Debate | Issue 12 | The Election

DEBATE

EDITOR

Sam Clark

DESIGNER

Charlie Ratahi McFarland

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Liam Hansen

FEATURE WRITER

Briar Pomana

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE WRITER

Thomas Giblin

CHIEF REPORTER

Nic George

NEWS WRITER

Vanessa Elley

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Frances Revita

CONTRIBUTORS

Stella Roper, Julie Schmidt, Chris Murphy, Luke Fisher, Haydn Nixon

COVER ART

Stella Roper

ADVERTISING

Jesse Jones jesse.jones@autsa.org.nz

PRINTER

Nicholson Print Solutions

DISCLAIMER

Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AUTSA, its advertisers, contributors, Nicholson Print Solutions or its subsidiaries.

This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 (“the Act”) to the holders of the copyright, being AUT STUDENT ASSOCIATION (“AUTSA”). Reproduction, storage or display of any part of this publication by any process, electronic or otherwise (except for the educational purposes specified in the Act) without express permission is a break of the copyright of the publisher and will be prosecuted accordingly. Inquiries seeking permission to reproduce should be addressed to AUTSA.

Debate is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA). Follow

From the Editor

[news] Equippers Church members and AUTSA staff accused of making false complaints towards student

[news] Debate sits down with the Vice Chancellor to discuss AUT’s future

Vending Machines, Boredom and Coffee: An Exercise in Civil Service

Want new options? Here are the Haphazardly Founded Political Parties Seeking Your Vote

Sexism in Science is Failing Rats and Humans Alike

Suffering is political

The Young & Informed: 2024 SRC candidate profiles

Auckland Man's Interest in Politics Ignited by Innovative Analysis

The problem with one-hit-wonders, on Sweet Disposition’s 15th Birthday

What's

Kia ora e te whānau,

Welcome to Debate’s election issue! Here, you’ll find some great analysis ahead of the big day next weekend, as well as a muchneeded break from the chaos.

It’s a shame that our top contenders are two middle-aged Pākeha men named Chris. How different can they be? On the face of it, not much aside from the hair. They agreed on a lot during the leaders’ debate, including a mutual admiration for their opponent’s hard work and family values – but they start to diverge on crucial issues like co-governance, climate change and youth offending. Both Chrises bought a house in their early 20s: Luxon tells a story of his humble beginnings, where he had his TV on crates. It’s worth keeping in mind that Luxon’s rental properties now earn him fifteen times more than his salary as opposition leader – including an apartment in Wellington, which he rents back to himself with taxpayer money. Buying a house is much harder for most young kiwis nowadays, who are stoked to find even a short-term rental. As we all know, many of them are not fit to live in.

During election time, I’m often reminded of a quote from Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting, “When you're not doing so well, vote for a better life for yourself. If you are doing quite nicely, vote for a better life for others.” This is very useful as we weigh up our options in this crucial election. Another thing to keep in mind is that smaller parties can help push the conversation forward. Having young, optimistic voices in politics can make a huge difference. It’s also important to have wahine Māori, like mayor for Te-Whanganui-a-Tara, Tory Whanau, and Tamatha Paul as possibly the next MP for Wellington Central. There are around 400,000 students in Aotearoa – just imagine the impact our votes could make.

And just like that, it’s our last issue for 2023! Thank you to all the wonderful writers and artists who have helped us produce Debate this year, to our talented staff – and lastly all you readers for picking up a copy! This will also be my final issue as editor of this fine publication. It will be left in good hands for 2024, with a brand-new team covering the issues that matter at AUT.

Thank you for having me, lots of aroha and ka kite!

Equippers Church members and AUTSA staff accused of making false complaints towards student

By Nic George (he/him) Chief Reporter

An AUT student says false harassment complaints were made against him after being confronted by two members of Equippers Church on campus.

Third-year law student Cameron Churchill says he was approached by Equippers Church members Florina and Manoel Bispo, who claimed to be AUT staff.

Churchill says he was putting up posters in WG for AUT Secular Society, which he founded to raise concerns over the Equippers Church presence on campus, and their homophobic views.

He says the Equippers Church members then told him to take the posters down and accused him of defaming the university.

Earlier this year, Debate spoke to multiple students who felt Equippers Church were engaging in aggressive recruitment during International Hub meetings.

Equippers Church has also made submissions against the 2013 Marriage Amendment Bill and the bill to ban conversion therapy.

Churchill says he was confronted a second time by the Equippers Church members. He tried to end the conversation, but they persisted, telling him that they were watching him, and that he would be in trouble with the university.

He then received a notice from AUT's student conduct department, summoning him for a disciplinary meeting to discuss his "aggressive and harassing" behaviour.

The student conduct team determined it "will not take any further action".

He says he no longer feels safe walking through the WG building and tries to completely avoid it when he’s on campus.

"If I want to go to the library after one of my classes, I have to go all the way down Mayoral Drive and go to the library from the plaza. I can't go through there without fear of being harassed and have another complaint against me."

When Churchill discovered Florina worked for AUTSA as the spirituality advisor, he attempted to report it to AUTSA.

Churchill says he was "flustered" when he reported the issue to the main office, but Florina's manager, Madz Crouth calmed him down and told him they would resolve the issue.

However, in the following days, he received another disciplinary notice from AUT for "aggressive and harassing" behaviour.

Madz Crouth says the complaints are legitimate because Churchill “Exhibited an aggressive approach towards both the International Hub club and [Equippers Church] in public forums.”

Churchill says the whole experience has seriously impacted his mental health as he was preparing for his exams at the end of the semester.

"In that last meeting, I was just so depressed. I didn't say much. I just zoned out because I wanted it to be over."

Debate sits down with the Vice Chancellor to discuss AUT’s future

By Nic George (he/him) Chief Reporter

After two years of disrupted learning and a botched redundancy proposal, Debate sat down with Damon Salesa to examine some of the challenges the university faces and its plans to overcome them. Our post-pandemic learning environment has presented a new set of challenges for students and the university, so Salesa and AUT have begun working on a new strategy moving forward.

“We face a world where students and the university feel the pressures of the cost-of-living increases. We face uncertainties about everything from AI to our geopolitical situation.” Salesa says.

AUTSA recently conducted a student survey that found 70 per cent of students are losing study time because they are taking on extra shifts at work just to keep up with the rising cost of living.

Some staff and students have also raised concerns about the integration of online and in-person study, and the impact this is having on the university experience.

Some papers have moved completely online, with students relying on video content to learn the course material.

Salesa says they are working to find a middle ground between the two learning styles to maximise the learning outcomes for students.

“We've heard quite clearly from students that they value some kinds of flexibility, but they also deeply value the social human relationships you can only get in person. And so, what we need to do is make sure we deliver both.”

Late last year, the university announced a significant redundancy proposal that would have seen 270 staff lose their jobs; but following a ruling from the Employment Relations Authority, they were required to put the plan on hold until July this year.

Salesa says the university’s financial recovery plan has been more effective than originally anticipated, so there is no longer a need to introduce large-scale redundancy plans in the foreseeable future.

