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June 2, 2025UncategorisedWritten by Patricia Hill
CW: This story contains mentions of sexual assault and sexual harassment.
In 2022, the ANU launched the ‘Sexual Violence Prevention Toolkit’ to equip university staff, students, and leaders with information and examples for creating safer spaces on campus.
The toolkit uses a “community-based approach”, identifying five areas within the ANU community where action against sexual violence can be taken:
Social life
Academic life
Organisational life
Accommodation and residences
Community partnerships
Listing key considerations for each element, the toolkit provides a series of reflective questions that leadership may ask to progress within their community.
A spokesperson for the ANU says the toolkit “is intended as a flexible guide rather than a directive”. However, questions have been raised regarding the effectiveness of this guide in addressing sexual and gender-based violence.
ANU Queer* Officer Jemma Rule describes it as a “welcome step”, however they say it “could do more to support queer students and staff”. Similarly, ANUSA Women’s Officer Jade Poulton describes the toolkit as “a useful piece of work…but at the same time, I wouldn’t call it comprehensive”.
Rule offers that an intersectional approach would have been more effective, stating “It also fails to centre queer-led and survivor-led solutions to sexual violence and gender-based violence at ANU”.
Poulton asks “How will this be enforced? How will the uni hold itself accountable? Students are still telling us that systems feel broken, support is hard to navigate, and trust in ANU’s processes is low.”
The toolkit is a part of the university’s broader vision of “an ANU free from violence” under the University’s Sexual Violence Prevention Strategy 2019-2026 (SVPS). The strategy launched after the university commissioned a review of the ANU’s current sexual violence policies following the findings of the 2017 Change the Course Report.
The 2017 Change the Course Report ranked the ANU as having the highest rate of sexual harassment amongst Australian universities, and second highest of sexual assault. These findings were mirrored in the March 2022 National Student Safety Survey (NSSS).
It found that one in five students had been sexually harassed in a university setting, with women being twice as likely as men to experience sexual harassment, and three times more likely to be sexually assaulted.
The 2022 NSSS Report further found that 22.4% of those who had experienced sexual violence in the past year identified as non-binary, the largest proportion of people surveyed.
Students living on campus were found to be more likely to experience sexual harassment in the past year. The toolkit states that 75% of ANU undergraduate students live either on campus or in the immediate vicinity.
In light of these reports, the Australian government introduced a National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence to parliament in February this year, forming part of the National Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education launched in 2024.
Federal Minister for Education, Jason Clare, anticipates “the new National Code will give the Student Ombudsman real teeth to hold providers to account and drive long overdue cultural change in universities.”
The ANU has said any updates to the toolkit would be “shaped by the anticipated introduction of the national code to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in higher education”, and that “updates would likely focus on making sure the toolkit is in alignment with national standards.”
For any students seeking support:
ANU Student Safety and Wellbeing
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 02 6125 2211
ANU Counselling
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 02 6125 2211
ANU Wellbeing and Support Line
Phone: 1300 050 327
Text: 0488 884 170
Lifeline:
Phone: 13 11 14
Domestic Violence Crisis Service (DVCS):
Phone: 6280 0900
1800 RESPECT
Phone: 1800 737 732
Canberra Rape Crisis Centre
Text: 0488 586 517
Headspace Canberra
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 02 6113 5700
Graphics by Shé Chani
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May 29, 2025ANUWritten by Finn Slattery-O’Brien
It is no secret that universities all around Australia are struggling. Since the pandemic, they have faced international student caps, research and development (R&D) funding cuts and even the US government’s politicisation of research grants.
And Canberra is no different. Despite being the national capital, its higher education institutions are by no means shielded from unfavourable federal policies.
Some may argue that Canberra’s semi-regional location means its universities have been more affected by the pandemic, as international students return to the major cities first. For example, ANU projects a decline in international student enrolments even as the University of New South Wales reports a 16% increase in numbers. The federal government’s student cap system also has a large role to play in determining the caps applied to different universities, mostly based on pre-pandemic levels.
But is that it? Are the University of Canberra (UC) and the Australian National University (ANU) simply geographically and politically unlucky in their post-pandemic rebound. Or is there something more at play?
ANU’s financial crisis involves a deficit of $250 million, a structural reorganisation scheme to limit spending, dubbed ‘Renew ANU’, and a new Vice-Chancellor who has become the centre of significant controversy.
As of late-May, barely six-months after ‘Renew ANU’ was commenced, there has been countless articles and protests centering on the alleged lack of transparency and accountability on the part of ANU leadership.
Meanwhile, UC is experiencing a projected deficit of $36 million with a student population of 18,000, compared to ANU’s larger student population of 22,000 (as well as UC generally having a smaller operating budget and fewer assets).
To date, UC has cut about 150 jobs. It reported last year at the beginning of the financial crisis that, to become financially sustainable, at least 200 jobs total would have to go. This suggests there is still some job-cutting to be done before the process is completed. UC has also experienced significant and ongoing leadership changes.
Both universities have also established voluntary separation programs to help with cost-cutting.
Crisis and Consultation
ANU’s own financial crisis has been more than well-documented elsewhere, and would serve little purpose here to continue to dive any deeper.
UC’s financial crisis, however, is significantly different to ANU’s, despite being a mere 15-minute drive away.
Like ANU, UC had its own consultation period – which are often stipulated under staff franchise agreements – before academic restructuring and job cuts commenced.
While the ANU has allegedly failed to engage transparently with the restructuring process, UC leadership have been “commended” for being “transparent about the cuts”.
Observer reached out to the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) ACT Division Chief, Dr Lachlan Clohesy to comment on the cuts.
He stated that compared to UC, ANU is a “rich university with extensive assets”, and that “while nobody likes job losses”, at UC there was at least “a level of appreciation” from the staff for the “willingness of UC leadership to…transparently explain the situation.”
According to Dr Clohesy, “hat is not the level of transparency we have had at ANU.”
He explained that UC held ‘town hall’ staff consultations in an accessible, hybrid format where the VC answered questions “directly in a manner which isn’t scripted”.
