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ISSUE 5 // VOLUME 46
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Alicia Wood James Watson Kienan McKay
Andrew Paterson Angelina Taylor Alicia Wood Anele Lane Bas De Groot Ben Wadham Brooke Hines Courtney Lawrence Evie Cazzolato James Watson Kienan McKay Martin Fabinyi Melanie Takarangi Michael Green Shevaun Rutherford Vicki Griffin
Empire Times is always looking for contributors. If you’re a writer, photographer, or illustrator, send us an email or visit our website for details.
DESIGN Kienan McKay SUB-EDITORS Angelina Taylor Courtney Lawrence Elena Koulianos Evie Cazzolato Georgina Banfield Hannah Stampke Madalyn Short Michelle Wakim Peter Moreman Rebekah Manser Shevaun Rutherford
COVER ART James Watson Kienan McKay
VISUAL ARTISTS Amy Nguyen // Untitled (44) Emily Mae Boxall // Matthew Flinders and Trim (48) Tom Murton // Anser Anser Domesticus (20)
MASTHEAD & LOGO Ethan Brown PRINTERS Newstyle Media SPECIAL THANKS
PHOTOGRAPHY Flinders University Archives
Bas De Groot Jess Nicole Tim Coyle
fb.com/empiretimesmag @empire.times www.empiretimesmagazine.com empiretimes@flinders.edu.au
EMPIRE TIMES is a publication of Flinders University Student Association (FUSA). The opinons expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editors, Flinders University or FUSA. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that EMPIRE TIMES articles and other information are up-todate and as accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by EMPIRE TIMES for any errors or omissions contained herein. EMPIRE TIMES would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people wo are the traditonal custodians of the land Flinders University is situated on, and that their land was never ceded, but stolen. We would like to pay our respects to the elders of the Kaurna nation and extend that respect to other Aboriginal peoples, past, present, and future.
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CONTENTS 20
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HISTORY OF FLINDERS UNI
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A brief overview
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VETERANS ON CAMPUS Life after the military
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INTERVIEW: KATE ELLIS
Reconnecting with a past editor
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THE DEATH OF ITUNES
Thanks for the memories
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50 YEARS OF ET Discover the colourful history of Empire Times
MATTHEW FLINDERS
The life of our namesake
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DUCK, DUCK, GOOSE!
Flinders' shocking scandal
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INDIGENOUS RIGHTS HISTORY A painful truth, and a long road ahead
AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION
A guide on what not to do
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WHEN STUDENTS CARRIED GUNS Student conscription in South Australia
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DRINK OF THE GODS
The tasty history of our favourite treat
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HISTORICAL FICTION The genre that contradicts itself
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DAD'S INTERNET HISTORY Sometimes it's not what you'd expect
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CREATIVE: THE WEST LIE How the Western novel shaped the real West
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HISTORY
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fter being cleared for production by the Student Representaton Council (SRC), the first edition of Empire Times was printed in March, 1969. It featured a rousing editorial by the magazine’s original editor and founder Martin Fabinyi, to whom we owe gratitude. He stated the importance of an independent student publication, free from the constraints of a student union or SRC, which this magazine wishes to reiterate just as boldly 50 years onwards. Empire Times is for the students of Flinders. It will always strive, as it has done so in the past, to reflect the thoughts, views, and creative voices of the wider student body.
This magazine has had a wonderful and varied history – full of ups and downs, censorship and protest, a hiatus, and a resurgence; events you will read about as you flick through these pages. This is a time to celebrate, to reflect, and perhaps most importantly, push forwards. History is often used to define us, an easy way to judge how things are by comparing them to the past. But a word to the wise; "history" should not be confused with "truth". Nor should a preoccupation with history cause us to stagnate. Superman, who proudly flew across the cover of issue one in 1969, in all his black and white splendour, was a symbol for the first take off of the magazine. In this issue, we reflect that a magazine cannot stay static, and hope that we will continue to see new and bold changes as Empire Times thrives on. But we will always remember those who came before us. We can only imagine how this publication may look in another 50 years, but that original image of heroism will outlast us. We, in 2019, are now a part of history. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who've made the past 50 years possible – every editor, writer, artist, printer, and graphic designer that's contributed. To every media team, FUSA employee, and academic who've encouraged us and allowed the magazine to continue year after year. To all the families, friends, and partners who've put up with secondary stress from approaching deadlines. Most of all, we , want to thank you, our readers. This publication has always been for, and about, you. You are the , Editors reason we're here. Empire Times, 2019
Kienanames J Alicia
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EDITORIAL
PRESIDENT'S A D DRE SS H
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ello friends! Welcome (or welcome back) to semester two. If you had a semester one as big as FUSA Student Council did, you certainly deserved a good rest over the break. This is the History issue but, rather than talking about history that exists, I want to talk a bit about how we can make history together. We are ready and raring to go to throw a bunch of events around some really important campaigns in the coming weeks, and we're super excited to get you all involved in the work we're doing to make life better for everyone. Aside from our regular events, FUSA will be involved in National Days of Action (NDA) run by the National Union of Students. The two NDAs this semester are issues that will go down in history as defining our generation – Uni Walkout for Climate Justice, and the Rally Against Sexual Assault & Harassment on Campus. Climate action has become a serious conversation, with school students already on strike once this year. Knowing how important this is to university students as well, NUS affiliated campuses all across the country will be walking out of work and classes to demand immediate action on climate change. These strikes,
walkouts, and actions are some of the largest we've seen in years, and it's SO important for us to show our governments that we won't tolerate inaction anymore. The issue of sexual assault and harassment at universities, while having been an issue for decades, has been much more widely discussed since the Australian Human Rights Commission survey two years ago. At Flinders we have been incredibly active in making our campus culture safer with the Be a Better Human campaign, but there is still more to be done to make sure survivors are adequately supported and university commitments are followed through. To mark the two year anniversary we'll be making statements on campus to remind everyone that we haven't forgotten, and we'll continue to fight to make our university free of sexual assault and harassment. So when you see us out during the semester, come say hello and see how you can you get involved! We'll be posting all about it on the FUSA Student Council Facebook page as well.
Katt Hatzi Student Council President
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Uni Ball @ Hotel Richmond
Multicultural Week (27th-29th)
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FUSA Says Relax @ Student Hub
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FUSA Pubcrawl
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LOOK UP FUSA ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE46.4 EVENTS
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A Brief History of Flinders Uni 01.08.74 I
n 1960, the University of Adelaide was struggling to accommodate the growing numbers of students who were eager for the opportunity of a higher education. A new campus was proposed, and the grounds were selected – a little old place called Bedford Park. Bedford Park had recently housed a sanatorium for soldiers and a reformatory for young male offenders – in other words, it was the perfect place for students. It was on this ground that a new campus grew, but the potential it had to be its
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That’s where it all began. So, what’s happened since? Perhaps one of the largest and most controversial events to happen at Flinders was the Student Occupation of 1974. Beginning in August, students first occupied the Social Sciences Building, then later the Registry building, for 28 days. They barred windows and doors, cooked in
The occupation was orderly and tidy, with nothing intentionally trashed. At one point, several of the women claimed that sexism was occurring in the occupation – their voices were heard, and women began to play a more leading and active role. The acting VC, Max Clarke, listened to student demands and instructed history staff to come to the negotiation with students. However, the head of the history department called staff late the night before, and told them not to attend the meeting. Administration tried cutting off the phone lines, but they were soon reconnected. And when they switched off the power to the Registry building, two sympathetic technicians
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own university was soon realised. The independence of Flinders University was celebrated on July 1st 1966, with just 400 students and 90 members of staff. The university was named after explorer Matthew Flinders, and the crest taken from a drawing he made of his ship, the Investigator. The crest also has an image of an open book with an excerpt from Flinders’ book, A Voyage to Terra Australis. Professor Peter Carmel, who became inaugural Vice Chancellor in 1961, voiced his ambitions for the future, stating ‘We want to experiment and experiment bravely.’
So what was it that willed students to barricade themselves within a university building for almost an entire month? An exam. The History topic introduced a compulsory threehour exam for that year, and the students protested this restrictive form of assessment. They argued that exams were a lazy education practice that did not facilitate an independent or critical outlook, and therefore failed to indicate the true academic ability of each student. The occupation reflected the power struggle between staff and the students who felt they should have a greater say over the way their education was assessed. Prior to the occupation, a poll had been passed out among the History students, and 90% voted for the end of year exam to be abolished.
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the common area, slept in staff offices, and controlled the flow of people into and out of the building. TV crews were invited to meetings, protesting students were interviewed, and all of it was broadcast nationwide. The State Governor, Mark Oliphant, was ushered into the building to engage in negotiations, but he exited unsuccessful. Telephones were located in the basement of the building, and staff locked the doors to cut off student communications. So students climbed through the suspended ceiling and dropped into the room, surprising the telephone operators and hijacking the phones. They contacted universities both interstate and internationally, asking for their support. Both sides printed leaflets and papers either pushing their agenda, or condemning that of the other.
students opened one file from the vice chancellors cabinets for every hour their demands weren't met
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turned it back on for the students. These technicians were suspended for their actions, and the power switched off again. But the students stumbled upon something a little bigger during their sit in. With such little progress being made, students threatened to open one file from the Vice Chancellors cabinets for every hour that their demands weren’t met. It was in the opening of these files that they discovered contracts the current VC, Roger Russell, had with research relating to chemical warfare, linked to the US military. Considering the recent anti-Vietnam War sentiment of the time, the students were outraged, and began demanding that the VC step down. It didn’t help the situation that during this discovery, the VC was on overseas business in the US. On August 8th, a general meeting of student was held with around 200 students present – in this meeting, it was decided to broaden the occupation demands to involve action against Russell. But none of student demands were met. On August 28th, Registry was stormed by staff, who students claimed were armed with crowbars and wire cutters. Students used smoke bombs against oncoming staff, and at one point a student was thrown partly through a window. One staff member, Professor Berry, argued that the students were ‘out to destroy the university.’ When the last of the remaining students left the building, several were charged with assault, property damage, and suspended for 28 days.
