the graduate union newsletter APRIL/MAY 2020

1 remembering Dr richard harcourt

Everyone suddenly burst out singing: And I was filled with such delight As prisoned birds must find in freedom, Winging wildly across the white Orchards and dark-green fields: on--on--and out of sight.

Everyone’s voice was suddenly lifted; And beauty came like the setting sun; My heart was shaken with tears: and horror Drifted away. . .O, but Everyone Was a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing will never be done.

— Siegfried Sassoon

The above poem was read out at the funeral of Dr Richard David Harcourt by his wife and Honorary Life Member, Mrs Alison Harcourt, on Sunday, 12th April 2020. Please turn to page 21 to read the valete of Dr Richard Harcourt.

www.graduatehouse.com.au 2 Contents

GU Important Information GU Collegiate

5 COVID-19 25 Postponed Events A Message from the CEO/Head of College ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL dates ahead DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS

6 International Days 26 February and March 2020 Listings features Other

10 Emotions and Academic Success 28 First Nations by Caroline MacCann, Amirali Minbashian and Koorie Oral Histories Online Kit Double 29 First Nations 12 Toilet Paper Hoarding Stolen Generation Redress by Jay L Zagorsky 30 Innovation Ancestor of all Animals identified in Australian 14 Tips for Self-isolation Fossils by an Anonymous Resident Member 31 Innovation 16 Jessica Liew Termite Mounds Show the Way to a Low Keen to learn how to build a future Emission Future

reviewS 32 One Thousand and One Nights Serial The Story of the Fisherman and the Jinni 18 Graduate House Monthly Luncheon Review continued with Ms Helen Parker OAM 34 The UN Sustainable Development Goals VALETE How Norway is Working to Support Gender Equality

21 Dr Richard David Harcourt 37 Fund Lifelong Learning The Evolution of Online Crowdfunding Graduate house news

22 Parkville Storytelling Project

24 Seen at Graduate House

24 Annual General Meeting (AGM) Update

25 Feedback

Please note: This publication is an amalgamation of the April and May 2020 Newsletters. Our next issue will be published in the last week of May for the month of June.

3 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B GU IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please note that all photographs were taken well before the Victorian Government State of Emergency.

www.graduatehouse.com.au 4 GU IMPORTANT INFORMATION

A message from the ceo/head of college

Dear Members and friends of our Association In these tough times, we ask for your support and of Graduate House, and hope that you will be able to make a financial It is indeed a challenging time. contribution, however large or modest to assist us in keeping alive our Association and Graduate No matter where you are in this world, you House. We are facing significant staff reductions, will be seeing and feeling the devastation to particularly for our casual and part-time staff, communities everywhere. the majority of whom have families to support. We do so hope and pray that you are all OK. Without staff to support residents and a return to usual operations once this pandemic closes, we We welcome strong, swift and decisive actions by face closure. our federal, state and local governments to curb the transmission of COVID-19; and have been Of course, you are all facing financial challenges implementing each initiative in advance of its with drops in investments and superannuation official rollout. Our doors are now closed to non- funds, loss or reduction in employment/income resident Members and the public until further and loss and reduction of other supports, such as notice. grants for your research or your enrolment. We do not want anyone who is experiencing financial This means that we are no longer able to difficulty to give – and we have willing donors welcome you for breakfast, lunch and dinner in who really must not give again at this time. the main dining room. All GU-Collegiate events However, our residents and staff are particularly are cancelled. We shall thus not be hosting vulnerable and we are very much reliant on both Monthly Luncheons, College Tables, the Welcome to continue our operations. If you can help, please BBQ, Italian Conversation Dinners, Bridge nights, give to our COVID-19 Financial Relief Fund – see Special Morning Breakfasts, the Women’s Forum the link below my message. and the Ramadan Iftar Dinner. We will overcome this challenging time. Our annual Influenza and Vaccination Day – originally scheduled for 28th April – has also been I look forward to welcoming you all back to cancelled for 2020. In discussion with the CEO Graduate House or to communicating with you of the Influenza Specialist Group, it was agreed through our website, email, telephone and social that the risks in proceeding outweighed the risks media in opportune time. Though the staff and I in cancelling. It was also acknowledged that the are extremely stretched at the moment, I do so social distancing and other measures taken to hope to keep hearing your beautiful voices and prevent the transmission of COVID-19 have seeing your beautiful faces as regularly as we can. been reducing the transmission of influenza in Yours sincerely and take good care, other countries, and that we may see a similar reduction here. Dr Kerry Bennett CEO/Head of College Graduate House remains open only to residents. Their health and safety is paramount, as is the health and safety of our staff who are at the Donate Here: frontline of service delivery. As mentioned previously, we have been, and will continue COVID-19-RELIEF-FINANCIAL-DONATION to, adhere strictly to the guidelines from the Victorian Department of Health and Human https://www.graduatehouse.com.au/covid-19-re- Services. lief-financial-donation/