“Voluntary redundancies among academic staff and a reduction in professional staff at the end of last year and early in 2023 resulted in significant savings. This, along with modest increases in international student numbers means that no large-scale organisational changes with job losses are needed.”

Many tertiary institutions across the country rolled out large redundancy proposals to cut costs and reprioritise certain courses, which has drawn criticism regarding the corporate nature of these universities.

Critics argue that universities provide a public good and that the focus on appealing to the private industry is coming at the cost of courses that may not be seen as “profitable”.

Salesa says he understands the concerns, but also recognises that the funding model for universities in Aotearoa means they need to prioritise the areas students are most interested in.

“AUT has a history of committing to public good programs. I think that's in our DNA. Yet at the same time, we have to face the realities of student demand and the nature of our revenue.”

Salesa says bringing these perspectives together will help plan out the changes they need to make over the next seven years.

“The strategy is really about listening intensively and recognising that, as a community, we're smarter when we're together.

By (he/him)

The government announced $128 million in extra funding for tertiary institutions in June. However, this will only come into effect next year, and may be scrapped if there is a change in parties this October. AUT is set to receive $12.6 million as part of this funding boost, but Salesa says this is not enough.

“It's not functionally an increase. It's more like us being less worse off.”

A significant part of AUT’s strategy building is the Imagine AUT initiative, which seeks to engage students, staff, and the broader public, to hear their vision for the university.

“There are many different voices around where we should go and what we should do. And that sort of dissonance is quite productive.”

If you would like to find out how you can get involved with Imagine AUT and have your say, you can email imagineAUT@aut.ac.nz

Vending Machines, Boredom and Coffee: An Exercise in Civil Service

By Thomas Giblin (he/him) @thegreengiblin CULTURE & LIFESTYLE WRITER

In a sweltering room sits twelve jurors agonising over whether or not a teenager murdered his father. Soon, they begin to question their values and morals. Sidney Lumet's classic film 12 Angry Men was one of my few reference points for jury duty, an alien concept I didn't expect to partake in until I received an official-looking letter. Friends and family will tell you how they tried to get out of serving to no avail. An old boss of mine used to brag about writing phoney letters so his employees didn't have to miss out on 'essential' work. The discourse surrounding jury duty has become toxic, an all-consuming chlorine gas cloud. This disillusionment means a letter of summons has become an instrument of bureaucratic terror.

Consequently, I dreaded turning up at the Auckland District Court at 8:45am a few weeks ago. I joined the other sodden jurors, as we queued like lambs to the slaughter, waiting to go through security. Those not absorbed by the glow of a smartphone mumbled their grievances to each other. One man in a neat blue suit took a call and began subjugating everyone to the details of his 'important' meeting – the octave he spoke at meant we all learnt his team's agenda for the week ahead.

Illustration by Haydn Nixon (he/him) CONTRIBUTING ARTIST

We all sat down and waited in a large grey room, a judicial keep. There was a television regurgitating old gameshows and a humming coffee machine, which did little to drown out the monotony of failing contestants. Which country has the most high-speed rail? China, obviously. Each potential juror found a nook and tried to make themselves comfortable. You had to choose between sickly orange sofas or awkwardly-sized classroom chairs. I went with the former, hoping the legroom would give me solace.

There was an awkward tension in the air, as if we were waiting to start an exam, or getting the results of a medical test. Some chose to befriend those sitting beside them, but most kept to themselves. Occasionally, you'd roll your eyes and shake your head as the wait for someone to announce something dragged on. I'd make regular pilgrimages for a mochaccino whilst my headphones blasted music, a momentary respite from the sofa I now called home. The liquid that coughed out of the tottering coffee machine was a cure for boredom and I gorged myself like Augustus Gloop.

As I waited, hoping to be put out of my misery, it dawned on me: this wasn't something to be spiteful about. Yes, I was getting paid cents for my time – but what’s new? The coming together of this group of total strangers was a celebration of democracy. People from all walks of life: rich and poor, young and old, are brought together for this important function of government. It's an opportunity to learn about our legal system and to ensure that it's fair for all New Zealanders. The right to a fair trial is something to be celebrated. Without this civic service, we risk tyranny.

The self-sacrifice required in being away from work, study or family is a minor inconvenience compared to those who are never given a fair trial. I look to Russia as an example of what happens when people are no longer given this internationally recognised human right. These violations see people imprisoned for decades on false charges in trials that are politically motivated. Thousands have been unjustly imprisoned in the looming shadow of Putin's bloody invasion of Ukraine for voicing their anti-war sentiments.

My name is called along with thirty or so others, and I join a parade of people making their way to a courtroom. In rows of tightly-packed chairs, we sit shoulder to shoulder like tinned sardines as the defendant's charges are read out. They stand in a glass box, and we gawk at them as if they were an animal at a zoo. A judge sits up on his perch, keeping a watchful eye on proceedings as the court registrar begins to call out people's names. It's a nervewracking experience as one by one, names echo out over a hushed crowd. Soon, twelve jurors are selected, and none are challenged.

I feel relieved as I walk back to the jury assembly area with those not picked. To be fair and open-minded, with someone's future in your hands, is an enormous weight to bear. The experience of sitting metres across from someone who’s innocent until proven guilty, should not be looked at with disdain. Taking part in a fair trial by an independent and impartial court is an honour. We all prefer the comforts of our daily routines, but when called upon, we must recognise the immense responsibility and privilege of this civic service. If we’re not mindful, ordinary people like you and me flirt with tyranny. Disengagement, misinformation and polarisation mustn't win, especially when we contend with one of the most important elections of our generation.

WANT NEW OPTIONS? Here are the Haphazardly Founded Political Parties Seeking Your Vote

By Liam Hansen (they/them) ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Aotearoa’s Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) electoral system has had some mixed, maddening payoffs. MMP aims to allow diversity of political parties across the board by directly correlating the percentage of party votes to the share of seats in parliament. It also provides voters with the opportunity to elect local representatives for their area through electorate votes. We’re certainly better off than the USA’s ‘First-past-the-post’ system, which is basically “Did you win the popular vote? Yes! Are you president? Nope!”, but we already saw cracks form in MMP when Labour's majority win in 2020 undermined the entire point of having multiple parties in power.

There are currently fifteen registered parties outside of Parliament; twelve of those are basically just a cocktail of transphobia and anti-vax bullshit that tastes like piss.

The benefit of the MMP system is that anyone from anywhere in Aotearoa can form a political party. The problem is that anyone from anywhere in Aotearoa can form a political party. The notorious rate of fuckwits deciding they’re fit to govern is growing - all you need is a thesaurus of mildly motivating terms for your party name and a dart to throw at a colour wheel. There are currently fifteen registered parties outside of Parliament; twelve of those are basically just a cocktail of transphobia and anti-vax bullshit that tastes like piss. Since it seems like the electoral commission will let anyone with a dented brain get through to the polls, I figure it’s high time that we get some properly new ideologies for #nzpol Twitter to bicker about without actually trying to change anything. Sure, making up new parties could be perceived as spreading political misinformation – but the majority of registered parties outside of parliament have been doing the same thing with vaccines and trans rights for years, so why should that stop me?

