Empire Times 46.1

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ISSUE 1 // VOLUME 46

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EDITORS

CONTRIBUTORS

JOIN THE TEAM

Alicia Wood James Watson Kienan McKay

Angelina Taylor Charlie Booker Clara Santilli Courtney Lawrence Eloise Quinn-Valentine Evie Cazzolato Harvey Menadue Madeline Hand Michelle Wakim Shevaun Rutherford Alicia Wood

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.

SUB-EDITORS

Diana-Elena Vornicu Kienan McKay

SPECIAL THANKS Jess Nicole Nathan Cheetham Tim Coyle

MASTHEAD & LOGO Ethan Brown PRINTERS Newstyle Media

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.

C H A N G E

Amy Tho Nhuyen // Animal Sketches (47) Anthony Robinson // Dawn Service�(2, 22) Anthony Wyndom // Untitled (2, 9) Darcy Holmes // Pattern Illustrations (34-35) Katara Wolfe // Botanic Illustrations (2, 3, 5, 11, 48) Rosanna Lamb // (23, 28) Sheydin Dew (@sheydedart) // Overgrown, Fungus (2, 26, 27, 40, 41, 45)

www.empiretimes.com.au

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COVER ART

@empire.times

S E A S O N S

VISUAL ARTISTS

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Angelina Taylor Courtney Lawrence Elena Koulianos Evie Cazzolato Georgina Banfield Hannah Stampke Michelle Wakim Shevaun Rutherford

I N T R O D U C T I O N S

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OUT OF SCOPE A summary of the Flinders Restrcuture

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HOW TO THRIVE AT UNI Tips from a student on getting the best of uni

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AUS. POLITICS A tongue-n-cheek review of 2018

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FASCISTS AT THE BEACH

What’s wrong with the right?

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SPACE AGENCY The plans to make Adelaide a tech hub

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RELATIONSHIPS Have our relationships changed for good?

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POST ME-TOO Has our society really been affected?

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SPORTS

Are our female athletes safe?

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DEARTH

The secret monument you haven’t seen

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NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

Are they really worth it?

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THE GIFT

Some things aren’t given

TIME ABROAD What I learnt from studying overseas

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FIRE IN THE AIR A poem of change

FEAR CHANGE Learning to embrace that which scares you

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CHANGE OF SEASONS

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James Alicia Kienan

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hoice and change are nothing if not the same. To our new students, welcome to Flinders! And for our returning students, welcome back! We’re excited to be your new Empire Times editors for 2019. Our first issue revolves around the idea of change, which can be a scary or an exciting concept, depending on your perspective.

We’re all susceptible to change. As people, we often feel defined by where we come from or who we spend our time with. What happens when these become altered? We move away from home, grow apart from family and old friends. When university offers us a way forward in life, we take it. In the process, many of us will find new dreams, perhaps forgetting the old. A part of all this is seeing our values change, our interests shift, or our loved ones fade away, and it becomes a choice of whether we hang on or not. It’s terrifying to let go, but the life skill we learn here is knowing when, and how.

And in the middle of all this mess is the struggle to maintain consistency. We automatically strive for balance amongst all the new experiences pulling us in different directions. There are of course the things we need – friends, love, contact, support. But as much as we’d sacrifice anything for these, we would sacrifice them all for our dreams, our direction. And it’s good to have goals, it’s good to know why you’re waking up each morning.

But then some may ask you to follow their own ambitions – get you to sacrifice for it, make you nervous and uncertain whether your hard work is considered “out of scope”. The place of universities in today’s society would seem on a precipice of change. Their future, as well as our own, is decided by present-day action. So how does a single ambition, formed seemingly in isolation, gain the right to this future?

What can we say but through all of this, all we can do is stick to our belief of the right path. See the people around you and know that no matter where life takes them, right now, they’re here seeing through these changes with you, and you are so much stronger for it. One of the scary things about change is thinking nobody cares. We – all of us – fear being left behind. Change is, after all, the act of moving on. We agonise over people and possessions because we know, one day, we’ll lose them.

It makes it hard knowing what truly matters in the end, but it’s the moment here and now that should draw our focus. Like the clubs you’ll join, the new topics you’ll pick, the memories you’ll make – the fact that everything is changing, changes nothing, not really, not at all.

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EDITORIAL

Letter to the Editors

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In one sense I wish to raise my objections, and could wish to invoke a substantial student protest over these

Mr Corey Trezise POSTAGE TO S S

Have something to say? Email us your letter to the editor at empire.times@ flinders.edu.au

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dear empire times

I N T R O D U C T I O N S

From an aggrieved Alunmi,

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I am appalled that The University Chancellor and Board have come to this conclusion at Flinders University, because it seems that they wish to seek a short term boost in National and Global Ranking, but the medium to long term repercussions seem out of sight and not adequately addressed. Flinders University has had, until this last decade, a quite enviable record, predominatly in Research and also in Teaching, and it seems a very sad thing, that with the Building recontructions of 2014-2016, the level of support for Student teaching and figuring out how best to plow money back into resources for Student Learning are being serverly restricted and compromised, for short term gain.

issues. Whether the feasibility of what I half jokingly and half seriously am contemplating could ever send such a message to the University Board and Chancellor to adequately address the needs of the student body and staff, I’m not too sure of. My half-baked idea, would be for all Flinders Alumni to “hand back” their parchments to the university in protest, all 100,000 plus since 1966/1967 to today. They would keep their transcripts, but in a symbolic way, say ‘hey Flinders, why did we earn these parchments if you are just going to sell out the current and future cohorts of students and staff of this innovative university to which I spent the best part of two decades at on and off.’ Maybe we could invoke the spirit of those “sit-ins” of 1974, 45 years after the fact too.

SA FU

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I am writing this short message as four times alumni, 1999 BA, 2001 BA(Hons), 2014 GCSP, and 2016 LLB/ LP (GE). I write because I’m appalled that the Flinders University Board and Chancellor have taken upon themselves to be the first University in Australia to employ, Research Only or Teaching Only Positions and Staff. The very basis of a tenured academic is to do all three: Research, Teaching and Administration, and that has been the sound doctrine of academia for around a millennium now.

POSTAGE TO SS

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Dear Empire Times,

Katt Hatzi Student Council President

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Stay fab!

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I can’t wait to get out there during O’Week and beyond, to speak to you all and hear what’s important to you at university.

Let’s smash 2019.

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Restructure aside, we’re all entering this semester with some level of change in our lives – new topics, new degrees, new experiences and new opportunities to do something worthwhile. It sure is scary, but there are some great things that we’ll get to do this year!

O’Fiesta is bigger than ever, Student Council have been grinding hard and have a heap of events planned for the semester (have a look at the calendar of upcoming events to see where you can find us), and the National Union of Students have a mega campaign ready to put student issues on the agenda ahead of the Federal Election.

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I think that in a fight between a grilled cheese sandwich and a taco, grilled cheese would win every time.

There’s been a lot of change at Flinders in the years that I’ve been here. I’ve seen incredible feats, like FUSA growing from nothing, the Plaza hollowed out then built up again, and I watched an abandoned car manufacturing plant turn into a thriving suburb with the Flinders name up in lights. Sadly, I’ve also seen Wholefoods disappear, and a lot of really fantastic lecturers leave as well. There will be plenty of words on the restructure in this issue, but it’s something that’s close to my heart on a personal level as well as a student activist level. While it’s easy to be shocked at the number and the quality of staff who have moved on from Flinders during the restructure process, it became extra difficult for me to find out that the person that any Tourism student would call the anchor of our faculty has left. While there will surely be people who can teach the topics she coordinated, the depth of institutional knowledge and industry connections will be an impossible gap to fill. Some staff, whose positions would not have ever been considered in a restructure, seem to be pretty stoked with the changes;

apparently the outcomes will be better for students and that it was time to sweep away the cobwebs. Is this reality? I don’t know if I’m convinced.

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ello, Flinders! As a true sign of it being the season of change, I’m incredibly excited to introduce myself to you as your new Student President. I’m a Master of Tourism student, I use she/ her pronouns, and I think that in a fight between a grilled cheese sandwich and a taco, grilled cheese would win every time.

I have spent literally my entire adult life at this place (studying both undergrad and postgrad) so you can be sure I really do love this hill a lot.

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OUT OF SCOP

A Summary of the Flinders Academic Restructure

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Job uncertainty for the staff is a major reason so many are objecting the proposal. In a meeting opposing the restructure, several of our academic staff argued that their teaching is improved by their research because it keeps them updated in their respective fields, and it’s an opportunity for students to stay informed on projects in their area of study.

In this way their experience goes beyond reading from a textbook, and it’s an excellent way for students to engage in research opportunities. There have also been concerns that teaching-only lecturers would be taking on more work in the place of colleagues who are now involved in research-only roles. Speaking with two future Honours students, both concluded that they would reconsider undertaking Honours if their choice of supervisor was made unavailable to them.

Many claim that in the long-term it will reduce the teaching

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The restructure proposes that these roles be changed so that a number of staff either teach or research, not a mixture of both, though the majority of staff will continue to do both.

These academic staff will be employed in either a Teaching Specialist or Research-only Academic position, rather than being in a “Balanced” role. This isn’t the only change – there have also been redundancy packages offered to some of our academic staff. But as one of our education students Jay Dyer argued, ‘It feels as though management hasn’t read our SETs [Student Evaluation of Teaching] at all. Teachers with bad reps should have been encouraged to leave rather than let the great ones slip away.’ While SETs were addressed and

Why is it so controversial?

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) – who provide advice, support, representation and protection for university staff – have raised objections to the restructure proposal five times, however these objections have now been resolved. The NTEU’s reasons for opposing elements of the restructure, according to Commissioner Platt of the Fair Work Commission in his summary of the University and Union’s positions*, were as follows: • The workload expectations of Teaching Specialists and Balanced positions are ambiguous.

• The research performance expectations for Research Only roles are ambiguous.

• The documents distributed to staff contain inaccuracies, ambiguities and omissions.

• Casual employment is overused.

• The redundancies are not genuine.

• A ‘siloed’ approach has been taken to suitable work opportunities.

• Clarification is required in relation to the intellectual property status of research that staff may produce in their own time if they accept a Teaching Specialist role.

• The University has not provided a quantitative analysis on how the restructure will achieve its strategic goals.

• Partial disestablishment of a position is not industrially possible.

• Approved outside studies programs and Long Service Leave may be put in jeopardy.

f you’re a current student or member of staff, you’ve likely heard of this proposal already: The Academic Restructure.