5 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B COMING DATES April international days

April Fool’s Day April Fool’s Day dates back to the sixteenth century when Europeans transitioned 1st April from the pre-Gregorian calendar. Previously, the calendar year started around spring. Those who continued to celebrate the new year at the start of April were labelled ‘fools’. The day is associated with pranks and practical jokes, symbolic of the nature of spring.

International International Children’s Book Day aims to inspire a love of reading and to lift the Children’s Book profile of children’s books. Founded on the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen, a famous fairytale writer, the day is organised by the International Board on Day Books for Young People (IBBY). IBBY selected Slovenia as the 2020 International nd 2 April Children’s Book Day sponsor.

World Autism World Autism Awareness Day was established in 2007 to further advance the Awareness Day rights and well-being of those with disabilities, including people with learning nd differences and developmental disabilities. Increased knowledge of autism and 2 April of the autism spectrum is enabling people to enjoy equal opportunities and to participate more fully in society.

National Walk to National Walk to Work Day is an international day to encourage people to walk Work Day to work and improve their health by incorporating exercise as part of their daily rd routine. The day has the dual impact of being beneficial for the person walking, as 3 April well as promoting mindfulness of the individual’s carbon footprint.

World Health Day In 2020, World Health Day’s theme is on the vital role that nurses and midwives 7th April play in providing healthcare around the world, and calls for a strengthening of these workforces. This year, the first ever State of the World’s Nursing Report 2020 was released on this date, providing a global picture of the nursing workforce. In this time of COVID-19, we are indebted and deeply grateful to these workers on the front line.

Passover Passover, a major Jewish holiday, celebrates spring, birth and rebirth, freedom 8th April and the taking of responsibility for oneself, the community and the world. This Feast of the Unleavened Bread commences on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Nisan and lasts for 7-8 days.

Good Friday Good Friday, considered to be the most holy day in the Christian calendar, 10th April recognises the crucifixion of Jesus. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest known use of the day’s name is found in the South English Legendary from 1290.

International Day In 2011, the United Nations (UN) launched this day as a way ‘to celebrate each of Human Space year, at the international level, the beginning of the space era for mankind’. The UN also produced the ‘magna carta of space’ – a treaty on the Principles Flight Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space; th 12 April and launched an agency for this area called the Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).

EASTER SUNDAY Easter Sunday commemorates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead following 12th April his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD and as written in the New Testament of the Christian bible. The word ‘Easter’ is believed to have been derived from ‘Eostara’, the goddess of rebirth.

www.graduatehouse.com.au 6 COMING DATES

ORTHODOX EASTER Orthodox churches use the older, Julian calendar to determine when Easter is 19th April each year, whereas Western churches use the Gregorian calendar, the standard calendar for much of the world.

Chinese Chinese, one of the official languages of the UN, is celebrated annually on this th language Day important day of Guyu (the 6 Chinese solar term). During Guyu, tribute is paid th to Cangjie, an important figure in ancient China, who, it is claimed, was the 20 April official historian to the Yellow Emperor and the inventor of Chinese characters.