New Zealand's Prime Minister from 1975 to 1984 has had a difficult re-election campaign on account of him being fucking dead, but a lack of votes, popularity, and a soul hasn’t stopped Leighton Baker!

Leader: Robert Muldoon. That’s right baby, we’re bringing in a cheeky bit of necromancy. Or, ya know, we can just pull a Weekend at Bernies

Colour: Greenish-grey and white representing the current colour of his skin, and the skin colour he loves most.

Ideology: MULDOONISM, BABY! Give the dead rights! Let them go to strip clubs and call their running mates gay!

Policies: Why are we giving “living people” all these rights? Muldoon will run on a pure equality-based campaign. While ACT claims it’ll end racial division by pretending inequity doesn't exist, the Robert Muldoon Party will finally end corpse division (sick band name, btw) and let zombies vote. While we’re at it, we should probably level the playing field a bit. All living MPs must be heavily intoxicated whilst in the parliament chamber. It’s only fair.

Do you guys remember Kim Dotcom? The dude who got arrested in his Kumeū mansion for several white collar crimes, before proceeding to form The Internet Party? I miss that era of NZ politics. The dude was so chronically online, and decided to cyber-campaign solely on the hopes he wouldn’t get cyber-arrested again for his cyber-crimes. Based. I reckon we bring this party back with a fresh new rebrand, fighting for the rights of the most marginalised and discriminated group on the planet: Gamers.

Leader: I feel like Kim Dotcom has had his run as political leader, and he deserves a break. So naturally, the next in line should be SonicFox - an American esports legend, who also happens to be a gay, non-binary furry. Once again, based. Also, the deputy leader is Mario.

Colour: Can I make a Mountain Dew joke in 2023? No? Fine. The Gamer Party will simply use RGB LED strips.

Ideology: E-democracy. This is what Wikipedia says The Internet Party ran on, and although I have no idea what the fuck it means, I’ll just run with what The Internet Party previously wanted, and adapt it to the new system. Game piracy is now legal, and if you nark on me for hacking on Team Fortress 2 (or whatever the kids are playing these days), then you’ll be written up for a hate crime.

Policies: We’ll pretend there isn’t any homophobia in the gaming community, and let SonicFox take hold by implementing stronger LGBTQ+ and furry rights. Cabinet will be streamed via Twitch, the chat will be the speaker of the house, and the passing of bills will come down to a race in Mario Kart Wii

1. The Robert Muldoon (Locked and Reloaded) Party

2. The Gamer Party

There’s always a cheeky single-issue party that pops up each election - the Legalise Cannabis Party has been floating around for nearly thirty years, and the newly founded Women's Rights Party soley exists to be TERFs. But there’s a new, referendum-worthy issue this election that’ll leave you with no choice but to vote for them. It’s high time the Lake Taupō ‘Hole in One Challenge’ receives the independence it deserves as a sovereign state.

Leader: The Lake Taupō ‘Hole In One Challenge’ Golf Island Independence Party is surprisingly anarcho-capitalist, and the leadership rotates based on who’s working the tourist attraction that day. The kids working there can scoff and laugh at the punter's failure to hit the hole in one – exactly the skill needed to be a greatest politician.

Colour: A slightly murky green/blue, dotted with faint white spots.

Ideology: I mean, it’s in the name. It’s basically the same size as Vatican City.

Policies: Making the Lake Taupō ‘Hole In One Challenge’ Golf Island independent from the rest of Aotearoa would mean our economy would go WILD. Imagine how easy international trade would be! Of course, everything needs to be transported via golf club and ball. But other than that, we could set a standard of speed and efficiency that would make the rest of the world fawn. That’s assuming there isn’t a Lake Taupō ‘Hole In One Challenge’ civil war. Or a Lake Taupō ‘Hole In One Challenge’ Watergate.

In the 2001 Aotearoa census, over 53,000 people listed their religion as Jediism – the highest per capita in a wave of worldwide census based shitposting. The 2023 census has been and gone, but don’t fret - there’s one more national opportunity to be a bit of a dick this year. Besides, voting for the New Conservatives is basically a vote for The Sith Order from Star Wars, but without the cool capes - so the preferable option is clear.

Leader: There’s an overwhelming number of options here – Darth Sidious, Darth Vader, Darth Vader again but played by a whiny Hayden Christensen or the guy who fucking died immediately in The Last Jedi after he was introduced as the most terrifying threat on the world. But I’m going to go with my alternate universe version of Yoda, where he never died and became evil. I mean, he already speaks like Joe Biden.

Colour: Red is the obvious choice here, but that’s a bit boring and already taken by Labour – we don’t want Chippy to get bummed out :( So instead we’re going to do the same red, but all of the flags, billboards, and posters are held on double-sided lightsabers so my dad can wield the party colours like he’s Darth Maul.

3. The Lake Taupō 'Hole In One Challenge' Golf Island Independence Party

4. The Sith Order

Ideology: Straight up, just a bunch of cultists.

Policies: The Sith Order will campaign on bringing back the good old days of hedonistic dictatorship, where instead of being horrible leaders to protect your citizens or gain power, they just kill people out of boredom. They’re kinda like the ACT Party, but more extreme. Freedom of weapons, believing that another lane will fix hyperspace traffic, having an insufferable leader – really, Seymour, I think you’d get more votes if you just took a lightsaber with you while door-knocking in Epsom.

5. The Orange Guy Is Sick Of Your Shit Party

In a recent press release, the Orange Guy came out swinging at every politician under the sun for not getting their shit together. He directly lambasted the Greens for being the equivalent of a dysfunctional queer high school friend group, Labour for avoiding all conversation about Māori land rights, National for not understanding how maths works, and ACT for just about everything. It ended with a ceremonious “Fuck y’all, my dog and I ARE the election now.”

Leader: The choice is obvious, but there are more draws to having an orange blob as our PM than you might think. Firstly, he’s basically genderless despite using he/him pronouns. I reckon it’s more like he/ they – you’ll never see them referred to as orange MAN, They’re just a guy – the ideal, lightly masculine term that’s ultimately gender neutral. Also, he’s smooth down there. He has no sex, no race, no sexuality, and no time left for any other parties.

Colour: C’mon.

Ideology: You know how The Opportunities Party’s whole schtick is that they’re radical centrists? Or, let’s be honest… white male lefties, who study business. Orange Guy is running a campaign of anti-centrism. If you’re an insufferable piece of shit like me, you’ll understand anticentrism as the mantra of YouTuber and failed Ottawa mayoral candidate, Jreg – but otherwise imagine taking the best bits from all the parties and mashing them together.

Policies: Honestly, the only thing Orange Guy really wants is electoral reform. Yes, we should extend term limits. Yes, we should maybe be a little more careful about letting twelve alt-right conspiracy parties run for government. But the main point of his campaign is clear cut: let the dog vote. By proxy, he’ll also lower the voting age to 16 in dog years. Otherwise, he’ll run a caretaker government all by himself – giving the other parties three years to get their shit together before ultimately conceding all of their political power, will and possessions to Orange Guy.