But what exactly is it? Currently, many academic staff at Flinders University – and many other universities worldwide – don’t just teach. They also conduct their own research projects and their work is traditionally split between three areas: 40% research, 40% teaching, and 20% community engagement/administration. This division is flexible however, and some academic staff may have adjusted levels of research and teaching. Lecturers in the arts may be writing their own novels or plays, those in science are involved in the latest research, etc. This has always been a part of their role, and you’ll likely hear from your lecturers about these projects in class. For example, the College of Science and Engineering’s Dean of Education, Associate Professor Karen Burke da Silva, teaches science on top of conducting the conservation project ‘Saving Nemo’. This involves running clownfish breeding centres and increasing overall awareness of the environmental threats to this species.

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no one was made redundant – all staff who left accepted voluntary redundancy packages – such little information has been conveyed to students that very few seem clear on who’s leaving and why. It’s this lack of communication behind the restructure that has a lot of students having to assume and draw their own conclusions, with no clear direction as to where to go for more information.

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quality at Flinders University.

Flinders isn’t the first university that’s seen a restructure in which academic roles were changed. In 2014, Curtin University in Western Australia underwent a restructure, with our current Vice-Chancellor Colin Stirling working as Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor during the process. Empire Times contacted the Branch President of the Curtin NTEU, Tony Snow, regarding whether the restructure was beneficial to students or not. He concluded that the restructure was not something designed to benefit the students, but to increase research and to entice more international students to the university: ‘…[the restructure] led ultimately to a reduction in student experience here at Curtin. Less academic staff and a fixation on more research meant less time available for students, certainly at an individual level. The University has also been reducing unit contact hours and reducing the allowable unit assessment to three pieces of work... But of course, this all comes down to the lack of government funding for Australian students. The only real area of income expansion for any Australian University is to increase the number of International students onshore. This has been the main driving force for the increased research at Curtin and hence its dramatic ranking increase over the past 6 years.’

International students are sought after because they must pay their fees upfront. It asks the question, what should a university’s main priority be? Its research and its rank on the international stage, or the education of its students?

Both are important, but with students paying the fees, you’d hope their future came first. Without excellent teaching and the opportunity to learn from industry-specific research, graduates will suffer. While the office of the Vice-Chancellor explains that Flinders are mindful of this and that student success rather than research performance is the focus of the restructure, Curtin’s example points out the risk of trusting a university to always have the students’ experience as a top priority. This is why we need more information on the restructure and its expected outcomes, so that we can feel comfortable that Flinders is looking out for us.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students) of Flinders University, Professor Clare Pollock, has insisted that students are the university’s main priority. Pollock says that the restructure came about from the constantly evolving nature of universities. ‘Change is vital to stay competitive and relevant… if we are to continue to provide exceptional learning we must embed 21st century thinking and practice into our education.’ She goes on to state that the restructure itself has ‘created more permanent positions for outstanding, innovative teachers who have a paramount focus on student success so that more students can benefit from their skills

and passion for education. We have also created some additional permanent positions for research staff to focus on generating new knowledge in specific areas where there is a need to grow our research.’

As for the academic staff that have been impacted, Professor Clare Pollock claims only 28% have been affected by the restructure, and that ‘the vast majority of these staff are either still employed in exactly the same position or have moved into one of the new specialist positions.’ As for consultation with staff and students, Pollock points out that ‘the new academic Teaching Specialist positions were consulted very widely across the University during 2015 with input from many staff and students which helped to shape these positions.’ So while the majority of students arriving after 2015 may not have been consulted, there were opportunities for input prior to then, though another member of management claims that consultations have continued ‘at each stage of Flinders’ transformation.’ And while Pollock admits that redundancy packages were offered and accepted by some academic staff, overall, ‘[the university has] increased the total number of academic staff, and will have about 150 Teaching Specialists who will contribute more to teaching because they will not be doing research.’

She concludes that ‘the restructure process has been implemented and Colleges are well advanced in bedding down the changes in time for the start of Semester.’ If we wanted to reverse the restructure, would it be possible without making the situation worse? A key component to the student dissatisfaction against the restructure appears to be the loss of vital relationships between students and lecturers that have either left the university, or been otherwise affected. But Pollock stresses that: ‘Students are our priority. You deserve the highest quality education and an exceptional learning experience. You’ll benefit from having more teaching done by academics in permanent positions and less by casual staff. You will also benefit as we draw on the skills and expertise of these staff to improve your education through teaching innovation, curriculum development and bringing industry or practicerelevant knowledge and skills more fully into the classroom.

Our academics will benefit too with stronger career paths, increased collaboration and an overall lift in the Flinders’ performance and reputation.’

If you’re interested in standing against the restructure, there’s already a passionate group of staff and students called “Friends of Flinders” running a “Say No to the Flinders Academic Restructure” campaign and organising a protest during O’Week. They’ve arranged meetings in the past to discuss the effects of the restructure and to actively seek

to have it reversed. Jesse Stevens, one of the students who attended a Say No to the Restructure meeting, stated, ‘the level of student consultation and information provided to students has been woeful. This is despite university management indicating a commitment in 2018 to advancing student voice in university decision-making.’

There will be two information sessions held by the Say No to the Flinders Academic Restructure group during O’Week where students can listen and ask questions in regards to opposing the restructure, and a stall with a petition. The group is also organising a walk through and sit-in protest for week two of first semester, though we recommend following their Facebook page of the same name to keep updated.

Decide for yourself Whether the effects of the restructure can be reversed or not, it’s important that the university makes a greater effort to hear and acknowledge the voices of students and staff. There’s been little communication between upper management and students, to the point where defining the restructure has been a difficult enough task in itself, let alone working out what its effects might be. Many students have had to turn to the Facebook group “Overheard at Flinders University” to try and find more information.

While colleges oversaw their specific restructure plans, there was a disconnect in communication and as a student I received only two emails in 2018, with no justification for the restructure and no evidence provided thus far as to the benefits. When the university offered students the chance to attend a meeting for more information, the date and time of the meeting gave students just three days’ notice.

While we do not intend to disrespect the management at Flinders, it is our responsibility as students and individuals to question the decisions of those in power to ensure our interests are aligned. Due to the widespread dissent expressed by staff and students alike, the restructure is an example of such a decision that must be analysed as closely and as critically as possible. There should have been more clarification and more opportunity for current students to express their opinions and ask questions. I implore concerned students to engage in discussion amongst themselves, with their teachers, and with the university. It is, after all, our education that’s at stake. *https://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/decisionssigned/html/ pdf/2018fwc7426.pdf words by EMPIRE TIMES EDITOR

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HUMANS OF

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Ash // IT & Accounting

Jay // Teaching

What has been a major change in your life, and how did you handle it?

A genie grants you a super power of your choosing, but it has to be a super power that no one else would think of. What do you choose?

The ability to summon anything from a supermarket, at any time.

Moving out of home was a massive change in my life.

It was difficult at first but in the end, I found that it was a big step that needed to be taken. Although I had family and friends around me that could support me if it became too difficult, I found that I did not want to rely on other people unless it was completely necessary.

Over the pass year I have become more independent and I feel that I have grown up significantly compared to the person I was when I lived at home. When it became hard, I just tried to take everything one day at a time and plan what I needed to do.

I’ve always known that I work well under pressure so if somethings become too hard, I have been able to remove myself and plan what needs to be done.

I’d never go hungry again. Night-in dinner dates, beach parties, Christmas… No problem guys, I’ve got you covered.

We can all enjoy some hummus and pizza together, whatever floats your boat.

Someone picks a fight with me? Stand back as I summon water bottles, kitchen appliances and bananas. You’ll be confused and bruised in no time.

I get lost somewhere? Boom, instant camping equipment.

Damper, marshmallows and matches all ready to start a cosy campfire anywhere I go.

Then there’s the financial benefits. Not only do I save money on food, but I can also sell my summoned groceries to people.

It costs me nothing to get the food, so I can sell it much cheaper and still profit.

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Shevaun // Creative Writing

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What inspires/motivates you?

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Although it’s easy to get jealous, I’m heavily inspired by others achieving their dreams. While at times I feel I have a lot of catching up to do, that I’m behind creators that have already stepped the path I wish to walk, rarely was it an easy path for them. It took Lin-Manuel Miranda six years to write the acclaimed musical Hamilton. Ted Chiang took a seven-year break from writing before publishing the short story Story of Your Life which would later be adapted into the award-winning science fiction film Arrival. Avatar, which is to this day still the highest grossing film worldwide, took more than 10 years to create.

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team to share your story.

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Humans of Flinders is based on the Facebook page Humans of New York.

If you’re interested in being interviewed, send an email to the Empire Times

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While I could get jealous of creators bounding ahead of me, traipsing where I wanted to be the first to step, it’s more motivating to appreciate that they are helping clear the path for me, so that I can explore even further ahead in the future.

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POP

Hardworking creators prove to me that it is not only possible to achieve my dreams, but that the hard work pays off. Not only are creators succeeding in creating compelling and entertaining works, but representative work. Chris Chibnall has managed to bring more people of colour, women and queer characters into Doctor Who than ever. Rebecca Sugar and others are creating amazing representative shows for children, moulding the next generation to have higher expectations for their media.

Thr iving

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elcome to Flinders Uni! You’re in for a great year in 2019. Since I’ve been around for awhile, I’ve got the hang of student life and these are some of the things I do to get the most out of it.

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GET ORGANISED EARLY Flinders University Sudent Association (FUSA) provides diaries and wall planners among the cool goodies you’ll get to snag at O’Week (I gather my years worth of pens during O’Week) and it pays to sit down and do a little planning to make your first semester run a bit smoother. Class handbooks should be available on FLO a week before the semester starts for you to read through and it helps in the long run to sit down and look at the Statement of Assessment Methods (SAM). It’s also a good idea to break down your assignments into manageable portions so you don’t end up having to pull all-nighters and then miss out on enjoying the social side of the student experience!

GET A LIFE It’s not all work and no play here at Flinders. We have an incredible number of things going on in the Flinders community if you know where to look. Finding your tribe at uni can be daunting and it’s easy to feel alone so I recommend joining a club, society, or a collective. If you’re an introvert like me, it pays to pick a low stakes activity where socialising is the primary aim (like a movie or games night) as people are there to enjoy themselves and are more likely to be receptive to meeting new people rather than stressed out trying to master a demanding new skill GET TO KNOW YOUR CAMPUS I’ve been around for awhile and I’m still finding surprises on campus. I particularly recommend figuring out where you like to eat and who makes the coffee you like the best as these are good ways to save time on those hectic days of study. It’s also great to find the little study nooks that appeal to you as places to do your readings and assignments. Some days I study at the Tavern, others the library. It depends on my mood, and if I want fries with tomato sauce while I grapple with research methods!