Earth Day The goal of Earth Day is to ‘build the world’s largest environmental movement 22nd April to drive transformative change for people and the planet’. Founded in 1970, the day is committed to diversifying, educating and activating the environmental movement worldwide of more than 75,000 partners in over 190 countries.

International The purpose of International Mother Earth Day is to remind us of the earth and Mother Earth Day its ecosystems, and thus of life and our sustenance. The day aims to raise our nd collective awareness and responsibility to nature and to promote harmony with 22 April the earth in balancing the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations.

English One of the two working languages of the UN, English Language Day is observed Language Day on both the birthday and date of death of William Shakespeare. The purpose rd of this UN language day and of those established for each of the six official UN 23 April languages, is to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity.

Ramadan begins Every year, the most sacred month in the Islamic calendar - Ramadan - is 24th April ushered in and heralded by the sighting of the new crescent moon. Ramadan is determined by the lunar calendar, and so the date varies on the Gregorian calendar by 11 days every year. This month is of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.

World In 2020, World Malaria Day aims to highlight the need for continued investment Malaria Day and sustained political commitment towards malaria prevention and control. It th follows the 2019 grassroots campaign launch of ‘Zero malaria starts with me’, to 25 April keep the illness high on the political agenda, mobilise additional resources and empower communities to take responsibility for malaria prevention and care.

ANZAC Day ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corp and marks the day 25th April when Australian and New Zealand forces (the colloquially named ‘Anzacs’) landed and suffered heavy and tragic losses on the shores of Gallipoli on 25th April 1915. ANZAC Day is now the day Australians commemorate all those who died in all wars.

International The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Jazz Day designated International Jazz Day in 2011, emphasising the power of ‘jazz th and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe’. The day 30 April unites communities, schools, artists, historians, academics and jazz enthusiasts in learning about jazz and its roots, and in raising awareness of the need for intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding and the strengthening of international cooperation and communication.

7 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B COMING DATES may international days

World Press World Press Freedom Day was established in 1993. The day helps to celebrate Freedom Day the fundamental principles of press freedom, assess the state of press freedom rd throughout the world, defend the media from attacks on their independence and 3 May recognise journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Mother’s Day Mother’s Day recognises the work of mothers in the home and for society more 10th May broadly. Australia follows the same Mother’s Day tradition as the United States, celebrating the day on the second Sunday of May.

International Day The International Day of Families aims to increase knowledge of the social, of Families economic and demographic processes affecting families. Recognised as the basic th unit of society, the UN acknowledges how families have changed over time, both 15 May in structure and due to global socioeconomic trends.

International The International Day of Light celebrates the role light plays in science, culture Day of Light and art, education and sustainable development, as well as in such fields as th medicine, communications and energy. The day is designed to enable these 16 May different sectors of society globally to participate in integrated activities that help to build the foundations for peaceful societies.

World Also known as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, World Information Information Society highlights the possibilities that the internet and other information and communication technology (ICT) can bring to societies and Society Day economies, as well as ways to bridge the digital divide. Held on 17th May, the th 17 May day marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and creation of the International Telecommunications Union.

World Bee Day World Bee Day seeks to lift awareness of the importance of pollinators. 20th May Increasingly under threat from human activity bees contribute significantly to sustainable development, food security and to conserving biodiversity. The date coincides with the birthday of Anton Janša, who pioneered modern beekeeping techniques in Slovenia.

International Day The International Day for Biological Diversity was established in 2000 in for Biological recognition of the ‘Convention on Biological Diversity’ which documents the importance of “conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its Diversity components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the nd 22 May utilisation of genetic resources”. This Convention is ratified by 196 nations.

Ramadan ends Ramadan ends at sundown on Saturday, 23rd May. Ramadan is the ninth month of 23rd May the Islamic calendar and ends a month of fasting, prayer and self-evaluation for Muslims. The end of Ramadan is celebrated by Eid al-Fitr, which translates (from Arabic) as ‘the feast of the breaking of the fast’.

