan repayments. The reality of early-stage research, however, is that it typically does not yield income streams. This means that if ARENA is abolished, many innovative vanguard projects and university researchers will have to halt their work. According to ANU Professor Andrew Blakers, a leading renewables researcher and co-inventor of the PERC cell, “severe curtailment of ARENA grants will cause a loss of [Austra-

pathway toward achieving a sustainable, eco-friendly society, that is truly free of non-renewable energy: the use of batteries to store power generated from renewable sources. This has been described as the ‘holy grail’ of energy policy. If battery storage technology is perfected, the problem of sustaining electricity when the sun doesn’t shine or when the wind doesn’t blow would be solved. This was not thought possible until recently with breakthrough after breakthrough in battery storage technology and efficiency, and the cost of batteries has dramatically decreased as a result. Large corporations like Tesla have grand plans concerning battery storage, while the world’s biggest oil companies are spending billions on related research to diversify their interests.

lia’s] leadership, a loss of commercial opportunities, the loss of hundreds of jobs, and the severe downscaling of PhD and undergraduate student opportunities.” The ARENA cut has even been described by the Clean Energy Council as “plunging into the clean energy valley of death.” At the ANU alone, dozens of jobs and many cutting-edge projects will be in doubt. It seems counterintuitive that the current government wants to push through cuts to ARENA funds given the administration’s focus is on innovation, ‘jobs and growth’, coupled with the fact that Malcolm Turnbull believes in climate change (unlike his predecessor, Tony Abbott). Significant climate change commitments have also recently been made. The Paris Agreement was signed this year, forwarding a target to reduce the pollution levels of 2005 by 26-28% by 2030, and many states have announced ambitious renewable energy

targets to meet this goal. The ACT government, for example, announced recently that it plans to have the ACT powered with 100% renewable energy by 2020. The reality is that ARENA-funded research and projects are fundamental for reaching these renewable energy targets. There are various economic, technical and regulatory challenges that need to be overcome in order to integrate wind and solar power into the Australian grid. ARENA-funded research has already been working to mitigate these challenges in recent years. Several ARENA-funded projects already demonstrate the potential benefits of emerging technologies and systems, and create familiarity between investors and the renewables sector. Perhaps the most compelling argument against the ARENA cut is that there now seems to be a dependable

Incidentally, the ACT government has just announced that it will donate up to $5 million towards ANU’s Energy Change Institute (ECI) for the new Battery Storage and Integration Research program. The ANU also announced that it will contribute another $3 million to the program, with $2 million going towards new lab infrastructure to support the research. This funding boost will not replace ARENA funding in the ANU - which totals over $15 million - but will help to establish an entirely new research area within the ECI, and link existing battery storage-related research within the Research Schools of Chemistry and Engineering. Australia is well placed to make the vision for a future sustained entirely by renewable energy a reality. It is now up to our politicians to show some courage. Tackling climate change requires the support of science and research, and requires every possible measure be taken. We are already seeing the impacts of climate change unfold around the world, from the increased frequency and strength of natural disasters, to the world’s first ‘climate refugees’ recorded this year in the United States and Papua New Guinea. If we leave renewable energy too late, the damage caused by climate change will be irreversible, and will affect us all.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

SCIENCE

Dr Bradbury fights Konzo Bronte McHenry

Dr Howard Bradbury began his time at ANU as a senior lecturer in the ANU Chemistry Department in 1961, and now works in the Research School of Biology. Howard has worked at ANU for 56 years, and 2016 marked his 28th year as a visiting fellow on no salary. It is in the latter part of his time on campus that he has been searching for a way to prevent Konzo disease, and at 89 years of age, he has been successful. It is safe to say that Howard is selfless, persistent and pretty bloody kick-ass. Konzo is an upper motor neuron disease that causes irreversible paralysis of the legs. It is caused by the consumption of toxic levels of cyanide, commonly found in the plant Cassava. Cassava is in the same league as Howard when it comes to defying all odds – the plant is essentially drought resistant and guarantees a supply of starchy roots and nutrient-rich leaves during times of famine. The issue is that the worse the famine, the higher the cyanide levels in the plant, and the greater the likelihood of Konzo. The disease is most often seen in young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women, simply due to combination of increased protein requirements and a state of malnutrition. From his own experience, Howard recalls that in about half of the cases of Konzo the individuals may be able to walk with sticks, but ultimately, that it is a death sentence. Today Konzo is prevalent in eight African nations, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo exhibiting the worst statistics.

from the plant with water in a bowl, covering it with a mat, and allowing the cyanide gas to escape. The method is simple, and education is the key.

case where your donations may end up covering administration costs at a large charity organisation. Any money you donate will help save lives.

Howard’s solution is the Wetting Method, which is essentially the process of mixing the flour extracted

On Wednesday the 21st of September ANU will be raising money to help eradicate Konzo. This is not a

So gather up your loose change and pop by our Booth in Union Court this Wednesday. We will have high

spirits, lots of information, African beats, and a Cassava plant for your perusal. Let’s support Howard in his quest to eradicate Konzo.

