Issue 90.10

We acknowledge and pay our respects to the Kaurna people and their elders past, present and future as the traditional custodians of the land on which the University of Adelaide stands. We acknowledge that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living Kaurna people today.

D I T ORIAL

Welcome to our 10th and final issue of On Dit for 2022. Here lies, in this magazine, our last words and thoughts on our time as editors.

EAs the first all-women, ethnically diverse team in a long time, we have had to overcome different challenges. We were questioned on our ability to be taken seriously, accused of skewing the ‘gender balance’, and overall, under harsher scrutiny than most other teams in the past. Our honorariums were cut, and our fight to challenge this was never taken seriously. The pressure to be exceptional in order to prove our competency was a toll on all of us, but we believe that we did more than that - we held more events, released more issues, and most importantly, we were more daring.

This year, On Dit went through an experience that was very unique from the typical realm of student media in Australia. We participated in a very important fight, we kept our heads up high and most importantly we did not back down. As a media voice, we made sure our voice was radical, challenging the status quo and that it was an allegiance and a witness to the hope and inspiration of our time. The challenges of overcoming the barriers from within, of trusting ourselves and of resilience is testimony to what it takes to uphold legacies. As we part from our roles we take with us the love we have created, the solidarity we have received, the wisdom we have gained and the fight we will continue to give to. A lot happened in the world in our time as editors and we pray that the responsibility we bore during it shows us its fruits in our futures.

One of our goals for this year was to create a greater sense of community and involvement with the magazine. We wanted On Dit not just to be something that was read; we wanted it to be an event. To celebrate the efforts of all our contributors, sub-editors and guest editors with issue launches they deserved; to encourage people to take part in something they could physically hold; indeed, to create a magazine that might even spark some spoken word. And we did it. This ranged from an ‘Elle Dit Launch Film Night’ - where we watched ‘Promising Young Woman’ - to a creative writing workshop, and of course, the highly successful, and first of its kind (as far as we’re aware) ‘Hearsay Launch - Open Mic Night’. Not to mention, at the time of writing, a planned Queer Dit Launch Picnic. On Dit has always been about serving the students of this university; here for campus culture and community. It has been an honour to foster this legacy throughout 2022.

As a team, we shared invaluable memories and life lessons that will forever permeate our professional and personal lives ahead. We learnt that comradeship is invaluable. We learned that some people, despite your best efforts will forever undermine you. We learnt that time management is especially important. However, most of all, we learnt to maintain our passions; because through the tears, fear and long nights of editing and planning, the thing that kept us all going was passion. On Dit was determined to fight the good fight…to keep pushing and to keep writing.

May that legacy continue.

Yours truly, 2022 On Dit Editors

YOUX PRESIDENT’S REPORT

“I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.” - Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth

This has been held true by Her Majesty as her incredible reign which lasted 70 years, servicing the Crown and the Commonwealth. The Queen also committed her life to serving people, communities, charities and associations worldwide. Her Majesty’s leadership, gracefulness, deep compassion and dignity that she demonstrated throughout her reign had and will continue to inspire countless people, including myself. Vale Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Thank you for everything. Long live the King.

Recently, following a detailed investigation and referral from the YouX Student Media Independent Committee, the YouX Board has made the decision to remove Adelaide University Student Media Director, Habibah Jaghoori from her position as an On Dit Editor effective immediately. You can read more here: https://bit.ly/3RFl1ia.

I am also pleased to see our clubs grants exhausted in early September, it shows how incredibly active they are, and this is two years in a row! I always believe clubs are vital to the student experience, hence, we have allocated an extra $10,000 to be added to the Clubs grants budget!

This will also be my very last On Dit column, after six years of holding a range of different roles in YouX and the SRC. As inspired by Her Majesty, I believe in the importance of giving back to the community whenever I can, and I have made that my first priority as I serve you in a range of my

OSCAR ZI SHAO ONG YOUX PRESIDENT

roles in YouX and the SRC. I have thoroughly enjoyed serving you in the six years of my student life, including those midnight phone calls/messages asking for help, and I believe I have given my 200% to all my roles.

I thank you all for your valuable support to me throughout the years in my role as your YouX & SRC President, YouX Board Director, SRC General Secretary, Clubs Committee Chair and Clubs Representative. I would have never believed if I were told 8 years ago when I first landed in Adelaide as an international student, I would be given the chance to represent 27,000 students. It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to serve as your student representative in YouX and the SRC. Thank you again for the trust and belief that you placed in me to represent you.

Oscar Zi Shao Ong

YouX President

oscarzishao.ong@adelaide.edu.au Facebook/WeChat ID: oscarong1997

SRC PRESIDENT’S REPORT

When the new SRC took office in late 2021, COVID was being let into the state and the Liberals were still in power.

Today, we’re living in a so-called “post pandemic” world, with a right-wing federal Labor government committed to rolling back health protections, torturing refugees, approving major fossil fuel projects and shifting the burden of inflation onto workers.

The class war against workers, students and the poor has accelerated. Wherever you look – from rental prices, wages, inflation, pandemic pay and even the fuel excise – our side is losing. On campus, management is planning renewed rounds of cuts in 2023 while our Uni Health Practice threatens to begin charging for visits in the future.

But with the world in crisis, there have been new chances to rebuild activism and protests in society and on campus.

In Adelaide, left wingers on the 2022 SRC carried through Adelaide Uni’s first Student General Meeting in over a decade to defend student democracy and challenge management’s neoliberal mergers.

We’ve fought to keep radical traditions and politics on campus alive, hosting the Roe v Wade abortion protests, agitating for divestment from fossil fuels, leading the charge against far-right antivaxxer demonstrators and standing with Palestine against Israeli apartheid. I’m proud of the legacy we’ll leave behind of uncompromising, agitational politics, willingness to challenge the political right, and tireless organising.

As we head into the next year, we need to keep organising for the opportunities and challenges ahead. Soon, there will be a protest against management’s delaying tactics on the student demand for immediate divestment from fossil fuels. Keep an eye out for activists leafleting, lecture bashing and hosting stalls to build the event and get involved!

ANA OBRADOVIC SRC PRESIDENT

Unfortunately, Young Labor students have united with rightwingers in Progress to form an electoral bloc that will run 2023’s SRC. This year Progress have used their control of YouX to target student activism, including defunding the entire SRC. Like the federal Labor party, Labor students are committed to making concessions to the right, fostering a spirit of “cooperation” with those who undermine progressive politics rather than challenging them head on.

It will take radicals and students willing to disrupt business as usual to win our demands on and off campus. This means leftwingers must throw themselves into activism and taking political arguments seriously.

VOX? VOX?

Kyan (he/him)

1st Year | B. Mathmatical Sciences/ Sociology

1. I’d probably choose “Diaspora Problems” by Soul Glo: a cutting edge, loud, beautiful punk album. I figure if I got bored of loud music I can read a peaceful book instead, but no book can make you feel the way this album does.

2. I’d probably tell my 10-year-old self to loosen up. I’ve always been so worried about pleasing people and being polite which has been hard to undo now when I get put into positions where politeness maybe isn’t as desirable.

3. A 17-year-old boy wakes in the middle of the night to see a snail on his bedside table. The snail speaks to him in conversation, with a message: there is no purpose to life, and meaning cannot be made of it. Frustrated, upset and sleepy, the boy crushes the snail and pursues a life of successive attempts at meaningmaking through experimentation with hedonism, altruism and so on. He fails, turns 100 years old and meets the snail again on his deathbed, for another conversation.

4. I’m not sure. I don’t think being immortal would necessarily be bad, but I do think that Earth might not be very fun to live on for many more lifetimes. I’m gonna go with no.

Lauren (she/her)

3rd

Year | B. Int Relations/ Arts (Creative Writing)

1. This is basically impossible BUT at this second, ‘Begin to Hope’ by Regina Spektor.

2. I’d tell her to learn a language and an instrument, also to say sorry less.

3. If I write one, I’ll tell you then.

4. Absolutely fucking not, outliving everyone sounds horrible. Also climate change… as much as I’d like to think I’d be great in the apocalypse, I really wouldn’t.

1.

IF YOU COULD ONLY LISTEN TO ONE ALBUM FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WHAT WOULD IT BE? WHY?

2. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR 10-YEAR-OLD SELF?

POP! POP!