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR STUDENT SERVICES Don’t be afraid to make the most of the other services offered at our university because they are paid for by your fees. Check out the community market at the Oasis (located just behind the Central Library) for free and low cost groceries and try the classes offered as part of the Horizon Award (a professional development program offered by Careers because it’s never too early to plan for life after your degree). Another cool resource is the health and well-being blog by Dr Gareth Furber, the e-project mental health officer at Flinders, which deals with issues around how we learn effectively.

LOOK AFTER YOURSELF It’s pretty easy to get overwhelmed by life as a student at Flinders when you’re new, or even when you’re a relic like I am. I get pretty busy so it’s easy to neglect my self-care with weekly readings and socialising. This seems really self-evident advice but eating well, staying hydrated (it gets hot out at Flinders!) and making sure you are getting regular sleep are all important for keeping your body and mind in a good enough condition to make it to the end of the semester.

It’s also important to keep connected to your life outside of being a student. Keeping a good work/life balance can be as simple as having a coffee with an old friend.

FLINDERS HAS A SOLUTION Life can get chaotic and overwhelming and we could all do with a helping hand. I can guarantee you that there is no situation so bad (or weird) that the Flinders staff can’t help.

There’s people at Health and Counselling that you’ll hear about, but there’s also people at FUSA who can help you with advice about money matters (because who wants to live on noodles and canned soup? Scurvy is a thing and vegetables are your friend!). It’s also worth keeping an eye on the development and hardship grants that run each semester.

I received a FUSA development grant last year that helped pay for me to attend a conference in New Zealand that I otherwise couldn’t afford on a student income.

Contact FUSA on 8201 2371

if you have any qustions words by

CLA R A S A N TI LLI

O’WEEK / / WELCOME & COMEDY O’WEEK / / QUIZ ARVO

WED 27 FEBRUARY

O’WEEK / / CLUBS DAY

TUES 5 MARCH

O’WEEK / / O’FIESTA FRINGE / / WELCOME & COMEDY

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FRI 1 MARCH

O’WEEK / / CRAFT BEER & CIDER

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THURS 28 FEBRUARY

TAVERN / / EMPIRE TIMES LAUNCH PARTY

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TUES 26 FEBRUARY

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MON 25 FEBRUARY

& M A R C H

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O ’ W E E K

O F C H A N G E

WED 6 MARCH

ADL FESTIVAL / / GROOVERS N MOVERS

THURS 7 MARCH

ON CAMPUS / / FREE COFFEE WITH FPSA

WED 13 MARCH

STURT LIBRARY / / FUSA SAYS RELAX

WED 20 MARCH

MEDICAL LIBRARY / / FUSA SAYS RELAX

THURS 21 MARCH WED 27 MARCH

OASIS / / WORLD HARMONY DAY TONSLEY / / FUSA SAYS RELAX

Check out the FUSA Facebook page for more events

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PLAZA/HUB / / FUSA SAYS RELAX

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STUDENT WHO IS STUDENT COUNCIL Student Council is the governing body of Flinders University Student Association (FUSA). But what does that mean?

We listen to students’ interests, ideas and concerns, and communicate them to the University on various committees and boards. We also use these ideas to inform the campaigns and events we run throughout the year.

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There are 19 elected student representatives, whose specific roles ensure that all members of our student community are advocated for and have a voice.

We run a whole bunch of events throughout the year, such as pub crawls, the annual FUSA Ball, Pride Fest, an Anti-Racism Campaign, as well as welfare initiatives during SWOTVAC. To see what we’ve got coming up, check out the What’s On page of Empire Times and find us on Facebook and Instagram as ‘FUSA Student Council’ or @fusastudentcouncil.

ADVOCACY Student Council makes change within the university to make student life a little easier. We advocate for the best interests of postgraduate and undergraduate students across our campuses, whether in the form of campaigns, protests, petitions or lobbying.

This involves things like offering feedback on policy changes, making clear what students need from the university when it hasn’t been considered, and making our voices heard during other key decision making processes.

Student Council campaigns also extend to broader interests, identities and changes that affect students. Whether it’s a campaign for marriage equality, combatting racism and sexism, or promoting environmental sensitivity, we push for creating a better university experience for all students.

NUS CAMPAIGNS The National Union of Students run nationwide campaigns and initiatives that aim to create change on a national level.

Student Council are charged with overseeing and promoting NUS campaigns at Flinders University, and communicating our needs to national office bearers.

Over the years, the National Union of Students have run campaign to prevent university fee deregulation, demand action and better support for students around sexual violence on campus, lobby to raise the rate of Newstart and other welfare support payments, and raise awareness about inadequate disability support services through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

COLLECTIVES Student Council office bearers run collectives for autonomous groups, giving them a forum to discuss key issues, connect with other students to share their experiences, and find a safe space on campus. Collectives are run by Student Council for students, and are a great way to tell us what you’d like to see us doing in the autonomous departments. You can find more info and sign up to Collectives at fusa.edu.au/collectives.

STUDENT REPRESENTATION ON UNIVERSITY BOARDS Student Council hold a number of positions on various university boards. Committees such at the Academic Senate, the Education Quality Committee, the SSAF Advisory Group, and Equal Opportunities and Diversity Committee have student council members automatically part of the board to represent the interests of students and to provide a student voice in spaces otherwise run by university. Having positions on these boards allows us to encourage positive change where it is required and ensure that we are being listened to when decisions are being made.

STURT / / ANTI_RACISM CAMPAIGN BBQ

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WEDS 20 MARCH 26-28 MARCH

your student voice

TUES 5 MARCH

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Check out the Student Council Facebook page for keep updated

POLITICAL Flinders’ political groups weigh in on the topics that matter to students THE SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE

THE FLINDERS UNIVERSITY LABOR CLUB

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Tom Gilchrist

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We’re the party for radicals. We support all struggles against oppression and exploitation. But we don’t just want to tinker with the problems of capitalism, we want a revolution to get rid of it entirely.

As long as we live in a system run for profit, workers’ rights and the environment will always be under threat. We want a socialist society that puts that power in the hands of ordinary people.

If students want a system that doesn’t put profit ahead of planet, and the rights of commodities above the rights of refugees, if they think all oppression, racism, misogyny, homophobia and transphobia must be fought, then they should join Socialist Alternative.

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The Liberal party is in crisis. Wages have stagnated, and inequality grown.

We need to tax the rich, reverse privitisations, put funding into public services, and get rid of anti-union laws which stop workers fighting for their rights. All Labor is offering, however, is some mild reforms, and when it comes to locking up refugees, increasing

1.)

The Flinders University Labor Club is a strong, active group of students on campus who believe in democracy, unionism, feminism and socialism. For So building a genuine left is crucial, as is the past three years we’ve formed getting involved in protest campaigns majorities on your FUSA Student that can fight against right-wing Council, fighting for reforms that policies from either party. make University life fairer for you. We believe that a person’s privilege should 3.) not determine their opportunity, We oppose the restructure and have which is why we believe in, among been involved in the campaign to stop other things, free, fully funded tertiary it, and we’re supporting the motion of education. no confidence in the university council who brought it in.

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The uni admin want to churn through The 2019 election marks a pivotal as many students as possible and profit point for Australia; and not only from their fees. They also want to profit because it’s the first full post-Brexit, off of corporate research, including in Trump era Australian Federal election. collaboration with weapons and fossil Labor is putting forward a strong fuel companies. The restructure helps alternative for a fairer Australia. them do this by splitting up teaching Reforms to access to housing, welfare, and research, to the detriment of both education and employment are all staff and students. absolutely integral to the success of our generation. We can’t continue As well as fighting the restructure at in a world where access to housing Flinders, we believe education should is increasingly expensive, secure be free again; with increased funding, employment is scarce, and education greater staff and student control, and is inaccessible. Labor will fight for fair, no ties with corporations. for us. military spending or allowing the destructive Adani coalmine to proceed, the major parties are basically singing from the same song sheet.

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Tell us about your party. What do you stand for? Why should Flinders students get involved with your group?

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The recent academic staff restructure has rocked a lot of things on campus and left an uncertain future for students, where do you stand on the issue? Where would you like to see the university going in this regard in 2019?

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Being a federal election year, what are the biggest issues we face as a country going into 2019?

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FLINDERS UNIVERSITY LIBERAL CLUB Conner Pangallo

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Energy policy: With the National Energy Guarantee abandoned, the major parties will need to find credible, long-term solutions to getting electricity prices down. 2: Immigration: The federal government argues Australia’s asylum seeker policy has stopped asylum seekers from drowning at sea. However, the left argues the policy is not sufficiently compassionate towards asylum seekers. Australians will need to decide which of these two main arguments is more persuasive.

3. Climate policy: If the planet is still getting warmer despite global efforts, including the landmark 2015 Paris agreement, then the major parties’ willingness to combat climate change could tip the scales either way.

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Personally, I think the academic restructure was good for for the University’s long-term efficiency as a public institution, and the National Tertiary Education Union was wrong to meddle in the process. In 2019, I believe Flinders University should aspire to be as competitive as possible lest it fall behind other universities in Australia and the world.

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The Flinders Liberal Club is the Liberal Party of Australia’s representation at Flinders University. Essentially, the Liberal Party is a centre-right party that stands for less government and more economic and political freedom for the individual. If you want less government intrusion into your life, then you should join our club.

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The Flinders University Labor Club strongly opposes the current restructure. This restructure was rolled out without any meaningful consultation, and has a huge impact on staff numbers and quality. The subsequent loss of a significant number of teaching staff will have severe impacts on our learning. We’re calling for a sector wide conversation about funding reform, and an end to Universities being run like corporations and degree factories.

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS

2018: A REVIEW

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ith the exit of Nick Xenophon and the mass resignations after the citizenship crisis of 2017, there were concerns that 2018 would become an unremarkable year in Australian politics. However, the show still gave some of the classic moments we’ve come to know and love. Let’s look at this season’s key episodes, but if you’re behind on your politics, be warned: spoilers ahead!

Episode: The X-Cabinet Files The 117th season of Australian Politics saw the biggest national security breach in the show’s history.