With the occupation over, the students initiated a ‘Sack Russell’ campaign. They sent damning material to the students of schools and universities that Russell went to speak at, causing havoc for the VC. But Russell still refused to speak of his involvement in US military research. The only demand that was accepted was the reinstatement of the two suspended technicians. Students then went on to tour the eastern state universities to both raise funds for their legal costs, and to explain the reasons behind the occupation and the issues it raised. While the students didn’t get what they were after, one student stated that, ‘[it is] only when we are actually involved in politics that we begin to grasp it.’ The occupation wasn’t just over an exam – it was ‘the concrete expression of a widely and deeply felt powerlessness amongst the student body.’ Our university has changed a great deal since it first opened its doors to students, and there’s still plenty of opportunity for more great changes on the horizon. As students, we have the power to make our time here a wonderful experience, and to help shape this university for the better. While I don’t suggest locking yourself in a building for a month, if you want to execute change here and be a part of Flinders history, get involved. Join a club, listen to our political groups when election time rolls around, and reach out to those who can help you to enact change you can’t. And if you have any issues at all with your course or topic, don’t hesitate to contact FUSA, who are always ready to listen to student concerns.
Alicia Wood
Melanie Takarangi Andrew Paterson Ben Wadham
For more info, please contact Piper Bell at piper.bell@flinders.edu.au
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Higher education is a stable pathway for veterans separating from the military. It can provide meaning, belonging, a sense of place and hope for the future. It can also allow for positive social interactions, allowing for swifter, easier transitions into the civilian world. With the student veteran’s association, veterans can interact with one another while also making new friends outside of the military. This project is supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, who are part of a nationwide push to understand veteran transition, improve the post-service life of veterans, and enhance overall university life.
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As veterans, we remember the challenges of re-entry into society. Your day is no longer someone else’s; you are no longer directed every moment of the day and your time is completely your own! As a member of the military, health care, accommodation, and general everyday life is largely contained within the institution. You mix with a core group of people and become part of a diverse community nationwide. Life in the military is heavily institutionalised but at the same time often really rewarding, exciting, and fulfilling. The camaraderie of military service, like many service institutions, is a fundamental pillar to service life. I am currently part of a research team in the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, collaborating with the William Kibby VC Veterans Shed, who help veterans
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Military transition defines the process of change that a service person undergoes when their military career comes to an end. The concept of military to civilian transition is internationally recognised – and while many make a smooth transition, there is a substantial minority that go on to experience difficulty assimilating into everyday life. In particular, they find difficulty getting employment, education, remaining healthy, and interacting socially. Finding appropriate ways to support those making successful transitions to civilian life is viewed widely as a priority for public policy and should be further researched.
In preparing veterans for higher education, we need to understand how the existing needs and experiences of 46 these veterans could influence their success. Research .4 on student attrition and academic success suggests key areas for us to focus our attention in preparing veterans for study. For example, we know that first year veteran students sometimes withdraw or perform poorly in higher education because of a range of individual factors: these include mental health issues, disability, low socioeconomic status, ethnicity, being a first-generation student, and financial hardship. Low self-esteem from mental illness is particularly prevalent, as it can lead to poor motivation and a lack of clearly defined goals.
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hen a civilian joins the military, they become militarised. Militarisation profoundly changes one’s life: what motivates them, their interactions with others, and their sense of who they are. Becoming part of the Australian military is a pinnacle in many young Australian’s lives. When it comes time to leave this career and way of life, the transition process is very challenging, and for some, equally overwhelming.
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Veterans at Flinders 19.06.19 W
transition back into civilian life. Currently, it is operating to assist military veterans, but will branch out to other service occupations such as the Police and Customs Officers. Our project aims to reorient the university toward veterans and their needs. We also want to establish an Australian Student Veterans Association (ASVA) chapter at Flinders. We believe this will help to establish veterans needs on campus and make us an identifiable group with specific needs. We will also work to identify younger veterans who are considering higher education as an option. We will support them to find the right award and provide foundational skills for their journey. We also hope to interview veterans about their higher education experiences.
50 Years of Empire Times 11.03.69 W
sat around smoking weed to combat the establishment. A war on drugs at the time was viewed as a war on freedom, on art, and on student voice.
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ith a history spanning 50 years, it is hard to encapsulate and discuss all of it in a single edition of a magazine. If we used a page for each year in Empire Times history we’d run out of space. So how can we condense it all and explain every little piece of history for you dear readers? The truth is, we can’t. There’s too much! What we can do, however, is provide a highlight reel of the most profane, humorous, and outrageous moments in our proud 50 years. 1969 saw the birth of the publication under editor Martin Fabinyi. Together with Rod Boswell they invested in their own printing press, establishing their own Faboz Print and allowing the magazine to be free from censorship and separate from any machinations of the SRC of the time. These early editions carry with them the theme of going against the establishment with rousing articles like those attacking conscription to the Vietnam War (at one point some early writers were actually arrested at an anti-war protest). Over the years, there were also plenty of opportunities in Empire Times to publish nude photos and comics, angry political rants, and copious amounts of sarcasm. There was a constant obsession with the legalisation of marijuana – a "smoke-in" was advertised by ET, in which students
At one point, McDonalds wanted to open up shop on campus. Do you think the students wanted cheap, delicious, fried food easily accessible to them? Absolutely not. Empire Times was drowned in letters to the editors protesting the fast food chain, and would you believe it, there’s not a Maccas to be seen or smelt in our food court. Due to the Howard governments change to compulsory student unionism, Empire Times was briefly out of business between 2007 and 2012, and replaced with a publication called The Libertine. But once ET returned, this second little magazine vanished into the nothingness from whence it came. The numbering of Empire Times is confusing; each edition no longer corresponds to the number of years the magazine has been active. We are currently edition 46, rather than 50, due to The Libertine years of inactivity. Also, edition 36 in 2004 included a special women’s edition of Fempire Times, which was accidentally printed as edition 37. As a result, 2005 was listed as edition 38, and 37 was completely skipped. All we humbly ask is as a reader, please understand that this publication has always been a raunchy, satirical, hated, loved, and mildly-entertaining mess.
Editors, 2019
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Vol. 35, No. 10 – 2003
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Martin Fabinyi Martin Fabinyi (Founding Editor)
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It was a time of revolution, and of change, and even though the brilliant light of the 60s began to slowly dim Empire Times has kept the flame burning and remains alive and well to today.
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House mates in the suburb of Parkside, the two pushed through a grudging approval from the Student Rep
Empire Times emerged soon after, and at ten cents a copy it was a steal. Articles ranging from an insider’s view of Satanism to the breaking of the Crimes Act by urging students not to register for conscription galvanized the student body, and when we mastered colour printing the newspaper ran posters of Mick Jagger, and spreads on obscenity and the dangers of gonorrhea. We ran beat poetry, a “how to” buy acid on campus and interviews with luminaries such as Stanley Kubrick and members of the Black Panther party. The “personality cult” as the staff liked to facetiously call themselves, included Greig Pickhaver, the 1970 editor-to-be Martin Armiger, poet Adrian Rawlins and many, many others.
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efore Don Dunstan’s pink shorts electrified the nation, a new university in the southern suburbs of Adelaide was already readying its students to become an influential bunch of alumni. Drawn to the innovative Drama course steered by the legendary Professor Wal Cherry were among many others Greig Pickhaver (H.G. Nelson), composer Martin Armiger, musician Doc Neeson, former Head of ABC Television Kim Dalton, TV presenter Basia Bonkowski and a whole lot more. What Flinders didn’t have yet was a student newspaper – Adelaide had On Dit; Melbourne had Farrago; Sydney had Honi Soit. So in 1969 science student Rod Boswell and drama student (student being a definite antonym) Martin Fabinyi took things into their hands literally and created Empire Times.
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Council and bought a printing press which was then installed in their back room. Suddenly the household was an editorial office, a printing factory, and a distribution centre. Faboz Print was born.
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ALUMNI I think the most interesting change that has occurred during my time at Flinders was the renovation of the University. The Hub building dramatically changed the campus culture for the better. I also studied at the University of Adelaide and the campus culture at that University is almost non-existent. The transformation of Flinders University is exciting and interesting because it gives students a place to study and socialise.
LIBRARIAN One significant event at Flinders that I remember was in 2016, when the Central Library opened 24-hour study zones on Levels 0 and 1. Students have really embraced this change and can be found in the Library pulling all night study sessions or taking a study break or quiet nap in one of the comfy couches.
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what's one of the most interesting events/changes to happen during your time at flinders?
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FUSA MEDIA OFFICER/FORMER ET EDITOR Just one?! Flinders Uni has seen some major changes over the years while I’ve been here! In particular the Student Hub development has been the most significant physical transformation I’ve seen at the uni. I have fond memories of the Coopers Bar that hosted raffles for Meat Trays nobody really wanted, the baby ducklings that gathered by the Subway doors, and the old Empire Times office that – despite it being shared as an AV storage room – was its own hub of creativity (and blood, sweat and tears!). The Student Hub revitalisation was the breath of fresh air Flinders needed, however. The Hub is now the pitstop for most students: it’s a warm hug in Winter and a little oasis full of food, coffee, games, lounge spaces and more for those needing a respite.
SECURITY Around seven years ago I was on night shift, when security recieved an alarm activation at the old Wholefood Store around midnight. As I entered the premise I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. There was no sign of a break in. So I reset the alarm, and I waited outside as I had noticed a body crouching down heading to the exit door behind the counter. I was shocked but acted on instinct. As I approached the door one male fled towards car park one, but then another male exited, holding a wood splitter. He ran into me and fell to the ground, and I managed to disarm him. Once I had control of the situation, I contacted my colleague who arrived a few minutes later and called the police. The police arrived and took the offender, so we went in and inspected the shop. The two males hade been attempting to break into the safe. So it was definitely an adrenaline filled night shift. Luckily no one was injured.
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r rev i ew What has Student Council achieved in first semester? How have they improved things for students at Flinders? Student Council has been working hard at getting FUSA's name out there. In addition to regular activity on FUSA and University boards, Student Council has participated in: How To Adult: Adulting 101 Pride Fest! A Future Worth Fighting For (National Union of Students campaign) Enviro Film Fest Welfare Brunch Soup-er SWOTVAC Enroll to Vote stalls Anti-Racism Campaign Mental Health Week FUSA Pub Crawl Collective events
Student Council doesn't just do events though, we're also here to advocate on your behalf on issues affecting the university. So in addition to the above, we've: Written to university management regarding the academic restructure Written to University Management regarding the upcoming Flinders Village project, demanding that student voices and concerns are heard throughout the project to ensure a precinct that isn't just for profiting from students Achieved better student representation on decisionmaking boards and committees across different projects within the University Continued the work of sharing and spreading the Be a Better Human campaign on a national and international level Worked on assessment policy with the University
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Nathan Cheetham (Welfare Officer)
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Why should students care about Student Council? Why should they vote in the elections or get involved with what you do? Student Council exists to be your voice on campus and in the National Union of Students. We want to know what’s important to you, so that we can use the opportunities we’re given to make life better for everyone. As we’ve learned in the recent Federal Election, voting can make all the difference in the kind of world (or uni) we exist in.