Louis (he/him)

1st Year - 2nd degree | Maths & Computer Science

1. The Dance of Death & Other Plantation Favourites by John Fahey (1999). It’s the album I play when I’m having a slow coffee in the morning, or I have chores I need to get done. I don’t think I would lose the need for the album any time soon.

2. I’d tell him that emotional regulation and a sense of self-assuredness is more important than getting myself emotionally involved in my mother’s struggles and underhandedness. I don’t think he’d listen but hopefully he’d just see that I’m doing alright :- ].

3. I’m really into human drama in novels. My favourite novels are ones where relatable characters are placed into situations that expose their deep, deep flaws. I also wrestle a lot with masculinity and what male role-models look like. I’d like to write something that exposes the shortcomings of modern masculinity in a compassionate way. Might be a bit tough because I both haven’t decided what I really think, and don’t like a book feeling preachy. I don’t know how Dostoevsky manages it.

4. No, I think that’s a bit daft. My mortality motivates me to experience the world with urgency and human connection. Would I live for a thousand years though? Yeah absolutely, give me that Tolkien life-span juice.

Niharika (she/her)

1st Year | Master of Media (Strategic Communication)

1. Folklore by Taylor Swift. I remember when the album first came out, I listened to it on repeat for a month! I love the songs, the lyrics and the stories they tell. So I definitely wouldn’t mind listening to it and only it for the rest of my life.

2. I’d give her a hug. And then maybe give her a shit tonne of money to get all the books she wants.

3. I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a novel in the memory of Ellie, our family’s lost pet. It would be a story of her trying to navigate through life on the streets of Kathmandu as a street dog while trying to find a way back home.

4. Yes. Hands down. There are tons of stories in the world I’d love to see the end to and honestly, my mortality doesn’t help.

3. IF YOU WROTE A NOVEL WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?

4. WOULD YOU BECOME IMMORTAL IF YOU HAD THE CHOICE?

90.10

OBRADOVIC

1. It is a disgraceful attack on student democracy, freedom of speech, and (importantly) pro-Palestine politics. It continues what has become a tradition by the Progress and Young Liberal factions of kicking out elected students from their positions, and will undoubtedly give campus Zionists around the country a boost of confidence.

2. Of course. Irish socialist James Connolly put it best: “Monarchy is a survival of the tyranny imposed by the hand of greed and treachery upon the human race in the darkest and most ignorant days of our history. ” It is absurd that a relic of feudalism and bloodline superiority remains our head of state. Aboriginal people live with the legacy of the murderous British Empire to this day. And our Governor General (the monarchy’s representative) bears undemocratic powers, infamously mobilised to depose democratically-elected Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in 1975. But only social revolution, not simply a republic, can rid Australia of the deep inequality and racism that the British monarchy represents.

3. A highlight was definitely calling and chairing the massive Roe v Wade abortion solidarity rallies in Adelaide, pissing off SA Liberal leader David Spiers and making the right flee to an “undisclosed location” for an anti-abortion conference the day after.

2. First and foremost becoming a republic does not undo the colonial atrocities that have taken place in this country. The legislation that allowed for the continued disenfranchisement of indigenous Australians was constructed and led by every Australian government including this current Labor government. Here in Australia, Indigenous Australians are the highest incarcerated group of people in the world, whilst only representing less than 1% of the population, they make up 30% of the prison population. We had a Royal Commission into Indigenous deaths in custody 30 years ago and since then a further 517 Indigenous Australians have died at the hands of the justice system. The closingthe-gap framework developed in 2008 has seen a lot of its targets not met and many metrics have regressed, some targets have even had to be revised downward because they were doing so poorly. Our government needs to reconcile and genuinely act on the atrocities they commit here before they try to wash their hands of our colonial past.

1. The removal of Habibah from her elected role as On Dit editor blatantly signals that we do not have an independent student media, and showcases the extent of the right-wing’s authoritarian control over all facets of campus culture. Progress and their cronies have once again undermined democracy to further their own “a” political agenda. This is not new for them, and certainly shouldn’t come as a surprise, however, what truly makes this instance stand out is the vile amount of vitriol and condemnation hurled towards Habibah, who has received everything from racist abuse to death threats to condemnations in Parliament. The removal of Habibah is a continuation of Progress’ long-standing trend of removing people from democratically elected positions due to differing political opinions, and of silencing dissenting views, and it showcases that a truly independent media is not possible under a right-wing rule. Greens Club wholeheartedly stands with Habibah Jaghoori’s statements on Palestine and is grateful for both her tireless work as an activist and an On Dit editor. We also would like to take this opportunity to echo her pro-Palestine sentiments now and every day.

1. What does the removal of On Dit’s democratically elected editor Habibah Jaghoori mean for the state of our independent media?

2. Should Australia become a republic? Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II how should Australia move forward especially in terms of its First Nations people?

3. What has been your party’s proudest political moment this year?

Socialist Alternative | ANA

Greens Club | CAITLIN BATTYE, MICHAEL PETRILLI, WILLIAM PINCOMBE

3. Firstly, I might qualify that a political party might have policies but not feelings, so I do not speak for “The Greens” exactly here. Nonetheless, I would have to say that many Greens feel justifiably proud of their involvement in the successful campaign to defeat the destructive and corrupt Morrison government at the May Federal Election.

As well as new Greens MPs (including South Australia’s wonderful Barbara Pocock), we now have a parliamentary majority that promises: actually doing something about climate change, steps towards reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and an anticorruption commission. This, after one which was happy to destroy the world for short-term profits, gave huge sums of money to their business mates and prosecuted continuous divide-andrule culture wars to distract from their general malfeasance.

1. As journalists, On Dit editors, must engage with critical theories and cutting-edge research about the state of our world. Sometimes this results in an uproar from those who do not agree with the views being shared. Under ideal circumstances, the student union and student media would have a mutually beneficial relationship. But sadly YouX seems reluctant to bear the costs of certain risks to do with free speech, and this deferential thinking— the desire to reinforce existing power structures and not rock the boat—has troubling implications for the reporting of public interest issues. Moving forward, we urge that “independent committees” getting involved in student media be held to the highest standard of scrutiny, rather than merely being post hoc rationalisations.

2. Now that the government’s breathtaking display of compulsory mournography has expired, it’s time to talk about a republic. Unfortunately, we don’t have the numbers needed for a referendum, but this usually happens after a major royal event. The monarchy is a weird drug, and we’re all doped up on it. Many people treat them like deities, channelling their latent religious faith into devotion to the royals. Others are attracted to the constancy, dignity, and sense of belonging that they offer, and that democratically elected officials have been unable to provide. I’m not convinced, though. It’s bad enough that we publicly fund the hero worship of people who have zero material or political interests in common with the average Australian, but the monarchy serves as a reminder of centuries of colonisation, death, and dehumanisation. This argument is sharpest coming from First Nations people, wherein the crown isn’t merely foreign, but dispossessing.

3. It’s hard to choose. Albanese and his colleagues hit the ground running, travelling to meet with the Quad leaders just 24 hours after being elected. They’ve smoothed over diplomatic relations with China and France, while Penny Wong has been spearheading discussions surrounding climate change in the Pacific Islands. Then there’s the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which is one step closer to being delivered under Labor; giving those most vulnerable under the existing system direct input into decisions that affect them. But perhaps most famously, Labor released the Murugappan family from immigration detention and helped them resettle in Biloela this year. Unlike the coalition, Albanese has taken a firm stance against the “publicly funded cruelty” of offshore detention, as well as against other regressive and inhumane social policies—banning cashless debit cards, implementing domestic violence leave, and increasing the childcare subsidy rate.

1. The fatalistic language used by Habibah in the article ‘For Palestine, there is No Ceasefire’ is sufficient cause for reprimand, not removal. However, Habibah’s behaviour towards Jewish students on the 1st of September, in addition to this article, absolutely justifies her removal. (Further, it is my understanding that Habibah was removed by the YouX board, which is also a democratically elected student organisation.)

2. Eventually, yes. My Australian Utopia recognises sovereignty is never ceded. Such a recognition, we have long now heard, in incommensurate with Australia-as-Commonwealth.

3. For the Party—the Budget. For me? The Marshall government’s COVID-response, whose lasting effects still permeate the State.

