By Nuria Olive
Additional Reporting by Rowey Worner Butcher and Saffron Geyle
Wednesday 19 April 2023 saw the third SRC Meeting for 2023 take place in Chifley Library’s Graneek room.
Condemning attacks on bulk-billing practices, HECS indexation, the cost of living, and AUKUS were all topics covered under the motions presented during the evening. The events of this night were headed by ANUSA’s General Secretary Phoenix O’Neill.
In his Executive Report, Welfare Officer Kai Dreyfus-Ballesi announced he would be “stepping back” from the ANU Housing Action Collective. For Observer’s article on the privatisation of Daley Road, ANUSA General Secretary Phoenix O’Neill said the purpose of the Collective is to “help students campaign for affordable student housing at the ANU and in the ACT”.
Dreyfus-Ballesi’s choice to step back from the collective stemmed from “members…taking it in a different political direction to what I envisioned”. Although taking a step back, Dreyfus-Ballesi still wants to be involved with the initiative, “but I think it’s difficult to spearhead a movement where the goals are not my own”.
There was some discussion as to the wording of Motion 5.2 regarding ANUSA’s condemnation of “attacks” on bulk-billing practices in Canberra. Socialist Alternative ANU (SAlt) member Carter Chryse addressed the wording of the motion, arguing GP practices aren’t closing because they are “gonna go broke”, but rather for profit-maximising purposes.
As the ACT has the lowest bulk-billing rate in Australia, Chryse claimed privatisation reflects this because “where else are they [the public] going to go?”. Chryse noted that “it is regrettable that it is a system made of individual doctors… trying to make as much money as possible”. Nonetheless, the motion was passed with no objections.
Motion 5.3 concerned supporting the NTEU in their demands for ANU to stop delaying enterprise bargaining. The motion promoter Grace King and ANUSA president Ben Yates, as seconder, spoke to the importance of students standing in solidarity with staff, making the point that “students can take the risk that staff feel like they cannot”.
As a speaker in favour of the motion, SAlt member Nick Reich suggested the initiative should be framed in the context of students also being impacted. Although Reich articulated the importance of student involvement, he also emphasised that “we [students] shouldn’t see our role as substituting for it”.
Reich also pointed out that the ANU is likely waiting on the University of Sydney’s outcome regarding the NTEU protests, who have accepted a below-inflation wage deal. Reich believes that ANU will go “pretty hard” regarding their response.
Another significant discussion point was the indexation of HECS debts to CPI on 1 June 2023. The HECS indexation rate is forecast to increase by up to 7%. The highest indexation rate was previously 3.9%, representing a significant jump.
ANUSA president Ben Yates spoke of the indexation as “sentencing our whole generation to a lifetime of debt”, as average HECS debts are expected to increase by approximately $2,000. Yates said it is “disgusting” to see the Labour and Liberal governments teaming up together on this front. The SRC passed this motion, which was to support freezing indexation and noted the upcoming protest in May.
Motion 5.7 was passed to affiliate five ANUSA clubs. Some of these clubs are new, have lost affiliation and regained it, or were provisionally affiliated for market day but had yet to complete the required documentation. Charlotte, in their right of reply, stated “I love clubs” whilst General Representative Luke Harrison said, “Go choc soc!”. The five clubs affiliated were: Hong Kong Student Association, ANU Filipino Association, ANU Chess Society, ANU Chocolate Appreciation Society, and ANU Shakespeare Society.
Motion 5.8 was not without its debate. The motion concerned ANUSA’s support of an ‘AUKUS off ANU campus’ petition, calling for ANU to disassociate itself from the G8’s and Universities Australia’s stance in favour of AUKUS.
Environment Officer Rex Michelson- who seconded the motion- articulated the petition as building a movement that is “broadly anti-war” and against the university’s stance. He noted that ANUSA’s resources and support would be able to further the movement beneficially.
However, the idea of starting a new petition faced some criticism. SAlt member Wren Sommerville commented on a pre-existing petition which has over 600 signatures. “It would make more sense… to continue to build on that”, they said. Nick Reich posed the question, “Is there any reason not to use the existing one [petition] that’s been endorsed?”
Education Officer Beatrice Tucker responded by pointing to the fact that the existing petition was executed prior to the current Labor government holding office, and its details concern information that precedes the Labor Government’s announcement of a $368 billion investment in the AUKUS deal.
Tucker also stated the existing petition is “grammatically incorrect” with “rushed wording”, and that the new petition is “more concise”.
With two SRC members against it, the motion was passed, but it was noted that it can be further discussed to mitigate the existence of two simultaneously existing petitions, should the new one be endorsed.
SRC 4 will be held on Wednesday 10 May 2023.
Graphics by Will Novak
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