The 'Be a Better Human' campaign has now won numerous awards for its approach to sexual assault on campus. How has this initiative changed things for students? What separates it from other campaigns on the same issue? This campaign is like nothing else of it’s kind in Australia, and students across the country are resonating with a message of inclusion, learning and self-improvement. It’s made by students, for students, to communicate what we think is important in keeping our campus community safe and welcoming for everyone. It just goes to show that when you give students the opportunity, we can really create something that connects with people and approaches a difficult issue in a way that empowers us all.
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What are the biggest challenges facing Student Council? What difficulties and obstacles do you as a collective face in your roles? There are two main challenges that face any Student Council: University opposition and student apathy. We want to be independent and make decisions in the best interests of students, but with our current structure, if the university disagrees then we don’t have much flexibility to make things happen. It can also be difficult to engage students when there are so many other things that demand your attention. We promise that we don’t do anything that we don’t think is important, so please do engage with us!
Yes, Student Council absolutely keeps its position of the Cut the Restructure, not the Jobs campaign. The campaign was started by last years' Education Officer and current General Secretary Josh in conjunction with Jesse, a General Council Member last year and this years' Education Officer. The campaign has enjoyed unanimous support from both Student Councils during this period, working in conjunction with the NTEU and other student activist groups on campus.
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Work with Academic Associations Hold our Annual General Meeting (please come, there will be free food!) Advocate for greater mental health and counselling services Advocate for better accessibility measures across the university Grow our presence at other Flinders University campuses Participate in the August 9 Uni Walkout for Climate Justice Organise FUSA's semester two Pub Crawl and the FUSA Ball Fight for better action on sexual assault and harassment at universities
We are now one semester on from the academic restructure. How have these changes effected students over the year so far? Does the council keep its ‘cut the restructure, not jobs’ position? Student Council published a factsheet at the beginning of the semester outlining our initial concerns of the Academic Restructure after seeing towards 200 sham redundancies, and courses such as Gender Studies being absolutely decimated. Topic uncertainty and HDR students being left without supervisors have been the initial effects of the restructure on students, with the full repercussions yet to be realised.
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What does the Student Council wish to get done in second semester? What can still be improved for students? After such a busy and successful semester one, we still have things we need to do. Here's a brief outline of what we hope to get done this semester:
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And he could have been bisexual. Matthew Flinders was born in 1774. At this time England was full to the brim with people due to population growth spurred by the industrial revolution and decreased mortality rates. Hundreds of people from the swelling lower classes were incarcerated for petty crimes in prison hulls that filled the Thames. In 1787, the crowding in these hulls became unbearable and they were sent to a continent on the other side of the world, first explored by the English just four years
before Flinders’ birth, to form the first Australian penal colonies. As a boy Flinders was a dreamer, allured by the sea and inspired by Robison Crusoe. At 15 he joined the Navy, but only fought in a single battle. At 21 he travelled to Australia for the first time, to deliver John Hunter to Sydney for Hunter to take his place as its second governor. The ship’s surgeon, George Bass, left an immediate impact on Flinders. The man was friendly, intelligent, but above all shared Flinders’ passion for adventure. After six months at sea they reached Sydney, at this time a rough and isolated outpost populated by just over 3000 people, most of whom were convicts. Bass and Flinders immediatly left to explore and map inland rivers.
‘My dear… It has been my wish, and I have more than one hinted as much to you, that our speculations might fit in and be carried on together… no direct proposal was made… if you should be in want of a partner and think me qualified for the task, you may know where to pitch upon a willing one… There was a time, when I was so completely wrapped up in you, that no conversation but yours could give me any degree of pleasure; your footsteps upon the quarter deck over my head, took me from my book, and brought me upon deck to walk with you… You have been my touchstone, to which I have set the standard of mankind… I am yours.’
After noticing the peculiar movement of the tide, Bass told Flinders he thought there was a strait between New South Wales and what was then known as Van Diemen’s land. Flinders and Bass set out to circumnavigate The letter was filled with praise Tasmania to prove it an island, spending and admiration for Bass. Prominent
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ustralia largely ignores its colonial history. It’s hard to admit the roots of our nation stem from stealing a continent from its people, but it’s important to acknowledge our origins so as to understand how they impact the state of our nation today. One man left a huge impact on our country, specifically on our state and our university. He is our namesake who first mapped the continent and named much of our coastlines as we know them today, as well as our country. He was known for his ambition and love of adventure.
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The Fantastic Life of Matthew Flinders 16.03.1774 A
months exploring its coastlines. Little did they know this would be their last adventure together. Bass set sail from Port Jackson for unknown reasons and was lost at sea. Historians suspect he traded overseas and his ship was pillaged by pirates. Others suggest he smuggled contraband and succumbed to the forces of the law. Flinders was unaware of Bass’ disappearance at first and, unsure of his whereabouts, sent a letter to his England home. The letter, instead of waiting unopened for its addressee, was received by Bass’s newly wedded wife, whose existence was also unknown to Flinders.
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Australian LGBTQI+ historian Garry Wotherspoon’s 2007 article in Meanjin on the letter’s discovery generated discussion of Flinders’ sexuality amongst historians, writers, and journalists. ‘If the excerpt from Flinders' letter to Bass had been written to a person of the opposite sex, we would be in little doubt as to what sort of relationship it was… We would probably even confidently presume a sexual component in it, a basis in physical feelings if not actions,’ Wotherspoon writes. History writer David Hunt agrees, writing ‘many historians insist that Flinders’ marriage… prove[s] that he was straight (…bisexuality doesn’t even bear thinking about). They contend that the letter was an example of “romantic friendship”… They would be prepared to reconsider their position if presented with sufficient historical proof to the contrary - for example, a portrait of Bass and Flinders in a hot tub, signed by both explorers and witnessed by Governor Hunter.’ It is vital to note that this is the only surviving letter between the two, abnormal for such close companions in an era when letters were meticulously kept. This indicates the others might have been destroyed to keep them from being discovered, or that Flinders burned his letters in mourning for Bass as was custom between wives and husbands at the time. This letter survives solely because it was received
by Bass’ wife, and who by custom could not destroy it until it had been received by her lost husband. Mrs Bass’ inscription further implied the romantic nature of the letter: ‘This, George, is written by a Man that bears a Bad Character. No one has seen this letter but I could tell you many things that makes me dislike him. Rest assured he is no friend of yours or any ones farther than his own interest is concerned.’ It is possible Mrs Bass’ scolding declaration against the man takes issue with Flinders’ relative lack of social standing, and chides her fraternising husband who risks damaging their family’s social position. Alternatively, she could be frustrated over all the time Bass spends overseas wayfaring with Flinders. Declaring no knowledge of Flinders indicates she is either feigning ignorance to shame Flinders, or she truly does not know the man, implying Bass kept his existence hidden. Having a “bad character” was also used as a euphemism for having same sex attraction, most notably used against Oscar Wilde a century later, though whether it served a similar purpose in Flinders’ era is less wellknown. Word reached Flinders that Bass had disappeared, and he entered a dark period of mourning. With the strait between the mainland and Tasmania proven, ships now took the faster route to New South Wales and Hobart,
Decaen held Flinders on Mauritius for seven years, only releasing him in an attempt to appease the British when they sailed to capture the island, a tactic that failed.
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Flinders returned to England in 1810, having been away from his wife for nearly ten years. He finally published his maps and book on “Terra Australis”, although in a footnote he mentioned he liked the name “Australia” better. The book makes possible the building of colonies around Australia, especially in “The Unknown Coast”, South Australia, and inspires a wave of immigrants. Flinders fell unconscious from illness when the book came off the press and the first copy was lain in his hands. He died a day later, it still in his loose hold. His burial site in a London graveyard was lost when a train station was built over it, and only rediscovered January this year.
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In his response to Napoleon, Decaen told his emperor Flinders bore a “bad character” the very same words Bass’ wife used against him. It’s possible Decaen knew about Flinders’ queer identity, and that this contributed to Decaen’s grudge against him. It is also possible imprisoning Flinders was a display of power, to combat his everdiminishing popularity. The General was new in his role on Mauritius, the inhabitants still accustomed to the old Governor. Decaen’s situation was not helped by the fact that as the youngest general in Napoleon’s army, he was seen as inexperienced. His position was made further unstable due an incident that occurred not long before Flinders’ arrival: his first policy as Governor of the colony was to enforce arming the local slaves to aid the island’s defence,
which ended in somewhat of a revolt, that was handled but nonetheless left a stain on Decaen’s command.
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After three years, Flinders had mapped the entire coastline of Australia and set off to return home to England, but became shipwrecked. Flinders managed to join another ship in hopes of reaching home. The crew decided to land at the island of Mauritius for repairs, which was at that time occupied by the French. Despite not actually being aware that yet another war had broken out between England and France, Flinders was quickly imprisoned by the island’s governor, General Charles Decaen, due to discrepancies in his passport, which led Decaen to fear Flinders an imposter or even a spy. Flinders responded in kind to this disrespect. His letters to him imploring for his release were abrupt and accusing, and upon their meeting, Flinders refused to remove his hat to the superior and refused to call the island by its French name. Most shockingly, Flinders rejected an offer to dine with Decaen, his only
attempt at reconciliation. Flinders sent letters to fellow men of science from both England and France, asking them to convince Decaen of his innocence on his behalf, but the many pleas were ignored by Decaen. Decaen even disobeyed direct orders to release Flinders from Napoleon himself, despite being an incredibly nationalistic soldier.
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At 27, Flinders fell in love again with childhood friend Ann. They planned to secretly marry and stow Ann away on the ship used in Flinders’ journey to circumnavigate Australia and prove it a continent. Women were seen as bad luck on seafaring journeys but the two couldn’t bear parting. Their plans fell apart when Ann was discovered and forced to remain in England.
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which helped facilitate the building of the colonies, many of the convicts sent there for “buggery”, the very crime Bass and Flinders possibly committed there together. At Flinders’ request, the strait was named after Bass.