Liberal | TAYLOR WESTMACOTT

editors’ picks recipes

chanel’s pick

My favourite recipe is beef stroganoff because my partner makes it for me in winter. When it’s ready, we always sit close together at the dinner table, a blanket wrapped around us, and we bask in the silence of good food and good company. Content with the delicious meal, and the warmth of the bowl…the comfort of the blanket and his love. It’s moments… and good food like that, which makes me feel happy.

jenny’s pick

As a vegetarian-adjacent (long story) person living with meat-eating parents, I’ve been making my own meals since school. Naturally, I’ve made a lot of recipes but my go-to, cheap, easy, cozy dinner especially for a cold night is minestrone. I made this for my partner and he loved it - he’s a real picky eater and an honest man so that meant a lot to me. All you need are diced tomatoes, some fresh root veg (carrots, zucchini etc), herbs, and a small type of pasta. It’s a one pot dish - pretty much just cook all the veg, chuck some vegan chicken stock in there, top with parsley, parmesan and fresh chilli, and you’re done! Minimal cost, minimal dishes, minimal prep time, but maximum love and yum.

habibah’s pick

There is nothing better than Middle Easten food. Each dish has a history to it and each dish serves a different purpose in social gatherings. Food is love and let me tell you Kibbeh has my heart. I first discovered Kibbeh when I was a fresh highschooler in Sydney and ever since then my friends mum who was the canteen lady would put kibbeh she made from home in my lunch order. Bless her. Because that's what Middle Eastern food is about. COMMUNITY, GENEROSITY AND LOVE. What is Kibbeh you are wondering? Well, it’s hard to describe but it’s basically meat and wheat being made into a paste first and then into balls with spices and pine nuts. You can have it on it’s own, with salad, with dips or with rice. You can’t go wrong with Kibbeh. Kibbeh is my childhood and adolescent experience of community.

grace’s pick

A comfort food for me, which I rediscovered this year in a desire to get more passionate about cooking, is Koshari. It is an Egyptian staple, and a dish that reminds me of the many warm holidays I spent in my birth country. Ingredients include pasta, rice, lentils, a tomato sauce (not to be confused with Aussie, Heinz type tomato sauce), chickpeas, all topped with crispy crunchy fried onions. Not to mention, it’s easier to cook this meal in a big batch, and because it keeps well, it makes great leftovers.

disabilidit

Words by Alexandra Sudlow-Haylett

It’s taken 6 years, but I’m finally on the cusp of finishing my degree.

In a 2020 report, The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that only 16.1% of disabled people had a bachelor’s degree or higher. That statistic gets much worse for autistic people, as only 8.1% of us had the same. As I draw closer and closer to the end of my time at university, it’s hard not to think about how many of us don’t make it, and how I became an exception.

My entire education had been patchy up until I entered university. I would up and walk out of primary school, entirely incapable of being there. I was in and out of home school, and often my studies were unsupervised. In high school, I tried again, but I left in year 10. No matter where I went, or how I was integrated into classes, none of it mattered. Support was non-existent and I could never stay longer than a year.

Falling through the cracks at every possible opportunity meant that I never saw myself going to university. I made it here through a very supportive bridging program, but almost every semester here has sent me to some of the darkest places I’ve ever been. Burnout, lack of support and social isolation have formed the foundations of my degree. Inappropriate comments about my disabilities from academics and staff were only window

dressings, just details that would tip me over the edge on a bad day.

Every experience I’ve described here I also found in the wider community of disabled students here at the University of Adelaide. For the first time in my life I met people like me, who understood how hard it was to be here, to stay here. Who knew about the physical, emotional, and financial costs of being a disabled student, about the burden of fighting ableism and how much we sacrifice for the bare minimum of support. I’ve joked before that I’ve gotten more from my work with the Disability, Illness and Divergence Association (DIDA) than from my studies. It’s not entirely a joke. The University has plans for an Access Room on the North Terrace campus because of DIDA’s campaign over the past year. Before I left, I wanted to ensure that I left this campus a better place than when I found it. For now, I stand to be successful. I ask that the current cohort holds the university accountable so that disabled and ill students no longer have to leave campus or hide in toilet cubicles for privacy.

I am endlessly grateful to our membership at DIDA, who have trusted us with their stories. I am also grateful to the allied academics and staff who stand with us even when our stories can be confronting.

Graduating Disabled.

As I leave this institution, I’m still haunted by a thought: “I shouldn’t be here”.

I remember all of us who have failed courses, stepped away, or left this institution entirely.

I see you, and it is not your fault.

econ-dit

Words by Theo Goldsworthy-Hess

Is economic growth a means to an end or an end of itself? Governments around the world are obsessed with achieving growth targets, making it one of the key criterions for electability. But what is the purpose of economic growth, and what are the cost and benefits of pursing growth?

Economic growth can be understood essentially as the increase in the size of a country’s economy over a period of time which is typically measured by the total production of goods and services in the economy, otherwise known as Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It is a generally accepted view that long-term economic growth over a period of time is correlated with an improvement in living standards. Although it is not the main input for improving living standards, it is critically important in increasing the overall opulence of a country. For example, while China was under the rule of Mao Zedong, many policies were implemented which improved health and education outcomes for large parts of the population. However, these policies could only have a limited impact as China still remained a very poor country. This led the Chinese government to adopt market reforms in 1978 in an attempt to accelerate economic growth in order to increase the wealth of the country. What followed was a remarkable period of economic growth which has completely transformed China from a very poor country to one which now has a large middle class. Such growth has allowed large investments in civilian infrastructure, education, and health which have acted to improve the quality of life for Chinese citizens. This also led to a huge market for goods and services, giving greater access to a more diverse

range of food and consumer appliances. However, there is a limit to how much economic growth can contribute to improvement in living standards.

Economists have argued that there is a threshold for which economic growth can bring about improvements in living standards, and after this threshold is reached, further economic growth can actually have an adverse effect. Although this is only a hypothesis, in the United States, even in spite of economic growth, there has been a stagnation of real wages in the over the past 40 years, with a US worker today having the same purchasing power as a worker from the 1980s. House prices have also increased at a rate much faster rate than wages have, making it much harder now to own a home. Most advanced economies around the world are committed to achieving strong economic growth targets and is an important criterion for electability. Economic growth has become not only a mainstay but a cultural norm that we cannot seem to escape. However, if living standards continue to stagnate, what purpose does economic growth serve? To answer this question, we must look at the economic policies governments across the world implemented primarily during the 1980s.

Following a period of economic stagnation as well as record high inflation during the 1970s, governments across the world sought to address these problems through structural changes to the economy. This included deregulation of the financial system, removal of centralised wagefixing, and introduction of laws that make it harder for unions to organise and strike. These structural changes sought to

What is the point of economic growth?

improve the competitivity and efficiency of corporations by allowing them to keep a larger share of their profits. Although these structural adjustments have allowed corporations to become more dynamic and productive which has contributed to economic growth, it has come at a huge sacrifice to wage earners. The general population has sacrificed improving living standards for the benefit of profitability and growth. This totally goes against what the purpose of not only economic growth but the economy itself is for. The economy should never be recognised as a single independent entity; an economy serves the purpose of furthering the wellbeing for the members of its society, not the other way around. The consequences of pursuing a policy of endless growth for the purpose of the “health” of the economy is not only detrimental to society but will also bring about major ecological catastrophes.

There is no denying that economic growth has the capability to turn a poor country into a rich one and thus bring about improvements in quality of life. However, we must also understand that there are limits to what economic growth can achieve and also the impact it has on the environment. Unfortunately, economic growth has become an end of itself in much of the world, with governments implementing policies for the sake of economic growth rather than for the wellbeing of their citizens. Ultimately, the world is made up of scarce resources, which makes endless growth an impossible feat. Therefore, we must look to change our economies from growth-driven to degrowth and eventually to sustainable stationary economies. The process by which this is done will require extensive

research and investigation, but it is an issue that is undeniably important if we are to avoid environmental catastrophe.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Chloe Frick

WORDS BY MAXIM BUCKLEY

Very sorry to all the fans of the series (shoutout to Tash Moy), I took a two month hiatus and so therefore the series took a two month hiatus. For the final edition of Systematic Review I have my very good friend and fellow scientist Chloe Frick. Chloe is a PhD student studying ecology, her chief task is to restore brush-tailed bettong populations in Innes National Park, South Australia. This project is a flagship reintroduction from a 20+ year rewilding program and as such is very important. But since Chloe is a scientist, she definitely downplays it.

“Typically, if I’m in the office, I concern myself with paperwork, grant proposals, any external commitments, and naturally I allocate some time to be distracted by my lab mates. While I’m out I also collect swabs, so those need to be processed so I can gather data on the microbiome and

genetics of the animals. When it gets interesting is when I spend time doing field work. For myself, since I’m studying mammals, I’m typically up very early checking traps and letting the little fellas go before the sun’s up. But you’re also encouraged to help other students so you can graduate with an employable skill set, so I’m frequently helping with projects outside of my scope.”