National National Sorry Day is held annually on 26th May, in recognition and acknowledgement of members of the Stolen Generation. The first National Sorry Day th th Sorry Day was held on 26 May 1998 to commemorate the anniversary of the 26 May landmark Bringing Them Home report and to remember the grief, suffering and injustice experienced by the Stolen Generations.

www.graduatehouse.com.au 8 COMING DATES april - Dr Georgina Sweet

may - Sir robert menzies

Images from our 2020 calendar which is available for purchase.

9 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B FEATURE Understanding emotions is nearly as important as IQ for students’ academic success by Caroline MacCann, Amirali Minbashian and Kit Double

The ability to understand emotions contributes emotional intelligence with items like “I am almost as much to students’ grades as their IQ. motivated to succeed”. Past studies show two personal qualities are Others tested emotional intelligence directly by important for student academic success – measuring participants’ emotional abilities with intelligence and conscientiousness. skill-based tasks. For example, test takers might IQ scores explain about 15 per cent of be asked to identify which emotion is expressed the differences between students’ grades. in a face. Conscientiousness, such as having the diligence We found that, overall, emotional intelligence to do enough study, explains about 5 per cent. explained about 4 per cent of differences in Our recent research has found emotional students’ academic achievement. But some intelligence explains 4 per cent of differences emotional intelligence types were more between students’ achievement. However, the important than others. ability to understand emotions, a component Skill-based emotional intelligence, such as of emotional intelligence, explains about 12 per reading people’s faces, explained 6 per cent of cent of differences in students’ grades. differences in academic achievement, but self- What is emotional intelligence? ratings of emotional abilities explained 1 per cent of differences. So, emotional skills assessed Different researchers use slightly different from the outside are more important for definitions of emotional intelligence. students’ academic performance than students’ Some define emotional intelligence as the ability self-ratings (or self-beliefs) about their emotional to perceive, use, understand and manage your skills. own and other people’s emotions. This is called But some emotional skills were more important “ability emotional intelligence”. than others. The two most important emotional Others also include character traits such as skills for academic success were understanding optimism, impulse control and the ability to emotions and managing emotions. motivate yourself. This is called “mixed emotional Students who can understand emotions can intelligence” because it is a mix of abilities and accurately label their own and others’ emotions. character traits. They know what causes emotions, how emotions We examined the findings of more than change and how they combine. Students who 150 studies on the link between emotional can manage emotions know how to regulate intelligence and academic performance. These their emotions in a stressful situation. They studies included more than 42,000 students and also know what to do to maintain good social 1,246 different estimations of the size of the relationships with others. relationship between emotional intelligence and Emotion management skills accounted for 7 per academic performance. cent of differences in academic performance. Some of the studies in our analysis used rating Emotion understanding skills accounted for scales to assess emotional intelligence. Here, 12 per cent. That is, understanding emotions test-takers might rate their emotional abilities is more important for student success than with items like “I am aware of the non-verbal conscientiousness (5 per cent) and almost as messages other people send” or rate their mixed important as students’ IQ (15 per cent).

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Emotionally intelligent students tend to be more intelligent as well as more conscientious. But our study found it wasn’t just that emotionally intelligent students were also more likely to be intelligent and conscientious. We applied a statistical technique called meta- regression to examine what the effect of emotional intelligence would be if everyone had the same level of conscientiousness and intelligence. boredom and frustration to master dull or difficult material. They can learn from negative For students who had the same levels of feedback or failure rather than be derailed by conscientiousness and intelligence, emotional disappointment. intelligence was still linked with higher academic performance. Second, students with higher emotional intelligence can form better social relationships For students with the same levels of intelligence with their classmates and teachers. They can and conscientiousness: get help with schoolwork or with social and • self-ratings of mixed emotional intelligence emotional needs when they need it. (the one involving both skills and character Third, many non-technical academic subjects traits) explained 2.3 per cent of differences in require an understanding of human emotions performance; and social relations as an inherent part of the • emotion understanding skills explained 3.9 subject matter. Analysing universal themes of per cent of differences in performance; and love and betrayal in Shakespeare plays requires not just verbal skills but emotional knowledge • emotion management skills explained 3.6 per and skill. Analysing the role of charismatic cent of differences in performance. leaders in the rise of fascist regimes likewise Why is emotional intelligence linked to good requires social knowledge and analysis. grades? Our results show that teachers, parents and There are at least three reasons why we believe students should focus on student’s emotional emotional intelligence relates to higher academic skills not just for student’s well-being, but for performance. their ability to succeed academically. First, students with higher emotional intelligence can regulate their “academic emotions”. Students This article is republished from The Conversation may feel anxious about tests and performance. under a Creative Commons license. They may feel bored when learning required dull material. And they may feel frustrated or Carolyn MacCann is Associate Professor, disappointed when they try their hardest but still University of Sydney; Amirali Minbashian is can’t quite get the hang of a task. Associate Professor, UNSW; Kit Double is Research Associate, University of Oxford. Students who can regulate these tough emotions will achieve more. Anxiety will not impair the test performance. They can push through the