By Chris Murphy (he/him) CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Illustration by Jacqui Cox (she/her) CONTRIBUTING ARTIST

Sexism in Science is Failing Rats and Humans Alike

I’d always imagined the University of Otago to be a depraved cesspool of alcohol, drugs and flat initiations (it sort of is). However, I was surprised to meet some genuinely intelligent people on a recent visit to Ōtepoti. I was chatting with two PhD students about their research, when I learnt something that shocked me more than anything I’d seen or heard there (the bar was pretty high). They told me that most studies on humans and animals only include males. One of them studied neurology, and it was a struggle for her to even be allowed to include female rats in her trials, because it was just so uncommon. I couldn’t believe it. We quickly moved onto other topics, and the conversation became less coherent as the night went on. Despite a raging hangover the next morning, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Why was this happening?

In medicine, and science generally, something will only get studied if someone takes an interest. When you have fewer women in the field, less research is going to be done into women’s health.

Female subjects have been excluded from most preclinical, medical and basic scientific studies, largely due to the assumption that the oestrogen cycle – particularly in rodents, but also in humans –created “too much variability” in the data. In statistics, variability is how different each of the numbers in a data set are. You want to minimise this, because if your data looks random, you can’t confidently say anything meaningful about it. So, there is some logic to this assumption. It isn’t just because nerds in lab coats think girls are icky – probably.

But this assumption is also deeply misogynistic –and it probably goes back to the old stereotype that “women are too complicated”. Is this assumption even correct? Probably not. Two separate studies that examined over 500 research papers involving

mice found that females didn’t show any more hormonal variation than males. In some cases, male testosterone levels actually showed more variation, when taking into account age and their place in the mouse hierarchy (Scientifically, there are mouse chads and mouse betas, apparently). The most damning part is that there was no scientific reason to assume this in the first place. It’s been known for a long time that males also have a hormonal cycle. It makes no sense that studies only consider oestrogen cycles, and not testosterone.

And let’s not forget that research labs are full of testosterone. Scientific and medical research have always been dominated by men, especially in higher positions. A 2020 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that women in the research arms of medical schools were significantly less likely to earn a promotion than men at the same stage in their careers, and these numbers hadn’t significantly improved since the late 70s. Sexual harassment is still a major problem in academic research, and remains a major reason why women choose to leave. In medicine, and science generally, something will only get studied if someone takes an interest. When you have fewer women in the field, less research is going to be done into women’s health.

It isn’t just female rodents who aren’t being represented. Women often aren’t represented in human drug trials or studies either. Even if they are, a 2022 study into cardiovascular clinical trials found that less than half of them reported sex or gender. This means that we often don’t know how drugs or diseases will affect men and women differently.

For example, the sleeping pill Ambien is absorbed more slowly by women than by men. But it took 20 years of women falling asleep in dangerous situations (such as while driving or operating machinery) before it was officially recommended

that women take a lower dose. This happened because women weren’t included in the first two phases of Ambien’s original US trial – where they determine the safe and effective dosages. Because of this, the US, UK and Canada now mandate that women are included in all clinical trials. But it still doesn’t require that these studies report sex or gender. In Aotearoa, clinical trials are expected to adhere to international clinical practice standards, which include people of each sex, but there is no strict legislative requirement.

Gender doesn’t really exist outside of our heads. Animals have no gender. There are no boy rats, or girl rats, or non-binary rats. There are only male, female and intersex rats.

This highlights how harmful the gender binary is, and perhaps the idea of gender itself. It’s crucial that medical professionals and researchers recognise that sex and gender are not the same thing. Medical education is severely lacking on this front: a 2018 survey at Otago and Auckland universities found that 87% of medicine lecturers included little to no education on gender and sex differences in their papers.

Gender doesn’t really exist outside of our heads. Animals have no gender. There are no boy rats, or girl rats, or non-binary rats. There are only male, female and intersex rats. Gender is something humans invented. Sex is what we call the traits that allow sexual reproduction to happen. Sex manifests in many ways across different species and organisms – some species only have one sex, or neither. Some can change sex, and some don’t have sex at all and just clone themselves. Only humans give a shit about how someone’s genitals affect their identity; other animals are just out here trying to eat and fuck (though some humans are too, admittedly). It’s often repeated by transphobic cunts with podcasts, but there is no such thing as “biological gender.” Gender is not a biological phenomenon, it is a social one. The word “gender” is never used by biologists. Despite this, scientists have assumed things about the biology of animals for hundreds of years based on gendered stereotypes of men and women.

Saying that gender is a social construct isn’t “denying science”. If anything, it allows us to study the body in a more objective and scientific way. It allows us to build more inclusive research methods that benefit everyone. It’s why we need to keep striving to make academic science a more open, inclusive and equitable place.

Suffering is political

By Briar Pomana (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Rakaipaaka) (she/her) FEATURE WRITER

A fictional short story that isn’t really all that fictional.

I live in a cold, damp flat in Mount Roskill and pay nearly $300 a week including my share of utilities. There is mould growing on my clothes in my wardrobe, and the only window in my room is structured with wood that feels closer to sponge than timber. I live with three other people: Tapu, Moses and Dot, whom I met upon moving in. I saw the room on Facebook in one of those Auckland flats groups and hit Moses up over Messenger.

The person who had occupied the room before me was Razor. He moved out on a Friday arvo and I moved in on the following Saturday morning. It’s a tight turn around in Auckland and the changeover of rooms being emptied and filled could compete with some CBD hotels. Razor was an indoor smoker, so I had to use the little money I had left after the move to buy some knock-off Jif so I could scrub the walls. My other flatties reckon he’d smoke at least a pack a day. Razor had a shitty call centre job where he’d work from home, so it was easier to light up in the room than walk out onto our front porch. For the first few months I used to wake up in the morning with this metallic nicotine taste in my mouth. Now, everytime I smell ciggies, I have the urge to rinse my mouth out.

Tapu told me that the only reason Razor had to move out was because he’d lost his job. The company he worked for made him and fifty other people redundant. “He thought he’d be able to tough it out for a bit and eventually find something, but the cracks in the Jobseeker system became too large for anyone to clamber out of.” Moses told me that he moved back to Tokoroa and was living with his Nan, because her superannuation was getting cut and she needed

the support from his benefit money. Heaps of my friends have left Auckland for the same reason, but it’s just as bad out in the regions. People are getting desperate and are making all kinds of fucked up decisions.

Last night there was a homicide at our local pub. The owners are a Māori couple from Ahipara who’ve lived in the area since the 80s. Their pub has an open fireplace, so the flatties and I will sometimes go there for a drink or two to warm ourselves up and watch TV. The elections are coming up, so there’s been lots of debates both on the telly and in the pub lately. None of us were at the pub when that fatal fight broke out, because it happened on a Sunday. It’s hard to know how it started, but apparently it involved a heated conversation about politics. Moses was woken up by the sound of choppers circling the area, and in the morning there were pigs everywhere. Apparently, the guy who’d done it had sprinted off and jumped a few fences. We’d wondered if he was the one who had smashed Dot’s little Suzuki, but thought that was probably just some of the neighbourhood kids being bored and lonely again.