I think whenever I meet someone who I’m impressed with, I’m always super curious about how they got to where they are. How does someone go from undergraduate studies to running a large portion of a rewilding program? “Basically my undergrad was what it was, and then I did my honours. My honours project focused on the non-invasive monitoring of genetics of an extant brush-tailed rock wallaby population in far east Victoria. Fancy words

for saying I slogged through a steep gorge for a week, picked up critically endangered animal poo, smuggled it across the border, then spent an obscene amount of time in a lab.” Chloe’s research provided male and female population numbers, the population’s movement in/out of the gorge, and how inbred they were. These data provided for policy suggestions to better manage the population to the point where they no longer require human involvement. The too long didn’t read is that you need to be dedicated to ecology, like any other science, because there are some pretty strenuous requirements, though it can be very rewarding, and you don’t have to break yourself to get there.

Beyond the normal study related barriers, Chloe also faced some resistance that shouldn’t be present but is unfortunately still all too real. “There were a myriad of people that didn’t support me and often openly sledged the idea of me studying wildlife because of the lack of projects and jobs. Also I was at times passed over due to my female presentation, since projects can frequently be physically demanding. Myself and some of my colleagues have had our relationship statuses questioned, our plans for parenthood probed, and how these factors would affect our ability to complete field work. People often don’t keep their crappiest opinions to themselves”. Chloe also told me once that she had to pull 80 ticks off her research idol after a three hour bush bash, which just sounds pretty gross and something I personally would try to avoid at all costs.

Something that came up whilst Chloe and I were chatting was the need to congratulate yourself and recognise how far you’ve come. “Undergrad, honours, and then PhD: it feels like one big slog at times. It’s important to look back and pat yourself on the back. These things aren’t easy, and you come a long way in a relatively short period of time. It’s worthwhile congratulating yourself because far out, you’ve done it and done well”. My personal recommendation to anyone going down a similar path is to think back to a time you remember distinctly a year or two

ago, think about what you were thinking then and whether or not you expected to be where you are now. Even if you predicted the outcome, it still feels pretty bloody good.

Anyway, the real question of this article is where the bloody hell is Chloe getting all these bettongs. The answer is Western Australia, and apparently they have too many. But this is all according to Chloe, who I would argue has a vested interest in the acquisition of bettongs, so do with that information what you will. Chloe will allegedly be involved in the acquisition (theft) of other animals, though I cannot share the project details with you at this time. Just know that the very idea of the project made a 5-year-old I met whilst galivanting around Tasmania very upset, to the point where she requested that I tell Chloe off.

Chloe hopes that her project results in the bettongs spreading and becoming a selfsustaining and co-existing population in Innes National Park, as their niche and roll in the landscape currently remains unfulfilled. The project’s success is also necessary for the continuation of the Marna Banggara program. The data gleaned from this project will influence future projects in the region but also future projects Australia wide. Chloe doesn’t necessarily know her next steps after the completion of her PhD since this is awhile away, though she hopes to continue her work with species reintroduction.

Finally, a small amount of self-indulgence. Systematic Review was an idea I had when I edited On Dit in 2019 but didn’t have the time for. I’ve always maintained that On Dit should focus more on student affairs, particularly those that occur on our own campus. Though it certainly doesn’t come with the glitz and glamour of covering student politics, writing about my fellow researchers has been a joyous undertaking and I’d gladly do it again, though it may be time for someone else to take the reins. If you’ve enjoyed the series, I’d encourage you to keep up with what research is conducted at the university, since I’ve only really scratched the surface.

CLUBCLUBSPOTLIGHTSPOTLIGHT

STUDENTS FOR PALESTINE ADELAIDE WHAT DOES THE CLUB DO?

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS CLUB?

Students for Palestine Adelaide are a group of students standing unequivocally with the Palestinians and against Israeli oppression.

WHY IS THIS CLUB IMPORTANT?

Our club fights to condemn the historic and on-going genocide, apartheid, land-theft and oppression of the Palestinian people by the state of Israel.

We organise solidarity actions with Palestine, agitate for our universities to cut ties with Israel, and raise awareness of the Palestinian cause.

There is a strong, right-wing Zionist lobby on campuses around Australia. We need organisations that can counter Zionist distortions and give confidence to the Palestine solidarity movement in Australia.

Our campuses are intimately tied to the apartheid Israeli state. At Adelaide Uni, students do research for weapons companies like BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin who develop specialised technology used by Israel to wage war against Palestine.

Students in Australia affirming their solidarity with the Palestinian struggle and opposing our own government’s support for Israeli’s crimes is an important contribution we can make to the global struggle against racism.

HOW CAN PEOPLE GET INVOLVED IN THE CLUB?

Anyone can get involved by contacting us on Facebook. Our page is called “Students for Palestine Adelaide”.

WALLABIES VS SPRINGBOKS A MATCH REVIEW

Words by Aden Hill

After 19 long years, the International Rugby Union finally returned to South Australia on August 27, with the Wallabies taking on reigning World Cup champions South Africa at the Adelaide Oval. As a fan of rugby (both league and union), I jumped at the chance to finally see the national team in action.

The last time the Wallabies played in Adelaide was during the 2003 World Cup. The Eddie Jones’ coached side, captained by Australian rugby legend George Gregan, cruised to victory 142-0 against Namibia, the largest winning margin in the history of the Rugby World Cup.

Fans were treated to two quality games of rugby over a blockbuster afternoon. First, the Wallaroos (Australia’s women’s rugby team) faced off against their New Zealand rivals the Black Ferns. An entertaining clash saw the Black Ferns finish 22-14 winners, but I for one saw a lot of positive things from the Australian girls.

Then the centrepiece began. 36,336 fans filled the stands as James Slipper led the Wallabies out. The crowd belted out both national anthems, then we settled into our seats for the start of the match, and what a start it was. The opening kick-off the boot of Wallabies halfback Nic White sailed through the air, right down to South Africa, who promptly lost possession of the ball to the rampaging Australians. A couple of quick passes and good footwork saw the Wallabies advance down the field, with openside-flanker Fraser McReight scoring inside the first minute of the game. That really got the crowd on their feet.

Australia, a minute in and already out to a seven-point lead, thanks to the conversion from five-eighth Noah Lolesio, extended their lead through a penalty goal only minutes later. The crowd were then treated to the poor

goalkicking skills of South Africa’s Handre Pollard, who missed two relatively straightforward penalties, bringing a chuckle to many. On his third attempt though, Pollard succeeded, making the scores 10-3.

The first half played out, with many penalties being blown by the referee. As the crowd’s energy dampened, Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete decided to give them something to cheer about, by putting the hit of the game on his Springboks counterpart Makazole Mapimpi. As Mapimpi raced towards the try line and jumped like an Olympic gymnast to plant the ball down, Koroibete appeared out of nowhere, rocketing into Mapimpi midair, dislodging the ball, and saving a certain Springboks try. Never have I heard a crowd react like that before. The half ended with the man with the best name in rugby, South Africa’s Faf de Klerk, sin-binned after slapping Nic White in the face at a scrum.

The second half was just as entertaining as the first. A beautiful piece of play saw the Wallabies move the ball gracefully across the field, ending in the hands of Koroibete who scored the try. Only ten minutes later, a line break from Lolesio saw McReight cross untouched for his second try of the match. A Lolesio penalty saw the score line stretch to 25-3. A late fightback from South Africa saw Kwagga Smith score twice, but they couldn’t catch the Wallabies who finished winners at full time, 25-17.

In the minds of everyone, there was only one man who could take home the man-of-thematch award, Marika Koroibete, who pulled off the tackle of the game and added a try for good measure.

In all, we were treated to a spectacular test match from some of the best rugby players in the world, a taste of rugby union sure to have many in Adelaide hungry for more.

artist spotlight

dante lauro siliquini

Interview by Jenny Jung

Dante is a current student at the University studying a Bachelor in International Relations and Arts. I first came across his work when he made a submission for one of On Dit’s earlier issues, and became immediately intrigued by his unique style of figure drawing and linework that were, to me, reminiscent of Picasso’s drypoints and sketches.