“By contrast”, Clohesy said, “for ANU staff to see the Vice-Chancellor directly answer unscripted questions, they need to watch Senate Estimates.”
“taff have had to find out information through Freedom of Information requests and media leaks, rather than from ANU leadership.”
“As a result, there is no trust or confidence in ANU leadership.”
In response to a similar set of questions, an ANU spokesperson told Observer they are not able to comment on UC’s financial position.
The spokesperson disputed the claim that the ANU had not been transparent, both generally and specifically in regards to the town hall and staff consultation process during an ongoing period of job-cuts.
The spokesperson iterated that “through careful intervention”, the $200 million projected deficit has been reduced to “an actual deficit of $140 million.” The spokesperson also maintained that while “progress towards our goal” has been made, this goal “hasn’t changed.”
This is at odds with the perspective of Dr Clohesy. He believes that since the Renew ANU initiative set a “$100 million” reduction target for staff expenditure – and the NTEU has calculated this figure to equate to approximately 600 full-time positions – “this target has substantially been met”. In his eyes, this thereby removes any “financial rationale for further job cuts.”
The ANU spokesperson also maintained that despite the apparently greater support for UC’s town hall processes (in contrast to ANU staff voting for no-confidence in ANU leadership), ANU’s own town halls have still been part of an “open and transparent process from the outset.”
“As part of Renew ANU, 20 town halls were held between October 2024 and March 2025, with a total of 9,784 staff attendees,” the spokesperson said.
“In total, there have been over 194,000 visits to the Renew ANU microsite.”
“We have been clear about the reasons why we need to make changes. The University’s expenses have steadily increased, while revenue has not kept pace…Without structural intervention, the University will not be financially sustainable.”
Note that unlike the regular attendance of UC VCs to town halls, the Australian Financial Review (AFR) reported that “it is hard to find examples of public engagement.”
Further, an adequate and timely consultation process is contractually required of ANU when restructuring or job-cutting schemes are being implemented.
Euro Summer, Anyone?
While the ABC at least suggested that UC has had a more transparent cost-cutting process, that is not to say UC is free of financial frivolity.
The Australia Institute, a public policy think-tank, has raised concerns about the University of Canberra’s spending practices, stating: “UC has spent big on discretionary things that aren’t education or research.”
“ 2023 annual report shows that the university spent $16.7 million on consultants’ fees, $9 million on ‘outsource management fees’, $697,000 on ‘sponsorships’, nearly $4.4 million on travel and just shy of $3 million on advertising.”
“…hose items cost more in total than the 150 jobs that UC has since cut to repair its deficit.”
Like ANU, a significant proportion of this discretionary spending at UC has gone to consultancy firms, with $16.7 million being spent on consultants in 2023.
In comment to Observer, UC cited a media release by the new VC, former Labor MP Bill Shorten, that there is a “genuine commitment to do everything possible to return to a balanced budget by the end of 2025” and that “the approach to fiscal sustainability remains a collaborative one between the University Council, senior leadership, union, and staff.”
Additionally, VC Shorten has had his salary doubled by leaving Cabinet and taking up the role at UC on a contract worth $860,000 per annum. This was even after being negotiated downwards from over $1 million as a result of UC’s dire financial straits.
ANU’s VC Bell is still on a salary of $1 million per annum, despite taking a 10% pay cut as the restructuring process began.
UC is not alone in allegedly excessive travel expenditures.
It was reported by the Australian Financial Review that ANU “splurged $80,000” on a “networking event” in Davos, Switzerland.
The event was attended by 80 people, with the proclaimed purpose of “promoting the university’s mission.”
On top of this, ANU “spent $73,551 for flights and trains, including $20,097 for Bishop, $17,668 for Bell and $16,950 for Schmidt.”
Thousands more was also spent on other travel expenses in Switzerland and parts of Europe.
Observer understands that these travel budgets have now been cut by at least half.
Leadership Carousel
While ANU’s own leadership change – the appointment of Genevieve Bell to the Chancelry – has inspired much debate in the media over her leadership style, UC has arguably had the more disruptive experience in the leadership department.
Across the span of fifteen months, UC has held five different VCs.
First, Professor Paddy Nixon resigned, for “personal reasons” in December 2023.
Professor Nixon was replaced by Professor Lucy Johnston, whose tenure was meant to extend till February 2025. Instead, she was replaced by Professor Stephen Parker.
Professor Parker was also formerly VC eight years ago before resigning, and resigned from the role again in December 2024, claiming he had “lost confidence” in the university council.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Michelle Lincoln, acted temporarily in the role until former Labor MP Bill Shorten took over the role in February of this year.
Reportedly, Professor Nixon was paid up to $1.8 million upon his departure, although this has not been confirmed by UC. It was maintained that this was not a “major contribution” to the university’s financial difficulties.
Observer reached out to UC for comment on their recent leadership struggles. In response, UC cited a previous statement following an ACT Legislative Committee hearing issued on 21 February 2025.
The university recognises “the challenges the University is working through”, and highlights that despite the recent instability in key positions, University leadership still aspires to “rejuvenate the institution and re-establish UC as a leading choice for education and research in Australia.”
Who Do I Blame?
The financial crises facing ANU and UC share several similarities, with the leadership at both universities attributing the blame to systemic issues rather than to shortcomings in their own management.
The ANU spokesperson highlighted that “he COVID pandemic impacted all Australian universities, while changes in government policy, the management of international student numbers and macro-economic forces have also created new headwinds which are unlikely to diminish.”
Simultaneously, it is arguable that significant financial mismanagement, like the discretionary expenses outlined above, has contributed to the severity of the crises faced by Canberra’s two major tertiary institutions.
At the same time, there are critiques of the Australian university sector’s heavy reliance on international students and the federal government’s toing-and-froing on policy. Perhaps this helps explain why so many Australian universities seem to be in decline.
Whether ANU and UC will once again reach the comparatively dizzying heights of the education sector’s pre-COVID boom remains to be seen.
More to come.