SCIENCE

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Antibiotic Resistance: It starts with your prescription Jennifer Tinston

Before 1928, people would die from Whooping cough and Ear infections. Since the discovery of Penicillin, however, anti-microbial medicines like anti-biotics have had the power to prevent and treat many diseases caused by bacteria, such as phenomena and strep throat.

on/off in response to the infection are unique to bacterial and viruses. Nevertheless, this test still takes 10 hours, with the aim of 1 hour in the future. Both of these tests are advantageous over traditional lab tests in that they do not require direct sampling of the pathogen from the location of the infection. The tests are also more valuable for cases like middle-ear infections, where direct sampling is not possible at all. These tests also remove the risk of a false-alarm diagnosis in cases where bacteria causing the infection are also a part of healthy flora, such is the case with bacterial phenomena.

Some bacteria, however, have developed the ability to resist this medicine via an induced fast-tracked natural selection environment caused by the use and misuse of anti-biotics. Anti-biotics kill most bacteria, but those few with the advantage to survive pass on their resistance, either by sharing their genetic information, or by inheritance. These resistance mechanisms threaten to lead us to a post-antibiotic era where standard infectious diseases and surgeries once again become potentially life-threatening. Horrifyingly, examples of this are already occurring - resistance to first-line and last resort medicines for UTI’s, Gonorrhoea, Staph. a, Tuberculosis and Salmonella is widespread. Many ‘super-bugs’ that are resistant to all forms of anti-biotics have also arisen. The Centre for Disease Control has called this “one of the world’s most pressing health problems in the 21st century”. The overuse and misuse of anti-biotics contributing to this resistance is occurring in agriculture, household products, and in Doctor’s surgeries and Hospitals. The World Health Organization published an international public awareness of anti-microbial resistance survey in 2015. It found that 70% and 64% of respondents incorrectly believed that anti-biotics could treat viral infections such as sore throats and colds/flu respectively, and would therefore expect to be provided a prescription for anti-biotics from their healthcare professional. Similar sentiments can be found in an Australian Government survey that polled the public’s perspective of antibiotic usage. The 2014 survey not

Staphylococcus aureus: anti-biotics have created strains which are resistant to all medicines

only found that 65% of people polled believed taking antibiotics would help them recover from their cold or flu more quickly, but startlingly, that 60% of GPs would prescribe antibiotics to meet a patient’s demands or expectations. Yes, 60% of GPs would prescribe antibiotics to meet a patient’s demands or expectations. Over-prescription is one of the leading causes of anti-biotic resistance. Doctors feel obliged to meet their patients’ expectations of walking away with reassurance, and a prescription. If a Doctor is uncertain whether an ailment is viral or bacterial, anti-biotics are often prescribed to be on the safe side. Therein lies part of the problem. By unnecessarily prescribing anti-biotics to a patient with a viral infection, resistant bacteria in the patient’s flora flourish, and have the ability to genetically exchange this resistance with potentially harmful bacteria. Currently, methods to test whether infections are viral or bacterial cannot be conducted in the length of an

appointment time. Physicians, therefore, rely on physical examination and the consideration of symptoms to make a diagnosis. According to Dr Ephraim from Duke School of Medicine, however, ¾ of patients walk away with an anti-biotic prescription, despite the majority having a viral infection. Fast in-clinic testing is what is needed to eliminate this uncertainty, and luckily, rapid in-clinic testing is being developed. Israeli doctors have developed MeMed, which can diagnose the type of infection based on the distinctively different immune responses that viral and bacterial infections cause. Currently the results take 2 hours, and while this suits a hospital/ clinical setting, a faster point of care product is still under development. Similarly, doctors at the Duke University School of Medicine have developed a blood test for determining types of respiratory infections, which are incidentally one of the most common reasons patients visit doctors, and the infections most commonly misdiagnosed as bacterial. The test identifies a ‘genetic fingerprint’ of the response to the infection - the pattern and type of genes that are switched

Whilst these diagnostics provide hope, they need to be refined to a 1-hour turnover in a clinical setting, and preferably less in a GP surgery setting. This would be a step in the right direction towards completely eliminating the misuse of anti-biotics, and therefore fighting anti-bacterial resistance. Before these tests are implemented, however, the public needs to be educated about the efficacy of anti-biotics on different types of infections, removing the pressure on physicians to always prescribe medicine. Patients given unnecessary anti-biotics are likely to revisit and thus perpetuate the problem anyway. Ignorance of the adverse effects of anti-biotic misuse will hasten the speed in which anti-bacterial resistance grows, and contribute to leading us into a post-antibiotic era.

SCIENCE

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

What is the greatest scientific advancement of all time?

Google Maps Wanting Chen The best scientific advancement to date, I suppose, is Google Maps. As a new resident in this exotic land, I depend on this man made invention to find the right directions to shopping malls, to the university, to my changing accommodation location, etc. It is practically the most frequently used APP on my phone, which is of great convenience to my new and unsettled life here in Australia. On top of that, this scientific advancement also reflects how humans have explored nearly every corner of the world... how fantastic of our ancestors!

