Yak Magazine - August issue

The POWER ISSUE In God they trust The Power of the Celebrity Life as a Dominatrix surviving Hell homes Issue 32 | August 2015 Brought to you by Student Central

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Cover designed by Hannah Stroud, winner of our cover competition. Check out the other finalists on our Facebook page.

EDITORIAL

Madeline Link - Magazine Managing Editor Owen Harvey - Deputy Managing Editor Jackelyn Bassett - Digital Managing Editor Isabella Batkovic - Editor Renae Burgess - Editor Lauren Gross - Editor Jackson Langford - Editor Bridie O’Shea - Editor Samuel Rayfield - Editor Sarah Webb - Editor Breanna Yates - Lead Graphic Designer Mia Engel - Supporting Graphic Designer Kathleen Maier - Supporting Graphic Designer Chelsea Groth - Promotions Coordinator Bridget Gunn - Contributing Writer Nicholas Smit- Contributing Writer

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SUBMISSIONS The Yak editorial team is always on the look out for passionate student writers and graphic designers to contribute to the magazine. If you would like to take the opportunity to get your work published, please send a sample of your writing or graphic design work to yakmedia@ newcastle.edu.au.

CONTENTS // 03 Editor’s Letter | This Month’s Biting Question // 04 50 Most Powerful People //06 Sports | Five Tips to a Power(ful)point Presentation //07 Go Back To Where I Came From //08 Clubs and Societies: Newcastle University Drama Society //08 The Power of Hot Power Yoga

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Yak Magazine is a free publication supported by Student Central at the University of Newcastle © 2015. www.newcastle.edu.au Printed by PrintCentre on Callaghan Campus.

//09 PHD: The Politics and Experience of Contemporary Motherhood //10 A Day In the Life of Cassandra Weller – The Accidental Philanthropist //12 Beauty Is Power //11 Creative Writing Competition Winner: Ode to a Crappy Car //13 Halal Certification: The Label, The Terror, The Myths //14 Life As a Dominatrix //16 The Story of an Ex-religious Cult Member //19 Lessons of Power with Joanne McCarthy //20 Surviving Hell Homes //21 Because They’re Worth it? The Power of the Celebrity //23 Mass Debate: Are Street Protests Still a Successful Way to Have Your Voice Heard?//24 Mic Drop: Staunch //25 Celebrating 50 Years of Autonomy //26 What’s On: August

NEXT ISSUE // Do you have a Commitment to Help? // What’s GST Really Costing You? // Alternative Energy Sources // Moving to a City Where You Know Absolutely No One // Emoji Culture Get your free copy from press-points around campus on Monday, 7 September.

Yak Magazine is produced by students at the University of Newcastle. The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the University of Newcastle, unless explicitly stated. The University of Newcastle accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any of the opinions of information contained in this issue of Yak Magazine.

In addition, Yak Magazine may at times accept forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of affiliate compensation to subsidise the costs associated with producing the magazine. We recommend you do your own research and draw your own conclusions about any product claim, technical specifications, statistic, quote or other representation about a product, service, manufacturer, or provider.

Yak Magazine August 2015 | 3

EDITOR’S LETTER

Madeline Link

There have been more than a handful of times in my short 21 years on this Earth that I have been appointed to positions of power. At age 11 I had already rallied my own feminist army in an effort to make the boys of 5B cry for refusing to pass the ball to the girls in our lunchtime games of Oztag (sorry Drew), and was named Minister for Functions after losing the position of School Captain to Georgina Williams. Hotly debated was whether this was the result of political prowess or had more to do with her father’s ability to whip up a comical campaign poster in Photoshop, but I digress. If there is one thing we have learned from our political leaders it’s that earning respect in a position of power is about more than just the ability to make demands - it’s about inspiring a nation to be better.

With the benefit of hindsight, the endeavour to make prepubescent males cry may not have been a worthy cause. However, it is evidence that if enough people are willing, they can affect the changes they want to see in their lives. In the words of Malala Yousafzai, “When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” This month the team has brought you the stories of more than a few powerful people, and it might just be one of our best editions yet.

THIS MONTH’S BITING QUESTION:

If you had one consequence-free punch to use in your lifetime, who would you use it on?

EDITOR

EDITOR

Belle Gibson.

Joe Hockey.

ISABELLA BATKOVIC

JACKSON LANGFORD

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

SUPPORTING GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Justin Bieber.

Billy Slater.

JACKELYN BASSETT

KATHLEEN MAIER

EDITOR

EDITOR

Probably my high school nemesis. She was too damn psycho to have a real confrontation with and it still irks me that I never got to knock some sense into her.

Floyd Mayweather.

RENAE BURGESS

SUPPORTING GRAPHIC DESIGNER

MIA ENGEL

Tracy Grimshaw. Quit whining.

EDITOR

LAUREN GROSS

The same as 90% of Australia: Tony Abbott.

PROMOTIONS COORDINATOR

CHELSEA GROTH

Chris Brown. But I’d probably still do that if there were consequences.

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

OWEN HARVEY

You. So you’d better watch out.

Bridie O’Shea

EDITOR

Samuel Rayfield

I don’t think I want to punch anyone in the face, regardless of the lack of consequences.

EDITOR

SARAH WEBB

My awkward co-worker who’s always stealing my sushi during break. Crosses the line.

LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Breanna Yates

The “Can I speak to the manager” customers who are told the exact same thing I just told them.

YAks’ 50 Most Powerful People

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Illustrated by: Rhys Acker, Simon Besseny, Katarina Gerritsen, Owen Harvey, Jannelaine Herrero, Jemimah Irvin, Lauren Jones, Naina Kaur, Sora Khan, Deborah Layton, Madeline Link, Chelsea Lowe, Sarah McDonald, Renee McIntosh, Lauren Moulten, Hugh Pascoe, Samuel Rayfield, Genevieve Read, Nicholas Roberts, Brooks Tran, Andrew White, Breanna Yates. Designed by: Breanna Yates.

6 | Yak Magazine August 2015

Bridget Gunn

shares the deets on the coolest club on campus.

Do you love the snow? Have a passion for skiing or snowboarding, or think you would enjoy falling over with a winter view? Enjoy partying? If you can tick any of these boxes and you aren’t a part of UON’s Snow Sports club (NU-SS), then you probably should be!

NU-SS is particularly notorious for its outrageously entertaining events, which include social snow trips, parties, rail jams and the not-to-be missed annual Australian University Championship (AUC).

“Renowned amongst other AUC competitors for being fun-loving and incredible partiers” With the annual AUC approaching at the end of this month, members of NU-SS are working hard to prepare for the events, that are being held in Thredbo this year. NU-SS hosts a number of star athletes such as Winter Olympian and incredible mogul skier, Matt Graham, and World Cup and World Championship slopestyle snowboarder Michaela Davis-Meehan.

Last year’s AUC saw NU-SS awarded first and second in the mogul event, with Matt’s brother David nabbing the gold, and Michaela awarded Female Snowboard Champion.

But if you are thinking of getting involved in the club, don’t let this intimidate you. NU-SS caters for a range of abilities and is welcoming of anyone with a passion for the snow.

Renowned amongst other AUC competitors for being fun-loving and incredible partiers, NU-SS has won the trophy for ‘Spirit of the Mountain’ in 2012 and 2014’s AUC, and are planning on having a good crack at it this year.

If the snow isn’t really your thing, NU-SS encourages many of the other fine things in life, such as partying and building friendships with all different sorts of people.

So if any of these ideas appeal to you, get involved with the club soon. Check out NU-SS’s Facebook page to catch details from the AUC and to hear about upcoming events, or email them at admin@nu-ss.com.

Five Tips To A Power(ful)point Presentation Lauren Gross chats to Dr Janet Fulton to find out how to get a HD in any presentation.

Presentations can be super daunting because you have to deliver an engaging talk on a topic that you likely had no idea about before you started researching a week prior AND you’re presenting to a tutor who is an expert in the field. Plus, the whole class is staring at you. I chatted to UON Lecturer Dr Janet Fulton to find five tips to acing your next presentation.

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Be prepared.

It’s painfully obvious when someone gets up to do a

presentation and they have made zero effort. Janet said students will feel more confident if they know what they are talking about.