He seemed to have mastered the craft of paying homage to a different time without comrpromising originality, and as a fellow art lover, I was keen to get to the bottom of it. So, when Dante expressed an interest in doing more artwork for On Dit, I grabbed the opportunity to get some of my questions about his works answered.

@taccucino

How did you get into drawing? Were you always an artist, or is art a passion that crept up on you unexpectedly?

I could not give you a specific time or date, it is just something that has consistently been a part of my life. My family have always been passionate about art, and many of them enjoy painting, such as my mother, father, and grandfather. Although not everyone paints, art and artists have always been a topic of discussion. My sister also peruses a visual art as a graphic designer, so this passion may be hereditary. My earliest memories of drawing take place in preschool, while the subject I drew was cumbersome and lacked any proper composition, as expected for a 4-year-old, the feeling of creating was joyous. Throughout primary school, to the teacher’s displeasure, I would draw in the margins of all my textbooks, especially in mathematics. However, in high school, my passion was tucked away as I possibly sought after a new identity. The only time this passion would return would be in art class, where the charisma of the teacher was contagious. Out of class, I would sporadically draw now and then with no real intent, just as a method to pass time. This however changed in my final year, due to being pressed with multiple questions such as ‘what do you want to do once school ends?’. Questions such as these were both daunting and exciting, as I never really had a concise idea of who I wanted to be. It was here that I realised that I should not perceive drawing as a hobby, I should pursue it equally to that of a university degree. This idea was confirmed during a night at the restaurant Ruby Red Flamingo, where my sister endorsed me to start an account on Instagram displaying my work. Thus, that endorsement gave birth to the account ‘Taccucino’, which is a made-up word, as I failed to spell ‘Taccuino’ which means notebook in Italian.

Are the subjects of your artwork derived from real people? What stories do you try to tell with these characters?

The subjects in my art all derive from real people, but mostly people of the past. I have rarely ever done a drawing of a man or woman in contemporary clothing or setting, the exceptions being self-portraits or drawings of friends and family. Why this is the case, may stem from my interest in history in which I am majoring. A subject that I will continue to look at and use for my work is the solider. The soldier has always been an interest of mine, even as a child I would draw stick figures engaged in large-scale battles. However, as I matured, I focused on the soldier as an individual rather than trying to draw him in the midst of combat. Another subject that I continue to use is the Matador. I have always been fascinated by the Matador due to their costumes consisting of fine stitch work and the way that they carry themselves in the arena. They are able to both pose robustly and move with fluidity; they dance with the bull.

When I draw, I don’t always have the intention of telling a story - I could draw something solely for its ascetic. However, I have acknowledged that when I draw something, a story tends to be played out in my head. I am a big advocate for creating a piece and having the viewer decide what it means to them yet at the same time I enjoy providing a piece of work with intended meaning. For example, I recently drew a piece titled ‘The manifestation of time and writer’s block’. This piece was intended to display how time can be manifested in the mind of a writer when they have writer’s block. I depicted time to be looming in the background, ominous and waiting for the writer’s mind to clear.

What is your biggest artistic inspiration?

Music plays an important role for me when drawing and the genre of music can have a great impact on the work. The types of genres that I would listen to when drawing would be Jazz, Classical, Latin Jazz, Soul, Salsa, and Flamenco. I feel as though when viewing a piece of art, you can assume what music the artist was listening to. I would like to think that my work does the same as it brings it more to life.

20th-century Catalonian artist, Joan Miró is an example of this as when I look at his work, I hear music. Miró is one of my greatest inspirations however, if you compared our works, you would not notice such inspiration. This is because Miró inspires me to be an artist rather than inspiring me stylistically. Miró’s notion that ‘the works must be conceived with fire in the soul but executed with clinical coolness’ resonates within me and my work. Stylistically, multiple artists have had an impact on me. For example, French artist, Henri Matisse influenced the way I draw women through the combination of simple lines.

wildflowers.

I am a graveyard –secrets buried six feet deep some kept for them some from myself. Shovels work all night digging graves for words unwritten. But little do I know (would I ever?) from ash to ash and dust to dust; I sprout the most beautiful wildflowers.

Words by Niharika Gyawali

THE WESTERNISATION OF FEMINISM IS A PLAGUE

Words by Jessica Grasser

Mahsa Amini was reportedly killed by Iranian morality police after she was seen ‘improperly’ wearing her hijab last week. Following Mahsa’s death women and men of Iran have taken to the streets in protest Iranian women taking the streets and burning their hijabs turned into a global image. When Mahsa Amini’s death called to light the patriarchy that exists everywhere in the world, I expected outrage. I prepared myself for hundreds of sparkly infographics shared to stories with petition links and gofundme attachments. I believed Facebook events would be full of rallies and marches held all over the world to show ‘international support’ for the women of Iran. After days passed, and media coverage was wide enough to be accessible for all, I quickly realised Mahsa Amini’s death wasn’t an issue the TikTok feminists cared about. There weren’t going to be the same numbers at rallies or protests held all over the world like when Roe v Wade was overturned. Because this wasn’t an issue for western feminism. This westernisation of feminism is a plague, infecting our activism and staining the

capacity for social reform all over the world. Until western feminists begin to care about issues that aren’t glorified on TikTok or can’t be expressed easily in an infographic, the entire movement is stagnant. When all of the energy of feminism as a movement is centred on progressing western women’s privilege rather than securing basic human rights for women everywhere, it is not about all women. It’s about white women.

Fourth-wave feminists must focus on intersectionality, the connections between different forms of oppression and how that makes women of colour and queer women more disposed to discrimination. Fourth-wave feminists must stop being lazy and thinking their job is done once they have reposted something to their instagram stories. We become complacent in oppression and discrimination if we pick and chose when we will be feminists based on how many times a hashtag has been used. When we do this we are no longer feminists. We become performers who jump from issue to issue through the repost button on our phones and we never truly stand for anything.

Take a look at Afghanistan, one of the most dangerous place to be a woman right now, where did the outrage feminists had when it was first taken over by the Taliban go? It was lost in irrelevancy created by sporadic activism rather than meaningful reform. Western feminism can only care about an issue for as long as their stories stay posted and it has made the movement redundant. Iranian women, Afghanistan women, Saudi Arabian women, Ugandan women have all been forgotten by main stream feminism that prioritises reactionary American politics over global attrocities.

Often when I raise my issue with main stream feminism i hear criticism that ‘we cant stand for every issue’ or ‘how are we supposed to know about these things’, but the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody was published in our own ABC. Even if it wasn’t in the ABC it takes privilege to remain negligent of these issues and if you truly stand for the liberation of women you would search for oppression to make way for reformation. Remaining ignorant perpetuates the privilege you have and it only further disadvantages non-western women. There is no excuse for sheltering yourself in today’s day and age where Mahsa Amini’s story is on every major media platform. Western feminists choose to stay ignorant, they say they care about bodily autonomy but only on an individual basis and only depending on how popular the issue is. I saw hundreds of people at the 2022 Roe v Wade South Australia rally held recently but I can confidently say no one I saw at the Roe V Wade protest was at our rally only last year to decriminalise and debarricate abortion access in SA. Most of the people I spoke to who attended this rally didn’t even know abortion wasn’t officially decriminalised in SA until mid this year. So it begs the question, do they actually care about these issues or do they just want to look like they do? How does western feminism encourage this performative and half masted activism?

Perhaps its because we have lost touch of

the radicalism that feminism is built upon? We have begun to say “oh I’m not one of those crazy blue haired feminists who hate men, dont worry” so that we can make our feminism consumable for men. This makes feminism, like everything, built around men. Perhaps we do this because a woman who just posts infographics doesn’t bend outside of male fantasies, she can still be liked and desired. She gets to have both the liberation and the adoration, but it doesn’t work that way. Emmeline Pankhurst didn’t compartmentalise her activism to be desirable and fourth wave feminists shouldn’t do it either. Whether it is out of a fear of pushing away possible breeding mates or we still feel the presence of an overbearing mother on our shoulders judging our presentation of feminine attributes, young feminists are distancing themselves from radicals when it has always been the way in which reform was achieved. Instead, we should listen to the angry blue haired feminists. Those who are brave enough to keep asking for better, for a world that isn’t just sufficient but is ethical and fair. Perhaps those who are angry are those who know more, who have greater expectations, who see the failure of our system first hand. We must make our feminism international, intersectional and intentional for it to be meaningful and that begins with the liberation of, ALL WOMEN. This isn’t even the radical part of feminism. This is ground level expectations which we have disgracefully lost to western feminism, and to which we can reclaim with intentionality, intersectionality and internationality.

lost in translation finding company in loneliness

Words by Jenny Jung

I was on the bus on my way to school one summer, years ago, when I came to a realisation that there was something wrong with the way I related to the world around me. I didn’t feel one with my surroundings, nor was I fully engaged with conversations and interactions I had with people, not even with my closest friends – I realised that I had been simulating existence.