Dalton’s Atomic Theory Aleen Arif John Dalton’s discovery was, at the time, incredibly ingenious, as it combined information from Democritus’ ancient theory of matter and the recently validated scientific laws of multiple proportions and conservation of mass. His Theory described how matter is composed of atoms, compounds are matter composed of multiple atoms and that a rearrangement of atoms is a chemical reaction. He provided a strong foundation for further scientific research by great scientists such as Niels Bohr and Ernest Rutherford. Such research would not have been achievable had Dalton not proposed his atomic theory in the early 1800’s. Dalton’s proposed theory provided the groundwork for further research on the theory of matter and atomic structure that led to important discoveries. It is still highly relevant for contemporary scientific research of today on antimatter, such as photons, which could lead to greater discoveries on the universe and its origins.

Theory of Relativity Sebastian Rossi The theory of relativity, in summary, is the theory that perceives gravity as the distortion of space time. If space and time were combined into one two dimensional piece of spandex type material as a representation, adding marbles would distort it, and drag all other marbles simultaneously towards it and towards the others. This has changed the way we perceive the universe as it explains the bending of light, orbiting bodies, and time dilation by massive objects. Time dilation was shown in the movie ‘Interstellar’ rather well, where time passed much more quickly for the crew relative to everything else, simply because they were next to a black hole and its gravity was stretching space time around it. So without a doubt, it is one of the greatest scientific discoveries. Thank you Einstein.

SCIENCE

Issue 11, Vol. 66

What will make the difference? Why climate sensitivity and modelling must continue to inform future policies for mitigating the effects of climate change. Timothy Hume

Once described as ‘the great moral challenge of our generation’, climate change is a global threat that is increasingly damaging our world. It seems extraordinary that after decades of research and debate we are still wavering about our impact on the climate and what to do about it. The overwhelming agreement of climate scientists is that climate change, as we observe it today, is human induced, and that it will continue to cause widespread environmental changes. Since early civilisation, the climate has been a predominant influence on the evolution of human residence and practices in different regions. We have settled to farm fertile river plains and formed villages on the coastline where fishing is prosperous. It should be clear from our reliance on nature that forced natural changes genuinely threaten our economy and our way of life. Support for action on climate change is stronger than ever, but for so long we have remained focussed on proving this reality, almost forgetting that the real challenge lies ahead in how we solve the issue. We need to scrupulously consider what climate change means and how we can best respond. What remains unclear is exactly how and when it will affect our environment and society. This is why we do research. This is why we need climate modelling. Governments and industries invest heavily in economic modelling to inform decisions on policy and strategic direction. It is obvious that predicting trends in economic activity is complicated, from the challenge of predicting the decisions of governments, companies and especially, individuals. Similarly, it can be difficult to predict the behaviour of our highly complex climate system since we are limited by what can be measured. New technologies have

to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), destruction of marine habitats, heightened sea levels... and the list goes on. While scientists agree on the harmful action of excessive greenhouse gas emissions, a detailed understanding of the intensity of the impacts on different parts of the global system is still unfolding. One of the major sources of uncertainty currently being studied is how clouds generate feedback in the warming process. The formation, structure and distribution of clouds cause them to respond to temperature in different ways; some processes generate positive feedback to increase the temperature while others can have the opposite effect. Further research into these effects will enhance the accuracy of the models to account for these feedback cycles. This will improve our understanding of the overall sensitivity of the climate. improved these measurements so scientists can create better models, and with increasing measurement accuracy, scientists are continually reducing the uncertainty of their predictions to demonstrate even greater confidence in their conclusions. In order to inform policy responses, we want to know where and how climate change will have the greatest influence. We need to better understand how human activities will affect the climate. This leads us to the cutting edge of climate research into climate sensitivity. If the planet is warming there must be an energy imbalance – more radiation coming in than is going out. By adding more greenhouse gases we reduce the outgoing radiation emitted from the Earth and atmosphere, altering the delicate balance that has been relatively stable for several thousand years. This imbalance forces changes in the climate system, warming the

planet, until a new energy balance is established. Climate sensitivity is measured as the change in surface temperature for a given imbalance in the Earth’s energy budget. One of the standard questions climate scientists are asked to explore is: What would happen if we doubled atmospheric CO 2? The resultant change in global mean temperature at the surface is known as the Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity (ECS), and according to the most recent Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), this is likely in the range of 1.5 to 4.5 C. These estimates are calculated by combining evidence from recorded warming, atmosphere-ocean models and reconstructions of past climates. Given current and projected emissions, such sensitivity will ultimately lead to more frequent heat waves, intensified extremes of drought and flooding due

As a result of the Paris Climate Change Conference, Australia has committed to a 26-28% reduction in emissions from our 2005 levels. The adequacy of such targets, however, is frequently questioned – what unavoidable consequences already lie ahead and what if this is not enough? This is why we must continue to improve data collection and modelling to refine our measures of climate sensitivity and better predict the possible effects of climate change. As we strive for greater precision, it must be recognised that scientific uncertainties are not arguments or contradictions between scientists, but rather, represent an acknowledgement that measurements can always be improved. Investing in research and addressing the conclusions of climate modelling will only continue to improve our ability to respond and adapt to our changing world.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