Graphics by Shé Chani
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May 26, 2025UncategorisedBy Sarah McCrea
Public, affordable, accessible healthcare is something Australia prides itself on. But who is it affordable for? Young people, particularly university students, have been reportedly found to avoid seeking out medical assistance due to its cost.
Who is it accessible for? Bulk-billing clinics in Canberra are few and far between, so students often need to travel for longer to access care. And, for a lot of international students, healthcare isn’t even public.
Access to healthcare for international students begins with a visa, the type of which is determined by eligibility rules formed by the Department of Home Affairs.
Generally, international students in Australia have a ‘Subclass 500’ Student visa. This visa’s most significant healthcare requirement is that students must secure Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). There are exceptions to this for students from Belgium, Norway, and Sweden.
OSHC is a form of private health insurance, which is currently offered by five insurance companies. One of them, Allianz Global Assistance, is ANU’s “preferred provider” for international students.
OSHC has basic coverage options for health insurance, set out by a government deed that insurance companies (which offer OSHC) must abide by. Students with OSHC may also choose to pay more for a more comprehensive plan that increases the scope of what they are insured for.
Although much of the above information is made available on the ANU website, Seungbin Kang, the International Officer of the ANU International Students’ Department (ISD), told the Observer that the details provided were “unsatisfactory.” He stated, “education providers must provide information about welfare and other services, but are not obliged to deliver them.”
It is important to note that Australia’s form of public healthcare, Medicare, primarily covers Australian citizens residing in Australia, permanent residents of Australia residing here, or New Zealand citizens residing in Australia. There are also other Medicare benefits international students may be eligible for.
However, because of eligibility requirements, most international students are unable to access public healthcare in Australia as they can’t access Medicare.
There are exceptions to this lack of access to public healthcare. 11 countries have Reciprocal Health Care Agreements (RHCA) with Australia. This covers medically necessary care for visitors. All of these countries (except Ireland) extend the RHCA to international students studying in Australia.
Under the RHCA, these students have access to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), public hospital care, and are eligible for Medicare benefits. For students from Malta and Italy, this only extends for six months. Students who are covered by the RHCA are still expected to maintain “adequate health insurance.” In most cases, this means they must have OSHC.
But most international students aren’t from a country with an RHCA with Australia and don’t have scholarships that cover health insurance. So, for the rest of this article, ‘OSHC’ just means the basic OSHC plan and ‘international students’ will refer to students who don’t have an RHCA and aren’t eligible for Medicare.
Now, what do costs and coverage look like for these students?
The PBS is also not included in the OSHC. As outlined in a guide about OSHC by the Department of Health, the OSHC will, however, still pay up to $50 of the cost of a single pharmaceutical item. This scheme has a maximum of $500 a year, and the item has to be “prescribed and dispensed by a registered practitioner recognised by the health fund.” Over-the-counter medications have to be paid out of pocket.
The ANU Medical Centre has different regulations for domestic and international students. ANU’s Medical Centre only offers bulk-billing to domestic ANU students with a Medicare card, but with the majority of OSHC providers, the appointment is covered by that insurance.
Kang commented that “there currently is a month-long wait list” at the ANU Medical Centre. He added due to the availability and accessibility of both this service and others, international students “pay $3,000 (for a 4-year-long program) for health coverage, only to foot their own bill when visiting a private GP.“
With private hospitals, it depends on whether there’s a contract between the insurer and the hospital. Generally, in these contracts, all medical costs will be covered, but it’s important to check with providers which private hospitals they have contracts with.
If an international student is admitted to the hospital after visiting the Emergency Department (ED), fees are covered by OSHC. However, ED fees are required to be paid out of pocket if the student is not admitted to the hospital.
Here it gets a bit more complicated. The deed for provision of OSHC outlines that a basic plan has to cover the costs of “100 per cent of the fee as listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule” (MBS) for GP visits. But this does not mean that 100% of the total fee is covered by the insurance.
The fee covered by this private insurance is the same as the fee covered by those with public healthcare (Medicare). But this fee is only a “schedule fee” paid to medical practitioners by the government.
A schedule fee is determined by what the government believes is “reasonable on average for that service.” Medical practitioners can charge more than this, meaning patients have to pay the outstanding cost themselves.
Also outlined in the deed, for medical services from a specialist and other out-of-hospital medical services, OSHC pays “85 per cent of the fee as listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule.” In this instance, international students would have to pay the remaining 15% of the schedule fee, plus whatever extra is charged by the practitioner.
Even though the Medicare Benefits Schedule is mentioned often in requirements of insurance cover for OSHC, it’s important to note that students with OSHC still aren’t covered by the Medicare Benefits Schedule. It’s only mentioned to show a rate of comparison between what OSHC covers and what public healthcare covers.
A key distinction between OSHC plans and Medicare is eligibility for bulk-billing. Bulk-billing is where the full price of a medical service is covered by Medicare, with no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. It is generally used by general practitioners (GPs).
Health professionals can choose who to bulk-bill, and even if they want to bulk-bill at all. Often, bulk-billing is only offered to those with concession or health cards, although this may change with a new bulk-billing system for GPs to be introduced at the end of this year.
However, bulk-billing is still restricted to Medicare-eligible patients. Some clinics can provide free healthcare to all, but this is not the same as bulk-billing.
Kang addressed this as well, stating, “In the Canberra bulk billing GP crisis, are international students who have even less access to these services than their domestic peers. A world where quality healthcare for international and domestic students is possible.”
There are several walk-in-centres across Canberra, which are free of charge regardless of whether a patient has access to Medicare.
The closest clinic to ANU is in Dickson, followed by the Belconnen clinic. These are for “non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses.” In an emergency, please ring triple-zero.
When discussing issues international students face when accessing healthcare, Kang stated, “for many international students already in precarious financial situations, it is being stuck in between important living costs or seeking medical treatment.” Language barriers were also raised, with the idea that often healthcare professionals cannot “fully accommodate” this.
International Students Officer Seungbin Kang directs students towards the resource linked here, which the International Students Department and Disabilities Students’ Association have produced. The resource outlines information on Canberra GPs, including price, whether they bulk-bill, access for students with disabilities, and other information.