2

Don’t put all of your text on your slide show The most boring thing people can do is put absolutely

everything they are saying on their PowerPoint and read straight from the slides. Instead, print off your script/notes/ whatever works for you and only put relevant quotes, dot points and images on your slides.

3

Include interesting examples and multimedia Everyone (supposedly) has done the week’s reading or

attended the lecture so a rehash of the material is going to bore everyone to tears. The best presentations look outside of the set texts to find extra information that other students are unaware of. Include interesting examples based on the topic area to show you really know your stuff like short

YouTube clips, images, audio snippets, polls etc. “Bring up current examples that your audience can relate to,” Janet said. Got a presentation on piracy? Talk about Game of Thrones, instantly more engaging.

4

Follow the marking criteria Ever wished you could see inside your tutor’s brain to find

out exactly what they want from you? Well you can – check the marking criteria! You’ve probably heard it a million times but that’s because it’s great advice. Look at the criteria before you start and go through it like a checklist once you’ve finished to make sure you’ve covered everything. “Give the marker what they want,” Janet said.

“Got a presentation on piracy? Talk about Game of Thrones, instantly more engaging.”

5

Act confident Not everyone is a super-outgoing, charismatic and

confident person and that’s OK. The shyest of people can still get top marks for presentations (I know from personal experience). Even if your knees are shaking, you stumble over words and it’s the last thing you want to be doing, you really can fake it till you make it. Make the effort to slow your talking, look around the room and use hand gestures.

Designed by Breanna Yates

Go Back to Where I Came From Bridget Gunn is opened up to the vast beauties of Thailand after chatting with Aim Praewphan.

Hailing from the Thai province of Chonburi, Aim Praewphan came to Australia in 2013 to study Applied Finance at UON. After two years, Aim has come to think of Newcastle as her home away from home, so-to-speak.

One of the things that surprised Aim the most about Newcastle was how much it reminded her of Chonburi, also popular for its beaches and seafood. “It’s just a lot colder than back home!” Aim said. “We get a minimum of 16 degrees.”

Similar to Australia, Thailand has a very diverse landscape, ranging from beautiful tropical beaches to spectacular mountains. Thailand also has a huge range of sights to see and traditions to experience, from opulent royal palaces to ornate temples displaying figures of Buddha. “In the countryside we go to the temple first thing in the morning, before we have breakfast,” Aim said.

Different parts of Thailand are famous for different things, such as the Erawan Falls in the Erawan National Park in

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August 2015

Western Thailand, the floating markets outside Bangkok, and of course Bangkok itself, well known for its shopping.

Thailand has a huge range of sights to see and traditions to experience, from opulent royal palaces, to ornate temples displaying figures of Buddha.

One of her favourite things about the beautiful country and culture is the regional variance in cuisines. A lover of everything spicy, she says that the more mild-tongued among us should stick to the northern parts of Thailand, where noodles are more popular, as the curries in the south are notorious for their spiciness and zing.

However, Aim suggests stepping out of the metropolitan capital to get a better idea of what the country is really like, and to more thoroughly experience Thai traditions.

Designed by Mia Engel

8 | Yak Magazine August 2015

Newcastle University Drama Society To NUDS or not to NUDS? That is the question that Jackson Langford has been asking, anyway.

For generations that grew up under the theatrical stranglehold of Fame, High School Musical and Pitch Perfect, it isn’t too hard to believe that some of us can be a little dramatic. However, instead of throwing dramatic fits in the classroom or crying dramatically over your never-ending essay, why not direct that inner drama queen/king into something constructive – the Newcastle University Drama Society.

In 2015, NUDS have found a new lease on life, as Vice President Jack Madden admits that the club “has been a little dormant in recent years”.

“We’re aiming to bring colour and life back to the society and make it a formidable source of quality productions, installations and any other manifestations of human creativity imaginable,” Jack said. “It’s by students and for students, and always will be.”

This year is shaping up to be the

The Power of Hot Power Yoga

Samuel Rayfield stretches his mind and body.

A stormy night it was, the wind cold and blusterous, sweeping the sheets of rain across the loft windows. Thunder rumbling and lower back creaking, I laid my mat across the floor.

It’d been over a year since doing yoga, the body and mind aching for some loving. Half an hour prior, I’d stacked a garlic naan on top of all three different vegetarian curries with a stupid amount of rice. As the only other early-comer in the room was doing, I sank into shevasana (on back, legs extended, arms by sides and palms facing ceiling) and hoped against gaseous attacks.

“Cosy in here, huh?” I asked the other early-comer. She agreed with me, but I forget what we talked about. I relaxed a little more, forgetting that I had a back.

society’s most exciting year in its existence. Just like that underground playwright you probably haven’t heard of, William Shakespeare, NUDS is entering a period of renaissance.

They’re revamping old staples and introducing new and already popular events that will no doubt be stamped as tradition.

that there’s still an awesome story with characters abundant in quirks and sass.

To all you budding Meryl Streeps and John Cusacks, you can get involved with NUDS via email – nudsuon@gmail.com and via the Facebook group at www. facebook.com/groups/nudsuon.

“NUDS definitely won’t be ending 2015 as the, to quote a passer-by from O Week, “I didn’t even know you guys still existed” club!” Jack said.

NUDS is especially tops because it’s a club that isn’t necessarily exclusive to an academic department.

Undergrads and PhD students can partake in activity nights and, as Jack puts it, “the big production that will be taking place towards the end of the year is a testament to the value of having a drama society”. This year that production goes by the title Things in Moderation, and will be a fond homage and pastiche to the gaming world, especially games such as RuneScape and World of Warcraft. Even if gaming isn’t really your jam, Jack assures us

The floorboards had a moderate gloss, a dim gold radiated the beige. The room filled to about 20 attendees over 15 minutes and then the instructor came in. Well-bearded, he slowly led the group into a deep spiritual cleanse.

“Why don’t I do this for just ten minutes, every day? Why has it been so long?”

The first one was what they call malasana (onto the haunches, elbows clasped between the knees and hands in prayer position); it worried the bowels.

Soon after, we were encouraged to sink deep into utkatasana (the ‘chair’ position, albeit assumed with arms extended skywards) and I received little comfort. Don’t stack the Indian before yoga in the future, I reminded myself, soundly settling into svanasana (like a dog stretching, but with its face down).

It is not weird for one to consider himself a ‘bloke’ (stretching its definition) and do

&

Clubs Societies

yoga (especially this ‘hot power’ variant).

Damn it is good, and in doing it, I’m giving my mind the time to concentrate on its body’s strength, then giving the body the opportunity to thank the mind soon after. When you return to shevasana, (on back, legs extended, arms by sides and palms facing ceiling), when you’re asking yourself quite sincerely, “Why don’t I do this for just ten minutes, every day? Why has it been so long?”

It was dumb not to do yoga for over a year, it was dumb to do Indian before doing yoga, but it was not dumb to do yoga.

I’ve missed you, baby.

Check out the Yoga Loft on Hunter Street which offer classes for student prices.

Google ‘30 day yoga challenge’to get into routine.

Designed by Kathleen Maier

Yak Magazine August 2015 | 9

PHD

The Politics and Experience of Contemporary Motherhood Motherhood is changing, writes Samuel Rayfield.

Toni McCallum was a “late mum” and had her first child at 38.

Four years later, with three under five, she was discovering motherhood an unexpectedly tough task.

“What’s going on here?” she wondered. “Why am I finding this so difficult?” Surely her experience was not unique.

Combing the literature, it struck her that the narrative of modern motherhood is guided, mostly, by white, middleclass women. Troubled by this linearity and absence of plural voices, she’s found out that there is never only one way to raise children.

“In Logan [a south Brisbane multicultural suburb of lower socioeconomic class], motherhood is much more a shared community thing,” she said. It’s also a place where the indigenous practice of ‘co-mothering’, sharing children about the family, is common.

“They might not have [great] economic resources, but they do have a huge amount of resources … to help bring up the child within the family,” she said. In many cases, fathers are as present as mothers in the parenting experience.