In a shocking turn of events two filing cabinets of confidential government documents, on a range of topics including national security, ended up at the ABC. It was a high-brow opening for the season and a step away from such iconic episodes as Tony Eats an Onion and Pauline Dons a Burqa. Unfortunately, The Cabinet Files was unpopular with viewers as there was simply too much to read.

Episode: A Current Barnaby Affair Predictably, the show didn’t stay high-brow for long, with it eventually being revealed that Barnaby Joyce, the then Deputy Prime Minister, had an affair with a former staffer, resulting in a baby. We all breathed a sigh of relief when we realised we didn’t have to read anything, but they already did this storyline on Glee.

Episode: My White Supremacy Rules This episode saw the openly anti-Muslim writers of the show take a rather controversial approach with the new character of Fraser Anning. His first lines included describing “settling new colonies” to be the purpose of the Caucasian race and that they ‘never had [an] equal on the face of the earth’. The speech was full of

throwback moments to our favourite past episodes, including the White Australia Policy era and even to the long-reigning Nazi era in the German version of the series. The antics didn’t stop there, however, with the It’s Not Easy Being White episode where long-running villain, Pauline Hanson, put forward a motion that “It’s OK to be white”. The motion was voted in the affirmative by the Liberals but quickly, and hilariously, back-tracked.

Episode: Whose Leadership is it Anyway?

We saw it in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015. However, it was easily the most talked about episode of the series.

Story Arc: I’m an Asylum Seeker, Get Me Out of Here!

The Nauru/Manus Island story arc has been in the background for some time, but this year things came to a head with suicides, evidence of negligent conditions and severe mental and physical health issues leading to protests around the country. Since then, children have been slowly removed from the Nauru and brought to Australia leaving many wondering if this means they’ll get their own spin-off series. Unfortunately, Fresh off the Boat is already taken, but other title possibilities include How I Met Your Immigration Minister, Nauruan Horror Story and Straight Outta Detention.

While 2018 wasn’t our favourite season, it had some strong moments. The issue is that the writers are struggling to create original content after the golden era of Rudd-Gillard-Rudd-Abbott. 2019 has opened strong, however, with Shoegate and of course the wildcard of the election is fast approaching which is sure to create a shake-up in the show’s casting, creating new storylines and wrapping up some older ones. For instance, will Bob Katter end the crocodiles’ killing spree? How long after the Broad’s Sugar Baby sexting scandal can we say ‘G’Day’ again? Will we ever find out if it truly is okay to be white? And is this the year we see the return of the long-absent Harold Holt? words by ANGELINA TAYLOR

F C A B

Article Fascists at the Beach Fascists at the Beach

Writer Harvey Menadue Harvey Menadue

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ll around the world we have seen the rise of farright forces. Trump sits in the White House, calling for a wall to rebuff migrants and refugees. He calls them criminals and rapists, insisting, ‘these aren’t people. These are animals.’ A fascist called Bolsonaro, who supports the old military dictatorship, has been elected in Brazil. He promises to increase law and order, saying ‘a policeman who doesn’t kill isn’t a policeman’. The prime minister of Hungary, anti-democratic Viktor Orbán, has restricted media freedom and introduced what the population are calling a “slave law” to increase overtime to 400 hours a year and to delay the pay for up to three years.

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Section Politics

Australian flags. These are the people who flock to talks

by Lauren Southern and Milo Yiannopoulos, attend men’s rights marches and call for violence against Muslims, women, black Africans, queer people and Jews. These are the alt-right trolls who grow in confidence with the words of Jordan Peterson, who idolise the Proud Boys, who are alienated and angry at the world. The rally was outnumbered by the counter-protesters – but their numbers are growing.

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But of course, the man with nineteen constituents isn’t alone. Around a hundred right-wingers, racists and fascists went to the rally, Nazi-saluting and draped in

When racists and fascists, sexists and incels, and the hard right come to Adelaide we must also be ready to mobilise against them, to fight against the likes of Jordan Peterson and Milo Yiannopoulos. We need to build a Campaign Against Racism and Fascism like in Sydney and Melbourne, who can rally counter-protests just as they did in St. Kilda.

We need to mobilise in marches and protests, to look fascists in the eye and say never again, to stand with others in solidarity. We must oppose fascists at every stand, demoralise them, take direct action to protect our rights and fight for the rights of others. We need to fight the right – and we need to win.

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‘Fifty years ago Australia was a cohesive, predominantly Anglo-Celtic nation...there was a broad consensus between the Liberal and Labor parties on the kind of society we were... [The] parties reflected a common framework of Judeo-Christian values, supporting the family as the basic unit of society… the principle that marriage was a union between a man and woman… the sanctity of the lives of the unborn...Both parties recognised the importance of our predominantly European identity.’ [Sen. Fraser Anning’s maiden speech.]

Ignoring fascists and the far-right only gives them space to organise, as their rallies and marches grow in boldness and numbers. Censoring and de-platforming the right only gives them opportunity to cry about how oppressed they are and does nothing to build a strong campaign against racism and fascism. A strong, confident pushback is needed, to fight not only the far-right but the racist bipartisan policies of our government, the anti-queer policies of our Prime Minister, and the rampant sexism of parliament.

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Frraser Anning’s appearance at a fascist rally this early January in Saint Kilda – on taxpayers money – should be no surprise to us. Here was the man who advocated for a “final solution” against Muslims and immigration, calling for discrimination explicitly on a racial and religious basis. Here was the senator who lamented the loss of White Australia, remembering fondly:

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S FA S T S I C HE T T A CH A E B Political outsiders are joined by fascist movements and groups, disillusioned racists and sexists, patriots, and chauvinists trying to rile up hatred, hysteria and push forward right-wing ideology. What were once small fringe parties are growing, like the National Rally in France where the hard immigrant right is fueling its base. But when the media and mainstream parties can rile up the same hatred and hysteria around criminal unions and Muslim terrorists, “gender whisperers” and African gangs as the political outsiders, then something more is wrong than some rightwing fringe acting up. Hatred of immigrants, women, queer people, advocacy of establishing an ethnostate – every disgusting thing that right-wingers can produce, they do it on television, in parliament, in boardrooms and in our newspapers.

Racism is becoming mainstream. Pauline Hanson’s fascist “It’s Okay To Be White” motion could be initially moved in parliament without Liberal and Labor giving it a second thought. Fraser Anning has the same views on gender as Scott Morrison does. Far-right ideas have been adopted and popularised by mainstream parties and those hard-right figures are growing in power. What have we been doing against the rise of the right? What should we be doing against the rise of the right?

The centre parties can’t be trusted to do anything other than defend bigotry, elitism and chauvinism, with their Fortress Australia policies condemning refugees to waste away in detention or at sea outside our borders. The so-called left of the Labor party – Ged Kearney, Anthony Albanese – support boat turn-backs. The racist Northern Territory Intervention (a rerun of the Stolen Generations) received bipartisan support.

T-MINUS 6 MONTHS - ADELAIDE SET TO OPEN IT’S DOORS TO OUTER SPACE

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ecently billionaire Jeff Bezos commented in an interview, ‘The only way that I can see to deploy this much financial resource is by converting my Amazon winnings into space travel. That is basically it.’ This sparked outrage online, many arguing that rather than give up on the Earth to transform humanity into a space-faring civilisation, he could pay his workers better, help the homeless and impoverished, help cure diseases and any number of things billions of dollars could pay for. Elon Musk is more popular with the public than Bezos, but he too gets criticised on mass for pouring his incredible amount of wealth into SpaceX and his optimistic project of building a self-sustaining colony on Mars, rather than into solving issues on Earth.

SPACE AGENCY ADELAIDE

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For young Australians, the most important difference the Agency will make will be a massive increase in jobs. While the headquarters in Adelaide will initially employ just 20 people, it is proposed that it will employ 20,000 in just 10 years. The reach of the industry is large, so it will require employees who work in a range of fields and specialties. Young people have a rare opportunity to be involved in a new industry and to make a significant impact during its infancy. With automation, the exportation of jobs and the growing gig economy continuing the decrease in available bill-paying jobs, this could not have come at a better moment, except even sooner. This Agency is a long-term aid to a long-term problem. For many countries, most notably the USA, the space industry is a form of critical infrastructure, one that will provide stability during this rocky

Even if you will not be personally employed by the Agency, its presence will benefit you. It is proposed that they will boost Australia’s economy by billions, especially here in South Australia where their HQ will be located, but also in all states and territories as the Agency grows and pulls talent from around the nation. This theory is not just a guess, as the phenomenon has been observed in other countries when their governments invested in the space industry. More jobs for fellow Australians, means money available to spend on local businesses. Closer relations with other nations through agreements with overseas space agencies will benefit exporting businesses as they become a part of the global supply chain that will hold up the industry.

We can all agree that government spending has its issues, but the Australian Space Agency will, in time, prove to be a worthy investment that will improve the lives of Australians by decreasing unemployment, boosting the economy and developing technology to improve everyday lives.

words by SHEVAUN RUTHERFORD

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Once in the global picture, the agency will start work at home. While there are no plans for any manned space missions yet, the agency has lots of other projects in mind.

They plan to develop Australia’s communication technologies, earth observation and remote asset management using small low-cost satellites. These satellites will improve the monitoring of bushfires, water resources, fisheries and agriculture. The agency will drive scientific development, improving the quality of intellectual recourses in Australian universities, making them more attractive to international students. The space industry is a hot house for developing new technologies that can be used to improve life on Earth, including GPS and freeze-dried food. What is good for science is good for humanity, from the invention of everyday tools to creation of tactics to help prevent climate change.

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The Space Agency will establish its headquarters here in Adelaide mid this year, on the site of the former Royal Adelaide Hospital, a role South Australia battled the other states for, our established defence and technology industries winning out. The federal government will give the agency 41 million dollars to establish itself, 15 million of this given solely to enter agreements with overseas space agencies in the hopes they will later return the favour.

period of decreasing employment. Students specialising in the sciences have something to be hopeful for, that doesn’t require them to relocate overseas, for almost any area they are interested in. Plus, the agency so far is presenting itself as a progressive workplace. The agency is led by Dr Megan Clark, wonderful news considering women only make up 16% of Australia’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics jobs. The Agency’s recently revealed logo depicts several significant Indigenous constellations, united to form the shape of our country. ‘We celebrate our earliest cultural connection with space and Australia’s unique geographical position in the Agency’s new identity, capturing our past, present and future,’ commented Clark.

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It was these controversies that caused me to first meet the budding Australian Space Agency with scepticism. Why is it necessary? Would Australia’s money not be better spent elsewhere? Why is a space agency what we need now?