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Continuing with the theme of pure and outrageous speculation, what ever happened to Twinky and Blinky’s eight children? Have they grown up as orphans and turned into masked vigilantes perhaps calling themselves BatGeese? Could they have worked their way to the top of the administration and have orchestrated the recent restructures, firing all those involved in the deaths of their parents? Have the Goostapo and BatGeese been locked in a decades-long battle for supremacy over the lake, or have they recognised the true enemy and worked together to overthrow the administration and run the university themselves? If you were allowed past the swipe card access in Humanities, would the entire place be run by geese in Nazi uniforms and Batman costumes? If so, there is only one solution: submit to our water fowl overlords immediately and continue to buy more degrees so they can pay off that beautiful, modern fortress they’ve built in the Humanities building.
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Those without the weapon of a university magazine at their disposal attended a protest
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In true university student style, the response to these shootings was sheer outrage and an attempt to erect a statue in the geese’s honour. The Member for Davenport at the time, Iain Evans, even got involved and sent Flinders a letter asking them to explain their actions. Meanwhile, Empire Times covered the story and viciously accused staff of trying to cover up the murders and conspiring to remove the geese previous to the attacks, to make way for more desirable native species. You may be asking yourself why we would dare to run this story again, 25 years later? Does this mean we’re running out of ideas for articles? Are we simply re-booting old editions and giving them a quick polish? Yes, absolutely. But I also wanted to take the opportunity to brainstorm some better titles for the article. The author at the time called it ‘Gandergate’. Personally, I’d have gone with ‘Goosegate’. Or ‘Fowl Play’. I’d also have accepted ‘Gandercide’, ‘Flinders administration gunning for geese’, ‘Goose-steppin’’ or the clear winner in my opinion: ‘Duck! Duck, Goose!’
In a further plot twist, it would seem that the Empire Times released a special goose-themed edition of the magazine (such was their 90s Nirvana-fuelled anger and disillusion with the establishment) in which it was discovered that the university replaced Twinky and Blinky with another family of four geese. While we have no concrete answers as to why the university would 46 shoot two geese and replace them with four, .4 I can only imagine these geese were placed to report back to the university-state all they saw on campus. A kind of gestapo which, if anyone in the administration had a sense of humour, they’d have called the Goostapo and they’d have had little uniforms and it would have been adorable.
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t’s 1994. The year Nancy Kerrigan was attacked, Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa, O.J. Simpson was arrested for allegedly killing his wife, and also the dreadful year in which Twinky and Blinky, two innocent geese, were senselessly gunned down on the Flinders campus. The geese stood accused of violence towards staff, students, and even children. The incidents culminated in an attack on a woman in a wheelchair and staff claimed she was unable to get away and was pecked repeatedly. As such, the geese were "destroyed" and the fate of the eight eggs they left behind remains a mystery. Twinky and Blinky were not given a fair trial and were instead executed by someone on staff who remains nameless even today.
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organised by staff and students. Pictures from the protest show everyone sitting, looking bored because they didn’t have mobile phones. One woman holds a sign that reads, ‘Today the goose, tomorrow the goose-step’ in what can only be described as either the exaggeration of century or that Flinders’ history department wasn’t quite as concerned with historical facts at the time.
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Duck, Duck, Goose! 09.10.94
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THE SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE 1) After the election result we face at least three more years of a reactionary Liberal Coalition government intent on: racism towards refugees and immigrants, building the destructive fossil fuel industry, attacking workers' rights, and turning back the clock on LGBTI rights in the name of “religious freedoms”. It’s time to get organised and take a stand against this reactionary agenda. With impending climate catastrophe and refugees languishing on Manus and Nauru we simply cannot – and must not – sit around and wait another three years for the next election. Indeed, the Australian Labor Party are jagging even further to the right (who would have thought that they could get much shitter?). Their election offers no real solution. We need to think beyond elections. We must seize upon opportunities in the here and now to fight against the Liberals and their big business mates, confident that we can squeeze victories even from conservative governments (just look at marriage equality!). The schools strikes and Extinction Rebellion have shown a lead, using mass action to stand in the way of climate disaster. Uni students should join this movement at the August 9 climate walk-off called by the National Union of Students, and again at the September 20 global climate strike.
FLINDERS UNI LABOR CLUB 2) It’s good to get information out about consent, but the campaign says little about the sexist or institutional nature of sexual harassment and assault. Highlighting the insidious role of sexist power structures is what was so important about the Me Too movement, and I think in the university context a better campaign demand would be to shut down sexist institutions like the colleges, and in Flinders Uni’s case: restore staff and funding to Women’s Studies! 3) The history of collective resistance to oppression and exploitation, that of class struggle. From the major upsurge in trade union struggle in the 1880s to the Builder Labourers' Federation placing "Green Bans" on environmentally-destructive projects in suburban Sydney, there is a lot that students can learn from working class struggle. What's more, students should be learning about Australian movements which have challenged racism, sexism, and LGBTI oppression throughout history: from land rights, women's liberation, and gay liberation movements in the 60s and 70s to the successful protests which saw marriage equality won in 2017 – these moments teach us that taking a stand against injustice and fighting like hell is the only way we can win our freedoms.
1) We were obviously bitterly disappointed by the outcome of the election. Our club members campaigned really hard for local candidate Nadia Clancy in the seat of Boothby and while she wasn’t successful on the night we did achieve a really positive swing towards Labor in that seat. The result isn’t just about us however; millions of people rely on Labor Governments. Those who are stranded on temporary protection visas, those who depend on an adequately funded National Disability Insurance Scheme, all rely on Labor Governments just as we do, and we will continue to campaign over the next three years to ensure that those people are provided with the support they need and deserve. 2) The ‘Be a Better Human’ campaign is a brilliant initiative and like most FUSA campaigns we are fully supportive of it. Initiatives such as these and the Australian Human Rights Commission National Report on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in 2017 are a step in the right direction in tackling the huge issue that is sexual assault and harassment on campuses across the country. Discussions around consent and toxic masculinity are important in tackling these issues, and the BaBH campaign is effective
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What is your clubs take on the outcome of the 2019 federal election?
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2) It appears well-intentioned, but we should be careful not to arbitrarily broaden the definition of sexual assault to the extent of making people unwitting rapists or encouraging individuals to make false sexual assault accusations against each other. That said, sexual assault is never acceptable and should never be tolerated.
3) Post-War Australian political history, particularly the 1975 Whitlam dismissal, and how this has influenced Australian politics as we understand it today. Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War is also very interesting. In particular, the 1971 Battle of Long Khanh is arguably a good example of how Australian forces successfully waged asymmetric warfare, whereas American forces generally struggled with this concept throughout the War.
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3) White Australian history is full of the racial vilification and genocide of the first Australians. For too long in our schools we have been taught whitewashed versions of Australian history. When we are taught about mistreatment of Indigenous Australians we are often told it happened a long time ago and that things are different now. The reality now is that Indigenous Australians have much higher incarceration rates than other Australian’s, much lower life expectancy, and infant mortality rates and are one of the most mistreated indigenous groups on the planet. By every measure there has been a genocide of Indigenous Australians and it should be taught at schools.
1) It is a historic victory for the Coalition, demonstrating pre-election polling should always be viewed with caution. Since the election, we have seen a deranged and confused ALP retreat further ideologically the Left as a coping mechanism. They seem to have forgotten the electorate often favours political moderation as demonstrated, for instance, by its general apathy towards constitutional change. We look forward the 2019/20 federal budget's passage at the next session of federal parliament.
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FLINDERS UNIVERSITY LIBERAL CLUB in bringing those conversations to the forefront of people’s minds. We do believe however that much more needs to be done, and fully support FUSA’s decision to endorse the National Union of Students Respect Now Taskforce campaign, which calls upon the Federal Government to implement a national taskforce into sexual violence on our campuses.
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What aspect of Australian history should be taught more in schools and why?
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The 'Be a Better Human' campaign run by FUSA has now won several awards and is being adopted by other universities around Australia. Do you think this campaign is effective? Why or why not? (fusa.edu.au/babh)
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Interview: Kate Ellis 22.09.77 K
ate Ellis is a former Labor MP, starting her political career in 2004 at just 27 years old. She’s served as a minister in a variety of portfolios, and recently ended her time as member for Adelaide in the recent federal election. Kate is a Flinders University alumnus, editing Empire Times in 1999 and then serving on student council as general secretary. In March, current ET editor James Watson sat down with Kate to talk about the magazine, politics, and the challanges she's overcome. *Read the full interview on our website.
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You were also the youngest person to be a government minister (30), beating Paul Keating’s record (31). What was that like? Was there any adversity you had to overcome being a young person there? I think that you get underestimated a lot, and I think you have to work a bit harder to prove yourself. And that has its pros and cons. I think that particularly when I first became a minster I was the minister for sport and it was a particularly blokey portfolio, especially back then. I was so excited to call together the heads of 45 Australian sports so I could introduce myself and have a chat with them, and I remember standing up and starting my speech and looking around and realising that I was actually the only woman in the whole room. So I think that being young and being a female was a bit confronting for some people. But I also think that it means that in some ways you stand out.
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As a woman in politics, and having been Minister for the Status of Women for a time, how do you think you’ve improved things for women in politics and women in Australia generally? I think that every woman in politics has made it easier for there to be more. I used to think that even though we had some women in politics you had to fit
at the parliament now and we have indigenous women, we have a Muslim woman - this is all in the Labor party - lesbian women, we have a whole lot of different women and all different ages and different backgrounds. So I think that’s a good thing. In terms of being the minister I had the absolute privilege of introducing the first ever national plan to reduce violence against women and children, and that’s still going today.
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achievements during your time in politics? I think there were some big reforms that I was really fortunate to get to introduce and see through as a minister. Particularly reforms of early childhood and how we view the child care sector. But I actually think the things I’m proudest of are… [when] people come through this door and they’re having a problem with the NDIS that’s cut off some sort of support they desperately need, and you get to step in and make some phone calls or write some angry letters and make some demands and fix it and it actually changes their life. Or I’ve had people sit at this table and tell me about the domestic violence they’re experiencing but they feel trapped and don’t know where to go and you can connect them with services. That’s actually the stuff I’m proudest of, and it’s not going to ever been in a newspaper or get any headlines but that’s the really important stuff about our jobs.
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a certain mould and you had to be a certain age, of a certain background and experience. And so I think each time we elect someone who doesn’t fit that mould you actually make it easier for there to be a diversity in the women that come through. So I look
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Why did you choose to get involved with politics? Why specifically join the Labor party? I’ve always been passionate about education and access to education. And so my first year at Flinders was the year the Howard government were elected and that’s when they announced a whole load of cuts to not only university funding but also student support and I was just really passionately of the view that anyone who has the ability and the desire should be able to go on and study and it
shouldn’t depend on your background or your parents’ wealth. My mum has been a public school teacher my whole life so I’ve always been really passionate about education.