She notes the curiously low rates of post-natal depression (PND) among the women she spoke with in Logan, suggesting

strong community and familial ties ease the challenges of motherhood. She compares this to Ascot, a north Brisbane suburb of significantly higher socioeconomic class, where fathers are often absent and rates of PND are higher.

she’s found out that there is never only one way to raise children.

“The women are really wealthy, and they might have the mower man and all that, but they are generally really unhappy,” she said.

But she’s been careful not to restrict her research only to women’s experience of motherhood. The common knowledge, she says, is that “fathers are increasingly happy to take on the role [of motherhood]” – but not according to her data.

Stay-at-home dads, she says, “talk about being ignored by stay-at-home mums, having a really bad experience at the playground, and people are suspicious of them.”

She hopes that by broadening and collating these perspectives, definitions of contemporary motherhood across political, social and cultural spheres will be broadened and made more inclusive.

Designed by Mia Engel

10 | Yak Magazine August 2015

A day in the Life of

Cassandra Weller – The accidental philanthropist

ct With These Two Hands, Cassandra Weller sits down with Sarah Webb and talks openly about her new proje her university studies and the challenge of keeping it all together.

It only takes two hands to make a real difference in the world.

Look at your own hands and take a moment to think about what they’ve achieved. Every set of hands can achieve so much, given the right circumstances.

be Take the following story for example. If you’d happened to this or Ecuad in Quito city the of travelling on an early bus south woman lian Austra an sed past Januar y, you may have witnes ’t offering a local blind man an apple. Assuming you couldn have would you e, gestur peel your eyes away from the kind the then seen the elderly man hold his fruitful treasure up to ss. kindne sky, praising the woman for her

Cassandra was especially affected by women and children suffering in Ecuador, where 35 per cent of citizens live below the poverty line.

There may be some who wouldn’t know what to do in a ies situation like this, where you’re in one of the poorest countr stop didn’t this Yet s. custom its to in the world and unfamiliar With These Two Hands (WT2H) CEO and founder Cassandra Weller, from overlooking her passion to help those in need, high spirits shining through the woman herself.

as In person, Cassandra is every bit as kind and thoughtful h throug es she is towards the women she supports and educat in fruition to her not-for-profit organisation WT2H, which came Ecuador March of last year.

the Cassandra said With These Two Hands is a charity with order in skills ssing hairdre women g primar y aim of teachin to help them out of poverty. “We want to give them a skill to earn a reasonable living and realise some self-worth. tly Ultimately we want to get them out of where they curren .” are – off the streets

Having worked as a high-profile hairdressing trainer herself said, in cities like London, Newcastle and Sydney, Cassandra them help I ion, “… for women with limited access to educat to a by providing them with skills that can put them on a path s.” better life for themselves and their familie “Because I have an affinity with South American people and the culture, I really want to focus on helping them,” she said.

off her glasses and then their mother turned up to demand all of our belongings. It was horrible – really frightening.”

During her stay, Cassandra was approached by volunteers from the Ecuadorian organisation Centro Integral de la Niñez y Adolescencia (CENIT), who help local women living in poverty.

Cassandra said they were happy to purchase the salon space needed in Quito, to go ahead with designing a training program to travel back to South America with. Two years later, and Cassandra’s finally “got the ball rolling” with plans to go back the end of this year.

However, Cassandra admits that prior to CENIT, she received no support for her organisation. It was her self-motivation and determination to make a difference that pulled her through the tough times of juggling a full-time hairdressing job in Sydney and starting her project. Her ambitions didn’t stop there.

Now studying Development Studies at UON, to complement her extra-curricular altruism, Cassandra says it’s helped her come up with new ideas for WT2H for the future.

“I thought if I could have a full-time job, start this project, why not go to university as well? I could do that,” she said.

With the new ideas she’s learning from her degree, Cassandra is determined to show women, who previously thought their lives were “sewn up” in crime and poverty, that they have alternatives and opportunities. With an incredible talent for making all her participants feel empowered by their involvement, Cassandra really validates their journeys. She gives credit willingly, which is valuable in these communities.

“In January, one of my girls were crying and said to me that no one’s ever believed in her before, or has ever encouraged her,” Cassandra said.

“For me it’s nothing, but for them, it’s everything.”

Like Cassandra, some people don’t consider themselves exceptional for doing what you should be doing as a responsible member of the human race. When you talk about WT2H with Cassandra, it’s obvious she doesn’t choose to help these women because she pities them, but because she believes in them.

There’s a greatness in everybody and Cassandra is proof a Americ South h throug of this.

After seven months backpacking in 2012, Cassandra realised she was capable of making a difference in the lives of those whose hands were tied by extreme poverty. Cassandra found it difficult to witness women s and children suffering in Ecuador, where 35 per cent of citizen n childre young saw ndra live below the poverty line. Cassa and begging and stealing to ensure the survival of their family uences conseq ting debilita the women who were suffering from of a lack of education or employment.

“Things got pretty real when my friend was attacked by six d little kids in broad daylight,” Cassandra said. “They knocke

Designed by Mia Engel

Yak Magazine August 2015 | 11

Creative Writing Competition After a long and perilous search to find our next Hemingway, we’re finally here.

The team at Yak are proud to announce Thomas Lancaster as the winner of our first ever creative writing competition with his entry Ode to a Crappy Car. Back in 2004, my friend Catherine listed her enormous Volvo station wagon for sale. That car had the biggest booty of a boot I’ve seen, and no, it wasn’t bootiful. Catherine couldn’t drive for shit, and I was tired of picking up my family’s wheelie bins every time she reversed from our driveway. It was beige, back before beige was cool again. When I say it was beige, I mean the parts of the car that weren’t rusted.Catherine’s car was so rusty it actually sparked an interest for me in the rusting process – how does a naturally occurring phenomenon manage to make a car look that crap?

Anyway, some poor soul decided to part with a few hundred bucks to take it. Catherine and I were 24 by the time this all happened, and had real actual jobs. Catherine had accumulated real, actual money, and so there we were, sat inside the Toyota dealership. We were buying a brand new car. When I say we, I mean her, but I was there for the big moment.

“Remember that time we called in to get petrol, and you pulled up on the wrong side of the fuel pump?”

“I do,” Catherine confirmed, attempting to shut me down.

“And then you tried to reach the pump around the big ol’ behind of the Volvo, and-and-and,” as I burst out laughing.

“Yes, and the elderly lady behind us asked if I needed a hand.”

“YES, she must have been at least 85.”

“Yeah,” Catherine said, a faint smile breaking out.

“Yeah,” I sighed.

Some guy was driving Catherine’s new car up to us, and the big moment had arrived.

“Fresh off the production line, a snazzy new Toyota Echo,” he smirked, as he hopped out of the car.

I walked around to the passenger side, my fingers trailing across the freshly waxed metallic blue paintjob. There was no layer of dust for me to write things in that would embarrass Catherine in front of her Mum. “It’s… really nice Cat. It’s awesome”, I said, as we landed in our seats. The ‘new-car-smell’ entered my nose as I looked at Catherine, who seemed unconvinced.

“Yeah, I suppose so.”

“Can we go through the KFC drive-thru on the way home? I feel like some chicken wings”, I said.

“You only want to do that so you can put the greasy bones in the cup holders, and make this car a beautiful shitheap like the last one.”

I smiled. Catherine hit the blinker, we turned onto the road, and drove off.

We were watching all the middle-aged couples and businessmen stalk the floor of the dealership showroom, looking for “the one”. The salesman handling Catherine’s affairs was approaching us, ready to hand over the paperwork.

He looked a bit like Tom Hanks in “The Terminal”, forever lost in a place you can’t actually get lost in.

As the salesman sat down I whispered to Catherine, “you know, I nearly lost my virginity in the Volvo.”

“Beg your pardon?” said Tom Hanks.

“She didn’t say anything,” said Catherine.

I sat and smiled while Catherine and Tom Hanks did the car dealership dance, with the signatures and all that. Then he slid the new keys across the table, which I thought was a bit unnecessary. Catherine enjoyed the showmanship, and next thing I knew, we were standing in front of the dealership.

Competition sponsored by the Callaghan Campus Co-op Bookshop.

Photography by Florian Klauer

Designed by Breanna Yates

12 | Yak Magazine August 2015

BEAUTY IS POWER

Has empowerment become a commodity? Madeline Link explores the marketing companies selling “real” beauty.