A Party I Wasn’t Invited To The second sentence out his mouth while I’m getting through his door: ‘I have a boyfriend.’

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He seemed nonplussed by my shock, and like a teacher and like a teacher guiding a slow learner he advised me, ‘This is just what everyone does now.’

I felt the rug pull out from under me. Was I living in the past?

Did monogamy die and I missed the notification? It felt like a party I wasn’t invited to, except – as I now realised – it was a party and I was most certainly invited.

This isn’t how I like to see dating – not as a series of steps between my phone and somebody’s house. Yet it’s here I find myself anyway.

My intentions for visiting were neither innocent innocent nor vague and yet, like a Woolies hot chicken that didn’t scan at the reduced price, I was taken I was taken back.

Since my parents’ split as a kid, I’ve always questioned the safety of a relationship; the idea of being open makes me sick with anxiety. Is this an incorrect feeling? Is the problem in fact just me? I needed to understand why someone Is roblem would be fine knowing their partner was sleeping with someone else. I had to know why I was different.

Why did I have to be the one compromised by a conflicted emotional compass?

He first explained the sense of freedom it gave him, and the opportunity to explore his sexual needs with whom he pleased.

For him, this was a confidence builder, and it relied on fostering honest communication.

Just don’t mention the word jealousy – I got shot down for thinking it. ‘That’s your

insecurity,’ he told me. he told ‘If you were confident in who you were, you wouldn’t be having those feelings.’

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In this modern life it’s easy to get instant fulfilment. Your Instagram photo gets a like?

Boom, dopamine. Bored out of your mind? Out comes your old pal Netflix. So much of our dayThink, what would you be to-day life comes quick and willing to sacrifice for someone? easy, so I think we fall into the Do they actually care for you? trap of thinking relationships aill be the will be the same.

The right person will always be Sure, committing to one person unequivocally worth it. can be hard – maybe sometimes words by we’d rather be out CHARLIE BOOKER

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To me, I think if being with someone also requires you to be with others to be happy, maybe it’s a sign you don’t actually want that person, but rather they’re a placeholder for the person you’re still searching for.

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Perhaps I’m just an old romantic. Perhaps polygamy is the direction in which society is heading, and learning to curb things like jealousy is just another social boundary.

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Yet, despite what all seemed like reasonable motives, what frustrated me was being told that as animals we’re not naturally monogamous.

I was indignant. ‘But we’re not animals. We function through reasoning. We live to a moral law.’ That’s certainly something my cat has absolutely NO concept of.

If ou were in If you were in an relationship and they cheated on you, that terrible twisted feeling is inherent, that’s not some kind of hardwired societal expectation, that’s a human response.

having “fun” with someone else. But at the end of the day, building confidence, fostering good communication – you don’t have to be in an open relationship to work on these.

I’d say it’s far more rewarding discovering this sense of self either on your own, or with the additional sense of safety, privacy, and comfort of being with that one special person.

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nless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year or so, you’ve probably heard the term “Me Too” being thrown around a lot lat year. However you may not have heard of Tarana Burke, the founder of the movement, and a woman I personally think we should all be paying much more attention to.

countless women and men from all backgrounds coming forward and saying, ‘Me Too.’ On Twitter, half a million people in 12 hours used the hastag for “Me Too”, and 12 million people liked the “Me Too” Facebook page in the 24 hours after the article was published.

Burke is credited for iniating the “Me Too” movement back in 2006. Inspired by the widespread and deeply affecting impact sexual violence had on the people in her community, particularly Black women and girls, Burke worked for years connecting assault victims with support services to create a network of survivors and advocates, working to “interrupt” sexual violence.

I recently watched Burke’s 2018 TED Talk: “Me Too” is a Movement, not a Moment, where she spoke about how after all her years of work, all the stories, lawsuits, marches, statements, attacks and testimonies, she is, in her own words, numb.

I was a little shocked when I first heard this human rights activist say this about her area of advocacy. But to be honest, I get it. I think we’re all a little numb after the explosive sexual harassment watershed that was 2018. There’s only so many times you can read the words ‘new sexual harassment claims against…’ until they don’t really seem new anymore.

On October 5th 2017, the New York Times published a report claiming dozens of rape and sexual harassment allegations against Hollywood film mogul Harvey Weinstein.

What followed was a seismic upheaval of “the system”, with

It also sparked 300+ women in Hollywood to initiate the “Times Up” movement, which aimed to make concrete steps towards workplace equality and personal safety. The New York Times article had a domino effect in publicly exposing and discussing years of systematic abuse of power through the perpetuation of sexual harassment.

The widespread interest and relatability of experiencing sexual violence, paired with the media’s tendency to loudly name and shame those accused, made the “Me Too” movement so much more than the network of survivors and advocates Burke first cultivated. “Me Too” evolved from a local initiative supporting sexual assault victims to a global

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Burke argues that sexual harassment stems directly from people who have some degree of power and privilege.

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I won’t lie. I have no solution in weeding out the false allegations from the truthful ones. Aside from wishing people would just be good people, I have no revolutionary ideas.

I think we still have a long way to go, but perhaps the most important thing that “Me Too” has taught us is that we need to start somewhere. I’d like to think this movement has made it clear that sexual harassment has no place in our shifting society. Hollywood’s “Me Too” movement brought about change in identifying and discussing sexual assault by making it a topical issue. What were once taboo topics are now openly discussed in the public sphere, where people are able to have open and honest conversations about sexual violence, health, gender, autonomy, and numerous other elements of this complex issue. While sexual assault has not been eradicated overnight, the popularity and virality of “Me Too” has had a profound impact on how we approach, discuss, and consider sexual harassment within our society.

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However, a recent US study suggests that sexual harassment claims that are proven false after investigation make up 2-10% of all those reported. So are false allegations a real threat, or should we be more focused on those who are actually guilty? Unconfirmed allegations often have very little noteworthy consequences. Evidently, the sexual assault accusations against Donald Trump and Brett Kavanaugh are yet to have any substaintial impact on their job opportunities and prospects.

So is one person’s reputation more important than the millions of people who have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime? How do we value the lives of those who spend years dealing with their trauma? Are they important, or are we more concerned with destroying the abuser until social justice has been served? What has “Me Too” taught us?

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These are all valid points. False accusations can be an issue, and can have serious consequences for those accused as well as their loved ones. False accusations also result in the stories of real survivors facing greater resistance and doubt.

It is hard enough for survivors to come forward in the first place, even without the threat of ridicule and scrutiny that they may also encounter. Further, with news being just a click away, as well as the socially and politically active nature of our engaged society, those accused typically become guilty until proven innocent.

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Now, as with every movement, there were problems.

Burke notes that those critical of the popularised “Me Too” movement often discuss similar elements: that “Me Too” eliminates due process, sparks a witch-hunt, initiates a gender war, etc.

But there’s something to be said about the ferocity with which the “Me Too” movement caught fire. I still struggle to comprehend the sheer magnitude of people who used the “Me Too” hashtag. Millions of people. Millions of people have experienced sexual harassment. Everyone has a story. The person sat next to you on the bus this morning has a story.

My best friend has a story.

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movement attracting worldwide attention.

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Perhaps our next step as a society is to actively work towards building positive connections between power and vulnerability, educating all generations young and old, and ensuring serious consequences for abusers. Every human being has a basic human right to not live in fear.

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I struggled to approach this article because “Me Too” is surrounded by a complicated string of issues involving politics, gender, society, autonomy, identity, and many more.

For example, the recent backlash to the Gillette commercial led to further degradation of the “Me Too” movement it supported, when the ad asks men to “be the best they can be.” The ad has had a mixed response, with some celebrating the company’s activism, and others vowing to never buy their products again. It was seen, to use Piers Morgan’s words, as an ad that supports “a war against masculinity”.

Personally, I feel the ad suggests that it’s not about men versus women at all, or masculinity versus femininity (words that are complicated and problematic in their own right), but encourages a considerable effort by all to make intentional changes to our behaviour and education to cultivate a world of equality where no person ever has to live in fear.

Being politically aware, socially conscious, and actively avoiding coming across “preachy” makes me feel exhausted, depreciated, and for want of a better word, numb.

But I wanted to try and establish some clarity here at the end of this

article, however minute, to clear away the mess and focus on the movement’s initial and current motivation.

Survivors.

I concur with Burke’s suggestion for a refocus back onto the survivors of sexual violence and harassment, and to ensure their physical, mental, and emotional health. Survivors were, and have always been, the central concern of the “Me Too” movement: it’s time for mainstream media, the entertainment industry, and the world to catch on. Rather than sparking Hollywood witch-hunts and black lists for the men and women who perpetrate and conceal sexual harassment, we need to focus on the survivors of these attacks, and concern ourselves with their support and rehabilitation. Obviously, those individuals who are guilty of sexual harassment need to face consequences for their actions, but brandishing people with social leprosy is not an effective or meaningful method of judgement for those who are guilty.

Rather than metaphorically egging those accused, lets focus on helping the people who have suffered at the hands of privilege and power to regain their humanity. Those guilty of sexual harassment and sexual assualt must receive appropriate punishment for their crimes, but it should be the names and faces of survivors we should remember, not the abusers who stand trial.

words by EVIE CAZZOLATO

So, leading into this year we ran skills sessions which stripped footy back to basics – we are talking as basic as learning how to hold a ball, control the drop, extend our leg, keep momentum going forward, and pointing our foot when kicking. Once the basics were down, our improvement skyrocketed and player development was overwhelming.

We saw some women who could only kick a ball along

In order to prepare our women further, we are currently offering Strength and Conditioning sessions to the women’s team at the Flinders University Gym. Players are working closely with an experienced football trainer - some sneaky experience with the Adelaide Crows to be more specific. This will get us ready to face the 2019 season and, ultimately, reduce the risk of injury.

I do not intend to use Varcoe’s passing, which was nothing short of heartbreaking, to promote our club. I simply hope to show the urgent need to educate and condition our female footballers in preparation for their entrance into the football world. We are stronger and more courageous than we give ourselves credit for.

I would also like to encourage you to come and join our fierce team out at FUFC. Whether you have experience or not, we would love to see new faces around the club and share our love for the game with as many of you as possible.

Tell every woman in your life about the inroads being made in the world of women’s footy - it’s something to be bloody proud of. words by MICHELLE WAKIM

R E P O R T

Varcoe’s passing shook the female football world to its core.