It was a feeling of complete disharmony, a heightened awareness of the absurdity of my surroundings. With each passing month, each year, people became even more alien. The gap between my consciousness and the surface of my skull only seemed to grow further.

I first watched Lost in Translation in my final year of high school, a few years ago from now. Even though I wasn’t navigating an unfamiliar place or trying – and failing – to communicate with people who don’t speak my language, I resonated so much with what the characters were experiencing. An epiphany hit: there wasn’t anything wrong with me – I was just lonely.

It is one thing to be lonely from being alone – feeling lonely even when constantly surrounded by people and activities is a whole different animal and Lost in Translation captures this experience so well. The main characters Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) are both questioning their place within their lives. They aren’t quite happy in their respective marriages, nor do they have a certain future in terms of their careers. Bob is a washed-up, irrelevant movie star now taking random commercials and gigs to stay afloat, while Charlotte is fresh out of university, trying to make sense of her place in the world and in her marriage to a pretentious, hipster-photographer-husband. They both end up in Tokyo, somewhat unwillingly, and find each other sticking out like a sore thumb in a tacky hotel bar.

Bob and Charlotte are both observers. They understand the absurdity of the world and struggle to immerse themselves in it. Sofia Coppola conveys this sentiment in such an easily digestible way without compromising any of its heartbreaking nuance. The whole film has a flat, two-dimensional appearance that produces dream-like, pictorial imagery that downplays realism.

The Japanese characters are exaggerated caricatures, sometimes uncomfortably stereotypical and teetering on racist. However, it undeniably does the trick in making the audience understand the alienation the main characters are feeling. Bob, upon arriving in Japan, is rushed around by an entourage of Japanese staff to various ad campaigns where the photographers speak very little English, vaguely and distantly throwing around pop culture tokens in an effort to direct Bob. He tries to make it work with what little direction he’s getting, but winds up just getting frustrated. Charlotte also seems to share this feeling of disconnect with her surroundings. In one of the first scenes with Charlotte, she’s left to her own devices after her husband leaves for work when she decides to visit a Japanese temple; in a place where she cannot find connection through conversation or culture, perhaps spirituality can offer a common language. She watches the monks chant and people pray. Yet she feels nothing – something she tries to explain over the phone with a friend in vain, as even she does not have time to speak with her. This feeling of being stranded and out-of-sync with even our closest connections is also visible in Bob’s communications with his wife; they communicate through short, scribbled notes passed back and forth through fax – for reference, this film was made in the early noughties, and this method still seems ridiculously fiddly and archaic even for the time.

But when the two main characters meet, there is an instant familiarity, as if they had been led to each other by some cosmic force. There is an unspoken yet instant understanding that they both just don’t want to be there. As they sit side by side at the hotel bar, they jokingly draw up an escape plan in which they leave Tokyo and start up a jazz band. In fact, most of their interactions, especially earlier in the film, are set inside the hotel, one way or another – an unchanging backdrop, somehow perpetually night-time yet simultaneously a vacuum which exists outside of time. It leaves the viewer with a knowing, a heaviness in their heart, that Bob and Charlotte’s time together does not exist outside of Tokyo, Japan.

They fill each other’s sleepless nights with adventures, difficult conversations about their unhappy marriages – such understated yet powerful intimacy. Bob and Charlotte don’t need to fill space with vapid and cartoonish romantic companionship that Charlotte and her husband constantly seem to find themselves doing; they are more than content just knowing that each other exists, and that they have managed to find each other. I love the scene where they are both lying in bed together purely platonically, then when Charlotte confesses that she feels ‘stuck’, Bob just gently, without a word, lays his hand on her foot.

Our two main characters, having now found each other’s company, seem to start enjoying the vibrant Tokyo nightlife. They start to find strangers interesting, Japanese culture enjoyable, and most importantly, find themselves having a good time. They go partying, to karaoke, and even to a strip club. And when it’s time to go home, they sit in the taxi together, Sometimes by My Bloody Valentine playing (Coppola being the master of pop soundtracks), and when Charlotte looks out of the window at the passing cityscape, I can almost feel what she’s thinking.

Loneliness isn’t derived from lack of company. There comes a certain point in our lives when we are disillusioned by the goodness of the world and of our own invincibility. When we realise that we are truly alone and stranded in the world, we find ourselves alienated – our souls curl up within our bodies. I grew up learning not to expect much of the world and was eventually unable to relate myself to my surroundings, not even the people that I felt I’d loved the most - how I’d clung on so desperately to escape this feeling, and to no avail. Japan didn’t make Bob and Charlotte feel lonely. Throughout the film we are made aware of the insecure humans they are, how unfulfilling their jobs and marriages are, and the fear they have for their future. Though one a middle-aged, irrelevant movie star making his way out of the industry, and another a recent graduate in philosophy 2 years into a marriage, they have both been rejected by life, and they are able to bond over the special perspective that loneliness grants.

Like all good movies, we aren’t given the satisfaction of a happy ending – hell, we don’t even get closure. As dreaded, Bob and Charlotte each need to go home, return to their lives, and somehow get over the reality that

they know their soulmate is out there somewhere, just not in their own homes. It keeps me up at night, thinking how I would cope with such a tragedy – would it motivate me to leave my unhappy marriage? Would I try to find my way back to Scarlett Johansson? At the end I always come to the conclusion that, maybe, their encounter was never meant to be a long stay in the first place. Maybe Bob and Charlotte were, to each other, the universe’s reminder, that they aren’t really alone, to let yourself really live; kind of like how one reaffirms their faith in life after seeing an exceptionally beautiful sunset. Because it really just takes that one person, regardless of if they stay.

And in the end, I don’t really need to know what Bob says to Charlotte at the end of the movie. Because I think I know what I would say, and I think that’s more than I can ask to take away from Lost In Translation.

‘how not to be a statistic’... they say

ONE be invisible not too reserved or you’re a challenge not too revealing or you’re an invite be as they say just right somewhere between Mother Mary and Mary Magdalene a woman revered a woman condemned Pope Gregory the Great damned Magdalene’s fate as just another woman whose legacy’s a label given by men

TWO be scary scarier than them squawk like a pterodactyl fight like a black belt pull out your lipstick switch flick blade dig your nails into skin at least there will be evidence to prove what you say because you know it’s a he says she says she says he says situation

THREE yell fire not help FIRE!

the crowds will STOP DROP AND ROLL up for the show a woman burning at the stake no one wants the responsibility of help did someone say accountability?

they ask me again if I remembered to yell fire not help

FOUR you should make your hand the ceiling of your cup a roof if you will sheltering you from being roof-ied but then again…

FIVE why order a drink at all? if you’re drunk when it happens they will call you the fool never him a criminal SIX don’t walk alone if you want to make it home it doesn’t matter if it’s night broad daylight through parks city blocks or even the bathroom we travel in packs not because we are wolves but because we are hunted and told to believe there is safety in numbers

afterall if there are countless rules on how we can survive I wonder if you were taught any on how to let us live our own damn lives because surprisingly I don’t want to spend a l l o f m y t i m e fighting to not be a statistic so when you tell me how to avoid it I will tell you the only real way for me not to be a statistic is for you not to be one either because if you’re not a perpetrator then I don’t have to be a survivor

Words by Grace Atta

SEVEN… but I don’t wish to tell you seven eight nine or three hundred and fifty five because surely there should not be that many ways for women to die

DEMO -CRACY DEMO -CRACY

Words by Seb Andrew

Democracy in the U.S is not in good shape. In fact, it’s not even in decent shape. Not that it ever has been. But things look exceptionally bleak right now; with opposition to free and fair elections no longer a fringe position, but a policy plank of a major U.S party. However, a looming Supreme Court case could be about to make things a whole lot worse.

Partisan gerrymandering is a major issue in the U.S. For those not familiar, ‘gerrymandering’ refers to the malicious manipulation of electoral boundaries to reduce competition and allow one party to maintain power. Gerrymandering silences voters and if done effectively, can lock a party out of control of government for years, even decades.