If you have further questions about this topic, some useful points of reference are details on Medicare eligibility, the deed for provision of OSHC in Australia (which outlines minimum coverage for costs), and the contact list of OSHC Insurance.
Graphics by Shé Chani
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May 25, 2025UncategorisedBy Sarah McCrea
Students study.
That’s the expectation, or at least, a university institution might think so. But for many students, there’s more to life and keeping balance than completing your weekly readings.
So, how much do students really study? Do they face an ‘ultimatum’ between their studies, making a living, and having a social life? How and why might this impact their engagement with their studies?
Observer has conducted an anonymous survey on these very topics, and ANU students have responded with honesty, openness, and insightful observation. Seventy-two students responded, and the comments made in this article reflect those responses, and do not necessarily represent the student body as a whole.
Students were first asked how often they attended lectures in person, with the options of ‘Always’, ‘Often’, ‘Sometimes’, ‘Rarely,’ or ‘Never.’ If you skip most of your in-person lectures, you’re not alone. The most popular selection was ‘Rarely,’ with 21 respondents choosing this. And if you skip all of your lectures, you’re also not alone. 18 respondents said they ‘Never’ went to lectures, and only 7 people said they ‘Always’ attended.
However, ANU has a hybrid learning model. Some lectures are always online, and most in-person lectures are recorded and uploaded for students to watch from home. Not attending in person no longer means missing out on content or a lack of engagement. The majority of students surveyed noted they do watch lectures online, whether part or all.
A range of factors affected whether or not students would attend lectures in-person or watch them online, with some reasons consistently reappearing.
Many respondents referenced work commitments, and balancing full-time work with full-time study. One person said live lectures are “amazing” but noted “I cannot afford to attend them all even if I wanted as I have to work 4 days a week.”
Some noted the convenience of watching lectures online, with one respondent saying in-person lectures were “pointless”. Off-campus students stated that commuting was a factor against in-person attendance, especially with last year’s raise in parking fees.
Another student added, “It’s very easy for professors to think we are lazy or uninterested for not attending lectures when in reality it’s a complicated mix of factors.”
Accessibility issues also came up as a prohibiting factor for some students. One respondent explained, “I have auditory issues, and ADHD. Sitting in the lecture theatre doesn’t work, I miss 25% of everything the lecturer says…Watching online means I can pause, read subtitles, and go back if I missed or didn’t understand something.” Another student said “content-heavy courses are often easier to watch and understand online.”
The survey also raised COVID-19’s impact on how students feel about these online-offline learning models.
The majority of respondents agreed that mandatory online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic had negatively impacted the way they thought about in-person learning. The perceived convenience, viability, and widespread acceptance of online learning was brought up often. One response stated, “I realised that it’s ok to only participate when there’s a meaningful impact of the experience.”
However, some felt the complete opposite, saying that their experience of studying during the pandemic added “value” to in-person attendance. One student stated, “I realise the importance of having face to face connection for concentration and wellbeing.”
But not all is lost for attendance rates. For other classes, such as tutorials, labs, and workshops, attendance was reportedly much higher than that of lectures. 30 respondents said they attended ‘Often’ and 28 said they attended ‘Always.’ Only three said they ‘Never’ attended non-lecture classes.
So why is there such a disparity between in-person lecture attendance and non-lecture class attendance? The gap in effort for studies appears substantial. But a perceived ‘lack of effort’ may not mean that students are just unmotivated.
Observer asked students what impacts the amount of effort they put into a course.
A significant factor was how engaging and interesting the course was, encompassing the content, the lecturers, and the tutors. Course engagement also expanded to whether students believed their efforts had equivalent results, both for their grades and individual learning outcomes.
One student stated that “If the teaching and assessment is complex and difficult to understand…it’s hard to find the motivation.”
Another response discussed how their effort increased when they felt teachers were “invested” in students and would “go the extra mile.” Contrastingly, the student also remarked, “I also have teachers who seem to delight in people not passing their courses, not understanding the content, and missing their classes.”
Others said their efforts were concentrated and based on whether they “need to do it to pass.” This included making less effort for smaller scale assessments such as weekly quizzes and reflections, as they were seen as less important than larger-scale assignments, work, or experiencing the social side of university.
As one student said, “My personal life is full of challenges, financially, emotionally and relationship wise. I cannot always put uni first.”
When discussing how studying at university is different from secondary education, one student commented “your work has very limited value to both you and the institution.” A high proportion of students also mentioned the effect of now working full-time.
One response mentioned that their peers would likely respond differently to these questions, highlighting the unique challenges for international students.
“Not everyone comes from the same financial backgrounds. For someone like me, my family relies on each grade I get. For someone that has Centrelink and HECS and other domestic advantages, they wouldn’t have to think twice about whether they’re having food that night. I am not denying that Australians can have problems but it’s just much harder when you have lesser support systems.”
The topic of economic disparity also came up in several responses, with one respondent stating, “The ANU needs to do better for students with low socioeconomic backgrounds and students who work.” In 2022, the most recent data available, ANU was found to have the lowest proportion of low socio-economic status students in Australia.
Whether you complete every piece of work assigned, “cannot always put uni first,” or even find content and lecturers just plain “boring,” you’re not alone. University, studies, and the way students engage with them are no longer static, and students may use that to get the best out of their individual university experience.
Disclaimer: Quotes may have been shortened for clarity and edited for grammar. The survey is closed for further responses, but you can look at the questions asked here.
Graphics by Shé Chani
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May 22, 2025Arts / CollegeBy Anushka Vineet
Additional reporting by Jenna Durante and Eduardo Caceres-Sandoval
Photography by James Neal
On the eighth of May 2025, the Interhall Arts Committee (IAC) put on another stunning iteration of Big Night Out (BNO). With not an original song in sight, BNO successfully embodied the ‘Triple J Like a Version’ theme and displayed the musical talents of the 11 ANU Residential Colleges.
Observer brings you backstage coverage, with interviews from the bands, volunteers and organisers who make the show shine.