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What was it like being at Flinders and editing Empire Times? Has that experience helped you in later life? It was a bit funny because I started off being very anti student politics. Every year when there were student elections I would kind of grumble and… actually in some ways the way I got into politics was because I was really thinking about a career in journalism and I wanted to edit the student newspaper. And of course we had to run for election in order to do that and I guess in some ways that’s how I became involved in the student’s association. But once I was there covering the issues of the day and what was going on at the university, what was going on with government decisions affecting universities, then that’s when I realised that I was actually really passionate about all those issues. So I think editing Empire Times helped me in a number of ways. One, in many ways it led to me becoming politicised, but also it made me realise that I’d be a horrible journalist and I had to think of something else to do.
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The Life and Death of iTunes 09.01.01
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he year is 2004. It’s been 4400 days since an Australian PM was last knifed by a challenger and you’re up late against your parents’ wishes watching Rove Live and wondering how Rove is on such familiar terms with the nation’s mothers. An ad break plays, but instead of going to the kitchen for a chocolate Paddle Pop, you stay, transfixed by the screen… The background flickers neon pink, green, then yellow! Silhouetted on the screen are mysterious figures dancing and screaming along to crunchy guitar riffs! From their ears dangle a mysterious, white,plastic product. There had been unsuccessful attempts to market portable mp3 players before, but with the release of the iPod Mini, Apple made them sexy. Their success is in no small part because of the hip tunes that sound tracked these ads – launching music careers in the process. Take Jet, 46 copies whose album Get Born went on to sell 3.5 million .4 worldwide after Apple used their track Are You Gonna Be My Girl in one such advertisement. sex issues
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LIFE OF AN ITUNES KID Receiving a computer with iTunes was an exciting time. First, you had to burn all your existing CDs to your hard drive – a clumsy process, accompanied by much computerwhirring. But there was nothing more satisfying than scrolling down and seeing all the items on your shelf digitalised, and adding album art and classifying and rating all your music until it was perfect. Flirtations with Limewire may have exposed your computer to spyware and malware and the possibility that complicated_avril_lavigne.mp3 would be a basement recording from an unintelligible glam rock band from Sweden. But these little digital surprises also peppered your music library with unexpected demo and cover
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Nothing was better than coming away from Christmas or birthdays with a huge sum in iTunes giftcards (completely understandable why the ATO wanted so many of their debts paid off in this way), and weighing up the merits of purchasing a whole album versus the $1.69 individual songs. Every week, the iTunes store offered a free download from an up-and-coming Australian band – including many now-defunct music acts like Starky, Cloud City, Lost Gospel, and Modular Lounge, who I only mention here for posterity as they have long since faded from the collective consciousness of the pop culture landscape. WHERE DID IT ALL GO WRONG? In hindsight, a key misstep was the decision to autodownload that U2 album to everyone’s iPhones back in 2014. Our music libraries had become so personal that this commercial intrusion felt like a betrayal that rapper Tyler, The Creator compared to ’waking up with a pimple or… herpes.’ As on-demand streaming technology advances to encapsulate all forms of entertainment media – movies, books, tv shows, and music – it seems the days of buying something to own it are behind us. The way of the future is the subscription model. Is this a problem? Maybe not. It sure is more convenient to sit on the couch in trackies and wait for your Uber Eats order while scrolling Netflix titles than to leave the house and trudge down the aisles of Blockbuster, running the risk of actually having to interact with other humans and getting slugged with a late fee if you forget to return your DVD on
time. But I can’t help but think that something has been lost. There’s a kind of joy in browsing a library of music you have spent years cultivating, stumbling across songs you used to listen to in high school that you almost forgot about and you might not have found again if you solely relied on Spotify or YouTube algorithms to remind you of your favourites. It’s a pleasure to pay outright for something you love and own it forever, instead of renting it (along with a whole heap of other titles that may or may not interest you) month after month. Especially when the subscription model becomes the dominant way to buy computer software, costs can become prohibitive and extortionate – case in point, the Adobe Creative Cloud, whose monopoly over the market guarantees they can increase their prices pretty much however they want each month and if you can’t afford the outlay, tough luck. You lose access to the product. There is much more than can be said about this cultural change – the impact on artists and content creators, the tendency towards disposable trend-focused content to appeal to algorithms set by tech companies who provide the platforms whose changing whims we are now completely at the mercy of… but I’ll leave you with an anecdote from my personal life. One night, it fell to me to select a music video for the group to enjoy on YouTube. With the world’s entire catalogue of content at my fingertips I went entirely blank, unable to think of a single song that would be appropriate for the moment. So, I clicked on YouTube’s hot playlist and let the computer decide what we would listen to, instead. Is this the way of the future?
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versions of songs that had you grabbing defensively for your iPod when they played accidentally while you were commanding the AUX cord – awkward!
Indigenous Rights In History 13.02.08 *Empire Times would like to acknowledge the following article has been written and edited by non-indigenous students. However, in the interest of ensuring it is culturally appropriate, two Flinder’s indigenous students - Shania Harrison, and Lawson Dodd - have reviewed the article and deemed it to be appropriate in their own opinion.
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ndigenous rights have been a tumultuous and not entirely successful movement in Australian history. As a writer, I feel it most important to acknowledge my position as a white woman of European descent with no ancestry native to this land, and I pay utmost respect to the traditional owners of this land, both past and present. Professor John Maynard, grandson of Fred Maynard, the Indigenous rights activist and first president of the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association (AAPA), has noted that opposition to the invasion of this country is not some ‘new-found strength’ that Aboriginal people have suddenly discovered. It did not spring from the Mabo decision or the Native Title Act 1993, nor was its birth a result of the vibrant 1960s, which culminated in the Aboriginal tent embassy in Canberra. In 1788, before leaving England, Gov. Phillips’ instructions before leaving Britain were: 'You are to endeavour by every possible means to open an Intercourse with the Natives and to conciliate their affections, enjoining all Our Subjects to live in amity and kindness with them. And if any of Our Subjects shall wantonly destroy them, or give them any unnecessary Interruption in the exercise of their several occupations. It is our Will and Pleasure that you do cause such offenders to be brought to punishment according to the degree of the Offence.'
Yet the arrival of Europeans signaled the beginning of destruction of Aboriginal society. Loss of food sources as settlements spread over Indigenous lands meant that Aboriginal people became dependent on welfare and many moved to mission stations. Loss of population also occurred as land resources were overtaken with sheep and cattle, and waterways were fouled by Europeans. Though there are highly contested figures around the loss of life during early colonisation, the occurrence of murders and all out massacres during clashes are undisputed by historians. Over the past two centuries, government legislation and policy has sought to both liberate and restrict Indigenous rights. In 1924, the formation of the AAPA signaled the beginning of Indigenous political activism. Its aim was to ‘improve the material conditions of Aboriginal people and end political oppression’. The AAPA campaigned for 46 both land rights and civil freedoms. Although their efforts .4 did provide a foundation on which future generations continued to build, they were strongly resisted by white authorities and little headway was achieved.
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In 1920s, 19th century racial ideology still pervaded society. JW Bleakley’s 1928 report on the Northern Territory’s Aboriginal administration addressed what was deemed the ‘half-caste question’. He differentiated between people with no racial admixture (‘full bloods’), through to those of only one-eighth Aboriginal descent (‘octoroons’). As Richard Broome has remarked, these gradations reflected the racist idea that people of mixed race were on a continuum between civilisation and barbarism, wherein the lighter the skin, the more civilised and intelligent the person was claimed to be. Through the early 1930s, the laws governing Indigenous marriages and sexual relations between races were strengthened. The use of alcohol, too, was strictly governed and provisions restricted. In South Australia, as well as Western Australia, the definition of Aboriginal was widened greatly to bring more under scrutiny.
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culture has many layers... it begins at the micro-level, with changes in the culture of a university or workplace that lead to changes in a community, city, and country
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Yet, the one area of frustration for Indigenous Australians has continued to be land rights. From the very earliest days of European arrival, justice has been sought in the form of letters, petitions, and appeals for rights and access to lands. This has generally netted little gain. However, in 1992, a landmark decision was made when Meriam man Eddie Mabo was successful in having native title recognized by the High Court of Australia. This was followed by the legislating of the Native Title Act in 1993. With the Wik decision of 1996, whereby it was deemed that native title and pastoral leases could co-exist, it seemed that there was much to celebrate in the realm of Aboriginal land rights. But
things did not continue in this vein. A series of amendments to the Native Title Act under then Prime Minister John Howard, saw a watering down of rights and stagnation in activism for Indigenous rights. In 2011, Kevin Rudd reflected on his 2008 public apology to the Indigenous community for the appalling past of White Europeans in Australia. He spoke of his ‘act of reconciliation as a bridge – a bridge that had to be crossed before the practical work of reconciliation could begin.’ The question remains, what is the practical work to be done? There is far more to this history which I am unable to cover in such a space, and any discussion thus far can only be a starting point to propel future action. In recent times, social movements emerging from the younger generation have focused on pride, acceptance, and celebrating multiculturalism. It seems hopeful that discriminatory ideology has finally found its place of distaste in the minds and mouths of millennials. But what of justice, of stolen land that remains unacknowledged? Culture has many layers. It begins at the micro-level, with changes in the culture of a university or workplace that lead to changes in a community, city, and country. Further than the critical steps of reconciliation and the macro scope of legislation which should make every effort to remove systematic racial discrimination, the elimination of the slightest sentiment of stigma and prejudice is an issue that should be at the forefront of Australian minds.
Courtney Lawrence
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In 1938 the Melbourne Argus claimed that Australia’s Indigenous people were ‘a backward and lowly race’ soon to be extinct. The Aboriginal population had declined to about 60,000 Australia-wide by 1930, and this seemed to prove the commonly held view that Aboriginal people would ‘fade’ before so-called ‘modern civilisation.’ Aboriginal Protection Acts maintained rigid control over Aboriginal people which amounted to a loss of civil rights including the right of freedom of movement, of association and marriage, the right to control one’s property and earnings, and the right to vote, drink, work, carry guns, and own dogs. Those such as Charles Perkins, who led the ‘Freedom Rides’ throughout northern New South Wales during the 1960s, exposed the socially and legally entrenched racism within our society. Perkins visited NSW towns and establishments such as the local RSL and swimming pools which openly refused entry and service to Aboriginal people.