Not having a car in Auckland is like shooting yourself in the foot.

My car got towed the other day, and I’m still trying to come up with the money to get it back from the yard out in Manurewa. Not having a car in Auckland is like shooting yourself in the foot. I had to dig my AT Hop card out of a pair of jeans at the back of my mouldy closet – to my surprise there was already $20 on it. My luck

disappeared the moment I had to use it. I think I waited an entire hour to get into town the other day, and there were about three ghost buses. A ghost bus is what we ‘public transport girlies’ call buses that are scheduled on the AT app, but they never arrive. By the time a bus finally showed up, it was so full that it drove straight past the group of us queued at the stop. There’s been lots of cancellations because of the strikes too. Bus drivers are in high demand, but no one wants the job because it’s shit pay, and you have to deal with some of the worst of the worst. I don’t blame 'em for striking, but it’s all a bit of a shit show, and having more cars on the road makes everyone more agro and impatient.

My mate Selena is jumping between places at the moment and she’s noticed the shift in people too. People are less likely to open up their homes now that everything has tightened up and households are under immense stress. Especially when some of our other friends have young kids to worry about – I can’t even begin to imagine the juggling act. My mum was in a similar position last time we went into a recession and I remember her saying it was like a constant

dash to get to the finish line, but that it was like this for most families in our community so she never felt alone in the struggle. There were rich families who lived on the hills and voted blue, and then there were families like ours who lived below in the swamps and didn’t vote at all. During that time where mum struggled the most, I remember asking her about who she voted for. She answered, “I had no gas to get to the polling booth.” I wonder how many people’s voices in our community remained in the swamp, still sunk there somewhere.

Suffering is political, and people like Razor, the owners of the pub up the road, Selena and my mum bear the brute force of it. Without suffering, what leverage does one candidate have over the other? It’s a messed up game they play, where poor and vulnerable communities pay the price. Systems are failing the people they were built for. It leaves us displaced, unemployed, unhealthy and without hope. As politicians come and go, wardrobes continue to be mouldy, people continue being reduced to numbers, and the only certainty is that people will die because of decisions made by those who sit up on the hill.

THE

YOUNG INFORMED & :

2024 SRC candidate profiles

Written by Vanessa Elley (she/her)

Interviews by Nic George (he/him) Debate News Team

ALICIA LEMMER RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT

What is your background? And what experience do you bring to the table?

I am originally from South Africa, but I moved to New Zealand in 2017 where I went to Rangitoto College on the North Shore. Some of my leadership experience includes being Head Girl at Rangitoto, being the youth MP for the East Coast Bays, and balancing the role of Vice-President Academic for the AUTSA with my studies.

What are your main goals and the main issues you want to tackle as President?

Making sure that AUT students get the university experience that they signed up for. I'd like to work towards making university as accessible as possible. As a migrant, my parents don’t contribute to my education, but because they earn over a certain threshold I have no access to student allowance. I think if that threshold were to be increased it would benefit a lot more students, especially in this time of crisis.

How will you balance your personal study goals with the responsibilities of being President?

I’ve continued to succeed academically during my vicepresident role, but if it does get too much I’ll reduce my number of papers to commit enough time to the role of President.

What is your approach to leadership?

I take a very collaborative approach, but I can make decisions when decisions need to be made. I'm very open to listening to all sides and being able to make a decision.

What is your background? And what experience do you bring to the table?

I come from India, from a pretty middle-class background. I have been in leadership roles since I was young. I just refer to myself as the rebel with a cause.

What are your main goals and the main issues you want to tackle as President?

The main problem is nobody knows what AUTSA is – So the first step is to have AUTSA workshops in place so that regularly we have students coming in and seeing that there is something in place for them. Secondly, there should be a one-year term limit, so new ideas are consistently introduced.

How will you balance your personal study goals with the responsibilities of being President?

I would pull back from my part time job. My experience with group projects means I will be able to delegate tasks easily and share the work between my team.

What is your approach to leadership?

I don’t think you’re a leader if you tell someone to do something, you're a leader if you show them how to do it by being beside them. Basically, people have to be comfortable to walk up to you and have a chat.

What is your background? And what experience do you bring to the table?

I was part of the Upper Harbour Youth Council for five years and in my final year, I was the chairperson. It was a full-time role and it was a volunteer position as well, and through that experience I feel like I could bring a lot to the table. That's why going for president wasn't such a scary thing for me because I've got a lot of experience dealing with councils.

What are your main goals and the main issues you want to tackle as President?

I think a big, universal thing is finances. Everyone struggles with it as a student especially and being a part of the council we have a say in the fees. A lot of people want cheaper things in general.

How will you balance your personal study goals with the responsibilities of being President?

Personally, it's not a big issue for me because I've always had a packed schedule. I'm really good at balancing my time and what matters. They're aware that we're still students so if it does become an issue I'll be able to communicate that and delegate to my Vice-Presidents’ roles. But I'm not really too worried about the actual work of it.

DHRUVA GOPI RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT

ZOYA MAHMOOD RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT

What is your approach to leadership?

I think you’ve got to be open and welcoming. I've been a part of a lot of leadership roles in the past, but I haven't wanted people to feel like I'm above them in any kind of way. As a leader, I just want to make sure that they know that I'm their friend. If they need anything, I got their back.

ALI JOHAR RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT

What is your background? And what experience do you bring to the table?

I'm a construction manager, so I do quantity surveying and project management and construction. I am also a business mentor and a financial advisor. I was the chairman for the Glendene Community Housing Society in 2021. I have been on the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors Auckland branch board. I was on a post-grad committee for academics for Massey University in 2019. What do I really bring to the table? Strategy, governance, yes, but leadership. Direction, the ability to see where to take everybody and work with everybody effectively enough to get that together.

What are your main goals and the main issues you want to tackle as President?

Today's students are not as engaged. How do we empower them? The starting point is currently the way that clubs are set up and the amount of funding they get is minuscule. The business of students should be student-centric rather than being business-centric. I have the experience, I know where and what questions need to be asked, so I'm not going in with my eyes closed.

How will you balance your personal study goals with the responsibilities of being President?

If I have to, I'll resign from New Zealand business mentors for the period of two years that I'm a president here. I'm going to be doing two papers next term, one paper the following term, which drops everything down to a very manageable level.

What is your approach to leadership?

Is something right to do in itself? Then do it, pursue it. If you see oppression or abuse at any level, oppose it. At the same time, let's see if there are certain new ideas. And just because they are not conventional, but it's the right thing in itself to do, do it and support it and let it happen.

ASHRIT NAND RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT

What is your background? And what experience do you bring to the table?

I joined the student ambassador team in my first year, and I represented SRC last year as well. This year, I'm the President of Out@AUT. In that role, you're part of the student life and you try to balance what they want to see.

What are your main goals and the main issues you want to tackle as President?

AUTSA’s visibility. AUTSA has so many services on offer, so having students aware of that more than anything would be my goal. I think the clubs and societies space should remain with AUTSA, as opposed to AUT running the clubs and societies space. In terms of the SLA, I would love to see more funding for AUTSA in general.