Gerrymandering isn’t something we’ve had to worry about in Australia for a long time; ever since the end of Queensland’s BjelkePetersen government in 1989, and not for us South Aussies since the reign of Premier Thomas Playford ended in the late 60s. Both of these governments survived due to gerrymandering, using unfair distribution to give conservative-leaning voters in the country far more voting power than Laborsupporting urban centres (one country vote

was worth ten city votes in SA). Nowadays, state and federal boundaries across the country are determined by independent commissions with usually little fuss.

Americans aren’t so lucky.

Some states use independent or bipartisan committees, but the majority of states have their state and federal districts drawn by state legislatures. Unsurprisingly, these districts aren’t drawn with fairness and competitiveness in mind, rather, maintaining power. Now, yes, gerrymandering is practised by both Democrats and Republicans – but the latter have wielded it far more effectively and brutally. Across the South and Midwest, Republicans have weakened or outright eliminated Democrats’ voting power. Urban Democrat voters are either split across multiple districts, where their votes are outweighed by suburban and rural Republican voters. Or they’re ‘packed’ into districts that vote 80-90% for Democrats, removing the ability for these voters to make other seats competitive, essentially making their votes useless.

(Left) Texas’s Congressional Districts (2013-2023). The city of Austin is split across four districts to dilute the voting power of its residents (Right) Texas’s Congressional Districts (2023-2033). Greater Austin is again split, but its CBD is ‘packed’ in an ultra-Democratic 37th district. Republicans created this ‘pack’ as growth in Austin was putting multiple Republican-leaning seats at risk of flipping. (Images sourced from Wikipedia)

Gerrymandering does not lead to a healthy democracy. It allows extremists to flourish and pass laws that deviate greatly from the electorate’s opinion because there is no fear of repercussions from the electorate. What are they going to do? Vote them out? It grossly flips the very concept of an elected democracy on its head. Instead of the voters picking their representatives, representatives pick whichever voters best suit their re-election.

Although this article concerns itself with gerrymandering at the federal level, it is important to understand just how much Republicans have gerrymandered state

legislatures and entrenched themselves in power across the country (more on that later).

A few steps have been taken to make federal districts fairer in the US. Pennsylvania had its congressional districts struck down in 2018 after being ruled by a partisan gerrymander. An independent commission produced fair maps in Michigan. Although it never came to pass, for a brief moment, it looked as if Florida and Ohio (some of the worst offenders of racial and partisan gerrymandering) would produce fair maps.

But back to the imminent issue at hand.

To be decided in the court’s October 20222023 term is a case titled Moore v. Harper, which if agreed to, would be a devastating blow to the fight against partisan gerrymandering of federal congressional districts. Moore is being brought to the court by Republican legislative leaders in North Carolina after their congressional maps were struck down by a lower court for giving Republicans a distinct partisan advantage.

Now, here’s the scary part for fairness advocates. The defendants (the Republicans) are arguing their case based on Independent State Legislature Theory (ISL). It’s a lot to unpack, but essentially advocates of ISL believe that state legislatures should hold supreme authority over the regulation of federal elections in their state. State constitutions, state and federal courts, ballot initiatives, governors, all institutions that serve as checks and balances on redistricting currently… under ISL, none of it matters, and any disputes over election regulation will always be found in favour of the legislature. This all comes from a section in the U.S constitution that delegates this authority to state legislatures.

An endorsement of ISL by the nation’s highest court would be a disaster.

All present and future efforts to combat partisan gerrymandering through citizeninitiated referenda and lower court rulings would be rendered meaningless. Years of hard work, hard-earned safeguards, gone. It would not only just be a return to the status quo, but to something much worse.

The House of Representatives would become even more undemocratic, as Republican legislatures get even more brutal in their efforts to deprive Democrats of representation. It’s a little hard to tell the exact impacts since the next round of redistricting is ten years away. But states like Arizona, North Carolina, Texas, and

Florida, which are likely to gain even more seats next year, are where Democrats could see themselves driven further into the minority federally by Republican state legislators. Republicans in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio could also easily undo Democratic gains made as a result of court rulings and referendums.

On both sides, partisan legislatures will seek to create uncompetitive maps that skew in their favour; as Democrats in Maryland and New York attempted to do before being constrained by court rulings. Irrespective of one’s views on the need to keep quasi-fascist parties out of power, this once again puts the power of choice in the representatives, not the people.

Sadly, it is likely that Moore will be decided in favour of North Carolina. Four justices; Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch have expressed support for ISL. Amy Coney Barrett will likely join them, giving it a majority.

This decision will have a lot of impactsby giving legislatures supreme reign over all aspects of running allow Republicans to make voting harder by limiting early or absentee voting, mail voting, and sameday registration. But for more and more Americans, who will finally jump through the increasing hurdles to vote, their vote won’t matter. Because gerrymandered legislatures will have essentially already decided who they’re voting for and there’s no way to stop it; only to vote out those who have ensured that they can never be voted out.

REFERENCES

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ analysis-opinion/how-radical-independent-statelegislature-theory-could-disrupt-our

I WENT TO SPINOFF SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO

Words by Sienna Sulicich

I bought the ticket with not a fuck to my name and forgot about it for a solid eight months. Suddenly, I was supposed to be living it up to a Fergie rip-off in a sea of glitter and stiff nipples. Sounds erotic, but that’s not quite how I remember it. Maybe it’s the single Vodka Redbull I managed to consume that day, or the second-hand marijuana smoke stinking up the mosh-pit, however I seem to recall having a fucking awful time. Fucking awful is probably a mild exaggeration. It was exceedingly average-at-best, and I probably should have seen it all coming [insert specsavers joke or something, I don’t know].

It didn’t really matter much who the line-up was to me, I’m not a huge festival music lover, I just wanted a taste of the atmosphere. The atmosphere was not tasty. The atmosphere tasted like sweat and hormones and warm double-blacks. There was a single stage, which in all honesty was rather unimpressive , with a big ‘no moshing’ sign sandwiching either side. ‘No moshing’ was a rather arbitrary guideline. Instead, we were packed titto-tit in front of the stage, unmoving, while listening to some okay music. I found myself counting the mole hairs on the back of the dude in front of me (an impressive five) to calm my breathing. Examining body hair is not necessarily relaxing - I must ask my therapist for an alternative.

I remained in a state of restless anxiety for the entirety of the day. I thought alcohol

and some overpriced nuggets would help (shocker, they didn’t). I still can’t distinguish one moment from another until about seven o’clock, when Mr Tumnus was due to make an appearance.

There’s nothing quite like having a panic attack to Jack Harlowe’s First Class. At this point I think I could make a substantial playlist of songs I’ve panicked to live. Honourable mentions include Elton’s ‘Crocodile Rock’ and Hugh Jackman’s rendition of ‘Waltzing Matilda’, but this probably deserves first place for both its retrospective laughability and inappropriateness.

Overstimulated and undermedicated, I trudged on through the sloshes of shitpiss that dribbled from the port-a-loo’s near the exit, slid like a log down a toiletbowl into my uber, and fucked off home. I’ve never taken any hard-core drugs but I imagine that oh-fuck moment of terror is quite similar to the warped version of me I quickly became as I sat in that sweet man’s Uber. I battled it off like an absolute legend (I probably looked like a sweaty piglet) until I got home. And don’t you worry, I never half-ass anything, not even this - snot, tears, food excrement from a variety of exits; I’d really out-done myself this time.

If you were really keen to see an artist, Spin Off probably would’ve been absolutely worth it. However, Jack Harlow doesn’t really butter my biscuit and I didn’t even

make it to Glass Animals (poor effort Sienna, poor effort).

I thought I could be a festival girlie. I thought that if I chucked on my tutu and my craft glitter - definitely not eyesafe, don’t recommend - that everything would be okay. I know I’m not built for this kind of carry-on, hell, some days I can barely manage the supermarket, but I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. What I learned was that I couldn’t do it, and that’s okay. Big events like Spin Off aren’t for everyone. They especially aren’t accommodating for neurodivergence or disability, but that’s a whole other article.

I am not and will never be a festival girlie. That is okay. I’ll take my glittered, tutuclad ass elsewhere (preferably somewhere more quiet with a book and a Kirby plush).

As I face the quickly approaching end of my term as On Dit Editor, I cannot help but reflect on the year that has passed. Like most accounts of holding any leadership role, I too have battled against the urge to utter the famous words of ‘if only I had more time’. Afterall, when we enter any role that excites us, engages our passions, and one we ultimately believe we can make a genuine difference in, it is easy to be ambitious and indeed child-like in our desire to do it all.