A History of Immigration 24.01.1788 A Beginners Guide To Growing A Country: 3rd Edition *The author takes no responsibility for alternate results you may reach when following this outline. At times, social justice and equality will prevail and you may be held accountable for your
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Our example case study will be the country Australia. You may have heard some of its infectious catchphrases, such as ‘populate or perish!’ and ‘fuck off we’re full!’ Over its 200+ years of Western history, Australia’s immigration policies have undergone numerous changes. Every alteration reflects a unique part of its complicated history, and offers an insight into societal shifts and attitudes. We will assess these changes and consider how they might help you in your growth pursuit! STEP 1: “ORIGINAL CUSTODIANS” Firstly, it’s important to find adequate space for growing your country. Establish your nation on preferably free land, with room to expand. And if you cannot find any unoccupied land, don’t worry! See page 301 for ‘Colonial Expansion and First Peoples Destruction Tactics’.
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re you looking to grow your newly founded country, but not sure where to begin? Well, luckily you’ve found ‘The Beginners Guide To Growing A Country’, a New York Times Bestseller that looks at nation growth through immigration.
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crimes against humanity.
In the instance of Australia, it can be argued that every single non-Indigenous person residing on Australian land
is either an immigrant or descended from immigrants. You may want to avoid such complicated social issues that spring from colonial repression, but often white supremacy is so loud that Indigenous voices are hard to hear. STEP 2: FIRST IMMIGRANTS You will first need to consider who will be immigrating to your country, and why. Beggars can’t be choosers, and as a beginner nation you will essentially need to take what you can get. In Australia, the 1788 landing of the “First Fleet” marks the beginning of their worldwide immigration. It was a rocky start, with over 160,000 convicts and nearly 200,000 free settlers immigrating to Australia between 1788 and 1850. The majority of these migrants were British, Irish, and Scottish. Depending on your budget, you could follow Australia’s lead and consider bribery as a way of enticing people to immigrate. Thousands crossed the seas on the 46 promise of .4 partially assisted migration, where the colonial government subsidised migrant voyages. sex issues
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STEP 3: THE GOLD RUSH After an initial growth period, you will need to discover a precious, unsustainable resource to ensure continued economic growth and uncertainty. Gold is ideal, but silver or copper may also suffice. The 1851 discovery of gold in New South Wales led to substantial population growth for Australia. Immigrants continued to pour in from Britain, Europe, and America, but there were increased numbers flowing in from Asia also. By 1855, there were estimated to have been 20,000 Chinese people on the Victorian diggings. STEP 4: RACIALISED LEGISLATION If you want to grow your country, but only desire people with a particular skin colour, then follow Australia’s example – start enforcing laws that target people whose skin colour or origin you find offensive. In 1855, the newly formed Victorian state passed its first anti-Chinese legislation, which placed a tax of ten pounds on every Chinese immigrant landing on Australian soil and limited the number of Chinese people allowed on each
nationality – revolutionary stuff. By 1973, the Whitlam Government renounced the White Australia Policy.
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In the 2016 census, the majority of legal immigrants arriving in Australia were from the United Kingdom – (1,087,756), New Zealand (518,462), and China (509,558).
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TODAY Australia’s legal immigration program has a wide variety of visa options to choose from, such as a study visa, a work visa, or a special visa for neighbouring New Zealand folks.
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STEP 5: WHITE AUSTRALIA POLICY If the above tactics don’t have the desired effect, you may need to increase your aggression and control strategies to ensure racial singularity. You know what they say: ‘if your first attempt at repressing social inclusion and multiculturalism doesn’t work – try again.’ After Australia’s Federation in 1901, the newly formed Australian Federal Parliament passed the Immigration Restriction Act, which required all migrants to pass an English Dictation Test, easily excluding non-British immigrants. STEP 6: POPULATE OR PERISH After a World War or two, due to increased global awareness, attitude shifts, and worldwide loss of life, you may need to consider decreasing politicised racial bias. Australian immigration resumed in 1945 and British citizens were still preferred, evident in the ten-pound voyage fares offered to them. However, the Dictation Test was replaced with an “immigration entry permit system”. Also, in an attempt to repopulate the country after the war, Australia received more than two million displaced migrants from across Europe. Australia went a step further with the Migration Act of 1966, which ensured all potential migrants were treated and processed under the same rules, and judged on what they could offer Australian society rather than their
Australia currently faces complex immigration issues due to asylum seekers. It’s messy, to put it mildly. There’s an overwhelming sentiment that if there was a land border to build it on, Australia would have a great big wall, the best wall you’ve ever seen, ever. A huge, big wall. And the refugees would pay for it. If you’d like to follow in Australia’s footsteps, offshore processing detention centres are a great way to remove “boat people” without actually dealing with the issue. However, offshore processing will also depend on your budget. In their 2018-19 Budget, the Australian Government allocated $62.2 million towards Operation Sovereign Borders, a border protection operation whose central mission is to stop maritime asylum seekers. Be sure not to mention that other “boat people” who happened to arrive 200 years earlier actually founded the westernised country. Australia has set a poor example for nation growth through immigration, and racial exclusion has caused devastation for both the original custodians of the land, and for many of those who immigrated to start a new life. For Australia, there is still a very long way to go both legally and culturally. If you really want to build your country, first look at the mistakes of the past and consider how you can avoid widespread destruction, and instead endeavour towards a future we can all be proud of.
Evie Cazzolato
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vessel. By 1888, Chinese immigration was essentially banned. There were also limitations on immigrants from Japan, the South Sea Islands, and the Middle East.
If you plan on boasting about your country’s boundless plains and gold but don’t plan on hosting a war, you should be prepared to take strict, ruthless action against helpless people seeking safety from war-torn countries.
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All images made available with thanks to Flinders University Archives
When Students Carried Guns 20.11.1815 Q
uite often these days, students as a group are generally perceived as progressive and antimilitaristic. This image has been built on generations of student protests in favour of human rights and education support, and against various military conflicts (notably the Vietnam and Gulf Wars) and conscription. There is, however, another side to student collectivism that has received much less attention over the years, and that is student participation in military activities. In Europe, this practice
dated back to the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800’s, when German, Spanish, and Dutch students banded together in volunteer companies to fight the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. The Sydney University Regiment was the first University unit to be formed in Australia, in 1900. Since then, Australian University staff and students have, in some form, contributed direct and indirect military support to nearly every conflict that Australia as a country has been involved in. So how did students from Flinders University get involved? After World War II, Australia needed to rebuild and restructure its army. It was decided a professional volunteer army was needed, backed up by a part-time military force for home defence, known under various names such as the Citizen Military Forces (CMF), today known as the Australian Army Reserve. The existing University Regiments were made part of the CMF. In 1948, the University of Adelaide created the Adelaide University Regiment, or AUR. Like other University Regiments, the AUR started
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In 1968 the army proposed to build a training depot at Flinders University, but after a protest by the Students Representative Council in 1969, and some issues around the acquisition of the land needed, the plans were dropped. In 1972 (towards the end of the Vietnam War) compulsory military service was ended, and there was an immediate drop in new recruits. The AUR also changed, in that it became a fully-fledged training unit to train officers for the CMF. This meant that it was less focused on simply being a
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The Regiment was also renamed the Adelaide Universities Regiment for that purpose. And even though protests against the war in Vietnam were well-attended by Flinders students, the initial prospects looked promising for the Regiment: by March 1967 nearly 30 Flinders students had joined the Regiment, with the possibility of creating a real Flinders University Company once those numbers had gone up to 100. It was noted at the time that naming the company ‘FU Company’ could pose some problems, and so the unit (if it was to come into existence) was to be designated Flinders Company.
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In 1966 Flinders University was created, initially intended to be a University of Adelaide campus. From the very start, the military was interested in expanding the AUR to include students from Flinders.
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out as an infantry unit providing military training to tertiary students. Later, non-students could also elect to serve in the Regiment. In 1965, compulsory military service was introduced in Australia. Conscripts had to serve two years in the Army, and then three more years in the CMF. Whilst in the Army, they could be sent out to the war in Vietnam. If you did not want to run the risk of being conscripted and sent to Vietnam, you could voluntarily join the CMF for five years (which only had to serve inside Australia, as a home defence force), and thereby be exempted from conscription. Many chose voluntary service in the CMF as a safe way out: they would still serve in the armed forces but could not be sent to Vietnam. And, likewise of importance to students, CMF personnel were only part-time soldiers. They were not trained and continuously occupied like soldiers in the Army, but rather trained occasionally, which meant that it was still possible to have a day job or to study next to your military responsibilities.
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military unit where tertiary students could learn basic soldiering, and more focused on training non-academics on how to be good officers. However, being a University Regiment, the training program was still designed to minimise interference with University studies, major activities being conducted during vacations and in the first half of the year. The training obligation was 27 days per year and was never carried out on campus grounds, but on military parade grounds for a few hours at a time, very similar to Cadet drill. But there were also theory courses and social events (including a Regimental Pistol Shooting Club). Members received around $18 per day for their efforts. Despite all of this, throughout the 1970s the number of Flinders students and staff members in the AUR always remained steady between 20 and 40 members. This number was still too small to warrant the formal creation of a separate unit or company. In the early 1980s the Army once again tried to increase its recruitment at Flinders. Senior University staff were invited to attend training camps, parades and galas, and the Regiment sent a recruiting party to campus during Orientation Week. The recruiting parties brought inactive weapons (for demonstration purposes) with them, which did not always please many of the students: in 1981 FUSA lodged a complaint against the
presence of such a recruiting party on campus, but the then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Keith Hancock, allowed it, as there were also Flinders students and staff members of the Regiment. By late 1981, the number of Flinders members of the regiment had grown to 50. In 1983 the recruitment party at O Week ran into some trouble and was, in the words of VC Keith Hancock, ‘treated discourteously by a small segment of the University population’, but afterwards recruitment efforts were once again organised. In the 1990s the AUR was developing more and more into a real Army Reserve unit, and recruitment efforts aimed specifically at Flinders students and direct on-campus recruitment drives were minimised and, in some periods, even disbanded. This continued during the 2000s, with the AUR becoming more a professional Army Reserve Officer Training Unit, and less focused on providing military training to University students. Some staff and students of Flinders these days are still members of the AUR, the Army Reserves still recruit occasionally on campus, and the Vice-Chancellor still attends some formal AUR events, but there is no
longer any form of ‘Flinders Company’ within the Regiment. The Regiment currently consists of the Regimental Headquarters, the Training Company, the Recruit Holding Company and the Beersheba Company, located at Hampstead Barracks in Adelaide, a Northern Australia Platoon in Darwin, and a Tasmania Company in Hobart. Despite some remaining links with the AUR, Flinders students and staff now adhere, more than ever, to the Regiment’s Motto: ‘Sapientia Omnia Vincit’, Wisdom (rather than a Gun) Conquers All…
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alkaline salts. The second was the invention of a cocoa press that separated cocoa butter from roasted cocoa beans, making the process of cocoa powder easier.