At a grassroots level, we felt the impact of this incident in all its magnitude. Instantly, awareness was sparked around the dangers of women receiving insufficient guidance and coaching when it comes to playing this beloved Australian sport. Women’s football has been in the spotlight for some time now, and even though our love for footy is unwavering, it is a precarious time for our players as we are seeing a growing number of injuries as seasons go by. Looking to pave the way here at FUFC, we decided that it was time our women, the mighty Stingrays, were given the education they needed in regards to football and protecting our bodies.

Our coach, who is both an experienced player and coach, applauded the endeavour, intensity and passion we brought to our footy. He also stressed the importance of learning the complex game and how powerful our bodies are. In the coach’s words, without correct guidance, the fearless way we use our bodies is as though we have been handed a loaded gun, but not shown how to use it safely and correctly.

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Kicking off the year with the theme of ‘Seasons of Change’ means that you can’t help but look back on the season that was. If we look across the board in Australian sport, 2018 produced some stories that will be remembered for many years to come. There were many triumphs and scandals that defined last year, but one tragic story brought the year to a close: the death of South Australian footballer, Maggie Varcoe. Varcoe, sister to Collingwood star Travis Varcoe, collapsed after sustaining a head injury during a collision while playing in her footy grand final. Later, Varcoe passed away in hospital.

Most importantly, during these sessions we were taught how to protect ourselves. We drilled how to approach a contest, learning to use the strength in our hips while prioritising the protection of our heads. We were also taught techniques in how to correctly pick up a footy on the run. The most instinctive of actions, such as a smother or a tackle, were broken down for us, and our confidence grew remarkably regarding these elements of our game.

S P O R T S

ell, hello there! Good to have you back. A big, hearty welcome to all newcomers. I’m Michelle Wakim, and I am the Women’s Representative for the Flinders University Football Club (FUFC), and the sports columnist for your uni magazine. I should start by saying I love sport so much it hurts; the only thing I love more is unpacking the relationship between sport and our society, and how this relationship shapes our identities. Buckle up for a wild and enthusiastic ride in 2019 folks.

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the ground nail controlled kicks on the run, and others who were struggling to take a chest mark confidently take overhead marks.

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but were deeply curious. In the distance appeared a black door, peeking out from between the trees. In the sunlight it looked almost navy blue, as if the TARDIS had just landed on campus.

Of course, my friend and I then proceeded to run off the path and stumble through scrub to get closer. With twig scratched legs we stood beneath its majesty, heads arched up to the hillock it sits on.

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f you wander beyond the Flinders University lake, to the centre of Central Park, between the North and South Ridges of the Bedford Campus, you may stumble across a giant obsidian black tombstone, that towers above you and proclaims in golden engraving, the single word: DEARTH.

We were confounded.

I first came across Dearth one semester while exploring the South Ridge with a friend. We are both humanities students and so never had a reason to visit the area,

We wanted answers, so we clambered up to it. Behind the obelisk we found something that only gave us more questions, a small weatherworn plaque that read:

Was is an actual tombstone, with a body buried beneath it? Was it a memorial? Maybe a bizarre prank? A student’s secret act of rebellion? And what did ‘Dearth’ even mean?

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However, the installation of Dearth at Flinders University went wrong. ‘A day and time had been arranged for me to be on campus to supervise, but

However, you shouldn’t have to. It’s the 40th anniversary of Dearth’s time on campus, and it is in dire need of attention. Despite the wishes of the artist, it is still set too low in the ground, positioned too far away from human activity, and the gold-leaf lettering needs to be refreshed. If you care about this piece of our university’s history and personality, please speak up to the university about the importance of respecting the artist’s wishes. Tipping can be reached through his email address softriots@gmail.com or you can see his website www.richardtiping.com for more information about him and his other pieces.

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After the exhibition, Dearth sat in the front yard of Tipping’s Adelaide home for an entire year. Then Tipping decided to gift the piece to his alma mater, Flinders University, where he studied drama, philosophy and English. ‘At 28 years old I already felt that my future life would be in New South Wales so this was a kind of advance goodbye,’ commented Tipping.

Whilst I now have an in-depth understanding of the history of Dearth, the work still holds an air of the supernatural. Its presence is almost surreal, jutting out of the earth in an otherwise unassuming grove of gum trees. There is something difficult to capture on the page. I suppose this is why Tipping turned to physical mediums to bring life to his poetry, to capture something words can only imply. So, if you’re able, trek out to the Dearth in the centre of the campus and behold the monument yourself.

C A M P U S

Dearth was special though. The work’s physical form was made possible by a grant from the South Australian government. The stone was quarried and hand engraved here in the state, by master mason Helmut Schneider, then inlaid with gold-leaf.

Despite Dearth’s unsympathetic placement, the positioning of the piece does interact with its meaning.

It sits in the valley between the two sections of Bedford Campus, a quiet void. Tipping writes in his essay Word Art Works: Visual Poems and Textual Objects, ‘Dearth is a memorial to absence, while the words within the word flow into its other possibilities’, just as the installation’s surroundings may feel empty, but they are actually brimming with the life of plants and insects and birds. The artwork is ultimately about rebirth. “Dearth” or “Absence” is the most prominent message at first glance, but within “Dearth” there is also “Earth”, “Art” and more. The monument screams that out of death and loss, grows life and possibility. ‘From nothing comes everything in a magical rebirth,’ commented Tipping.

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The word ‘Dearth’, as it turns out, means ‘a scarcity, or lack of something’ and the creator of the piece is one Richard Tipping. The instalment began as the poem engraved on the back of the slab of imperial black granite. Dearth grew from a long-time interest in words-within-words. ‘I was trying to write poems in one or two or just a few words, getting away from narrative and lyrical poetry,’ commented Tipping when I reached out to him. The piece was made in January 1978 for Tipping’s first solo exhibition The Everlasting Stone at the Adelaide Festival Centre Gallery. ‘Giving weight to words’, went the by-line, an attribution to Tipping’s amalgamation of poetry and art through textual sculptures. The exhibition itself was named after a catalogue issued by Monier Granite, who supplied the materials, which had been destroyed by order of the government on the grounds of misrepresentation, quoting ‘nothing lasts forever.’ The exhibition consisted of scrap pieces of granite and marble, with polished faces and rough edges, engraved with words that ‘played with the idea of the monumental.’ Tipping collected the scrap from the Monier Granite stone-yard, limited to what he could lift by hand into his Holden HR ute. In the backyard of his rented home, Tipping would spend long periods of time assigning words to each stone.

without notice [the construction crew] installed it several hours earlier. So I did not get to approve the site, and the sculpture was buried more deeply than I had wanted.’ The artist’s complaints about the instalment’s height is surprising, given its already looming presence, but the issues concerning placement are less so. It’s a significant trek to reach Dearth, and it is concealed by a forest of trees, the cause for its elusive reputation.

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RESOLUTIONS i will i will i will i will i will i will

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’m usually not bothered with New Year’s resolutions. I spent so many years making resolutions and breaking them almost instantly, that for the last few I’ve not given it a second thought. Who needs resolutions when you don’t plan on keeping them anyway? But for some reason I felt a little different this year. I wanted to make some changes, not because I was particularly unhappy, but because I knew I could just be a little bit better.

A family friend mentioned to me at the end of last year that she always feels like the beginning of a New Year means fresh opportunities and endless possibilities. Another of my friends told me that she didn’t really believe in New Year’s resolutions, because she believes we are capable of life-altering change on any day of the year, and we shouldn’t rely on the date changing to mark our self-improvement. I spent a bit of time mulling these opinions over, and I’ve decided I agree with both of them.

We can change at any time, so why do we put pressure on January to be the start of our new life? What exactly are we waiting for? Why does a new year inspire thoughts of change?

And why do we struggle to stick to our goals? Why are we so allergic to change?

I believe the problem starts with over the top, ridiculous goals and impossible rule making. Every January 1st people go out guns blazing: gym memberships skyrocket, your

local Woolies is fresh out of lettuce, and the local bottle shop is over flowing with excess stock. Everyone is on the straight and narrow. A burger? Never heard of her. I only eat unadulterated fresh berries from fields of golden soil. There’s a worldwide prohibition on bread. Blue birds’ sing as they help people dress in their active wear for a 6am workout. The moon sings.

But by the time February rolls around, we’re all back to our pre-resolution selves, wallowing in self-pity over how we didn’t achieve our goal in the first week of trying. We end up stuffing out faces with leftover Christmas chocolate and binge watching anything on Netflix to escape the pain of our failure. The resolutions are dead and so are our hopes and dreams, all because we missed a day of training or ate six cupcakes.

In all my many, many years (less than a quarter of a century) living in this big wide world I like to think I’ve learned a few things. While I may not be the most qualified or wise to be spouting advice, I’d like to share my thoughts on goal making and achieving. Feel free to use or ignore them.

I think one of the key problems with New Year’s resolutions is that we always go too vague and too big: exercise everyday, learn guitar, lose 20 kilos, quit smoking, drink less, etc. These are all great changes to make, but they involve making huge alterations to our lives and habits.

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words by EVIE CAZZOLATO

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And arguably most importantly, don’t be discouraged by failure. If you don’t manage to do something every single day for 30 days – that’s okay! Life is busy and complicated, and there’s not always time to do the thing every day or week.

We give up so easily when we are knocked back: a cheat meal turns into a cheat week; you had one drink so you may as well have nine, etc. Part of why the goals we set at New Years so often never come to fruition is we give up when we fall down.

This year, I’ve decided to go with the motto, ‘New Year, same me: but better.’ I already like me. I’m pretty okay. But I know I can be better.

I’m starting small, and the things I’m changing aren’t ground breaking. Bake something once a fortnight. Drink 3 litres of water a day. Schedule time to paint regularly. (There are lots more, but I won’t bore you.) I’m just making little changes to my every day that will make me even just a little bit better by the end of the year. No guns blazing, a burger here and there, and a moon that just shines at night is my balanced attempt at making ongoing changes possible.

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Also, consistency in applying these changes is the only way to make it stick. Do something for 30 days and it will become a habit. If you actually want to make a change, you have to be willing to put in the work everyday to reach your goal.

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Every January 1 people go out guns blazing: gym memberships skyrocket, your local Woolies is fresh out of lettuce, and the local bottle shop is over flowing with excess stock. Everyone is on the straight and narrow.

A burger? Never heard of her.

H E A L T H

We push so hard against change because it’s uncomfortable, unfamiliar and unpredictable. Change means no longer scrolling through your phone for an hour before you go to sleep. It means only eating fruit after dinner. It means going for a walk everyday, even when its one-dest gree off freezing outside and you failed an assignment that morning.