ISIS and the Financial Market Vikram Ravendran, Co-Published by the Trading & Investment Collective Financial markets have become an increasingly important funding mechanism for the terrorist organisation, ISIS. According to some experts, currency speculation provides ISIS with approximately $20 million each month. It is further suggested, that the investments are propped up by cash looted from Mosul banks in 2014, and stolen pension payments owed to public servants in Mosul, Iraq. ISIS’s currency speculation involves moving these stolen Dinars over to unsuspecting Jordanian banks. Since the Iraqi Dinar is a fixed currency, the

Iraqi government regularly buys and sells the Dinar to influence supply and demand - also assisting in keeping the value of the Dinar pegged at 1 US dollar to 1107.1 Dinar.

evidence to suggest that somewhere between $500 million and $1 billion has been stolen from Syrian and Iraqi banks over the course of the terrorist group’s lifespan.

ISIS makes a profit from the favourable movement of exchange rates.

To much of the world’s relief, however, ISIS has experienced some financial hardships recently. In early January, a coalition bombing of a cash storage facility destroyed literally millions of dollars, and ISIS’ oil trucks and facilities have also been the target of bombings. These coalition actions, along with a drop in the price of oil, have contributed to a 50% reduction to all ISIS combatants’ salaries early

$20 million each month is hardly significant, however, when one compares it to ISIS’ other sources of finance. Every month, ISIS earns approximately $100 million from oil sales, $25 million from hostage ransoms, and $3 million collecting rent from annexed buildings. There is also

this year. The effects of this would have no doubt been significant. ISIS must pay their combatants in order keep vital services, such as water and electricity, running in conquered areas. If the organisation were unable to do this, they would likely experience an even greater uphill battle. Thus, it seems that for ISIS, the markets are both a blessing and a burden.

The Stock Market Victor Sukeerth Munagala

“One of the funny things about the stock market is that every time one person buys, another sells, and they both think they are astute.” - William Feather What is the Stock Market? Why should you care? Who even knows? Well me actually, that’s why I am the guy writing the article. The Stock Market is the cornerstone of the modern market, and is nothing more than a gigantic internationally networked marketplace where enormous sums of money are transported back and forth. In total, about A$89 Trillion is traded every year, which is slightly less than the value of all actual goods and services produced by the world economy. Now you ask, “What is traded on it? Is it second-hand potatoes? Is it Cheese-Wheels?” The actual answer is stocks, or shares, or whatever you’d like to call it. (You can call it “puffles” for all I care).

Companies issue “shares” to earn money, and in return these “shares” give you part ownership of the company. Companies issue shares because it helps them gain influence on bigger projects, and in turn the investors can earn from the company’s success. So for example, Facebook was able to raise around $16 billion during their initial public offering (IPO), where they issued shares and people bought them, trusting Facebook’s business model to prove very profitable in the future. And guess what, Facebook has made massive profits! Their share price has risen by around 240% since their IPO, which is from about $38 to $130. Now why should we care about the stock market? In 2008, we entered a global financial crisis and everyone paid a price – people lost their jobs, their houses, and their savings. Paying close attention to the stock market assists you in navigating the dangers of a recession, as it’s usually the stock exchange that

falls first, before any other market (real estate or anything else). Paying some attention, and knowing what to look for, can save you. In everyday circumstances, the stock market also influences the price of our most beloved coffee, the petrol you fill up your car with, and your potatoes and wheat. Basically just about everything. Along with impacting the price of every product we encounter, the stock market provide a special lens, through which you can look and realise that everything is connected, sort of like neurons in the brain. For example, Saudi Arabia oversupplied oil in the global market, thus reducing oil prices. As a result of this, Indian construction companies (which are a part of a rapidly developing economy) can now complete construction at a cheaper price. So the takeaway from all this for investors is to start investing in Indian construction companies.

Physically speaking, the stock market doesn’t have the reputation of being just like any other ordinary market. People generally envision trading floors with people aggressively yelling “buy” and “sell” at each other, packed in together in a huge room, with handfuls of pieces of paper clamped in their sweaty hands. Though we have since moved on from this model, to electronic trading systems, the stereotype of the Wall Street atmosphere that is so renowned in popular culture, demonstrates that the industry is bursting with tradition and culture. What I am trying to get to is that the stock market is a place of chaotic beauty that impacts every aspect of our lives, from the price of a pumpkin-spiced latte, to which leaders we vote for. An understanding or consideration of the stock market is just a deeper understanding of every choice you make, and why you make them.

BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

Issue 11, Vol. 66

iPhone 7’s lackluster launch: “Pass the aux cabl– oh wait…” Mitchell Scott

Apple CEO, Tim Cook walks on stage, amidst a crowd of cheering tech superfans. The stage has lighting that some professional bands only dream of, and the crowd has an electric buzz reserved for only the juiciest of StuPol general meetings. He holds up his hands to tame the applause and the crowd quiets, ready to hang off his every word. But each year the hype gets a little more tame, the lines outside the Apple store get a little more reasonable, and the diehard Apple evangelists get a little less preachy. Each year, I find it a little harder to justify upgrading to the latest iPhone. So what’s Apple preparing to blow us away with this year? More colours apparently, two of which are black. An additional rear camera, more battery life, water resistance. No more headphone ports, so say goodbye to playing your music on anything made before the dawn of Bluetooth. A small model, and the iPhone 7 Plus for those with deeper pockets. But wait, there’s more! A new Apple Watch with different coloured bands, and some new clock faces. And last

but not least, some wireless earbuds to complement the jackless iPhone. Lackluster implies that it had some to begin with. This year’s offering was devoid of luster, a barren wasteland with not a speck of luster in sight. It was the tech equivalent of an aircraft stalling as it hits maximum altitude, entering a nose spin, and plummeting back to earth. Some people are calling this the death rattle of a company that’s lost its identity and direction, whilst the diehard fans are yelling muffled cries of joy with their heads buried deep in the sand. The price of APPL shares dropped 3% the day after the announcement, and the company lost an estimated $15.4 billion market value in a single day. At the risk of sounding like the Turnbull Government PR department, I’m willing to put this down to the boom and bust cycle of Disruptive Innovation. Disruptive Innovation is the business hypothesis that has underpinned the advances of every industry since the dawn of industrialisation.

The basic premise of Disruptive Innovation is this: The status quo is established with competitors making products that are basically the same, specializing further and further into different niches in a desperate bid to differentiate themselves. Tiny iterative changes are made and features created which do very little to improve how people use the product overall. Then one day a competitor comes out of left field with a product that’s fundamentally different, does only one thing better, but at a fraction of the cost. This new concept then rapidly improves in ways that the older products could only dream of, and before long, the majority of customers have switched sides. This new concept then spawns competitors, progress slows down, niches are created to differentiate products, and the cycle continues. Hakuna matata. A great current example of this is cars. I couldn’t tell you the difference between a Ford, a Toyota or a Holden. They all turn on when you twist the key, they’re all fast enough to break any speed limit, and there’s no

huge difference in road safety between them. And there’s niches too, that fulfill oddly specific needs: if you need to go off-road, buy a Jeep; if you can’t live without heated seats, buy a Mercedes; if you desperately need to overcompensate for your penis size, buy a Hummer. And then came the Pruis in 1997. It was horrifically ugly. A tin can rolling down a hill had better acceleration. It handled like a brick. But it had a hybrid electric engine, it was fairly economical, and people loved it. Fast-forward two decades and electric engines are quickly becoming the accepted norm because of the rapid advances they allow. A Tesla Model S does away with expensive mechanics and mounts the engine between the two wheels because it’s so much smaller. Batteries are packed into the floor of the car so it can have a front and rear boot. And it can beat a drag car in race whilst staying as quiet as a Friday 9am lecture. So how does this relate to the iPhone 7? I think we’re seeing the end of an era, as smartphones move from disruptors to the status quo. When iPhones first came out, there were two colours and one model to keep prices down; now there’s a spectrum of colours and a model for every budget. Competitors have wrestled the smartphone market from Apple and are gaining every day. Smartphones haven’t done anything new or special in years, and the most innovative app in last 3 years is Tinder. Think about that. The question now is what’s coming round the corner to disrupt the iPhone? Apple evangelists are imagining a top-secret lab in Palo Alto, working day and night to crack the problem. Others think that predator might become prey as Apple is undercut by a young upstart. All I know is that for the foreseeable future, Apple will continue to release more models in more shades of black, continuing the grind into specialisation until the future comes knocking.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

SPORT

Interhall Sport: A Year thus Far Henry Delves

As the ANU student body breath a sigh of relief and welcome the twoweek teaching break, let us cast our eyes over what has been, and partake in the wonderfully controversial task of ‘predicting’ what awaits us in the world of interhall sport. Term 3 saw the lead Johns had on the sports shield strengthen. Although their boy’s performance was adequate, the resounding reason for the college’s success thus far has been the performance of their girls teams. Three first place results - in touch, soccer and netball - leave no doubt in anyone’s mind who are the source of Johns dominance. Johns began Term 3 with a 10 point lead, and now sit 33 points in front. It would be something truly marvellous if Johns were to lose the sport shield from here. Netball saw a thrilling final fought

between Johns and Griffin. The result never in the doubt from the opening whistle with Johns being deserved victors. The day fell in conjunction with ANU’s Sport’s ‘Women In Sport’ day, run by Mary Waters, which was a really fantastic day and a great success as all that were present will testify.

ing Willows ovals. In the girls final, Johns overcame a spirited Burgmann outfit, after the Burgie girls recorded the upset of the season in the semis by beating a previously undefeated B&G. Credit must go to the girls for their efforts, remarkable performance and even greater sportswomanship in light of sour off-field circumstances.