How will you balance your personal study goals with the responsibilities of being President?

I would consider cutting down my papers just a little bit, as well as my other leadership roles at the university.

What is your approach to leadership?

I think letting people have the freedom in their own work lets them enjoy it more, and then they just work better at the same time. Especially in an environment like AUT, you want good outcomes, empowering outcomes, engaging outcomes.

How will you balance your personal study goals with the responsibilities of being President?

For me, being a first-year immigrant kid, academics and education has always been a very big part of who I am and a very big pedestal that I've been given. And it's something that I do always think of as a privilege. I think my way of excelling in my own studies is to be able to do other things that allow me to have a break in one way or another while still being an advocate.

What is your approach to leadership?

Leadership isn't necessarily one person taking the lead for me. It's more so one person amongst the crowd who's bringing everyone together for a united purpose. It's not about someone who's at the front, it's more about who's at the back being the driving force and allowing everyone else to succeed wherever they are best placed, and then together being able to achieve a bigger goal.

TASFIA MAHMOOD RUNNING FOR VICE-PRESIDENT ACADEMIC

What is your background? And what experience do you bring to the table?

I've held two positions on the SRC so far: Diversity Affairs Officer last year, and this year I had the privilege of being the business, economics, and law faculty rep. I'm currently with the Mooting Society this year as treasurer and I've also been the business student rep for business overall and the accounting department as well.

What are your main goals and the main issues you want to tackle as President?

One of them is definitely bringing back a centralised academic assistance program. Personally seeing the disestablishment of the peer mentors program and the correlation that has had with the anxiety levels of students has been very disheartening to see. Being on the ground you can see the level of professionalism and the level of down to earth one to one service that honours students and senior students can really provide to their junior students.

REGINA TAO RUNNING FOR VICE-PRESIDENT COMMUNITY

What is your background? And what experience do you bring to the table?

I am a Communication Studies student, a student ambassador, and an RUOK? advisor, so I'm trained on how to deal with people and the well-being side of everything.

What are your main goals and the main issues you want to tackle as President?

I think my main priority is making well-being services easier to access for all students. There was a news article a while ago about AUT students in Manukau Campus, Pasifika students, that weren't supported in the law faculty. So I want to ensure that that's easier for them and they know that there's the actual possibility to get help. Fees are actually increasing for student services and a lot of students don't actually know that that's involved in their university fees. So I want to clarify that. Also in general just ensuring that I make inclusive spaces for people to feel welcome into and continue to grow those spaces.

How will you balance your personal study goals with the responsibilities of being President?

I think just making sure that I have a good schedule and time managing everything that I can. I would prioritise being Vice-President Community as well as my studies but with my time management skills I feel like I'll be able to do that.

What is your approach to leadership?

I have quite an open-minded style to leadership. I'm very open to hearing other people's opinions and I feel like I stand quite neutrally. I'm going to hear you out before I make a decision or anything.

What is your background? And what experience do you bring to the table?

I have completed a Bachelors of Commerce at the University of Auckland and I'm currently pursuing a Bachelor of Laws here. This year I was the treasurer for the Law Student Society. In my time at UoA I have held the role of class representative for four of my classes, which is basically just the student voice brought to the teacher and to the faculty. This year I've also been a mentor for one of the programs that the Law Student Society ran too, and I was responsible for a mentee.

What are your main goals and the main issues you want to tackle as President?

Just understanding what students want more and less of in the classroom, and being able to bring those issues to the faculty. Academic VP is all about being able to ensure that the students' academic journey is something that they're happy about, something in which they actually learn. To be able to support that through their voice being heard at the very base level, to elect a representative in their own classroom who can talk to the teachers or talk to the faculty on their behalf if they're not comfortable doing so themselves.

How will you balance your personal study goals with the responsibilities of being President?

I still have quite a bit of time on my hands to be able to actually prioritise this role as well in equal levels to what I will be studying for. In the scenario that I am elected as the Academic VP, I can beautifully balance that in both ways and give both of the roles enough time.

What is your approach to leadership?

For me to be able to understand what the students want and are aiming for is the biggest priority. And to be able to have a collaborative approach with the university. I do know that there are approaches that can be very antagonistic and very hostile, so collaboration is key here.

SAMRIDHI GUPTA RUNNING FOR VICE-PRESIDENT ACADEMIC

ANJLI SHINMAR RUNNING FOR VICE-PRESIDENT COMMUNITY

What is your background? And what experience do you bring to the table?

In school I was in the student leadership council and the science council. I also did other cultural events around school and helped out with international evening and Pasifika evening and all of that. We also did a physics tournament at school, and I was in charge of organising that event.

What are your main goals and the main issues you want to tackle as President?

I think cultural diversity is a big thing because I just want everyone to feel welcomed. And also, I think there should be a lot more mental health support. We have the RUOK? team and we have so much mental health support, but I think… AUT's vision is to create great graduates, and I think the one way we can do that is by providing that mental health support that's needed for students.

How will you balance your personal study goals with the responsibilities of being President?

I think I have that balance between studying and working and my own goals. I don't want to make the experience stressful for me, but obviously it's a little bit stressful and it's a lot of pressure having all that on your shoulders.

What is your approach to leadership?

I want to really get to know what the students want and how they think, what they think a good university really is, you know? And I just want to bring all those different cultures together so that no one feels like they don't belong here or like they're too stressed out or anything like that. I just want everyone to feel welcome and together.

Monday 16th Oct. to Thursday 9th Nov.

City & South Campus Tech Central Open 24/7

Access to computers, printers and study pods!

WA4 Tech Central access via Hikuwai Plaza

MA2 Tech Central access via MA Library entrance (Level 2 Only)

Note: AUT Student ID required for entry

For more info visit:

ithelp.aut.ac.nz/techcentral247

Auckland Man's Interest in Politics

Ignited by Innovative Analysis

By Luke Fisher (he/him) CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Local 27-year-old, Darren ‘Dazza’ Anderson, has developed a sudden obsession with the 2023 Election after watching the first leader’s debate and the expert analysis that followed.

Darren had never previously taken an interest in politics, saying, “I couldn’t understand it at all,” before hurriedly adding that this was down to not giving a shit, rather than a lack of intelligence. However, he met a politically minded lady just before the big debate, so he thought it best to wise up before their date next weekend.

Darren struggled to stay awake during the debate itself. “I found myself thinking, is she really worth putting myself through this?” Just when he was about to switch to Sky Sport Now to watch the Warriors vs. Newcastle highlights for the fifth time that week, something caught his attention. The post-debate analysis hosted by Jack Tame with panellists Tau Henare, Maiki Sherman and David Cunliffe began with a hiss and a roar. Henare complained about the lack of physical and verbal abuse. “I’m hooked,” thought Darren.

What followed was half an hour of a never-seenbefore method of political analysis, attributing every single facet of the debate to either rugby union or rugby league. There was not a lack of “clear argumentative triumph, necessary to determine a winner,” but rather a lack of an “Up the Wahs moment.” Chris Hipkins’ failure to interrupt Luxon’s prepared lines was a failure to “ankle-tap him while he had the ball.” “He [Chris Hipkins] has to kick it out of the park – he’s got nothing to lose.”