For years marketing companies have told women they are inadequate. That is until one day, somewhere, a bright young spark had an idea.

appearance. But what percentage of those girls felt comfortable describing themselves with words like ‘intelligent’, ‘talented’, ‘ambitious’ or ‘fierce’?

“Let’s empower them instead,” they said, and beauty and sanitary products were flogged world-wide once more.

For some brands, the worthy message isn’t even related to the product. In 2013, the marketing team at Samsung found themselves in the midst of feminist crossfire when they launched the ‘Women of Steel’ competition that aimed to reward women “whose superhuman strengths make them inspirational role models, and whose quick speed and heightened tastes make entertaining look easy.” How did they reward the superhuman entertainer? With a new kitchen, of course.

In 2004, Dove launched the ‘Campaign for Real Beauty’. The campaign, according to the website, is rooted in “listening to women” and, “started a global conversation about the need for a wider definition of beauty after a study proved the hypothesis that the definition of beauty had become limiting and unattainable.” Dove’s study found that only 2 per cent of women globally would describe themselves as beautiful.

“It’s a noble effort, sure, but there’s nothing empowering about the message that a woman’s appearance is a fundamental component of her strength and authority.”

According to author Jonah Sachs in his book about marketing titled Winning the Story Wars, the Dove “Campaign for Real Beauty” found its success through discarding the marketing tools that have driven women to buy beauty products since their inception – cultivating inadequacy.

“The campaign dragged this anxiety into the light of day and in the process created one of advertising’s early online viral sensations,” he wrote.

In a survey conducted by SheKnows, 52 per cent of more than 600 respondents indicated that they purchased a product based on the marketer’s portrayal of women. Statistics such as these inevitably drive the marketing decisions of the Australian Cosmetic and Toiletry Retailing Industry that is projected to gross more than $3.5 billion in the 2014-15 financial year.

But is the cause still worthy when it’s being used to sell women products to improve how they look? In 2010, Dove launched the “Movement for Self-Esteem” with the intention of boosting the self-esteem of young girls by making them “feel beautiful”. The movement was launched following a survey that found that of the 1200 girls aged 10-17 that took part, less than 12 per cent felt comfortable using the word ‘beautiful’ to describe their Photography by Breanna Yates

The competition was highlighted on Everyday Sexism, an online project that aims to catalogue instances of sexism experienced by women on a daily basis. Advertising maven Kat Gordon is also the founder of the 3% Conference, an annual event that informs brands and agencies about the implications of the gender gap in advertising. She believes these ads have nothing to do with the metrics that truly matter to people who care about empowering women.

“That information – how many women are on your board, do you have a pay gap, do you offer maternity leave – doesn’t make for good advertising… true change doesn’t happen in ads, it happens in boardrooms and paychecks,” Kat said.

“For some brands, the worthy message isn’t even related to the product.”

Similar to Dove, Pantene used female empowerment as a marketing strategy in its ‘Not Sorry’ advertisement. Garnering more than 15 million views on YouTube, the ad tells women to stop apologising, assert their authority and share their opinions and expertise. This message is an important one, but still comes back to beauty, as the description explains, “When you’re strong on the inside, you shine on the outside. And that’s a beautiful thing.”

It’s a noble effort, sure, but there’s nothing empowering about the message that a woman’s appearance is a fundamental component of her strength and authority.

Designed by Breanna Yates

Halal Certification: The Label, The Terror, The Myths

Yak Magazine August 2015 | 13

Lauren Gross asks why Australia is so scared of the halal certified label

M

ultiple Facebook pages, including ‘Boycott Halal Australia’ which has more than 80,000 likes, are calling on consumers to boycott companies that pay for halal certification. Recently, The Today Show’s Facebook page posted a photo of Cadbury Freddo Frogs, asking consumers if the smaller size outrages them. Instead, consumers were outraged that Cadbury is halal-certified. “The cost of halal certification fees are taking there [sic] toll on company profits and the consumer must pay,” said one user, while another said that cut was “probably to help cover the cost of halal certification”. Senator for South Australia Cory Bernardi has also been vocal about his opposition to halal certification on his blog, corybernardi.com.

He has now launched a senate inquiry into food submissions, including halal.

“Halal certification appears to be keeping prices down down, prices are down.”

So what exactly is halal certification and why has it gotten Australians so worried? According to the Halal Australia website, halal “is similar to the concept of ‘kosher’ food requirements under Jewish dietary law, and refers to food, drink and other consumables that Muslims consume as part of Islamic dietary requirements”. Some key forbidden foods are alcohol, pig meat and animals that have not been slaughtered according to Islam requirements.

Food producers pay certifiers a fee to verify their products as halal, the same way they would pay for an Australian made logo. But why would an Australian company do this? Chief of Operations at the Byron Bay Cookie Company Keith Byrne believes there are significant benefits to the halal certification for Australian products. “We have been halal-certified for 12 years when we started working with airlines internationally.

Halal certification was not a requirement by the airlines, but it is a major business benefit as the airlines did not need to carry separate food offerings, such as with kosher foods.

“Since then we have ventured into 30 markets around the world, we supply to Indonesia and Malaysia, both countries with high Muslim populations. The halal certification adds a two to three million dollar market for those products, while the halal certification costs us $1500 a year. It’s a business benefit and that is the main reason for a halal certification,” he said.

There is huge money involved for Australian businesses that decide to use halal certification because it enables their products to be sold in predominantly Muslim countries. It wouldn’t be business-savvy for a company to restrict its market to 24 million Australians when a halal logo would open the door to 250 million consumers just next door in Indonesia, the third biggest market for Australian food exports in 2012-13 according to the Department of Agriculture, Australian Food Statistics.

Former FIA Negotiator of TradeWorthy, Danny Burrows said, “Australian-made food bound for Muslim populations around the world earns just under $13 billion in exports per year. Our food industry also directly supports at least 60,000 jobs”.

Mr Bernardi outlined his concerns in a radio interview with FiveAA Adelaide in March this year. “No one knows where the money actually goes, what it’s spent on, but we do know that overseas halal certification has been linked to supporting extremist behaviour,” he said. However, the 21 Islamic organisations that certify halal meat and red meat products for export are registered with the Department of Agriculture. The Minister for Agriculture himself, Barnaby Joyce, has spoken in support of halal certification. “If we didn’t have the halal market

for beef that could really affect thousands of meat workers in Australia. Unless it’s halal certified we can’t sell it and that means the whole process of the sector becomes unviable and we don’t want any unnecessary heat brought into this space because the only people who lose out in the end are us,” he said.

“The halal certified symbol is nothing to fear.”

The Australian Crime Commission and the government’s terrorism finance watchdog, AUSTRAC, have denied terrorism claims. In a 2014 statement the Commission’s Chief Executive Chris Dawson said, "The Australian Crime Commission is not aware of any direct links between the legitimate halal certification industry and money laundering or the financing of terrorist groups". Chief of Operations at the Byron Bay Cookie Company Keith Byrne is also frustrated with allegations that halal certifications fund terrorism. “There have been no findings to that fact… we have spoken to federal police, the mayor of Byron Bay, the local MP and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Veteran Affairs, and the Minister for Communication, all have confirmed that no funds have been found to be going to extremist groups,” he said.

So where does the money go? Muhammad Khan, CEO of Halal Australia, told ABC FactCheck that profits do not go towards supporting any terrorist activities. "We do not fund anything like that, we do not in any way endorse or support or want to be associated with terrorism," he said. Dr Kahn said Halal Australia donates some of its profits to Islamic schools and mosques as well as children's hospitals and the Cancer Council Australia.

In the same radio interview Mr Bernardi expressed concern that halal certification is raising the cost of food for Australians. “I know there are many consumers out there who don’t want to eat products that have had a religious tax applied to them,” he said.

However, according to Australian Food & Grocery Council’s website, the cost of halal certification is “highly unlikely to influence wholesale pricing”. While Coles told Point Magazine halal certification has increased the overall market for businesses meaning “suppliers are able to reduce their costs of production, resulting in lower prices for Coles customers.” Halal certification appears to be keeping prices down down, prices are down.