Change means getting ourselves out of our comfort zone, and we humans really don’t enjoy that discomfort. But it’s so important to push yourself. To go outside of your cushy world and see what you’re actually capable of when you’re not laying on the couch all day.

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No matter what this goal is, achieving it is simply unattainable without careful planning. Breaking down big goals into smaller chunks that you can accomplish in the short term makes a massive difference in the long run. Having regular rewards and measures of achievement encourage you to keep going on the small scale, so you are able to eventually reach the bigger, overall goal.

But keep going! Missing one day or falling behind on your goals isn’t an excuse to stop all together.

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Think about what you actually want to specifically change, and consider whether this goal is superficial or meaningful.

Either is fine, but understand what is driving you to want this change, and if it will have an ongoing, positive impact on your mental, physical and emotional health. Decide on your goal, and make it something that has genuine meaning to you.

PETS OF Kellie

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Owner: Tayl a Wood Two years o ld? We thin k...

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Is your pet a star? Send us an email if you’d like for your number one fan to be featured in the magazine. For behind every great student, is often a great pet!

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ACROSS 1.) Student union 6.) “Out of scope” 8.) Editorial 9.) So, is this lecture...?

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Down Top car park name First editor of Empire Times Disappearing Prime Minister Matthew Flinders' cat Where is Up-Co?

QUIZ 1.) Which Italian composer wrote the violin concerti ‘The Four Seasons’ in 1721?

2.) Which famous superhero featured on the front cover of the first edition of Empire Times in 1969?

3.) How many vertebrae are there in a giraffe’s neck?

4.) What year was famous Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky born in?

5.) Who is the longest serving Australian prime minister from the Labor party?

6.) Which Kanye West Album has the opening song ‘Ultralight Beam’?

7.) By population, what is the world’s smallest country?

8.) Who sang the titular song for the 2012 James Bond film ‘Skyfall’?

9.) Who was the first woman to win the Nobel prize and the only woman to have won it twice?

10.) Which SANFL club has had the most premiership victories?

ANSWERS 1. Antonio Vivaldi // 2. Superman // 3. Seven // 4. 1821 // 5. Bob Hawke (11th March 1983- 20th December 1991) // 6. The Life of Pablo (2016) // 7. Vatican City (approximately 1,000 people) // 8. Adele // 9. Marie Curie // 10. Port Adelaide (36)

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The Gift Shevaun Rutherford

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Thomas’ eyes drifted away from the splashback and his legs carried him from room to room, ambling about the cottage, leaving the kettle to whistle violently and the fried egg to explode on the stovetop.

He missed playing tag in the pastures, and nursing bumblebees he found by the muddy lakeside back to health with saucers of sugar water. Now there was only this quiet, empty, bunker of a house.

He found himself standing in the doorway of his sister’s bedroom. Her sheets were pulled up all the way, unmoved from the day the nurses had taken her to work in the city near the frontlines. He remembered every detail. There was a chill in the air and the lake was frozen over. She had left tracks in the snow, but now the ground was all mud and flowers.

Thomas stared at her old red coat hung over the doorknob.

She didn’t have time to grab it. He stepped towards it, brushed a hand down the thick felt as he reached into a pocket. The floor creaked underneath him as he walked back to the kitchen. He laid the objects out on the counter, and straightened them. A wallet with an unused food stamp and a couple of coins. Besides the wallet there was lint and dust, and a broken hair tie. Thomas stapled it back together and placed it inside the wallet.

There was a noise so loud it was as if the cottage was cracking open. For half a second he thought a bomb had fallen.

He raced to the sound.

His sister stood straight. A small earnest smile softened her spider-web face. ‘Hello, Thomas.’

His jelly legs carried him to his sister. She picked him off the ground, squeezed him until he could hardly breath. Thomas didn’t mind. He didn’t want her to let go.

‘I missed you so much!’ she said.

‘How are you here?’ he said, pulling back so he could see her.

‘Is the war over?’

Evelyn’s smile was sad this time. ‘Layoff, love. They’ve let me visit you.’

Without chickens, the henhouse was silent. There were no eggs for Thomas to fry that morning. Walking back inside, he averted his eyes from the deep freezer and the feathers littered around it.

In the kitchen, Evelyn was watching the kettle on the stovetop. Her hands were shaking and her face was softer, some of her scars vanished. She had made the chickens take them for her, like the nurses made her take the wounds of soldiers. Except the chickens weren’t as strong as the young woman. She smiled at Thomas but her eyes were glazed over.

Thomas finished making the tea, and they sat down with cup

F I C T I O N

It was silent except for the sizzling in the kitchen and the creaking of the floorboards as Thomas shifted his weight.

She stood in the doorway, half bent over as she pulled off her boots. Her dress was white, with a long-sleeved grey blouse underneath it, and a half-cape draped around her shoulders.

She looked up, her eyes frozen on Thomas. A white headdress framed her face, her terrible marred face. The scars of the soldiers she had treated crisscrossed all over her body.

Her skin was burned from sunlight that had never touched her, in other places rotted by the water of trenches. One particularly bad scar, from a soldier who had been caught in the face with a bayonet, stretched from her left brow, across a crooked nose and to her right cheek.

‘Evelyn?’ said Thomas, who hadn’t moved.

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hen Thomas put the kettle on each dawn the air bubbles rose in the water, like gasps of air from a clear lake. He stood in front of the frying pan, clutching the spatula in one small hand. The cottage was particularly dark in the mornings, grey light shifting in through the windows but only illuminating the dust in the air.

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and saucer at the dining table. Evelyn stared into her cup as she drank, while her little brother tinkered his fingernails against the thin ceramic.

‘I wish I had the healing, like you. I’m too old to get it now, aren’t I?’ Thomas lifted his eyes up to his sister, who pressed her lips together.

‘You’re lucky you didn’t get it. Then they would have made you be a nurse.’

Thomas lowered his eyes back down to his tea. ‘At least then I’d get to be with you. Well, I don’t need to be a nurse to go to the city. We could-‘ Evelyn turned her round eyes to him, setting her cup down on the table. Thomas couldn’t help but flash his eyes down to the rim of liquid it left on the wood. ‘Love, you can’t come to the city with me. There are bombings. You have to stay here, where it’s safe.’

‘But you could take me with you when you go-‘ ‘You’re not leaving this house!’ Her eyes flamed up like the stovetop. The saucer smashed under Evelyn’s fist.

‘Evelyn!’ Thomas reached a hand in her direction.

She grimaced, holding her wrist. She picked the pieces of ceramic out of the bright red slash across her hand, as if it were nothing. ‘It’s quite alright, Thomas,’ she said, emotionless, as he collected the shards on the floor. ‘It’s quite alright.’

~ Thomas was in his bedroom, taping up the shards of the broken saucer. He cocked his head at it. The pieces didn’t fit together anymore. The saucer was shaped like a star now, with holes where the jagged seams met.

His ears perked. A shadow floated past his window.

He hopped on his bed, and opened the flyscreen to lean outside. ‘Evelyn?’ he called out. There was no answer. The shadow kept walking. ‘Evelyn!’

Thomas rounded the corner into the hallway and flung open the front door. He stepped out onto the gravel and followed the flowing figure past the henhouse and down the driveway.

She clicked open the gate and didn’t close it behind her.

Thomas tottered to a stop at the edge of the gravel. ‘Evelyn, wait!’ He looked down to the border between the cottage

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and the meadow. He stumbled over it. ‘Evelyn!’

With a head whirring from lack of oxygen, he lifted a hand up to the scar that now cut across his face.

He followed her down to the lake, his short legs only just keeping up with her as she gracefully descended the hillock.

Mud squished between Thomas’ toes. He looked down to the sludge in disgust, more water than dirt.

‘No,’ said Evelyn. She grabbed him by the shoulders. ‘No! Let me take it back!’

When he looked up again the silhouette had entered the water, taking calm steps towards the centre of the lake.

But the wounds wouldn’t transfer to her. Thomas’ vision was fading as Evelyn leaned forward to wrap her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder. ‘I’m so sorry. Sorry. I’m so so sorry,’ she kept on saying as his body went limp.

The little boy ran into the water, the cold snapping him in place for a moment. He dived, just as her head was disappearing under the surface.

It was pitch black under the water. He paddled furiously, hands floundering. He grabbed hold of her night gown, pulled her up by the arms.

Evelyn thrashed when she realised someone had a hold of her. He dragged her up to the bank and her body began coughing up water. Thomas’ hands were still tight around her arms, as his chest rose and fell and tears stung at his eyes.

Suddenly his lungs were complaining for air. The scar that stretched across Evelyn’s face filled, corrected itself. Her nose straightened and her eyes widened in realisation.

He came to briefly, and found himself being carried in Evelyn’s arms, back to the cottage. ‘Don’t worry, love,’ Evelyn was saying to herself. ‘I won’t let them take you.’ words by SHEVAUN RUTHERFORD

STUDY Studying

abroad will

CHANGE you, they told me. . .

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ulture is a funny thing. You can read about a society, watch endless news stories from overseas and even speak to locals. But to live within a culture foreign to that of your own and to be subject to its customs and attitudes is another matter altogether. Most students return from an exchange with stories of how six months in France drinking champagne and practising ‘Salut, je m’appelle Courtney et je suis australienne’ changed their life. Stories of how they lived it up; partying and making many friends, learning exciting new things about the culture they were immersed in. This article is not one of those stories. This is a story of challenges and growth, of homelessness and loss and sanity.

I spent four months living and studying in Bologna, Italy. The house I lived in had warning signs from the beginning: an Italian family of four housing seven exchange students from Australia, Sweden, Spain, France and Holland. Eleven of us sharing one unreliable washing machine, a small kitchen, and rooms separated by cardboard that didn’t reach the exposed, unfinished roof. I recall brushing it off when my landlady refused a bank transfer in favour of cash payments for rent. I met so many desperate students in Bologna. Each semester thousands come to this renowned university to study abroad and housing is competitive. Friends of mine stayed in hotels and Airbnbs while they searched for somewhere more permanent. I felt very lucky to have a place minutes from the university.

I tried to make it feel like home. I hung fairy lights across my wall above the bed. They shone in shades of soft blues and yellow, green and pink; the same warmth I had known at home in Adelaide. I was fortunate enough to have a proper bedroom and my own bathroom. I didn’t know that this, along with the fact that I was a non-EU citizen with a family very far away would make me so vulnerable to exploitation.