BNO 2025 will be remembered for the wild and crazy signs from the spectators, unexpected mashups, and (maybe) the first ever ‘Juno’ pose performed on Australian soil (thanks to Wamburun Hall).
Arguably the biggest IAC event of the year, BNO draws in the masses. This year’s ticket sales exceeded last year’s, with over 2000 tickets sold for the 2025 show. Spectators were “loving the coordinated outfits this year” and the increase in choreography and hairography by each band that made BNO feel “just like a concert”.
BNO is a favourite for more than just the ANU student population. Veteran judge Professor Kenneth Lampl gave a glowing review, calling BNO 2025 “as good as it’s ever been”.
Before each band enters the stage, they gather in ‘The Green Room’ an hour before to warm up and collect their thoughts. The IAC Green Room Director, Santrix Redston, said the energy backstage was “really chill and everyone been really mutually supportive across halls”.
This year, IAC BNO Director Lara Eastman did an outstanding job organising and leading the event. BNO holds a special place in her heart as “the whole of ANU comes together to celebrate each other and music”.
And the camaraderie extends to the bands as well, with the “tight-knit” community and “friendships” formed being at the forefront of all the bands this year.
Before their performance, the Burton and Garran (B&G) band stated that the crowd should be most excited for “the start and the end” of their setlist: and they were not wrong. B&G opened with a bang with a powerful rendition of “The Great Gig in the Sky” by Pink Floyd, eventually leading to “Bang Bang” by Jessie J.
UniLodge for another year brought out the bagpipes, this time in a dramatic rendition of “Zombie” by The Cranberries. They attributed their successful 2025 performance to a “mixed range of experience levels that added diversity to the mix”.
Ursula Hall came onto stage with the instrumentalists donning recognisable face paint, a hint of their set to come. As foreshadowed, their final song, “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” by Kiss, got the crowd roaring.
Reigning BNO champions, Burgmann, took to the stage with flair, delivering a dazzling performance marked by impeccable choreography, including multiple Michael Jackson-esque spins that captivated the crowd. Their rendition of Maroon 5’s “This Love” had the crowd hanging onto their every move.
Performing to the spaceborne Katy Perry, Wright performed a rowdy rendition of “I Kissed a Girl”. The Wright Crowd was out in full support of the band, and the Wright Band was not slow to mention that Wright “had the highest ticket turnout compared to every hall”.
The most innovative mashup of the night, which caught the crowd by surprise, was Griffin’s “Rasputin/Von Dutch”. A song that most would deem un-coverable due to the heavy production, the BNO Griffin Director stated that it was their vision to incorporate and “build around Von Dutch”.
And their innovation, captivatingly varied setlist, and polished performance paid off, with Griffin claiming victory. The 2024 BNO winners, Burgmann, were demoted to second place.
The top five bands announced on the evening are as follows:
Griffin Hall
Burgmann College
Wright Hall
UniLodge
Bruce Hall
With Spilt Milk at the end of the year, the organisers will struggle to replicate the atmosphere and cosmic event that occurred at Willows on May 8, 2025. This was BNO for the ages with a theme that encapsulates the true spirit and definition of BNO, and a surprising lack of Taylor Swift. The full results will be published on the IAC Facebook Page.
Graphics by Shé Chani
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May 19, 2025ANU / ANUSA / ProtestBy Sophie Blewitt
After a motion to reduce the ANU’s Environment Collective from an autonomous department to a ‘committee’ failed at the ANUSA OGM on 26 March, the Collective is looking to recover from negative coverage and continue its fifty-year history of climate action.
Since the publishing of an independent report into the financial operations of the Environment Collective (also called the Environment Department) by not-for-profit consultants ‘NFP Success’ in December, the Collective has faced accusations of historical inappropriate spending on political conferences outside of SSAF (Student Services and Amenities Fee) guidelines.
These allocations included budgets of $3000 for the ‘Keep Left 2023’ conference and the ‘Marxism 2023’ conference ($295.10 and $3447.60 expended, respectively).
Members of the ANUSA executive also charged the Collective with being under the influence of Socialist Alternative (SAlt). ANUSA President Will Burfoot stated during the OGM that “I believe SAlt is so opposed to this because they think they own the Enviro Collective.”
Such accusations of inappropriate spending and SAlt influence have led to a “loss of trust” between the student body and the Collective, according to Environment Officer Sarah Strange.
Strange, who came into office after the controversial expenditures were made, has stated that “Socialist Alternative does not own the Environment Collective. The reality is the Environment Officer is elected at a democratic election… the only way that will get to control the Collective is if students decide to vote for them.”
Nick Reich, a representative of SAlt, noted the negative coverage of the Collective – including an article by ANUSA General Secretary Sam Gorrie in favour of reconstituting the Collective – labeling it a “red scare” which “paints the Environment Collective as something chock-full of communists trying to bring down society for their own nefarious ends.”
Responding to the statement in the original ‘NFP Success’ report cited by the executive that pointed to excessive spending on “divisive political campaigns”, Strange stated that “I’m happy for the Collective to continue engaging in divisive political campaigns to the extent that everything to do with environmentalism is divisive… after all, some people still don’t even believe in climate change.”
Though the controversy summoned 125 students voting in favour of protecting the Collective, and has led to a minor uptick in its Facebook follower count, Strange noted that the negative attention has been harmful to the Collective’s climate action.
She stated several students left midway through the first Collective meeting of the year after being “turned off” by “nonsensical factional disagreement.” Additionally, “articles concerning abolishing the Collective come up when you Google it, before the website or .”
Referring to President Will Burfoot’s ongoing five-month freeze of the Collective budget, she also stated that “the President has been difficult on this issue, because he hasn’t given a path forward to actually being able to use our own funding.”
In pursuing such a path, the Collective’s general meeting on 15 April saw Strange push a motion to require any spending above $750 by the Collective to be approved by the ANUSA Treasurer, a potential solution reached during consultation with the executive. This motion failed, as members pointed to the potential threat to the Collective’s autonomy and increased bureaucratic limitations.
To some student activists, these pressures on the Collective’s activity demonstrates a general suppression of campus activism and an indication of the effects of Trump’s second term on political engagement. “We have a lot more students who are openly reactive towards activism, and openly saying that they support Donald Trump’s environmental policy,” stated Strange.