So why are we so opposed to something that saves us money on our groceries, supports Australian businesses and isn’t funding terrorism? The halal-certified symbol is nothing to fear. *Yak Magazine reached out to Cory Bernardi for comment but was refused.

Designed by Kathleen Maier

14 | Yak Magazine August 2015

Yak Magazine August 2015 | 15

Isabella Batkovic explores the power of identity ownership

o lympian Bruce Jenner has dominated headlines

recently for his dramatic transformation into Caitlyn Jenner. Caitlyn posed for Vanity Fair's July 2015 cover and "broke the internet" with her reintroduction as a woman, signifying the growing acceptance of the trans community.

However, not everyone is afforded the chance of embracing his or her true identity. According to a 2014 article published by the Los Angeles Times, around 40 per cent of people who are transgender or gender-nonconforming have attempted suicide some time in their lives. Many people are very secretive about their gender identity, struggling internally with the fact that they do not associate with their birth sex.

Newcastle escort Danielle Macey is transgender and says openness is key when it comes to living a happy and healthy life.

She has received many glowing recommendations and compliments so far, putting her in good stead with her employers. "I love contact with people, so if I could do what I am doing now at the shopping centre and get paid for it, I would be over the moon. I haven't met anyone yet that looks down on me because I'm an escort, but I am 55 and not getting any younger. I can't be an escort all my life,” Miss Macey said.

“When someone says they want to be dominated I think oh yes! 'Get on your knees bitch and do as you're told!”

“This is me, here I am, same as Caitlyn," Miss Macey said.

Even though Danielle would one day like to move on from her current line of work, she also takes pride in the fact that she provides a very particular kind of service that can't be found elsewhere. As an escort, Danielle’s speciality is taking power over her clients as a dominatrix. Whether it's simply a stern talking to, calling them names, or giving them a smack on the bottom, Danielle never shies away from this powerful role.

While living as a man, Danielle worked as a full-time contract courier until one day, her employer said he could only keep her on for two days a week. This was a big turning point in Danielle's life, a moment that prompted the series of events that followed.

"I do enjoy the power role. I've got guys that want to be hit with a riding crop hard, because they like it. When someone says they want to be dominated I think oh yes! 'Get on your knees bitch and do as you're told!'

"I thought, what am I going to do? I had discovered on some dating sites that when dressed up as a woman I wanted to be with a man. I thought, well I know there's a market there for it so I might look at becoming an escort," Miss Macey said.

"You've got to be in charge, in control, confident and empowered to do that; and I think that's one of the reasons I go so well with the customer service role," Miss Macey said.

"Caitlyn Jenner doesn't have to hide, everyone now knows. That's partly why I'm so confident, because I don't try and make it a secret. I'm open about myself and confident about myself. There's no secret to hide.

“This is me, here I am, same as Caitlyn" After being a practicing transvestite on and off for over 10 years, Danielle Macey decided it was time to 'pack up the boy' for good, and in 2008 put up an advertisement and immediately became a working girl. There are many who may not understand this decision, but for Danielle, it marked the beginning of living a fulfilling and honest life.

"Being an escort has made me incredibly confident, because I get men that are five foot two and six foot six come to the door and I greet them in a suspender belt, stockings and heels," Miss Macey said.

This newfound confidence helped Danielle attain an unpaid customer service role at a popular local shopping precinct earlier this year, a 'normal' job she would love to gain full-time employment in.

Danielle has adapted many of her domineering bedroom traits to real-life situations, contributing to the self-assured and powerful woman she is today.

"As a male, I was shy and not very assertive. I am far more comfortable being Danielle," Miss Macey said.

By embracing her true gender identity and living life as the woman she always wanted to be, Danielle is a fantastic example of someone who has taken control of her life and her body. With plans to make further physical changes to herself later this year, the bubbly customer service representative signifies the power of embracing one's true persona.

Designed by Kathleen Maier

16 | Yak Magazine August 2015

In God they trust...

Photography by Robson Freitas

Yak Magazine August 2015 | 17

the story of an

ex-religious cult member It’s an unquestionable fact that religion is a powerful construct within society, even today. Laws have been shaped by it, wars started and empires and eras have fallen at the hands of it.

There’s no doubt religion is a pervasive and widely accepted construct. But when does a religion become a cult?

Representations of cults in popular culture bring to mind images of hooded figures, dark forests, blood sacrifices and bizarre symbols to the tune of rhythmic chanting.

But ex-member of the Pentecostal Family Church John Smith* learned first-hand that the manipulative practices of cult worship are often far more subverted than their film representations suggest.

“The church leader was a controlling lunatic who had multiple wives while I lived there,” said Smith. “Members weren’t allowed to do anything that wasn’t approved by the leader beforehand. He twisted the religion a lot. For example, women weren’t allowed to wear pants because he saw it as crossdressing and an abomination of the faith.”

Smith notes with relief that his entire family has since left the cult, though he regrets not leaving sooner than he did. “I left because of my sexuality. The leader and my mother called me an abomination, but my brothers supported me and left when I did.”

“I was born into the Pentecostal Family Church,” said Smith.

“They said it was a church, but as I got older I started to see it for what it really was, it was definitely a cult.”

The church was started in October 1980 when Pastor Max Forbes and his wife Kathy arrived in Newcastle with the “quiet inner assurance” that this was where God wanted them to start a church.

According to the church website, the Pentecostal Family Church is an “independent, Oneness Apolistic work that functions to provide a Bible-based, family-oriented, ‘old-timereligion’ approach to Christianity”.

“We stand for the Bible truth rather than mere religious traditions and actively resist the contemporary forces that attempt to change the church from reverent, godly and God-fearing believers into mere members of a social or entertainment club.”

The fact that Smith was born into a cult, removed and isolated from society until he was in his teenage years, doesn’t seem to cause a stir among the friends that he’s told, most just laughing his strange past off. “I like the freedom that I have now, and it didn’t take me long to adjust to life outside of it, but my friends don’t realise just how bad it actually was,” Smith said.

Perhaps because Smith is no longer a member of the cult and does not believe in the practices anymore, he is exempt from the judgement that surrounds the manipulative culture and taboo nature of this side of religion. His story highlights the power of religion to distort traditional practices when removed from the judging eyes of society. Perhaps something as powerful as religion, that impacts society so profoundly needs the watchful gaze of the masses to temper its reach. Or perhaps our current religions need to become more accommodating of those that don’t fit a strict mould of faith. *names have been changed for anonymity

Smith, the 19-year-old student at the University of Newcastle was born into the cult and lived with his parents and two brothers before leaving at age 16.

Designed by Breanna Yates

Yak Magazine August 2015 | 19

Joanne McCarthy tells Samuel Rayfield how it is.

“We’ve lost faith in politics, we’ve lost faith in governments and their departments, we’ve lost faith in the media, and we’ve lost faith in faith itself.”

2010 as proof of her scoffing at the prospect of a Royal Commission, but as the body of evidence and its damning nature grew, the less ‘radical’ it became.

Those are the words of Newcastle Herald investigative journalist and 2013 Gold Walkley winner Joanne McCarthy.

Maybe they don’t apply to everyone, but I agree. Those instruments of widespread community have been fractured.

A week after the Royal Commission’s announcement, a Herald/Nielsen poll returned that 95 per cent of respondents were in favour of the decision. Without the Herald and the community it fostered as crucial supporting elements, McCarthy’s work would not have been possible.

“But what do you do about that? Well, we do what you’re doing now and what I’m doing now. We remind ourselves that we live in a democracy and we, as individuals, have rights in that democracy,” McCarthy said.

But as ever, rights do not come without responsibilities. “… and the greatest of those is the responsibility … to speak out on behalf of those whose rights are being disrespected,” she said.

While much of her work details and examines struggles and abuses of power, her investigation into child sex abuse by members of the Catholic Church – the abuse of the least by the most powerful – is arguably her most significant.

Beginning in 2006 with a phone call from a victim assaulted by former priest John Denman, six years’ worth of hundreds of stories culminated in the Herald’s ‘Shine the Light’ 2012 forum in Newcastle. It called for a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, a call that was answered only months later.

“We live in a democracy and we, as individuals, have rights in that democracy.”