Henare spoke straight to Darren’s heart, especially near the end. “I don’t think this is the debate that Chippy needed to win, I think he could afford to lose it or draw it. I think the bigger ones are the next two ones, where he knows the score. It’s a bit like Penrith vs. Warriors; we all knew that the second-stream Warriors team wasn’t going to win, but boy did they turn up against Newcastle. And that’s that Up the Wahs moment, and I think that’s what Chippy needs, ’cause I do think that Luxon is in front.”

This was an intense spiritual awakening for Darren. “I’ve never felt more enlightened, it all makes sense now.” Darren privately told us he felt like Ken in Barbie (2023) when he discovered the patriarchy (although he later denied ever watching the film). For Darren and many other Kiwi men, all they needed was for it to be put into rugby terms. This method could be a vital tool in capturing this population’s hearts and minds as public participation is essential to a healthy democracy.

Darren was unable to confirm if any of this helped with his date.

Exam tips!

By Julie Schmidt (she/her) CONTRIBUTING WRITER

How to beat procrastination through creative study

Exam time is a stressful time of year. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably already cleaned out that cupboard, learned a new recipe, or binge-watched a couple hundred episodes on Netflix.

When I was at uni, sometimes the more I needed to study, the less it would happen. I used to think that my procrastination was driven by laziness. I would feel so much self-loathing at the end of a day when I didn’t do the study I set out to do.

But I’ve learned that laziness wasn’t my main issue. Instead, I believe my problem was driven by a phenomenon known as ‘hyper-intention’ – when you’re so focused on achieving something that you’re terrified of taking steps towards completing it. It’s counter-intuitive and very annoying - the more you want something, the harder it can be to face.

I have several techniques to overcome this. There’s the classic method of doing ten minutes of work at a time, but my favourite technique is creative study, where you engage with your topic in a way that’s fun and relaxing. It could be watching YouTube, drawing a snail in a ginger beer bottle (shoutout Donoghue v Stevenson), or colour-coding your notes. You don’t need to read cases or textbooks – just engage with your topic in an easy and enjoyable way.

Creative study destroys hyper-intention – and any fear of studying will melt away. You may think that you have to constantly be productive, but that’s not true! Creative study is a good use of time. It’s important to think about what you’re trying to learn however you can. The more you engage with a topic, the better your brain will become at connecting those neural pathways. The chaos and confusion becomes order and understanding – eventually, you'll read the concept and it will just click. Trust me!

How to use ChatGPT at Uni

If you haven’t heard of ChatGPT by now, the best way I can describe it is: Google, but it can talk to you and answer your questions directly. It’s an artificial intelligence software that scans the internet and generates answers to whatever question you might have. It can learn and adapt based on what you tell it.

For example, if you wrote: “Write me an article about how to use ChatGPT ethically for assignments” it will spit you out an article. You could then tell it to “be more formal,” or “use fewer words.” It will adapt accordingly. (Yes, I tried to get Chat GPT to write this article for me. No, I didn’t like what it wrote, so I’m writing this the old-fashioned way.)

Although ChatGPT is powerful, it’s not perfect. Firstly, its information is not up-to-date. It knows nothing post-September 2021. It’s not accurate either: if you ask it a question, it may answer that question extremely confidently, but the answer may not be correct. It’s a language-generating tool, so it knows how to write answers, but it has no way of assessing their factual validity of its answers. For example, I asked it a legal question in my area of expertise, and it got the answer completely wrong. It sounded super confident though, so you’ve got to be careful.

Universities and schools across New Zealand have recognised that ChatGPT cannot be banned. It’s the way of the future, and it’s far too difficult. Instead, universities are teaching students to use it sparingly and with caution. The main message is to allow it to help you, but not to replace you.

I think the best way to utilise ChatGPT is to use it to overcome the blank page. When I was lecturing, I would always tell my students to write a crappy first draft of their assignment. This overcomes the “blank page is the enemy” issue and gives you a piece of clay to start moulding. However, you can put your answers and information into ChatGPT and ask it to write your assignment for you. But you shouldn’t use this, obviously. If you copy what it gives you and use that in your assignment directly, that’s plagiarism.

Instead, treat what it gives you as the pre-first-draft to your assignment. Adapt this draft completely and make it your own. Also, remember to never rely on any factual information it gives you. You must do your own research.

You could also ask it some initial probing questions to help you understand a topic. I know we’ve all been taught to never cite Wikipedia, which is correct. However, I still used it to help me get the gist of a topic before getting into the academic research. You can use ChatGPT in the same way.

Ultimately, I would use ChatGPT in assignments to help you write the precursor to your first draft. However, I wouldn’t recommend copying what it writes for you directly (ever), or relying on it to give you factual information.

Happy studying, you got this! If you’re a law student and want some more help, you can find my super-concise notes at www.julieschmidtlaw.com

The problem with one-hit-wonders, on Sweet Disposition’s 15th Birthday

By Thomas Giblin (he/him) @thegreengiblin CULTURE & LIFESTYLE WRITER

The genesis of this profile started in the most mundane of places: the shower, as Mac Miller's 'Love Lost' blasted from my precariously-balanced phone. The song faded out as I scrubbed my face with an overpriced cleanser. Up next: 'Sweet Disposition' by The Temper Trap. The iconic Australian indie pop-rock song reached the top 10 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart and has over 500 million streams on Spotify. You also can't forget to mention its needle drop in the 2009 cult classic (500) Days of Summer, which cemented its place as an indie anthem. Now, the track and the band are experiencing a renaissance due to a myriad of throwback memes and questionable house remixes. Thanks to the digital rekindling of The Temper Trap, a few weeks and one frantic email chain later, I'm on the phone with the band's drummer, Toby Dundas, chatting about Glastonbury and parenthood.

Life after 'Sweet Disposition' has treated Dundas well; he's settled in Melbourne, with a kid and a little studio. A lunch break has meant we have the opportunity to chat (I forgot to ask him what he's having, sorry). We quickly began discussing his passion for producing: Before The Temper Trap, Dundas was pursuing a career in mixing and mastering. The success of the band has been a distraction, albeit a good one, from this interest.

"Even though you've played it thousands of times, the experience with a crowd playing it live is different every time, and that energy that you get from them makes it new in a way. It's like you almost have to see it through their eyes."

"You play a festival in some other country the day before. You fly in, drive out to Glastonbury, and you're on-site for three or four hours. You play your set, and then you've got to leave because you've got to play in another country the next day."

Dundas met Dougy Mandagi, the lead singer, where all great things are born: General Pants Co., where they worked "selling jeans and not having a great time". Mandagi invited Dundas to his house in the outer suburbs of Melbourne to have a jam. If you've listened to any of The Temper Trap's music, you'll know that Mandagi has an angelic falsetto, which has seen him compared to Bono and Chris Martin – Dundas was instantly excited by the prospect of what they could do as a band. Their bassist, a friend of Mandagi's, joined the following week. He worked next door at a Surf Dive 'n' Ski. (I joke that this shopping centre they all worked at should have a plaque honouring their achievements. Dundas wonders if his staff code still works – he fancies a discount on a new pair of Levi's.)