Reich commented that such attention on constitutional change has distracted from climate action and, indeed, any other student action: “I would much prefer my student union to be spending its resources and time organising a resistance to the recent cuts at ANU.” In general, however, the Collective has observed lower engagement in recent years, with students more likely to express general “climate apathy”, stated Strange.
Looking forward, the Collective has organised a series of climate protests and events, a surge in activity compared to the single event operated in 2024, according to Strange. The Environment Officer hopes to refocus interest in the Collective towards education on climate change, noting that “a lot of students believe that climate change is bad, but just don’t see the impact that it will have on them… the left, including the climate movement, has to do a better job of explaining why our ideas are the right ideas.”
On 1 May, the Collective returned with an educational “Seed Balls” event accompanying the ‘No Cuts at ANU’ protests, particularly in protest of recent course cuts to majors, such as Environmental and Resource Management.
While the protests outside the Chancelry mainly addressed mass staff layoffs which could amount to up to 638 jobs lost (according to ‘No Cuts at ANU’ spokespeople), the chants also took an environmental turn: “Hey Julie , what’s that sound? Wasted cash on flying around!” Referring to cuts to degrees, travel expenses and staff layoffs, ‘No Cuts at ANU’ convenor Ell Lappin stated “The ANU has $2 billion in liquid assets… there are other places they can take this money from.”
Other recent activity relates to the Collective’s ANU Zero campaign, which recently published a report on the ANU’s investment in oil, gas and coal in comparison with other Australian universities.
As the activity of the Collective regains steam, Strange remains “completely willing to cooperate and negotiate in good faith with any kind of roadmap that’s given to me about what we need to do to unfreeze our funding.”
Anyone wishing to get involved with the Collective can find information about their next meeting here.
Graphics by Will Novak
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May 16, 2025UncategorisedBy Sarah McCrea
Media attention to ANU is not slowing down, with new reports, papers, and analyses dissecting the university’s finances, budget cuts, and governance.
New criticism comes from the Australia Institute, in a report released on April 30.
The report examined areas of elective expenditure across Australian universities including executive travel, advertising, marketing, and consultancy, with a focus on three universities: ANU, the Australian Catholic University, and the University of Wollongong.
Written by Research Fellow and former ANU PhD student Joshua Black, the report argued that the spending decisions of universities “boils down to a fundamental question of priorities.”
The report compiles and analyses universities’ financial figures to illustrate two halves of finances. First, the savings, listing the well-known figures of financial deficits, budget cuts, and reduction in salary and non-salary related expenditure.
Second was expenditure, with specific numbers on universities’ elective spending.
Suggestions to improve transparency and accountability included “nationally consistent annual reporting categories for universities,” “improved disclosure requirements for consultancy spending,” and “nationally consistent disclosure rules for overseas travel expenses.”
The report stated, “Institutions that value their paper assets over their real assets, their staff and students, are institutions in need of repair.”
More recently, on May 9, The Canberra Times published an opinion piece titled “The system is broken at ANU and these scandals were predictable.” The piece was written by two members of the Australia Institute, Joshua Black – the author of the elective spending report – and Senior Economist Jack Thrower.
The article described ANU’s response to community agitation, such as feedback mechanisms and websites, as “highly performative.” Responding to ANU’s “flawed” governance, the article proposed alterations to the existing governance. Primarily, having a mandatory number of elected representatives on the University Council, and having better disclosure of said Council’s minutes of their monthly meetings.
Addressing the report, ANU’s Chief Financial Officer Michael Lonergan stated, “Understanding university finances is more nuanced than the top line dollar amount presented in the report.”
Lonergan discussed the rationale behind various fields of elective spending, including how income is generated from marketing and advertising, how travel is “crucial for research and field work,” and how consultancy spending included “commissions and support for research.”
He acknowledged, “That’s not to say that we don’t have to reduce our spending. We do, and we are.”
Referencing the Expenditure Taskforce, Lonergan stated that staff were involved in discussions “right across campus” looking for options for reducing non-salary expenditure.
He added, however, “the fact remains that salary costs have been a material driver of total cost increases, as we have been very clear about.”
“We remain committed to working with our community on how we can return the University to financial sustainability so we can continue delivering world-class research and education for many years to come, by reducing both salary and non-salary costs.”
Observer spoke to the Australia Institute’s Joshua Black, author of the elective spending report and co-author of the opinion piece.
Dr Black stated in the report he wanted to illustrate that “budgets are not neutral documents,” even though universities act as if it’s “all neutral, it’s just the way things have to be.”
He said this alleged attitude of universities was incorrect, remarking “That’s just not how budgets work. Budgets are about choices.”
“A financial statement at the end of each financial year tells you what the university’s choices have involved, what those choices cost, where the money went, and who benefited and who didn’t.”
Regarding the proposal that ANU provide their Council meeting minutes in more detail, Dr Black clarified that the idea was not to have every word made available to the public. Instead, redactions should be “comprehensively explained,” include questions asked and problems raised during the meeting, and title what documents were attached to the discussions.
Referencing executives’ ambiguous knowledge on issues such as consultancy fees and Intel roles, he stated, “Proper detailed minutes and the disclosure of those proper detailed minutes should make it clear whether the Council knew about these things or not.”
Dr Black discussed his experiences in tertiary education, including his time as a PhD student at ANU, stating it was an “an extraordinary privilege” but that “you get to see the best and worst.”
He added, “You also see enormous challenges…systems and processes that don’t work terribly well, the shock that comes with announcement of restructure plans that don’t have clear end dates, end goals, other than a $250 million cut agenda.”
“We are asking our academics and our professional staff to be productive and useful all of the time—and that’s as it should be—but they cannot be productive and useful all the time if their livelihoods are hanging over their head.”