In a chapter for Radical Newcastle, a collection of the region’s ‘stories of protest, dissent and fighting back’, McCarthy writes of how “child sexual abuse moved from the shadows to become the subject of the most broad-ranging Royal Commission in Australia’s history.” Entitled ‘How the Radical Becomes Inevitable’, it charts her experience of how, in this instance, that happens exactly.

“How the hell did a region, and a regional media outlet, force a government to recognise there was a need for a Royal Commission? It happens when people say, ‘That’s not right.’”

“What you do is say, this is important, and I will stick it out till the end,” she said.

Whatever that end may be – at this stage, it’s ongoing.

McCarthy never thought it’d get this far, with emails from

“The abuse of power only happens when individuals fail on a broad scale.”

When it comes to action being taken, McCarthy believes something that many were told about bullying in high school; don’t be a bystander. Sitting, waiting and wondering where the voice is going to come from doesn’t work. Instead, it “comes from each and every one of us.”

“The ultimate message from the Royal Commission is going to be [that] it is not institutions that cause national tragedies, it is thousands and thousands of individuals making the decision to look the other way.”

“The abuse of power only happens when individuals fail on a broad scale,” she said.

The majority of Australians, she believes, are decent people.

“Sometimes they just need to be persuaded what is the decent thing to do,” she said. But without one that acts as a moral and inspirational compass, one that effectively collates and reflects the common sentiments of the people, how does that happen?

The answer, she said, is time. Assuaging my pessimism that I’m part of a growing ‘faithless generation’, she said that leaders without a moral alignment with those they represent “don’t last long.”

Reflecting on the “morally bankrupt” Australian political spectrum within which a politics of division is key, she said of the leaders that, “the clock is ticking now, because in the end, we don’t like that kind of leadership.”

It’s boring sitting around, waiting for the clock to tick. It’s a bad habit to get into, and there’s more wrong in this world than even Joanne McCarthy can handle. But she’s shown that whatever a decent citizen can’t handle, another decent one can’t handle either. Whatever you can’t handle, tell someone, and don’t shut up about it.

Designed by Mia Engel

20 | Yak Magazine August 2015

Surviving Hell Homes Bridie O’Shea looks into how survivors of domestic violence break free from their abusers and regain power in their lives.

Anxiety, depression, drug abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, bruises and homelessness are just some of the horrific effects that domestic violence can have on its victims. According to a 2012 survey by ANROWS (Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety) of the 62 per cent of women who had experienced physical assault by a male perpetrator, the most recent incident was in their home.

That isn’t to say that domestic violence is exclusively an issue for women. Accredited mental health social worker at the University of Newcastle Amanda Watts said, “A small percentage of men are victims of violence in their relationships with women, and there is DV [domestic violence] in some same-sex relationships. It is about power and control.”

“If we do not die then we survive, so we are all survivors.”

But it is the amazing strength and determination that fuels these survivors’ desires to take back control over their lives that really needs highlighting.

During Watts’ 25 years in the field, she has found that survivors will talk about their situation when they feel it’s safe to do so. She uses the term ‘survivor’ instead of ‘victim’ to affirm they have done what they can do to endure and leave the violent situation.

“On average it can take women about 13 attempts to permanently leave an abusive relationship, due to the nature of these crimes and the fear inflicted by the abuser,” Watts said.

Survivors are often able to cope better when they have someone they trust who will listen to them talk about their experiences. Unfortunately, for domestic violence survivor Helen Cummings, she didn’t have this kind of support when she was trapped in an abusive relationship for three years. Her husband, a rural doctor, started abusing her over trivial arguments once the marriage began.

Cummings felt isolated. Her only friends in the small country town were his patients and she couldn’t confide in them. The night she decided to leave, her husband was combing their dog’s hair and the poor thing was yelping.

“I was sitting in a totally confused state of mind. It all became very clear in a matter of an hour,” she recalled.

Cummings hadn’t planned on leaving her marriage, but the next morning she waited until he left for work and then escaped with her children to her parents’ house.

“What I experienced left me with emotional scars,” Cummings said, “The ones you cannot see are much harder to heal than the bruises.” And to process her experience, in addition to counselling, she wrote a memoir in 2011 called Blood Vows that helped free her from her horrific past.

“On average it can take women about 13 attempts to permanently leave an abusive relationship, due to the nature of these crimes and the fear inflicted by the abuser.”

Watts praises the importance of counselling for survivors of domestic violence, saying, “Women can start to restore their self-worth, power to make choices, dignity, worth and knowledge, and build their support systems.”

Cummings’ attitude towards life is empowering and it is easy to understand how her strength pulled her through.

She has never seen herself as a victim. “No one by choice ever wants anyone to feel sorry for them. One thing I knew for certain was that I did not want to be defined by what happened to me. If we do not die then we survive, so we are all survivors,” she said.

Too often people in abusive relationships forget that they are survivors; that they are strong and have the power to change their lives. Therefore, Watts’ advice for those in abusive relationships is to seek help from professionals, talk to friends and family you trust, and give yourself time to think the situation through. And if you feel that you’re in danger contact the police.

Need assistance? Contact: University Counselling Service 49215801 Domestic Violence Hotline 1800 65 6463

Designed by Mia Engel

Yak Magazine August 2015 | 21

Jackson Langford explores our love/hate relationship with celebs we’ve never met

In mid-June, we witnessed something truly

unprecedented. Country starlet-turned-most-famoussinger-on-the-planet Taylor Swift penned an open letter to Apple Inc. condemning its policy on paying artists (or not paying artists) during a free trial period of Apple Music. This open letter sparked an outcry of Swift fans pressuring Apple to do what Taylor wished, and about 12 hours later that wish was fulfilled – artists would after all be paid during the trial period.

What is truly bizarre is why the fans did this at all. The likelihood of fans using torrents and illegal downloads is high, so they can’t really care too much about the monetary value of music. Most of them would have been tweeting their complaints from an iPhone, so there’s no anti-Apple agenda. No – as if Taylor Swift was some sort of deity, these people were at her beck and call. How did Taylor, who has been named by Fortune as the world’s sixth greatest leader, come to amass so much power, and why do we choose to ‘give in’?

To think about power and celebrity, we don’t have to look much further than the ultimate celebrity – Kim Kardashian. Often being labelled with the tiresome “famous for being famous” title, she is one of pop culture’s most polarising figures, with many people still tearing her down over her infamous 2007 sex tape. Just one recent example of her power is how she managed to release a book of selfies, titled Selfish, and have the first 500 copies sold out in less than a minute. I imagine you wouldn’t be too excited if someone you knew told you they were going to release a book that consisted entirely of their selfies. In the Instagram age we find celebrities are able to release uninteresting, unnecessary merchandise simply because they’re famous. Celebrities have power because they indulge in a lifestyle that is unknown to simpletons like us.

A 2008 study conducted by the University of Buffalo in the US found that celebrity worship can actually improve self-esteem by allowing people, especially those with fears of rejection, to enjoy a one-sided bond with that celeb. You’re never going to open Kim Kardashian’s book and have it tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore. However, a lot of the power a celebrity has often comes from your standard, anonymouscommenting, fedora-wearing hater. And no celebrity

cops as much hate on his public profile as Mr Kim Kardashian himself, Kanye West. Given, his attitude and public persona leave more to be desired, but he isn’t the devil that some people portray him as. When he was announced as the headliner for Glastonbury Festival in the UK, an online petition was started that pleaded the festival organisers to replace him and was met with over 133,000 signatures. For 133,000 people to want to rid of someone as a headliner goes beyond basic music taste – it’s personal. This sort of lobbying against Yeezus says a lot about anti-fans giving celebrities power.

These communities find a common goal, whether it is to empower or condemn a celebrity, and run with it.

“You’re never going to open Kim Kardashian’s book just to have it tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore.”

This tends to centralise attention on that person, that then causes debate that can extend for months afterwards. The “haterz make me famous” mantra of your 13-year-old Myspace self applies here. This negative attention can be partly attributed to people wanting to dislike someone disconnected from them as a way to expel anger or stress. This is certainly perpetuated by the media (there always needs to be a villain), but all it is doing is making that person far more notable and exposed. Generally speaking, unless your name starts with B and rhymes with fiancée, no one gets to a superstar-level of fame without pissing a few people off. It’s just part of the game.