The touch weekend was slightly different this year, both in composition of the schedule and in the weather, with many of the opening round games taking place in sleet and bitterly cold winds. The Johns girls were a formidable outfit, not losing a game and beating Uni Lodge in the Grand final. Not to be outdone, however, Lodge sought revenge in the boy’s competition, taking out the title after a fortnight of dominance.

The male competition was dominated from start to finish by Griffin and Fenner. The two, a class above the rest, demonstrated their talent with some impressive performances across the competition. Ultimately, Griffin emerged victorious from a fiery encounter with James Mount knocking home a hat trick.

The football competitions were played out throughout the stifling cold of winter on the ever-welcom-

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Griffin 107 Uni Lodge 103 Fenner 65 Bruce 61 Ursies 50

The sports that await us in Term 4 are the ever-looming Inward Bound (mixed) , Cricket (mixed), Softball (female) and Table Tennis (Mixed). ISO looks forward to Term 4, and the good fortune that nears. Whether you are on the field or a spectator, a bag of fun that awaits!

Sport Shield Standings going into Term 4 are as follows: Johns 151 B&G 118 Burgmann 115

The Rise of the Canberra Raiders Nick Benecke Local NRL team, the Canberra Raiders, have certainly put the rest of the competition on notice over the course of the 2016 regular season. This young up-and-coming squad rocketed into second place, on the back of ten straight wins, to secure a fantastic shot at the biggest prize of them all, the NRL premiership trophy. The past three seasons haven’t exactly inspired confidence in the Raiders, with respective finishes of 13th, 15th and 10th. At the beginning of the 2016 season many pundits expected the team to challenge for a top eight position, either narrowly sneaking into the finals or just miss-

ing out. However, these reservations were clearly ignored within the club itself, with a clear desire to unite the team, play for the full 80 minutes week in week out, and string some wins together before the finals - three aspirations that were most definitely achieved. Perhaps what’s made the Raiders so successful is the fact that they’ve been led by a diverse range of players from across the field. Whether it’s damaging forward Josh Papalli, stalwart captain Jarod Croker, English duo Josh Hodgson and Elliot Whitehead, or outside backs Joey Leilua and Jordan Rapana, every single member of the

team has contributed in one way or another. Deadly combinations and a unique flare has resulted in the Raiders being by far and away the best attacking side in the competition, amassing 688 points over the season at an average of 29 points per game. On the finals themselves, a close first up loss against the Cronulla Sharks was undeniably a missed opportunity to progress straight to the semi finals. Regardless, a provided double shot at success had the Raiders a mere two wins away from the Grand Final itself, with the potential to bring the NRL title back to the nation’s capital for the first time since 1994.

Although the next three weeks will be exciting, nerve-racking and daunting all at the same time, one thing is for sure – the 2016 season has marked the return of the Canberra Raiders. The exhilarating football displayed over the course of the regular season will undoubtedly extend well into the finals this year, and for many many years to come.

SPORT

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Snapshot of some of the great sporting moments in history Cathy Freeman’s 400m Gold 2000 Olympics Lulu Cathro The longest minute in Australia’s sporting history belongs to Cathy Freeman and her unforgettable victory at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Freeman glided across the finish line of the 400m final in her iconic hooded bodysuit, running a gold medal time of 49.11 seconds in front of 110,000 live spectators, and millions of viewers around the world. Fittingly, this was Australia’s 100th gold medal, with arguably no other athlete deserving the honour more than Freeman herself. It was undoubtedly the greatest minute of the 2000 Olympics and one of the greatest sporting moments of all time.

Steven Bradbury unexpected gold Lulu Cathro One of the most unexpected gold medals in history was Steven Bradbury’s victory in the 2002 Winter Olympics short track speed skating 1000 metre event. Fortunate to be there, Bradbury was coming a clear last for the entirety of the final. However, as competitors entered the last 50 metres, jostling amongst leading athletes caused them all to crash metres before the finish line. Bradbury, 10 metres behind the collision was

in disbelief, standing tall, and crossing the finish line in first place. He was the first ever athlete from the southern hemisphere to win a Winter Olympics event.

Rio Olympics Weightlifting John Dunlop History was created at the recent Rio Olympic Games weightlifting competition. In the men’s 77kg category, China’s Liu Xiaojun was the clear favourite. He set a snatch world record of 177kg, accompanied by a impressive 202kg clean-and-jerk, resulting in his record total of 379kg. The commentators, extremely confident, called the gold medal and Xiaojun began celebrating. Nijat Rahimov, a Kazakhstani national, had previously snatched 165kg, placing him a notionally unrecoverable 12kg behind Xiaojun. However, Rahimov was not to be outdone. His clean-and-jerk of 214kg, a 7kg personal best and staggering 4kg world record saw him sneak through and snatch gold from Xiaojun by a hair’s breadth on weight differential.