Two important discoveries for the future of chocolate were made during the eighteenth century by Dutch chemist Coenadd Johannes Van Houten. The first was the development of a chocolate powder that was easier to mix with water, created through treating the cocoa beans with
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The history of chocolate is phenomenal, from its humble beginnings as a sweet drink, to the incredible variety of delicious products that stock our shelves and hide in our secret snack cupboards today. However, from a student dietitian’s point of view, following the ways in which the Olmec and Maya people consume chocolate is healthiest. Cocoa made from raw cocoa powder contains no added sugars compared to the wide range of commercial chocolate products available today. Raw cocoa powder is also known for containing high amounts of beneficial antioxidants, which have a suggested link with maintaining good heart health. So keep enjoying chocolate in moderation, but where possible, go for the dark chocolate option. This is because it contains less sugar than normal milk chocolate, and it is more similar to the chocolate which was consumed in the past, which had a high cocoa content and no added sugars.
Brooke Hines
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Eating a block of chocolate was not heard of back in 300900AD. The bean was instead mixed with ingredients such as cinnamon and pepper to create a bitter and strong tasting drink called Xocolatl, recognised as the “drink of the gods”. Xocolatl and the origins of the cacao plant trace back to the Olmec people, the earliest known major civilization in Mesoamerican culture, and the Maya people, who are the indigenous people of Mexico and Central America. The drink was enjoyed by these people for its invigorating and stimulating effects, but was also used as a medicine for ailments such as stomach and intestinal complaints, and even infections. The Aztec people also began to enjoy the chocolate drink during the thirteenth and early fifteenth centuries, using it also as a currency to buy food and other goods. During the early fifteenth century, chocolate began to be introduced to many European countries, notably Spain. This is where the addition of cane sugar and other common spices and flavourings were added to enhance the flavour of the drink. Throughout this time, it appears the drink just began to get sweeter and sweeter. The word cacao was also corrupted into cocoa by early European explorers.
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These discoveries enabled chocolate to grow into the mass-produced product it is today. However, it wasn’t until 1847 that the first chocolate bar was created by British Chocolatier JS Fry and Song. Later, Swiss Chocolatier Rudolf Lindt invented the conch machine, which gave chocolate the smooth consistency we enjoy today. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries then saw the revolution of chocolate companies such as Cadbury, Mars, Nestle, and Hershey. Over the years these companies have taken 46 chocolate to a whole new level, with it being consumed .4 in many ways from a hot chocolate drink to a variety of chocolate bars which can contain anything from caramel, popcorn, peanut butter, and coconut.
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hocolate, the sweet treat which melts in your mouth and keeps us going back for more, has been around for nearly 4,000 years. It originates from a tree, which has individual fruits called a pod or cabosside. These fruits contain 20-40 seeds, known as cocoa beans. These seeds are firstly roasted to the characteristic colour of cocoa and, after the shell is removed from the seeds, ground into a fine grain or powder.
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Drink of the Gods c.300-900 AD C
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The Friction in Historical Fiction 19.05.1536
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istorical fiction is a controversial genre, and all you’ve got to do is look at the name to understand why. When we think about history, we think of facts and the past and when we think about fiction, we think of something made up. Put those two opposing words together and call it a genre, and it all becomes very confusing very fast. Even experts and writers of historical fiction have different ideas of what it means. Sarah Johnson, who has written two books on the genre, claims that historical fiction is at its simplest, “fiction set in the past.”
Yet even that definition sprouts a multitude of questions. What counts as the past? Seven years ago, forty years ago, a hundred years ago? Do old works with historical settings like The Great Gatsby and Jane Eyre, which were contemporary at the time of writing, belong in the same group as The Book Thief and Outlander, which were written by authors who did not live in the eras they wrote about? Then there’s the question of what the "historical" in historical fiction means.
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Maybe that’s what makes historical fiction so compelling, and why we cast aside our moral hang-ups and read it anyway.
Anele Lane
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Historical fiction also gives us the chance to live the life of those in different time periods. History books can paint this for us in broad strokes. We can learn about the laws at a specific time period and the social and environmental conditions, but they don’t painstakingly paint every detail of the picture. They don’t tell us how it might have felt and smelled and sounded. They don’t make us imagine being there.
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There’s a wild difference between the character and the actual historical figure of Anne Boleyn, of course, and whether Gregory has a moral obligation to depict Anne in a flattering light is up for discussion.
So why do we do it? Why do we read and write historical fiction when it’s so difficult to not only define, but to ethically navigate? Well, it’s done for more than a nostalgia of the past. Historical fiction is used as a vehicle to speak to the present. There will often be something in these works, some thematic concern, that relates to our current society. An example of this is The Clan of the Cave Bear, a novel set in prehistoric times, which still manages to remain feminist at its core.
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Where it really gets complicated, though, is when the fiction starts to overwrite the history. Regina Kenney, an avid reader of historical fiction, nails this on the head in her blog post The Pros & Cons of Historical Fiction. She talks about “historic confusion,” where she confuses what she has read in a historical fiction novel with historical fact, and how troubling this can be. She mentions reading a historical fiction book called The Ghost Hunters which has the character of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in it. This led to her getting the real writer mixed up with his character.
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Most writers seem to agree that there must be some scrap of history in these works, whether it be in the setting or the characters, but the debate comes from how much. Too much history can ruin the story, bogging the reader down in unnecessary detail. Too much fiction, however, can pull an astute reader out of the narrative who notices the historical inaccuracies and goes, ‘Hang on, that’s not how it would have happened...’
This brings us into the next debate. Whose stories can historical fiction writers tell? Are certain perspectives and historical figures not okay to write about? I did a quick search on Goodreads where someone felt the need to create a “Most Inaccurate Historical Fiction” list. At 70 votes, Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl takes first place. Quite a few of the low star reviewers complained about the character of Anne Boleyn, the real second wife of King Henry the eighth, and how much she had been villainised. They complained because the image painted of the real Anne at her execution, as an adulterous and incestuous pervert who conspired against her husband, has been doubted by many to be true and yet has been portrayed as true in this novel. It seems that these readers feel strongly that Anne was misrepresented, not just in her past trial, but by the author as well.
hen I was seven my family made its first tentative steps towards technological supremacy, and bought a home computer. It was on this magnificent device I first encountered the wonders of 3D Pinball and Minesweeper, and heard the beautiful mating call of a dial-up modem.
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What My Dad's Internet History Taught Me 24.03.04 W
Being a young millennial, I’ve always been well versed at deleting my internet history. No one should see my feeble attempts at understanding sex. My father – I learnt – was not as discreet. The most prevalent of his searches were, as I’m sure you’d suspect, porn. And lord was it an education. But the first thing my Dad’s internet history taught me? You can learn more about a person by what they’re not telling you.
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2013 On my sixteenth birthday my father bought us both bikes, with matching red helmets. We started cycling together. We’d go everywhere – to the beach, along the river, up and around the city. The long silences while cycling suited us, we could “hang out” without having to talk and confront how we had nothing in common. Despite all this, it meant a lot to me that he was at least trying. This was until I found his internet search on “ways to reconnect with young boys”. NOW We still catch up sometimes. Dad pretends things are fine, like his life isn’t spammed with too many open tabs and viruses. I think I’ve come to know him more now through the things he won’t say to me, over the things he does. And if I could, I would, but it’s hard to fill a history with so many missing blanks.
Michael Greene
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I wasn’t the only thing on my dad’s mind at the time. Other searches included “quick loans”, “how not to feel lonely”, “cheap hotels nearby”, and “how to get back with your ex.” Before deleting my own, I’d sometimes marvel at how it all looked with our two internet histories pressed together. “Renting options” sits next to “big pussy girls”, while the “signs of midlife depression” are jumbled up with “Minecraft porn”. Like a conversation out of sync. Like yelling without the other listening. The silence between us is more than an unanswered Google search.
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2010 I didn’t see him again until I turned thirteen, when I started living with him on alternate weekends. Then my dad’s internet history started teaching me other things. “How to tell if your son is autistic” was a common search, followed by “living with a child with Asperger’s.”
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2007 If I was a little older, maybe I would’ve read between the lines of my dad’s search history. “Ashley Maddison payment options” was followed by “cheap local attorneys” and “how to undo a pre-nup?” These are searches marked on the history of my childhood. What the hell did I know, a ten-year-old.
CREATIVE: The West Lie 18.01.1887 E
rastus Beadle points to the empty chair sitting like a school child before his enormous desk. He asks if I’ll have a drink, and so I get to thinking of dirty snow in glass jars. ‘A drink, yes,’ I mumble. ‘That would be good.’ I look around the editor’s office. The latest Dime magazine sits on the desk before me. Beadle comes over, passes me something strong and says, ‘Tell me again.’
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JAN 06, 1887 I took the train through Pennsylvania to Cleveland, and then on to Chicago and Kansas City. As I crossed the Mississippi, with our agreement weighing on my mind, I sought comfort in my thumbed copy of Kit’s The Fighting Trapper and the view from my window. The countryside was wonderful, astonishing even, but all the same - settled. I stayed on until we reached Dodge. I can still remember the almost insufferable anxiety I felt at the squeal of the rail wheels announcing my stop. Dispensed onto the platform with my belongings, I took the name of a hotel and a good saloon in my hand. I found my way to Dodge House and was shown to my room, depositing my suitcase on the bed. Stopping by the hotel’s saloon on my leave, I became full wary that its occupants were travellers like myself and therefore served no interest. I went off to conduct my business. In good spirits, mind you, despite the town’s melancholic demeanour. Many of the buildings appeared to sag into the earth, their wooden panels free of paint or wash. The only deviation from this was the coloured facades down Front Street which appeared bright and unbecoming under a troubled sky. While I scoured the shop’s bold signs, I found my curiosity drawing me aside. I could smell nothing but the oil and gun-smoke and filth of the place. This was as far west as I’d ever been. Perhaps it was as I expected, and perhaps it also wasn’t. My imagining of the town before my visit now seems inseparable from memory.