My bathroom had been shoddy from the day I arrived, and the plumbing was repeatedly worked on, but that didn’t fix the lack of water separation between my bedroom and the bathroom. In fact, to exit my bathroom was to take a step

But I didn’t expect this!

down, which created a perfect waterfall for the shower water. One night, when the habitual flooding from the nonrecessed shower eventually broke the cheap parquet floor, I was deemed the guilty offender. The following day I found a note taped to my door: Dear Courtney Lawrence Your time in this Hospitality House is finish.

Your’s characteristic conduct it’s not qualified for this house.

The documents for the permanence in Italy, for you, from now is your exclusive responsibility.

It also informed me that I would not be receiving my bond of $870 and demanded a further $870 for damages. I felt horrified. Betrayed even. I had spent time with this family.

I had been teaching English to my landlords’ fourteen and sixteen year-old daughters for free. How could they see this as acceptable? Yet the situation got worse. My attempts to discuss and negotiate resulted in a night of yelling, fear and physical assault by an angry and irrational landlord. I fled the house with my pyjamas and a toothbrush, running through the rain to the nearest friend’s place.

I hear now and then racist stereotypes, such as that French people are rude or snobby. I had three French housemates, and knew another two who all taught me some fun phrases.

They also were the first friends to take me in, and often did so at last minute. They sat and listened through raw pain and tears. They caught up with me when I had anxiety attacks walking through that part of town. They sacrificed visits from family and friends so that I wasn’t sleeping on the street. They found ways to make me laugh and made sure I had reasons to smile.

A father and sister of one of these girls were visiting that weekend, and I’ll never forget the night we sat at a restaurant and planned over pizza (the stories are true, Italy does the best food you’ll ever have) how we would turn in these people and get my money back. Our scheming soon turned to

ABROAD jokes of marching Piazza Verde, torches ablaze, demanding justice and liberty. That night, our little fraternity agreed, a ‘revolution’ was born. Despite a dodgy political system, we would avenge injustice and attain equality.

One thing that has fascinated me through it all is how and why communities rally around each other. Is it cultural?

Generational? It’s such a fundamental part of Australian culture yet I could see it so clearly in the support I had around me. I can’t even pin it down to a specific demographic.

It wasn’t even those people I knew the longest in my time there who were the most empathetic. I went to a weekly international dinner with 40-50 people where each country would take turns cooking their cuisine for the others. There I met friends who listened and offered what they could despite having only just met me. I shared my story with friends and met Italians who were outraged on behalf of their country and gave me advice on speaking to the Guarda di Finanzi and police.

Lately I’ve wondered whether I would feel as strong, capable and compassionate as I do now, or as thankful for small things, after nights spent grateful for safety and somewhere to sleep. I know I would not be as passionate for causes such as homelessness if my trip had simply been a fun experience.

Because it was one that did indeed change me, and I have no regrets. words by COURTENY LAWRENCE

Flinders’ own Alicia Carter & Lauren Butterworth, Podcasters of Deviant Women, talk about their swashbuckling new Fringe Show: Lady Pirates Give No F*cks.

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C R E A T I V E

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R E P O R T

WHY START THE DEVIANT WOMEN PODCAST? We both completed our PhDs in Creative Writing here at Flinders, and focused our research on representations of different aspects of subversive femininity. Lauren focused on reimagining female archetypes in historical fiction, and Alicia on monstrous femininity in folklore and myths. We would talk about our favourite figures in mythology and literature and how they’re represented. One day Lauren, who’s a podcast fan, suggested we record these conversations. We think these types of women are fascinating, why wouldn’t other people too?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ‘DEVIANT’ WOMEN? To us, the term is one of reclamation, and it’s about acknowledging and celebrating how women have overcome the restrictions of patriarchal societies. Historically, women have been separated as either good, or ‘angelic’ women, or demonised as monstrous. It’s not even particularly outrageous acts that get you demonised either, sometimes it’s as simple as speaking your mind or daring to pursue travelling instead of getting married. These are women who don’t simply take the route that’s expected of them.

We also want to explore what makes women complicated. It’s relatively easy these days to find women who fall into the ‘strong women’ archetype – and as awesome and empowering as they can be, they still don’t necessarily show women in all their glorious and often ridiculous facets. We like to look at women who are complicated and whose lives aren’t a polarity of light and dark. Some of these women embody a lot of what are deemed typically ‘feminine’ traits – they

are good mothers, or celebrate their own beauty. But they are also not afraid to be courageous, authoritative and powerful, or even violent sometimes. We like to look at the social contexts of these women and explore what boundaries they were acting against, and where our ideas about ‘acceptable’ and ‘unacceptable’ womanhood come from. We think this is especially important now as society is finally reaching a point where very long held beliefs about what it means to be a woman or a man are changing.

WHAT MADE YOU TAKE THE PODCAST TO THE STAGE FOR THE ADELAIDE FRINGE? Honestly, it was our love of costumes. But really, live show adds so many extra elements to how we can tell these stories.

We had two shows in the 2018 Fringe and were blown away by how well they were received.

This time we decided to focus on one story with two women, the pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. They were swashbuckling, cross-dressing besties (and maybe lovers) who flashed men as they stabbed them, just to rub in the shame of being killed by a woman.

We hope people come away from it thinking, ‘hey, did you know these amazing women existed?’ We want to change how stories about women are told, but also how women can function in the world of comedy. It’s very silly but informative, it’s interactive and ironic, and we hope it stands out in what is, honestly, sometimes a really white dude Fringe comedy line up. There are some fabulous women in comedy. Our favourites include the Travelling Sisters, Bad (W)omen, and Elf Lyons, who use physical comedy and tongue-incheek humour to tell excellent, hilarious feminist stories.

Deviant Women: Lady Pirates Give No F*cks is showing at The Jade from 20-22 Feb.

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fire air

This is sense dread Eloise Quinn -Valentine today.

breath burns your lungs,

P O E M

There is fire in the air today.

Every breath burns a sense of dread in your lungs, Violent breezes whip the land into action, Always moving, close to breaking.

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Air

in the

Violent the land action,

There is no forgiveness in this wind, No mercy in the dust, No feeling from a distant sun.

We wait.

moving, breaking. no forgiveness in wind, mercy in dust, feeling from sun.

We wait.

Trees groan and shriek in warning, Sounding more like engines than living wood.

We have plans to get out or stand resolute, Everything can change in an instant.

groan and shriek warning, more like engines living wood. plans get out stand resolute, change an instant. fire in the air,

There is fire in the air around us, Each breath brands dread on our lungs, Brands death on our skin, Brands loss on our memory.

everything can change in an instant

dread our lungs, death our skin, loss on memory

mercy // change mercy // change mercy // change mercy // change mercy // change mercy // change mercy // change mercy // change mercy // change mercy // change mercy // change mercy // change

Embracing Change I

Fear

began this year with undeserved optimism and confidence after having written down my goals with no realistic way of achieving them. These goals vary from personal development to study related to being creative, with a large number of them being art and writing projects I want to do, but know I won’t actually get around to doing. My job for February is organising my goals with milestones and creating a plan to get them all into motion so they are no longer just abstract ideas.

It’s crazy to think about how, at the time of writing this, so much time has gone by without me noticing it.

I guess life does move pretty fast. Though I’ve been working, doing housework, and spending time with family and friends, I feel as though I don’t have anything to show for my time. I wonder if it’s because I haven’t been studying for the past couple of months. Back at uni, I’m accustomed to the structure of finishing an assignment and receiving a grade for it. Hard work followed by a reward. I feel like the year doesn’t really start until university goes back because it’s such a large part of my life, and without motivation, deadlines and accountability, I’ll procrastinate achieving my goals because there’s no pressure to do them. I guess without a fear of failure to motivate me and with a fear of change preventing me from trying new things, nothing in my life actually changes.

Choice

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So, why isn’t a fear of death most common? We face the possibility of death so many times during our day. Is it because we’re so used to our routines and habits that we simply don’t notice or care anymore? After all, it would be crazy to suddenly fear eating for risk of choking, wouldn’t it? And why do we fear public speaking so much? Does this relate to a fear of failure? If we’re bad at speaking in front of large crowds then we might be afraid of messing up. A fear of failure can be so great that it can prevent us from doing what really matters to us. So, if we don’t make these goals and new year resolutions then there’s never the possibility of failure, right? We won’t feel that dejection and loss having not accomplished what we had wished to do, but we also won’t have gained anything either. Without risk, there is no reward.

The new year is all about change and bettering oneself. We write down goals annually and share them in the hope that our lives will change. Yet, according to the study published by the Journal of Clinical Psychology, only 8% of us actually achieve the goals we set out for ourselves. Is it because we don’t have enough time?

Energy? Money? Or is it simply because we’ve formed our habits and routines and thus our comfort zone?

I know that I struggle stepping outside of my comfort zone and that fear plays a big part in my decision making. Though I know what I want my future to look like, I have to be brave enough to believe that it is possible. I have to look at my path now and figure out how can I get there. I fear and shy away from new big steps in my life, but it’s preventing me from living my best life.

The truth is that change is a constant in our lives, so the sooner I – and in a broader sense, we – all embrace it, the better.

Change

N O N F I C T I O N

Fears can be drivers of both motivation and procrastination. Fears of failure, of change, and of death.

Public speaking is a common fear, and definitely one of mine. When I find out that I’m required to do a presentation for one of my topics, I always dread it. I constantly procrastinate asking questions to my lecturers if there’s something I don’t understand and I have to really push myself to contribute to class discussions. Research by Karen Dwyer and Marlina Davidson shows that while death was considerd a top fear amongst individuals, public speaking was the most common shared fear. Borrowing the words of Jerry Seinfeld, ‘this means that at a funeral, people would rather be the person in the casket than the person giving the eulogy.’

words by MADELINE HAND

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Empire Times // 46.1 “Seasons of Change” Amy Nguyen // Angelina Taylor // Anthony Robinson Anthony Wyndham // Alicia Wood // Aurora Serenity Charlie Booker // Clara Santilli // Courtney Lawrence Darcy Holmes // Eloise Quinn-Valentine // Evie Cazzolato Harvey Menadue // James Watson // Jess Nicole Katara Wolfe // Kienan McKay // Madeline Hand Michelle Wakim // Rosanna Lim // Shevaun Rutherford Sheydin Dew

UPCOMING ISSUE SUBMISSION DATES ISSUE 3 “HOME”// 30th March ISSUE 4 : “SEX, LOVE, & BEAUTY” // 27th April Direct pitches and submissions to empire.times@flinders.edu.au