Graphics by Shé Chani
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May 11, 2025ANU / NewsBy Jenna Durante
ANU isn’t just a hub for academics and research but also a haven for fascinating wildlife. From striking birds to mysterious nocturnal creatures, the campus flourishes with many of Australia’s native (and not-so-native) animals. Whether soaring through the skies, scurrying up tall trees, or quietly hopping among the grass, these animals are part of the university’s character, where nature and academia coexist.
From magpies that aren’t afraid to get up close and personal to cockatoos that double as an early morning alarm, ANU’s critters make campus life a little more unpredictable — in the best way possible.
Observer takes a closer look at the furry, feathered, and sometimes feisty creatures that call ANU home.
Feathers of campus life
Magpies are hard to miss on campus. With their distinct black and white plumage, these birds are a common sight, often swooping down to get a closer look at students, especially if you’re enjoying a snack on Kambri lawn.
They tend to come in packs, and their fearlessness is evident as they won’t hesitate to make a close-up appearance. Cyclists should be extra cautious as magpies have been known to alarm riders, making an otherwise peaceful commute to class feel like a high-stakes getaway. While their swoops and nosy beaks may come as a surprise, these birds are essential to ANU wildlife, adding a dash of energy and liveliness to campus.
ANU’s alarm clock
If you’re an early riser at ANU, or even if you’re not, you’ve likely been woken up by the squeaking of the sulphur-crested cockatoos. These striking white parrots, with their bright yellow feathered crowns, are known for their loud calls and energetic antics.
These birds are incredibly active, often flying in flocks and chatting loudly throughout the day. While some might find their calls a bit jarring, for others, these birds are like a natural alarm clock, signalling the start of a new day with their melodic chatter. And unlike your phone, there’s no snooze button; once the cockatoos start their morning chorus, there’s no going back to sleep.
Night-time adventurers
As the day winds down, ANU comes alive with its nocturnal residents — none more intriguing than the possums. From the large brushtail possums to the tiny, palm-sized critters, these animals are friendly and curious, though they tend to stay out of sight until the sun sets.
Some of the tiniest creatures you might spot darting through the trees are sugar gliders, which are often mistaken for baby possums due to their size and appearance. They’re actually a distinct species of marsupial with flaps of skin that allow them to glide effortlessly from tree to tree.
Although they are night-time explorers, you might spot them sneaking stealthily earlier in the evening, their wide eyes and playful nature adding a sense of mystery to campus. Known for their laid-back demeanour, possums are the perfect campus companions for those who appreciate the quieter, more enigmatic side of wildlife during a late-night study session at the library.
Uninvited guests
While some creatures thrive, others pose a threat to the campus ecosystem. These are none other than the infamous rabbits. The fluffy hoppers may seem harmless at first glance, but they are an invasive species, multiplying rapidly and disrupting plant and animal life.
At ANU, you might spot them darting across lawns or nibbling on greenery. Though undeniably cute, these uninvited guests pose a real issue for conservation efforts, making them an important part of the campus wildlife conversation.
Introduced for hunting purposes, the European wild rabbit made its Australian debut in 1859. Within 50 years, they spread across most of the continent. Having no natural predators, an abundant food supply, and ideal living conditions, the rabbit population exploded, reaching 600 million by the late 1940s.
Managing their numbers isn’t just about protecting the landscape, it’s about preserving biodiversity. That’s why rabbit control programs in the ACT aim to reduce their impact and maintain balance in the environment.
As students, staff, and visitors move through campus, these animals remain our constant companions. Some may be amusing, others annoying, but they are always a part of the ANU experience and a reminder that we share this space with a diverse and thriving ecosystem.
Despite the occasional disruption (or outright ambush from a territorial magpie), ANU’s wildlife adds a unique charm to campus life. They are our noisy neighbours, our feathery alarm clocks, and our night-time wanderers that make the university feel more alive.
Graphics by Shé Chani
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May 9, 2025UncategorisedBy Saffron Geyle
Are you graduating soon? Or are you super on top of things, getting the headstart we all wish we did early on in our university career? Either way, you are probably familiar with the many internships available at the ANU. Often part of your coursework, the university offers a range of paid and unpaid internships to students looking to advance their academic and professional careers. These opportunities are offered across all colleges at the ANU, and aim to build on and provide practical experience for students in their respective fields of study.
One of the university’s most popular internships offered is the Australian National Internships Program, or ANIP, as most students know it by. The program involves students undertaking a research-oriented internship between 10 and 40 placement days, depending on the number of units taken, with various government and non-government employers.
Students can undertake ANIP internships with the ACT Legislative Assembly, Government agencies, diplomatic missions, NGOs and think-tanks. Placements are for one, two, or four days per week and the ANIP course includes workshops on policy research and professional skills. Fifth year student Lily* spoke to Observer on her experience with the internship last year.
“I made some valuable connections at the organisation, learning lots from my supervisors and having the opportunity to be in a non-academic environment where I could apply my academic experience.”
When speaking on the financial viability of her internship, Lily stated that the unpaid nature of her internship had a “slightly negative impact on experience” overall. She said that while she appreciates the opportunities that the unpaid internship has been able to provide her, compared to some paid internships, she has reservations on the ethics of the process.
“Something about paying for an internship as a university course, where I am working for an organisation, doesn’t sit quite right with me.”
Lily also experienced difficulties in the allocation of her internship, describing the period of time between submitting her application and receiving acceptance as “stressful”. She advises “anyone applying to be prepared for a bit of uncertainty”. Additionally, her transportation needs were not completely met when allocating her an organisation for this internship.
“Despite flagging that I do not drive in Canberra, and am a full time university student, I received a role in Queanbeyan, NSW. This meant a higher cost of public transport on a weekly basis.”
In terms of the opportunities that emerged for Lily following this internship, she said the ANIP program has made her “more open-minded to different kinds of professional pathways and opportunities like working for an NGO in the future”.
“Exposure to a different workplace and area is always valuable.”
Whilst these opportunities were beneficial for Lily, she is unsure if she would recommend other students to engage with the program.
“I don’t think I would. It was very stressful when it didn’t have to be, and I think there are other opportunities students could get with better support and direction.”