Regardless of all of this, the way we interact with celebrities in a world of retweets and hashtags is facilitating their power and they are capitalising on it. This is in no way a bad thing, but the only way to stop giving a celebrity power is indifference. If no one responded to Swifty’s letter, Apple probably wouldn’t have waived its policy. Had no one gotten so cut at Kanye simply playing a festival, his performance at said festival probably wouldn’t have gotten the surrounding hype it did. No matter how you feel towards a celebrity, your passion is their power. Whether it be passionately adoring them or passionately detesting them, it’s all just fuel to their fire.

Designed by Kathleen Maier

Yak Magazine August 2015 | 23

Are street protests still a successful way to have your voice heard?

Emily Algar

“YES”

Street protests have come a long way since the sixties.

They aren’t only for hardcore feminists or political boycotts anymore. Gone are the days of pepper spray and riot squads. They are now a peaceful, organised and effective way of getting a point across and pushing prominent issues.

When it comes to having your voice heard, there’s definitely strength in numbers. We are much more likely to notice the ideas or opinions of a group rather than individuals. This is why street protests are such a successful method of attracting attention, especially from those who are otherwise uninterested. Who can ignore a group of protesters as they’re marching down the street? Don’t try and tell me you’re not a little curious.

Look at recent protests around the country regarding the federal government plan to deregulate university fees, some of which were held in Newcastle. Our regional campus would surely perish if there were no fee caps on courses.

“Street protests overall have a pretty bad reputation for being aggressive and violent, but thankfully we’ve come a long way from this (with the rare exception of animal rights activists hurling paint onto Kim Kardashian’s best fur).”

Students across Australia have rallied together to (peacefully) stick it to the Abbott government and put it out there that deregulating fees would not be a good time, and hey, it seems to be working! Deregulation is certainly a hot topic in the media as of late. The proposed changes were defeated in the Senate for a second time a few weeks ago, so fingers crossed.

Street protests overall have a pretty bad reputation for being aggressive and violent, but thankfully we’ve come a long way from this (with the rare exception of animal rights activists hurling paint onto Kim Kardashian’s best fur). All in all, if you are respectful, peaceful and law abiding, street protesting is without a doubt one of the best ways to have your voice heard.

VS

Sarah Iuliano

“NO”

Chanting and marching through the streets, sit-ins, blockades… As the world’s interest moves rapidly to the online realm, it begs the question as to whether these physical forms of protest are as effective as their prenetwork culture forebearers.

“Unless a city stops to a standstill with a protest (or it’s violent), little attention will be paid by media and therefore the public, the politicians, businesspeople or other stakeholders you are trying to engage with.”

Physical protests are attention-seeking. If you get your days wrong, parliament might not be sitting, the Member of Parliament or CEO you’re targeting may be away from their office. Australian media audiences have a small attention span for public affairs; a recent study by the University of Canberra ranked Australia last among 12 countries for this.

Unless a city stops to a standstill with a protest (or it’s violent), little attention will be paid by media and therefore the public, the politicians, businesspeople or other stakeholders you are trying to engage with.

If people in 2015 are lax enough to not attend house parties, how likely are they to join a street protest? Just consider the online protest invitation; you might click ‘Join’, but will you dip out at the last minute because climate change is a problem for Future You and right now you just want to heat up some mi goreng and watch Vines? Even if you heard of the event through word of mouth, will you send a message to your mate to decline: “Soz, m8.Sumfinhaz cum up.Lel.” Other tactics must be taken to garner attention these days.

Start or sign a petition and share it on social media. Tweet like no bird has ever sung. The media likes reporting on digital trends. Make a submission to a government inquiry.

Even doing things offline by writing to your local MP seem more efficient. While these methods lack the romanticism of a protest, a small headcount can be negated by these small acts which aim to reach a similar end in changing your world.

Designed by Breanna Yates

Staunch Renae Burgess

rekindles your faith in the

For those of you in the know, you’re aware that the hardcore and metal music scene in Newcastle has taken its share of blows recently, with the closing of various all-age performance venues around the city raising questions about the foreseeable future of the gig culture it’s known for.

You may also know then, that there remains one haven of hope with the city by the name of Hombre on Hunter Street that caters all-aged events and supplies a practice space for local talent.

Of this local talent, more cannot be said of Hombre’s owner, Mitch Whaley, and his very own band called Staunch.

The band formed roughly three years ago, but the current line-up has been blasting out their hardcore/metal music for a year and a half now not only at Hombre, but at a number of venues spanning from Brisbane down to Canberra.

“Within the state we’re decently big,” said Angus Bird, who can be caught shredding his guitar at the bands gigs. “And our name’s getting out there in Brisbane and Sydney too.

We’re not huge, but we have a decent following.”

Staunch consists of five band members: the aforementioned Angus Bird on guitar, William Larson on rhythm guitar, Dom Cant playing bass, Lewis Armstrong keeping the beat on drums, and band manager, venue owner and the saviour of Newcastle’s music scene Mitch Whaley as the bands singer.

Newcastle

music scene

“You have to tour,” said Angus. “That’s how you get your name out there.”

The band is currently preparing for a week-long tour, one of the longest they’ve ever done. Balancing work, studying and touring with a band that’s growing in popularity can be tricky business, but you won’t hear the boys ever complain.

“We normally do weekenders, sometimes getting home from a tour at six in the morning before starting work at seven,” Angus said.

When asked what it’s like to travel around for days with a whole band loaded into a van, Angus grinned fondly. “Five sweaty dudes in a car? We’re so used to each other now, it’s not really an issue. It’s not glamorous though. Most of the time you’re broke and sleeping on couches or in the van.”

He remarked excitedly though that with their growing fan base, Staunch is now earning them enough money to pay for the fuel for the trips, a milestone that marks their progress as a band and dedication to their art.

After this upcoming stretch, Staunch has no outstanding tours or high demanding gigs, but for those of you who may not be in the know, but maybe want to be, head into Hombre on Hunter Street and see if you can catch Mitch, a performance by Staunch, or evidence that the venue and band are keeping the heavy metal and hardcore music scenes alive and rocking within the city.

Staunch has played alongside international bands such as Rotting Out, Comeback Kid and Marauder, two of which are from the United States.

Photography by Corey Dreyer

Designed by Breanna Yates

Yak Magazine August 2015 | 25

On January 1 1965, the University of Newcastle was officially declared an independent and autonomous institution. Along with this came the first celebration of Autonomy Day, and the mathematicians out there may have already figured out that this year marks its 50th anniversary.

That’s right folks, the university performed the educational equivalent of moving out and took its first steps of independence like so many students do in order to attend it.

Rather fitting, isn’t it? Even for those of us lucky enough to stay at home during their studies, university has always been a symbol for finding one’s own identity, self-empowerment, and indeed autonomy.

Much like your typical student with a sudden influx of independence, the first celebration of Autonomy Day came in the form of a big party, and still does to this day, every second semester. The almost mythical professor Godfrey Tanner is rumoured to have sanctified “the land upon which the University rests” by pouring wine libations onto the ground on the inaugural Autonomy Day.

Autonomy Day soon became known for pranks and stunts of various natures, including the “kidnapping” of The Lord Mayor of Newcastle in which a “ransom” of $50 was acquired to help fund the construction of an Aboriginal hostel in Cardiff. Earlier celebrations were also seen as a platform for the student voice on politics and other issues of the time, with some provocative displays regarding the Vietnam War, the church and the hippie movement taking place on the day’s annual processions through the town.

Overall, Autonomy Day was seen as an expression of power that students wield, and the value they can bring to society through independent thought and action. However, Autonomy Day event organisers Rowan Stevenson and Tone Gibson agree that the emphasis of the date has shifted.

“Back in the early days, Autonomy Day was a platform for protest – Godfrey Tanner himself participated in a few of them,” Rowan said. “These days it’s become a celebration; a way for students to perform, discover and enjoy the rich history of the last 50 years.”