Michael Jordan: The ‘Shot’ Albert Patajo It’s 1982 - the finals of the NCAA Tournament between University of North Carolina and the University of Georgetown. Clock at 32, Georgetown up by 1. Inbound pass to a fresh-

man, number 23. He’s being guarded by future Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing. He passes to another teammate and sets up a play: an overhead pass to Sam Perkins while James Worthy sets a screen. 17 seconds left. Number 23 moves to the bottom of the court, Ewing is caught in Worthy’s screen. With Georgetown up by 1 point, the freshman sinks the 16-foot jump shot for North Carolina’s win. On this day, a star in born. Michael Jordan’s winning shot to seal the NCAA Tournament win for North Carolina propelled him to greatness.

15 Grand Slams: The Record Albert Patajo He steps onto the court in a white jacket, the letters’ RF’ emblazed in gold trim. Roger Federer smiles as he makes his way onto Centre Court. The challenger, the American Andy Roddick, is nervous. He has been here before, twice. And lost twice. The first set goes to Roddick; 7-5. The second set tiebreaker went to Roger, but a netted backhand volley by Roddick could have set him up 2 sets to love. This was followed by another tiebreaker in the 3rd to Roger, and a quick break in the 4th to set it 2 sets a piece. The final set went to 14 all - the longest fifth set in Wimbledon history. Both men want it: Roddick, to cement his position after losing two straight Wimbledons, and Federer, to seal his position as the Greatest of All Time. Roddick is broken for the first time in the match and Federer takes the fifth set 16-14. The Greatest of All Time, Roger Federer, cries as he lifts his trophy.

5km, 10km, Marathon: Golds Bronte McHenry Having already won Gold in the 5km and 10km at the 1952 Summer Olympic Games, Emil Zatopek decided last-minute to run the marathon - for the first time in his entire life. His strategy was to race alongside Englishman Jim Peters, the World Record holder. At the 15km mark Peters was tiring, and comically, Zatopek turned to him and asked what he thought of the race thus far. Peters, in an attempt to shake him, told him it was “too slow”, and then watched in sheer disbelief as Zatopek accelerated off into the distance. Peters did not finish the race and Zatopek won his third Gold - and because that wasn’t impressive enough, also broke the Olympic Record in all three events. Even today, with all our sporting advancements, Zatopek is the only person to ever win Gold in the 5km, 10km and marathon at the same Olympics.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

SATIRE

Fast Food Banter Review 2k16: A comprehensive list that’s not at all just the places I visit on the reg Claudia Anson

Donut King

ever-present layer of grime on the floor is a bit ghastly, but thankfully, it does not detract from the Prego flavour fest. Just gotta go. Banter rating 9/10

would go and get a subpar cappuccino for $5.00 and think she’s getting a good deal. Great flans though. Banter rating 6/10 Boost

Guzman y Gomez

There’s always polite chitchat from the staff at DK, and its got that good fresh dough smell that one looks for in a donut shop. Then again, I’m not really worried about bants when I’m shoving 3 dank cinnamon donuts in my mouth for $2. I got the honeycomb lava quakeshake as well as the donut trio once, because I got cocky and thought I could handle it, but it kind of made me hate being alive. Banter rating 8/10 Nando’s

King of the dine-in chain restaurant and the birthplace of banter. Cheeky. Hilarious. Infinite. Banter rating 10/10

Not sure who Guzman and/or Gomez are, but they seem like a cheeky duo, and as a rule I trust anyone who can rock a Tom Selleck moustache and not look like the kind of person being investigated for war crimes. I can’t decipher the menu (I don’t speak Spanish) or engage in solid banter with any of the staff, but I do love how they offer a bit of a pre-game cheeky Corona with which to wash down your quesadilla, because a diet Coke just does not numb the throbbing pain of a spicy jalapeno/your monotonous life quite as well. Banter rating 7/10 Michel’s Patisserie

Sumo Salad

Middle of the road bants. The general ambiance is quite pleasant, what the potted wheatgrass and whatnot. The staff clad in their Lorna Jane activewear also distracts you from the fact that what you’re essentially buying is a glorified milkshake. I take issue with the names of the drinks: “wango mango magic” and“green wondermelon storm squeeze”. It’s all a bit of a wankfest if I’m honest. Also, the filthy beats on the speakers are a bit much when you crawl in there at 9am after a bender the night before. Unrelated question: how many times does one have to listen to “Levels” by Avicii in a 24-hour period before being declared legally insane? Major kudos for the loyalty card system which “rewards” you if you hate yourself enough to visit more than 6 times a year. Banter rating 5/10

Absolutely cracking bants all round, got that Nando’s tier vibe. The interiors leave a bit to be desired and that

A staple of Westfield food courts all across the nation. In theory, I rate the Japanese connection they’ve got going on, it makes the customer feel a bit quirky and cultured, but none of the salads have any kind of Asian flavour (apart from that Thai beef one which tastes a lot like a foot). It’s all a bit of a scam because we all know it’s not really that healthy (#5differentpastasalads), but the masses keep going back because technically it’s marginally better for you than a quarter pounder and soft serve from Maccas. Banter rating 3/10 Gloria Jeans