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Pausing outside the cigar store, I came upon the words Long Branch. You, sir, know this name as well as I do, possibly more. I was nigh a man when Loving shot Richardson here. That was the first I heard of the real west. It did something to me to see that news in my father’s Evening Telegraph as a boy, knowing the stuff of my books was real. I could see Kit Carson walk under that front awning towards me – I’ve got the novel in my pocket even now. Lost in this reverie, I was caught unawares as a figure burst out of the saloon’s door and collapsed in the mud. Three men leered from the doorway. They wore muddied trousers, and I saw the gleam of a gun on each of their hips. One man juggled a clinking leather pouch in the air before disappearing back inside. Not thinking of reason, I knelt and helped the man roll over. ‘Howdy partner,’ I said with a grin. He glared up at me. ‘The fuck you say?’ he asked. Now, I’m not one to be easily swayed, as you sir know. So I kept on ahead and said, ‘You sir, seem like a man of the frontier. The name's William J. Benners, and I might have a job for you.’ The man hawked up a ball a phlegm and spat it at my feet. ‘I could buy you a drink?' I proposed.
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We went to Saint James and I was only allowed to sit once I’d ordered him a shot of whiskey. I watched him hunch over his glass. At some point, he’d managed to wipe his face clean of dirt. It was weathered, but younger than I’d imagined. He had brown eyes, a dark stubby nose, and underneath all the exhaustion, a fierceness - like the bitter cracking of a gun. When he told me his name it was like I was reading the Evening Telegraph. I knew then, Beadle; I could turn that name into a story. ‘It’s nothing at all,’ I said. ‘I want nothing queer from it, just to observe your ways if you don’t mind me hanging about.’ ‘I do mind,’ he growled, baring his teeth. ‘Well, that can be remunerated,’ I said. ‘You seem pretty dry after those boys at Long Branch.’ He gave me a look. The kind that reached right down your spine and curled its grotty fingers round tight. ‘Those fuckers’ll get what’s comin’.’ I leant back and finished my drink. ‘Doubt it.’ The barman came over to fill our glasses, and I adjusted my writing journal. ‘They don’t know who they done over,’ he mumbled. ‘Glassed me from behind.’
‘Something should be done.' I said. He shook his head. ‘See it now,’ I added, printing the words in the air with my hands. ‘Logan Lawrence: gut-stink of the frontier.’ For a moment, I thought I’d gone too far, but he just glowered at his drink. I gave the barman a look. Our glasses were filled. I slipped him another two quarters. Outside we hunkered down behind the biggest mound of buffalo skins I’d ever seen, paying no attention to the workers stacking them into a wagon. Seven men stood smoking in the nearby stockyard. Logan kept watch of their movements. He got out his gun. I was just thinking about where I might watch from when he jabbed it into my gut. ‘What’re you…?’ I was saying before he cut me off. ‘So how ‘bout I’ll be havin’ that renum’ration you were boastin’ about,’ he said. I backed into the wall of buffalo hides. He followed. ‘You think…’ I coughed, my throat closing up. ‘You think I’ve got it on me? In this city?’ Logan lowered the gun with a curse. That, sir, was the first I saw of the real frontier. A man with that look in his eye, like he saw no difference between me and the buffalo hides.
I glanced back at the stockyard. There was a shed nearby that’d be safe from the gunfire. Soon I’d be writing up a legend – my own Kit Carson. My vision dimmed as Logan dropped his hat over my head. I felt something heavy press into my temple. ‘Now walk,’ he said. Next thing I knew, Logan was shouting like a man at the fair, ‘Come here, you bastards. Come see your dead man.’ We walked maybe twenty feet. ‘Logan,' I breathed, and he pressed the gun harder against my head.
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‘What you got there, Lawrence?’ an unfamiliar voice asked. ‘A good swap,’ Logan replied. ‘Your man here for my money.’ Then the voice said. ‘But that moneys all but ours now. What’d be the point?’ Logan paused. Then said with a hollow voice, ‘Well, I guess your man’s good as dead.’ There was a gunshot and I collapsed. The sky opened up above me. I was blinded. Before me in the mud was Logan’s hat with a hole in the side. ‘I gotta tell ya, Lawrence. He don’ look too familiar to me.’ Logan cursed. What came next, I can’t quite recall. There was the sound of gunfire. My hands shook as I clambered around frantically in the mud. I heard men squealing and dying and I remember thinking this can’t be how it is. This isn’t the frontier. I cried out and prayed, I’m not ashamed to say it. I prayed, oh Lord, oh Father, save me. Digging my hands into the ground, I dragged myself across the smut and pulled myself up. I tried running, collapsed, and tried again. Nearby was the buffalo yard and I ran to it. I was shouting something crazy to the men near the wagon. Then Logan was there, blocking my view. I thought he was going to kill me, but he took the reins of the horse instead. Stumbling forward into the back of the wagon, I felt it tremor as the horse launched into stride. Behind us, men were shouting and guns were still going off. I sat wrapped up in buffalo hides and thought to myself, Alas our hero stands… ~ It took me a moment to figure out the wagon was no longer moving. When I sat up, I saw the wood-panelled homestead. It felt like a dream. There was nothing else in any direction, and I tell you, I haven’t known a thing like it. That helpless
empty horizon. I slid off the wagon. The horse snorted and flicked its neck. White powder was building up over the straps of its harness. When I went around to pat its side, I found blood. Lots of blood. I followed the trail into the house. Inside, before my eyes, Logan was fingering the fleshy hole in his leg. He was yelling at it. Yelling at the man who’d shot it. Yelling, screeching, cursing. After the ordeal at the stockyard, I can’t say there’s much that would shock me, sir. This man, draped over the table and roaring like some wild animal, didn’t faze me. ‘You need a doctor,’ I said when Logan saw me. Forgetting his leg for a moment, Logan launched himself at me and put his gun in front of my face. I had no time to think before he pulled the trigger. It clicked. I was still alive. ‘God damn son of a bitch, what do you WANT!?’ he yelled. ~ Outside, the light was disappearing fast. I went over to the wagon, slipped a couple of hides over my shoulders, and moved back inside to explore the rest of the house. Most of it had sunk into shadows, but I could still see it stripped of all its furniture. The biggest items – the lounge chair, the dining table, the bureau – were all that remained. I dropped the hides by the fireplace. There was some wood in the hearth, and a small amount of No 2 oil. As I was dosing off besides the fire, I heard footsteps coming over. How I felt about Logan, I didn’t know anymore. I was of the sense that he could kill me at any moment. Watching him collapse beside the fire and begin to tremor like a sick pup, I wondered where truly did the west lie. ~ There was a thick white bandage around Logan’s left leg when I woke in the morning. I didn’t care. I was hungry and thirsty. I threw open the cupboards for food. Nothing. Checked the tap. Still nothing. My search stopped when I heard a short yelp. I went outside and saw Logan on the ground scooping snow into a dirty can. He didn’t look up when I asked what he was doing. ‘Water,’ he croaked. The snow was beginning to disappear into the dirt, and we used whatever pot or jar was left in the house to melt it on the porch. When it was done, Logan hoisted himself up.
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JAN 18, 1887 Beadle is silent. I look at the spines of Westerns along his bookcase and wonder how many of them are lies. ‘Nothing, he says. ‘You’ve brought me nothing.’ I shake my head and get up. ‘Not quite, sir. I just came to give you this.’ I put my copy of The Fighting Trapper on the desk in front of him, before making my leave.
Kienan McKay
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They had their horses ready, by the time Logan hobbled out. I felt a glimmer of hope before Ham came over and tied my hands with rope. Logan offered his wrists warily. I watched as the sheriff took out his gun and shot him in the gut. Collapsing into the fresh snow, Logan thrashed in pain as he bled out. I remember this before the butt of a rifle slammed into my back. The last thing I saw were the jars of snow melting on the porch.
( O R
Each day we made water from snow and kept the meat good with snow in the sink. Once I thought to ask, Who lived here? Logan shrugged. At night, I started reading aloud from The Fighting Trapper. Logan would lie down near the fire and listen. ‘The trapper, in making his charge, takes a knife in each hand, and, lowering his head, urges his horse directly between two savages, and in the passage slays them both! Very few indeed can do this, and yet Kit Carson did it on foot? He was of an inconceivable celerity and quickness.’ Logan snorted and I put the novel down. After a while, he said, ‘You know, I think I’d 'ave liked to be a trapper.’ ‘Logan Lawrence.’ I smiled. ‘Trapper to be.’ ~ Logan told me about Denver, where he was born. I told him
Logan stayed inside as I went out with my arms in the air. The two lawmen emerged from behind the shelter. One had a rifle aimed at my chest. ‘A Mr Rath’s inquirin’ ‘bout a missin’ wagon o’ buffalo skins,’ he said. Ham, he called himself. He glanced over at the abandoned wagon. ‘That don’ happen to be them, right?’ I did my best to explain. They asked me if I knew a Logan Lawrence. I told them I was a writer. I said it was all a misunderstanding. Logan was meant to be coming back to New York with me. The other one, Singer, said for Logan to come out.
/ / H I S T O R Y
When he was done, Logan had me dig a hole and drop the head in along with the guts. Soon after, we built a campfire and I watched greedily as the meat began to char. The unspoken thing between us was that we couldn’t make it back to Dodge in a day, not without a horse. Night would be worse on the road.
On the ground, face and hands cut by glass, I looked over at Logan. Any moment now, I expected him to charge into action. He just stared at me dumbfounded.
( S E C T I O N )
It took most of the day to convince him to let me see to his leg. The wound puckered up at me as if daring I pass out. Spraying the No 2 over the redness, I listened to Logan roar and watched his eyes roll back. It took nearly a minute for the spasms to subside. Afterwards, he lay panting and sweaty as I wrapped the wound back up in the bandage. ‘This is all I can do,’ I told him. ‘I can’t take the bullet out.’ Logan didn’t reply. He just stared at the ceiling. ~ He gutted the horse the next day. The axe going down over the horse’s neck was loud. It rocked and crunched, and Logan twisted before raising the weapon again, and again.
about Philly, and then New York. We were standing in the kitchen when the window was shot through. ‘This the Ford County Sheriff. Step out the ranch unarmed or we’ll fire.’
/ /
'Unstrap the horse and I’ll gut it,’ he said, going inside. 'The horse?' I asked, looking over at the wagon. The horse was dead. ~ Later, when I felt bravest, I told Logan me we had to clean his wound. ‘Are you a doctor?’ he asked. I shook my head. ‘Well, what are ya then?’ he demanded. I saw no reason to lie and told him. ‘A writer!’ he howled. ‘I’m fuckin dead!’
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