So when the struggles were over, the day became a time to commemorate the achievements of our extended family at the university, but surely there are issues of our own time worth addressing? Rowan answered that too, explaining Autonomy Day’s expansion into the week-long Festival of Autonomy. “The Festival of Autonomy is about more than one day. It’s about Photography by Angela Budden

celebrating the past, present and future of our university and the students that study here,” Rowan says.

Autonomy Day itself eventually shrunk to the perhaps more contained presence at Bar on the Hill, but hardcore celebrants can still be found starting the festivities as early as 7am. For those of you barely grappling with the fact that there is a 7am, the Festival of Autonomy provides plenty of other ways to participate. Since its inception in 2012, the festival has run with a specific focus on activities that build the community of UON. “That definitely involves celebrating in different ways to how the original Autonomy Days were celebrated,” Tone said. “Today’s student cohort is far more diverse than in the past.”

Traditional favourites like the billy cart races of the Auchmuty 500 and the Inflatable Carnival are set to return, along with comedy acts, silent discos, and a new addition for this year: the Morning Rave, which brings the global trend of a morning dance experience to UON and will get your heart started.

Seriously, strap some GoPros on and that’s good TV. This year’s festival runs from the 3rd to the 7th of August, meaning that it’s probably already on as you are reading this.

So what are you doing here? RUN! Designed by Breanna Yates

26 | Yak Magazine August 2015

WHAT’S ON: AUGUST Mon

Tues

Wed

Thurs

Fri

31

Sat

1

The Olive Tree Market Civic Park 9am - 3pm

Cultural Awakenings

Sun

2

Swing Over the Pacific UON Great Hall 2pm - 4pm $15 - $25

Newcastle International Animation Festival Tower Cinemas 31 July - 1 August

3

4

5

6

Silent Disco Tours Bar on the Hill 12pm - 2pm

Silent Disco Tours Bar on the Hill 12pm - 2pm

Morning Rave Bar on the Hill 7:30am - 10am

Vacation & Volunteer Expo Billy Cart Races The Brennan Room Aviation car park 12pm - 3pm 9:30am

Trivia Bar on the Hill 1pm - 2pm

UON Band Comp: Heat 1 Bar on the Hill 7pm - 10pm

Trivia Godfrey Tanner Bar 1pm - 2pm

Pool Comp Godfrey Tanner Bar 3pm - 6pm

Newcastle Antiques & Collectables Fair Newcastle Entertainment Centre $10 entry

Festival of Autonomy

Festival of Autonomy

Centrelink Info Session Room AV3 (in the Library) Ourimbah 10am - 3pm

10

Movies by Moonlight Ivory Tower (PG) Derkenne Courtyard, Shortland Building From 6.30pm

11

Festival of Autonomy

12

UON Band Comp: Heat 2 Bar on the Hill 7pm - 10pm

Festival of Autonomy

13

Troy Kinne stand-up Newcastle Panthers 7:30pm-9pm $30

7

8

9

15

16

22

23

28

29

30

Newcastle Jazz Festival Newcastle Jockey Club 2pm - 5pm

Newcastle Jazz Festival Newcastle Jockey Club 2pm - 5pm

Newcastle Jazz Festival Newcastle Jockey Club 2pm - 5pm

Xavier Rudd & The United Nations Civic Theatre Newcastle 7:30pm

Health Harmony Soul Festival Newcastle Entertainment Centre 10am Tickets $12+

Health Harmony Soul Festival Newcastle Entertainment Centre 10am Tickets $12+

Festival of Autonomy

14

Centrelink Info Session South Tower Common Area (Residential Precinct) 10am – 3pm

Newcastle Antiques & Collectables Fair Newcastle Entertainment Centre $10 entry

Newcastle Antiques & Collectables Fair Newcastle Entertainment Centre $10 entry

Christine Anu Lizotte’s Newcastle 7pm $40-$82

17

Create 2308 Various locations Callaghan campus

24

Movies by Moonlight Space Dandy (PG) Derkenne Courtyard, Shortland Building From 6.30pm

18

19

Trivia Bar on the Hill 1pm - 2pm

UON Band Comp: Heat 3 Bar on the Hill 7pm - 10pm

25

26

Create 2308 Various locations Callaghan campus

Trivia Bar on the Hill 1pm - 2pm

Create 2308 Various locations Callaghan campus

UON Band Comp: Heat 4 / Final Bar on the Hill 7pm - 10pm Pool Comp Godfrey Tanner Bar 3pm - 6pm

20

Create 2308 Various locations Callaghan campus

21

Create 2308 Various locations Callaghan campus

Hunter & Gather Markets Pacific Park 9am - 2pm

Hellions – Capsize (USA) & ’68 (USA) Cambridge Hotel 7pm $30

27

Newcastle Food & Wine Expo Newcastle Entertainment Centre 10am - 5pm Tickets $20+

Newcastle Food & Wine Expo Newcastle Entertainment Centre 10am - 5pm Tickets $20+

Find out more at: www.newcastle.edu.au/current-students

Newcastle Food & Wine Expo Newcastle Entertainment Centre 10am - 5pm Tickets $20+

Yak Magazine August 2015 | 27

REGULAR activities MONDAYS Monday Movies by Moonlight

Laze on the lawn under the stars and catch a flick for free.

6.30pm, Mondays Derkenne Courtyard

TUESDAYS Trivia

Test out your trivia skills each week at Bar on the Hill or Godfrey Tanner Bar. Bar on the Hill: 1pm - 2pm, Tuesdays

WEDNESDAYS Pool Comp

Pool sharks of Callaghan unite! Free to enter and there are prizes for the winner.

3pm - 5.30pm, Wednesdays Godfrey Tanner Bar

Band Comp

THURSDAYS Games with Godfrey

Settle down in the bar and roll the dice for a social board game or two.

From 3pm, Thursdays Godfrey Tanner Bar

FRIDAYS Trivia

Test out your trivia skills each week at Bar on the Hill or Godfrey Tanner Bar. Godfrey Tanner Bar: 1pm - 2pm, Fridays

Friday Arvos

Chill out and enjoy $9 jugs, $6.50 Schnitzel + chips and free lawn games!

From 3pm, Fridays Bar on the Hill

ALL WEEK

Get over to BOTH for some free live music and check out the very finest bands from UON competing in the National Campus Band Comp.

Godfrey Tanner Bar Happy Hour

From 7pm, Wednesdays Bar on the Hill

5pm - 6pm, each weekday of semester

TOP PICK

4pm - 5pm, each weekday of semester

Bar on the Hill Happy Hour

Health Harmony Soul Festival

CLUBS & SOCIETIES Newcastle Christian Students: Public Lecture Bar on the Hill, 7pm Tuesday, 4 August Cancer Council and Students’ Alliance: Daffodil Day Auchmuty Courtyard & Hunter Concourse Wednesday 12 August and Wednesday 19 August Design Club: Smackdown Derkenne Courtyard, 7pm Wednesday, 19 August BioScience Society: Trivia Night Cambridge Hotel 6pm Wednesday, 19 August Robogals: AGM, Location TBC 6pm Friday, 21 August SPUN: Speech Pathology Awareness Week Auchmuty Courtyard 10am - 2pm Tuesday 25 and Thursday 27 August

REGIONAL CAMPUSES

Newcastle Entertainment Centre 10am Sometimes you just need to sit back, relax and smell the incense. With guidance from key speakers and specialists in health and wellbeing, you’re guaranteed to leave with the ‘Zen-ness’ of ten Dalai Lamas*.

Whether you’re looking for guidance books, gifts, psychic readings, a massage or the meaning of life**, there’s a little something for everybody at the festival. Tickets are available online (http://healthharmonysoul. com.au/newcastle/tickets) or at the door and all inside entertainment and workshops are free! Are you reading to know your future? *Cannot guarantee ‘Zen-ness’ of ten Dalai Lamas. Sorry. **Also cannot guarantee that the meaning of life will be unveiled. Extra sorry.

University of Newcastle’s Oral Health Society Pub Crawl Location: Sydney From 7.30pm Wednesday, 21 August

List your Club or Society Event here!

Are you on the Executive of a Club or Society?

Then submit your events to us for our What’s On section. Just email yakmagazine@newcastle. edu.au with your event details.

of

feStival autonomy 3 to 7 August

for details of events visit

newcastle.edu.au/current-students

since 1965.