By Maya Auld
Content warning: SASH
The Role
The ANUSA President is involved with the representation and advocacy for students. The task of the President is to also work to be the spokesperson for ANUSA, and ensuring student voices are heard in the University Council and other ANU Committees. More information about the role can be found here.
The Candidates
Brandon Lee (He/Him)
Brandon Lee is currently a General Representative for ANUSA 2024 for the Labor Action ! for ANUSA ticket and is the current Mens* Representative at Wamburun Hall. Lee is in his second year of his Undergraduate degree and along with Stand Up! – Lee aims to progressive and effective change to ANUSA. More information about the ticket can be found here.
Phoenix O’Neill (They/Them)
Phoenix O’Neill is currently the General Secretary for ANUSA 2023 and was Clubs Officer previous to that. After being General Secretary, O’Neill is running for the position of President under the left wing ticket of Together for ANUSA. O’Neill’s policies include fighting against discrimination at ANU, building campaigns and services for residential halls, and fully integrating postgraduates into the union. More information about the ticket can be found here.
James Donnelly
James Donnelly is currently running for President as an independent member. James Donnelly is studying a Bachelor of International Security Studies and policies include “Progress, Independence, No-Nonsense and Kenergy.” His motivation to join ANUSA as president has been spurred from “poor experiences with studying at ANU as a working student” and “not because of political agenda.” More information about Donnelly’s position can be found here.
Ainuojin (Anu)
Ainuojin has never previously had a role at the ANUSA elective and is currently running for President as an independent member.
The Policies
Brandon Lee (He/Him)
Under the ticket Stand Up! believes that “there is so much more to lead on to ensure that student welfare is front and centre in all of ANUSA’s priorities on campus and on a national scale”. Lee is running for President with Stand Up! To continue to “reshape ANU”. His policies include rights for residents directly relating to strong student representatives, push for student input into the centralisation of SASH-related responses, and reverse lock out fees in Halls of residences.
Phoenix O’Neill (They/Tem)
Phoenix O’Neill is running for President under the ticket Together for ANUSA, stating how they want to see the follow through on building a union that unites postgraduates and undergraduates authentically. O’Neill is committed to representing the different needs of many students, and standing together on the needs of all students. Their policies include securing the long-term financial stability of ANUSA, ending unfair parking convictions, and fighting transphobia at the ANU.
James Donnelly (He/Him)
James Donnelly is running as ANUSA President and General Representative as an independent. Donnelly is running on a platform that is “focused on making ANU accessible to working students, promoting a learning environment which is inclusive… and advocating for investment in our university.”
Rights for Residents
Lee advocates that residents’ rights are at the core of what ANUSA should prioritise as a union. Lee discusses this further stating that “as the ANU directly manages accommodation for thousands of students, it could not be more important to have strong student representatives who are on the side of residents.”
O’Neill is also passionate about representing a variety of interests on campus. “ANUSA is only as strong as the students that make it up – whether that be your representatives, or the small ways that every student engages with us”.
A More Activist Union
Lee maintains that ANUSA is in vital need of a refresh to how it fundamentally approaches student unionism. “Unlike the detached and isolationist approach from students-at-large that ANUSA has previously prioritised much of its campaigns with, Stand Up! commits to activism (and service provision) that is always relevant to the concerns of students on campus.”
O’Neill also feels strongly about maintaining a demand to acquire the necessary funding for things important for students. To achieve this, O’Neill discusses building activist campaigns that mobilise a broad base of students to put pressure on the government and the university to prioritise the needs of students. “This year, I convened the Housing Action Collective and organised multiple protests for action on housing welfare. I’ve sat on multiple committees with the ANU, attended countless SRCs and protests, and been a dedicated member of the executive. I have a deep understanding of this union, and I believe that there is no one better equipped to run for President.”
Further policies of the Together For ANUSA can be found here
Donnelly for ANUSA is campaigning for action rather than activism and progress rather than protest. “The longstanding incumbent group of ANUSA leaders are out of touch with the issues that face most students, like myself”.
Education
With students overseeing massive hikes in education fees and costs, Lee for Stand Up! is committed to a bold platform of fighting for all university students. “We are serious about standing up to ANU management when they try to undercut our academic conditions, all while we fight on a national level (with the NUS) to ensure that students get every bit of relief they deserve.” O’Neill has also addressed access to education and maintaining an activist history within ANUSA. “With staff strikes and course cuts, we have seen many threats to our education in 2023.” Through Together for ANUSA, they want to stand in solidarity with all staff and students to ensure that our university is prioritising education.
Donnelly’s policies include advocating for students working full time and having their “concerns sidelined by the immaturity and grandstanding of an inaccessible ANUSA”. His main pledge is to stand up for working students to ensure more online learning options, classes outside of working hours and greater leniency with attendance grades.
Observer will continue to publish candidates policies and tickets. All students, postgraduates included, can vote in the upcoming elections. Polls open at 9am on Monday September 25th (Monday Week 8) and close at 12pm on Thursday September 28th.
Graphics by Annisa Zatalini
_______________________________________________________
Know something we don’t know? Email [email protected] or use our anonymous tip submission.
If you have an issue with this article, or a correction to make, you can contact us at [email protected], submit a formal dispute, or angry react the Facebook post.
Want to get involved? You can write articles, photograph, livestream or do web support. We’re also looking for someone to yell “extra!” outside Davey Lodge at 1AM. Apply today!