It wasn't long before they all made their way to London, like many artists from down under. Arriving in April 2009, they travelled around in a minivan, "playing in these little shitty venues all over the place." Dundas calls this 'Toilet Touring', an apt name for this musical right of passage. In September, during a hazy British summer, 'Sweet Disposition' came out, the hit song they're synonymous with. It got added to the BBC Radio 1 A-list, and things took off. They'd gone from schlepping it in a little van to a proper tour bus, going on huge nationwide tours and playing iconic UK venues such as the Shepherd's Bush Empire. At this moment, Dundas thought, "This is really happening," Although, he says these moments happen all the way through.

Despite the song's success relative to their other works, The Temper Trap – like a-ha, Weezer and PSY – shouldn't be considered one-hit wonders. It's a binary way of thinking, using the charts as a way to value artists. It disregards them as a squawking novelty. Songs like 'Love Lost', 'Fader', 'Trembling Hands' and 'Fall Together' are additions to a discography that has allowed The Temper Trap to remain in the public consciousness for a decade and a half. Dundas is surprised when I remind him that it's nearly fifteen years to the day since ‘Sweet Disposition’ was released. He's still yet to get sick of the song - "Even though you've played it thousands of times, the experience with a crowd playing it live is different every time, and that energy that you get from them makes it new in a way. It's like you almost have to see it through their eyes."

Fifteen years after its release, the song has found a new audience in the digital age. Prominent TikTok music content creator The Crunchy Beat called 'Sweet Disposition', one of the greatest songs ever written, claiming its "rush of existential euphoria" never decreases. Moreover, a viral TikTok with the caption "Songs that are the same" splices 'Sweet Disposition' with 'Oblivion' by Grimes. The comments beg the creators to upload a full version to Spotify immediately. Digital remix culture has even led the song to be sampled on an EDM track that’s way too long, and the soundtrack for dozens of AI edits of a woman dancing. I've also heard 'Sweet Disposition' be sampled on a track featuring comedian Theo Von, admitting his struggle with mental health issues – the song pervades all corners of the app.

Hits like 'Fader', 'Love Lost' and of course 'Sweet Disposition' have allowed Dundas and The Temper Trap to perform at iconic venues and festivals across the globe. He fondly remembers performing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the halftime of the 2012 Australian Football League grand final. The attendance for that game was nearly 100,000 people. I also asked Dundas about Glastonbury, the legendary festival responsible for some of the most iconic moments in pop-culture history (namely Jay-Z's fuck you to Noel Gallagher). Snippets of their set can be found on YouTube, but not at a quality higher than 360p. "What's going on, Glastonbury? We're The Temper Trap. Thanks for coming out," Mandagi announced to a fair crowd in 2009 on the John Peel stage, which always champions new music from up-andcoming artists on the cusp of stardom.

The following year Mandagi and The Temper Trap didn't need to announce themselves. They performed on the Other Stage, reserved for major acts and alternative headliners. I quiz Dundas on his memories of this performance, having just watched it in preparation for this interview. Ironically, he doesn't remember much. "You play a festival in some other country the day before. You fly in, drive out to Glastonbury, and you're on-site for three or four hours. You play your set, and then you've got to leave because you've got to play in another country the next day."

Life isn't such a whirlwind these days, "Lots has changed since the earlier days of the band," says Dundas. Instead of 'Toilet Touring', he now has a four-year-old to look after. Most of the band have children too, so sound checks and shows now involve cartoonishly large earmuffs on small, discerning melophiles. Dundas's son likes singing the most and is no longer a fan of The Wiggles and Blippi. Rather, 'Song 2' by Blur, 'Get Free' by The Vines and 'Hate to Say I Told You So' by The Hives accompany play time in the Dundas household. They'll rock out, Dundas will drum on some boxes while his son uses a pretend microphone stand and dances as if he were Michael Jackson's reincarnation. “It’s great being able to share that part of your life with them."

Dundas's son likes singing the most and is no longer a fan of The Wiggles and Blippi. Rather, 'Song 2' by Blur, 'Get Free' by The Vines and 'Hate to Say I Told You So' by The Hives accompany play time in the Dundas household.

With music and parenthood crossing over, I'm curious if there are any life lessons he's learned in his nearly twenty years with The Temper Trap that inform Dundas as a parent. "You've got to try and see things from other people's eyes and be patient," he says. A band is a unique organism in many ways. It's a family, but business and creative relationships are mixed into the fold. Patience has allowed The Temper Trap to find a pathway through "disagreements" so they can all remain inspired after all these years together.

The band members now live all over the globe, but they're still keen to work on new tracks. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Dropbox was their studio. They could share what they were working on and collaborate on new ideas. They have shows lined up all over Australia for the end of the year, and they’re excited to use this time together to work on a new batch of songs in the studio. "Maybe even a record if it all goes well," Dundas says slyly.

FILM FESTIVAL

Sundance Film Festival: Short Film Tour 2023

Aotearoa-wide, On Demand

6th - 29th October

From $10

Aotearoa’s leading short film festival is back for 2023, showcasing incredible local and international talent.

FAIR

Mount Albert Record Fair

Saturday, October 21st

Free!

Vinyl, CDs, cassettes and music memorabilia. Miss Dom is on the decks with guest DJs. New vendors welcome!

Mt Albert War Memorial Hall

How To Throw A Chinese Funeral

2nd - 14th October

Pay what you want, from $8

An award-winning play, written by Jill Kwan. When Lily and Anna’s grandmother passes away, they must reunite with their family in Malaysia to orchestrate her Taoist funeral.

Pop-up Globe presents: Twelfth Night

17th - 22nd October

$20

Led by co-founder Tobias Grant and under the artistic direction of renowned Shakespeare expert David Lawrence, the Pop-up Globe Shakespeare Company will rise from the ashes of Covid. Expect rowdiness, live music, fantastic stageacting and expect to become part of the storyline!

Basement Theatre

OCTOBER 2023

G G i u d g i e

TĀMAKI MAKAURAU - AKL

Luca Lozano w/ Samuel Harmony and Scarlotta

Where? Neck of the Woods

When? Saturday, October 7th Cost? $35

DJ, electronic, Berlin, techno

Princess Chelsea

Where? Neck of the Woods

When? Thursday, October 12th Cost? $35

Alternative, pop, album tour

K-Lone & Facta w/ Hugo Jay

Where? Neck of the Woods

When? Friday, October 13th Cost? $30

DJ, electronic, alternative, UK, Wisdom Teeth

K M T P

Where? Whammy Bar

When? Friday, October 20th

Cost? $15

Alternative rock, emo, album release

Pangaea

Where? Neck of the Woods

When? Friday, October 20th Cost? $20

DJ, electronic, dance, Hessle Audio, UK

Dennis Bovell (UK)

Where? Hollywood Avondale

When? Sunday, October 22nd Cost? $50

DJ, reggae, dub, soundsystem

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