Alongside ANIP, the university offers internships across all faculties including The College for Business and Economics (CBE). The CBE are currently inviting students to apply for their internships program for Semester 2 2025. These internships will provide students with the opportunity to complete work experience through workplace projects of either 6 units (120 hours) or 12 units (240 hours) over the course of 10 weeks.
A spokesperson for the ANU stated that the number of internships offered to students is limited, varying between each college. The ‘Tech Launcher’ computer science internship, for example, is a particularly popular option that has seen “around 400 students registered”.
When asked about support services available for students undertaking internships, the spokesperson stated that students can find useful information and guidance on preparing successful applications on the ANU Career Central website.
“Each course has a course convener, who provides academic guidance and is responsible for marking coursework related to the experience. Additionally, some courses incorporate workshops preparing students for successfully applying for the internship, as well as working in a professional environment.”
When asked about the support she felt throughout her internship, Lily said that she “really struggled to communicate between the organisation at the ANU across the whole internship”.
“This was really frustrating and without a solid sense of a cohort, with my peers not taking the same course as me it was quite isolating.”
While the ANU has numerous internship programs to offer students, fourth-year engineering student Josh* spoke to Observer on a summer internship at Nova Systems, a program he found on the Seek website.
“My internship was a 10 week summer internship at a company called Nova Systems. They are an engineering consulting firm that works below the line in the private sector, and above the line in defence.”
Josh also faced difficulties with the unpaid nature of his internship, stating it had a “significant negative impact on experience”.
“Considering the fact that it was full time, 9-5, five days a week, I didn’t really have the battery to be able to work a job on the weekend, so I was living off my savings all summer.”
However, the nature of these internships is extremely competitive. Josh highlighted that in Australia, all engineering students need to complete practical experience in order to complete their degrees.
“I feel like this is the only way that engineering companies can really get away with having unpaid internships, knowing that the students are desperate for internships anyway.”
When speaking on the highlights of his internship, Josh emphasised his appreciation for the community and friendly environment at the company.
“In my particular case, all other people in my office were extremely friendly, inviting us out to social events and weekly lunches, which made it a lot easier to settle in and feel comfortable in a new environment.”
“I remember one of the last days in the old office before they moved out, the office was practically empty, so the interns and a couple of the graduates had an office wide nerf battle on Friday afternoon. It was really fun and cool to see how even in professional workplaces, there is still an opportunity for fun and to bond with colleagues outside of just work.”
At the end of his experience, Josh stated that the key opportunity he was afforded was a practically guaranteed graduate position at the company in the future. While he will most likely not be taking this role, he still recommends that students get involved in this internship program.
He stated that if students are able to support themselves financially over the course of the program, “the internship itself is very good, a lot of opportunities to meet new interesting people, gain new perspectives on your future career, and work in something that you may have no prior experience in”.
“I would definitely recommend other students go for this internship, but only if they feel financially secure enough to survive on their savings for the summer. While some people may be capable of working a second job on top of this full time work to support themselves, I would imagine that the vast majority of people will struggle with that.”
Alongside internship programs at the ANU, students are also able to find volunteering opportunities through the ANU+ website. This is a structured non-academic program that facilitates personal development and community contribution for students at the university, designed to give participants valuable skills that enhance their employability. Other avenues that students can look into for graduate positions include websites such as GradAustralia and ANU Career Central.
*Names have been changed to protect the anonymity of students.
Graphics by James Neal
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May 8, 2025ANU / NewsBy Saffron Geyle
Additional Reporting by Mackenzie Watkins
On Saturday 3 May, The Australian Labor Party secured a decisive victory in the federal election, so far attaining 89 seats in the House of Representatives. The Liberal-National Coalition Party, in contrast, has attained a total of 40 seats in this election, down from the 58 seats held by the Coalition since 2022.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor government has made Australian history as Labor’s largest landslide victory, outperforming Bob Hawke and Kevin Rudd in their impressive historical election wins. Opposition leader Peter Dutton also made history as the first federal opposition leader to lose his seat during an election.
So what does this mean for us? Albanese’s re-elected Labor Government has made policy promises targeting the current cost of living crisis, improving Australian healthcare, and increasing education accessibility. Observer looks into these policy promises and their implications for university students and recent graduates.
The Labor Party’s cost-of-living plan, announced for the 2025 campaign, includes an incentive for first-time home buyers, in which Labor will give first home buyers access to 5% deposits. Labor will also cut income taxes over the next two years, reducing the current 16 per cent tax rate for income between $18,201 and $45,000 to 15 per cent in July 2026, and 14 per cent in July 2027.
For Australians, and graduated university students especially, this essentially means that income retention will increase by the end of 2027. Graduated students entering the workforce, especially the Australian Public Service, as many alumni do, will have higher after tax income from this change.
Healthcare expenses and accessibility for students amid the cost of living crisis, is an issue Labor promised to tackle in its re-election campaign. The Labor Party announced the largest investment into Medicare since its inception, delivering an increase in bulk-billing services available for Australians seeking GP appointments. Labor also plans to open an additional 50 urgent care clinics, ensuring that 4 in 5 Australians will have access to a clinic within a 20-minute drive from their homes.
University students are experiencing mental health concerns now more than ever in the cost of living crisis, another item in which Labor has promised improvement. Labor has committed to a $1 billion mental health plan to achieve more free mental health services. Backed by the party’s new Medicare initiative, the investment will see 58 headspace services being built or upgraded, $90 million going towards training places for mental health professionals, $225 million towards new and upgraded Medicare Mental Health Centres, and half of the entire investment will be put towards the building of 20 Youth Specialist Care Centres for young Australians with complex needs. Contrary to the Liberal Party’s initiative to increase privatised mental health services, this large investment into public mental healthcare means more equitable support for university students over the next three years.
Also on Labor’s to-do list is a reduction in current HELP-HECS debts by 20 per cent. From 1 June of this year, the Albanese Labor Government will enact upon this policy promise. A predicted $16 billion in student debt will allegedly be wiped, with Albanese insisting this would be the first item on his agenda once back in Parliament.
Observer will continue to track these policy developments and their impact on university students as the new government’s agenda unfolds.
Graphics by Shé Chani
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