Grill’d

Oporto Definite potential for good banter at Michel’s, but nobody has really spent enough time in there to be sure. It’s got a bit of an “I’ll just duck in quickly and get a quiche Lorraine to bring to Donna’s baby shower” feel, and is the kind of place your grandmother

a bit of light banter to tide you over until dinnertime but the overall atmosphere is a bit dire. What kind of sadist establishment has you order a burger that doesn’t have it automatically come with chips on the side? Banter rating 4/10

Time to knock this glorified fast food joint off its pedestal for good. Yeah, it’s alright for if you just want a standard burger with your chums and

Cannot articulate how average the vibe is in this banterless wasteland. Would go as far as to say it’s the poor man’s Starbucks but that’s bloody ironic seeing as not even a middle-income earner could afford these second-rate beverages. Proof that Satan lives among us and that the end of humanity is nigh. Banter rating 1/10

satire

Issue 11, Vol. 66

North Korea to Ban Organic ‘Western’ Health Foods Hamish Paine

Reports have surfaced from North Korea that Kim Jong-un has banned the consumption of vegan, organic and related fresh food products from the everyday diets of North Koreans. Yesterday, under the totalitarian regime, the Supreme People’s Assembly passed down legislation to outlaw food products and trends which are considered to be ‘western’ in nature. This provides further control to the state in influencing the daily activities within North Korea. In addition to the ruling, North Korea’s Facebook equivalent – “Best Korea’s Social Network” - has been forced to remove any hashtags promoting western dietary trends including #vegan, #bestofvegan, #what-

veganseat and #eatlite, which may cause social media users to revert against the state’s core culinary values. South Korea is to take official action, however, as the Asian media has reported that activists have started to collect supplies to construct make-shift cannons, more commonly known as “orange bazookas”, to fire fresh fruit and related products over. Considering tensions are already high on the shared border between the two Korean nations due to recent engagement in artillery fire from the South Korean Military in January, this decision by activists is yet to be ratified by South Korean officials. Greenpeace Australia have post-

poned their rallies for Great Barrier Reef conservation, with funding diverted instead to funding vessels entering North Korean controlled waters decorated with flags depicting “World War Vegan.” Plans to send in Parachutists armed with gluten free baguettes and sachets of organic quinoa and goji berries have been devised by NGOs, despite the United Nations Department of Peace Keeping Operations condoning such activities.

At the time of writing, a list of banned substances is currently being drafted in Pyongyang. A full list will be released as soon as it is made public to the people of North Korea.

Whilst the Australian Parliament is yet to comment on the decision, One Nation Party leader, Pauline Hanson, has also openly expressed concern over the newly formed legislation saying “it’s just un-Australian.”

Dear Mr Birmingham Nicholas Robert

Federal Education Minister, Simon Birmingham, has recently come under criticism for his comments at the ADC Education for the Future Forum, likening calls for more school funding to “petulant toddlers” asking for more chocolate. Nicholas Robert, a student at the ANU, has written the following open letter in response. Mr. Birmingham, I understand you have received some criticism over your speech to the ADC Education Summit. As someone who graduated from a secondary

school last year, I would like to offer you my full support. You are right, the primary role of our education system should be to prepare future generations for employability, however, I don’t think this is made clear enough. We wouldn’t want anybody latching on to false hope that these institutions might foster curiosity, critical thinking, and creative thought now would we? Therefore, I propose we relabel schools as “social conditioning centres for maximum job readiness”. Through this small, but effective change, we will start to remove the ambiguity surrounding the values and direction of Austra-

lia’s education system, and show the public what we are really trying to be achieve. Yes, there might be some like Noam Chomsky who claim that schools should do more than just make a child job read, and that your approach is, in fact, indoctrination rather than education. But what do they know? Your MBA and zero experience teaching makes you more than qualified to lead the field of education, which is why I am standing behind you 100%. Forget that some of the greatest advancements in human history have come from challenging accepted beliefs. If you were around in Galileo’s

time, I bet you could’ve stopped that silly theory about the earth moving around the sun. You would’ve made sure he was job ready, instead of wasting time on trivialities. #Jobsandgrowth are the core aspect of the human condition, we can’t ever let ourselves forget that. Nicholas.

Week 8, Semester 2, 2016

photography

ANU LSS Yule Ball (Photography Credit : Natasha Tioukavkin & Kanishka Iddawela)

PHOTOGRAPHY

Issue 11, Vol. 66

Photography by Shen Mengxuan Clockwise from left: 1. From the inside of a viewing pod at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Singapore, which is a stop-over point for migratory birds and part of the East Asian Australasian Shorebird Site Network. 2. A photograph taken in Changchun, China. Displays part of the Jingyuetan, which roughly translates to Pool of the Pure Moon. It was taken at the part of the pool near the Siberia Tiger Park. 3. The 165 metres tall Singapore Flyer, located at Marina Bay. It was taken from directly under the observation wheel.

The photography page Your shots could be here! Submit your photographs by sending them to photography@woroni.com.au with a short description (less than 200 words)!