Those who know me, will know that I rarely feel I have ever done enough. I will always have a private list of all the things I supposedly ‘could’ and ‘should’ have done; both personally and professionally. Those lists remain on my bedside table, notes app, and in my own mind for countless weeks on end; meanwhile every ticked box is never to be seen again – an achievement made and discarded.

I could tell you that this is capitalism at its finest. The result of being told we must constantly be productive, that less is never more, and that we will always be incomplete unless we have x, y, z. Or I could remind you that I undoubtedly feel the pressure to exceed any given expectations, simply to earn half the respect of my male counterparts or predecessors, albeit for quite literally lesser pay. And I would (potentially to the dismay of some) consider these both to be fair assessments. However, I have also come to think that this might just be the human brain. Or at least an anxious one? Because really, the ‘coulda, woulda, shoulda’ list leads us back to the big philosophical question plenty of us ask…‘what if?’ What if we…would things be different? Would we feel more satisfied? Would we have pleased more people? Would we feel that we had enough time?

I was recently asked - admittedly, overwhelmed and behind with my university work - what was a comforting thought that offers me peace, when I feel unsatisfied with what I am doing. I thought about it for half a second, knowing the cliché that immediately came to mind. Even in its predictability, it still had the lingering feelings of profoundness from when I first found these words in my adolescent years.

I did the best I could, with the time I had. It’s a phrase that makes me want to find that list of all the things I did achieve. And to cherish it.

I think when it comes to reflections of our legacy - our impact in our role - the value sits in acknowledging all that we did. In equally recognising our mistakes and the invaluable lessons they gave us, as well as having the gratitude for what we could achieve, in the precious time we were given.

There is so much going on in the world and there is so much I want to write about and talk about but alas, On Dit 2022 is coming to a close and so is the time for using On Dit as a platform. However, I have been reflecting a lot on the hows and the whys of everything that is taking place in the world, and I’ve been thinking about how to prepare myself for everything that it will bring.

Everything that we consume from the media, from our teachers, from our social and political circles and from our inner self, influences the role and responsibilities we allocate for ourselves in these events. I have been wondering about my role in all the movements, in the revolutions, in the struggle of the oppressed and in the ever-increasing, ever vicious and ever-desperate attacks on our resistance and pushback against the imperial core. The trying times we are living through right now and the crisis of oppressive, patriarchal, and arrogant systems playing out in our lives requires our vigilance. It has made us reach a point where our only response to these anti-human players has to be militant.

Learning and unlearning, getting organised and enrolling ourselves in movements of resistance like in Iran, movements of uprising like in Haiti, movements of progress like the anti-NATO protests in Europe and movements of decolonising here on the stolen land of Australia are the actions that will save us from falling as disposable pawn pieces into the plots of the oppressors. The blowing up of the Nord Stream pipeline is the manifested admission of America’s ‘The U.S has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests.’

We need to be hyper-aware of every narrative America, the great Satanfeeds us.

If you know me then you know I have created a few waves this year through my politics. I wrote about Palestine, and I created a disturbance within the culture of silencing calls for justice, of stubborn ignorance and of treacherous compliance with how the world is run. I have no regrets but I do have a lot of lessons. What that entire experience taught me is the dire need for revolutions and more importantly the preservation and defence of revolutions. Our solidarity with the oppressed and with all people fighting for justice needs our determined, unapologetic, and unwavering investment in their cause.

In this world there is the (Haqq) and there is the (Bathil) and each has its representative. Haqq means a very profound truth and righteousness and Bathil means an elimination from acceptance because of its lack of Haqq.

You will find the representative of Haqq as the target of the imperial core’s lies, propaganda, social discredit, and economic sabotage. It is to that representative of Haqq, which has always been present in one form or another throughout the history of humanity and its various eras, that we should align ourselves with and extend our unconditional solidarity towards.

I am so grateful to have had the honour of being an On Dit Editor this year (and General Councillor in the SRC) and working with such talented and lovely people as Habibah, Grace and Jenny. At the beginning of the year when I first started my role with On Dit, I felt a blaring, perhaps naive optimism. I was so excited to diverge my love for politics, activism and journalism. I did not realise, however, how scary and confusing my role would be, especially as I was also going to be part of the SRC. Eventually, mixed in between passion, community and journalism I had to face the stark reality of the political game. Lost between the bickering, masking and big-dick contests, I felt like I lost myself. I yelled, I cried and I definitely think I was rude. There’s something about trying to convince another person that racism is bad or that we need abortion that really makes you feel a certain kind of hopeless.

Over the course of the year on the SRC, my voice felt drowned out, my words felt tired. The University’s political ecosystem is not easy. I felt like I was in a really high-stakes anime. It felt like positive change on campus could only come through the worst, most intense game of my life. I got caught up in the idea that if I yell loud enough it might actually matter, that this game isn’t just another career path, resume tick, dick-slinging contest reliant on incessant fakeness and masking. Was I just naïve to believe it would be anything but a hard, bloody fight? While I do believe that some groups and people on the Council are well-intended and do some really really good things, it’s that many of those in the centre and the right do not. Between the articles written, the bickering and the stares..those people are more concerned with their careers, hierarchies and agendas than to be able to stand still for a moment and see the wool over their eyes.

I digress, in reflecting on my time as an editor for On Dit, I will always cherish the way my team has supported me. Through the roughness of SRC is the silver lining of Jenny, Grace and Habibah. Despite the consistent hardships and battles we’ve all faced together, our friendships have only strengthened! I have felt supported through it all, no matter how difficult and scared I felt during this year or the amount of writer’s block. So maybe I wasn’t being naively optimistic, despite the challenges of this year, because On Dit makes me feel optimistic. Jenny, Grace and Habibah make me feel optimistic.

Thank you so much to all our readers. Much love, Chanel.

Chanel

It is hard to believe that this will be the last On Dit that I write, edit, and design. I sat down in front of my computer today, a voice in my head saying, ‘you’ll never do this again’. This thought came to me as a complicated mixture of part relief, part anxiety and part numbness, yet I cannot help but feel alarmed by a stunning lack of pride.

It really is true what they say about every daughter being their mother’s child - as much as I grew up denying this fact, time and time again I am painfully reminded of this adage. I am a hopeless perfectionist and a nervous wreck, and On Dit has been the toughest test of my weaknesses. I decided to run for On Dit late last year because I wanted something to push me outside my comfort zone and to have a project to balance out the sheer academic nightmare that is law school. It was definitely not easy at first, and I can’t say that it has gotten any easier with time. I had no real training in graphic design - I had previously only studied fine arts - and I was unfamiliar with student affairs and politics at best. And as I dived into this strange world of student media, my self-talk started to target my deep-rooted fears of inadequacy; ‘what if you can’t live up to previous years’ designs?’, ‘you’re not good at this’. And so every issue I designed was an impossible battle with myself; trying to outdo myself each time while at the same time comparing myself to past designers and trying to do it as quickly as possible. It’s hard to leave space to feel good about yourself when constantly plagued by these thoughts.

As of late, I’ve been doing some reflection on where I was when I first started On Dit. I remember being really proud of my Mock Dit designs, and feeling empowered by doing my part for student media and campus culture. I became mindful of how all these InDesign shortcuts and techniques that I now use, were all new and difficult moments of learning for me when I was designing the earlier issues. I looked back on how clumsy and rough-at-the-edges those earlier designs were in comparison to my later ones. I remember the passionate, dedicated artist I was in school, the girl who promised herself never to lose that spirit of creativity and craft, and feel grateful for the opportunity I was given to do a passion project alongside Uni and work. Yes, it was an intense challenge trying to manage my time and prioritise my mental health but I see that I came out of that journey more in-tune with myself than ever. I think of my co-editors, how we fully supported and admired each other until the end, and overcame more challenges than ever as a loud, principled, all-women team. And wouldn’t you know it - slowly, but steadily, I started to make room for pride.

The cover art for this issue is the one I made for Mock Dit. To me, it represents unbridled excitement, personal growth, and the eternal recurrence of my life. In arithmetics, 90.1 and 90.10 have the same value. So as we come full circle and conclude our chapter of On Dit, I choose not to criticise myself but to be grateful - for my hard work, my wonderful team, and the people that I love for their full support since day 1.

Thank you for reading On Dit vol. 90.

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