11 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B FEATURE toilet paper hoarding Jay L Zagorsky, Senior Lecturer, Questrom School of Business, Boston University

The other day I went into Costco to buy some 100 rolls a year toilet paper. It came as a small shock when I The average person in the US uses about 100 couldn’t find a single roll. rolls of toilet paper each year. If most of it The new coronavirus is inspiring panic buying came from China, this could be a huge problem of a variety of household products such as toilet because supply chains from that country have paper in cities across the US and the world. been severely disrupted as a result of COVID-19. While it makes sense to me that masks and hand The US, however, imports very little toilet paper sanitizer would be in short supply because of –less than 10% in 2017. And most of that comes the outbreak, I wondered why people would from Canada and Mexico. be hoarding toilet paper – a product that is The US has been mass producing toilet paper widely produced and doesn’t help protect from since the late 1800s. And while other industries a respiratory virus like COVID-19. Toilet paper is like shoe manufacturing have fled the country, becoming so valuable there’s even been at least toilet paper manufacturing has not. Today there one armed robbery to get it. are almost 150 US companies making this As an economist, I am fascinated by why people product. hoard products that are not having supply Why people hoard problems. Toilet paper hoarding in particular has a curious history and economy. So then why would people hoard a product that is abundant? Australia has also suffered from Past panics panic buying of toilet paper despite plentiful This wouldn’t be the first panic over toilet paper. domestic supply. A risk expert in the country In 1973, US consumers cleared store shelves of explained it this way: “Stocking up on toilet the rolls for a month based on little more than paper is … a relatively cheap action, and people rumors, fears and a joke. like to think that they are ‘doing something’ when they feel at risk.” At the time, Americans were already worrying about limited supplies of products like gasoline, This is an example of “zero risk bias” in which electricity and onions. A government press people prefer to try to eliminate one type of release warning of a potential shortage in toilet possibly superficial risk entirely rather than do paper led to a lot of press coverage but no something that would reduce their total risk by a outright panic buying until Johnny Carson, a greater amount. famous late night television host, joked about Hoarding also makes people feel secure. This is it during his opening monologue. Instead of especially relevant when the world is faced with laughing, people took it seriously and began to a novel disease over which all of us have little hoard toilet paper. or no control. However, we can control things Americans aren’t alone in panic buying to ensure like having enough toilet paper in case we are they have plenty of squares to spare. Venezuelans quarantined. hoarded the commodity in 2013 as a result of a It’s also possible we are biologically programmed drop in production, leading the government to to hoard. Birds, squirrels and other animals tend seize a toilet paper factory in an effort to ensure to hoard stuff. more supply. It failed to do the trick.

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How to handle shortages Modern economies run on trust and confidence. There are a number of ways to handle shortages, COVID-19 is breaking down that trust. People including those caused by hoarding. are losing confidence that they will be able to go outside and get what they need when they need The best way is to convince people to stop doing it. This leads to hoarding items like toilet paper. it, especially with plentiful products like toilet paper. However, logic often fails when dealing While the government advises preparing for with emotional issues. a pandemic by storing a two-week supply of food and water, there’s no need to hoard stuff, Another way is by rationing. Formal rationing is particularly products that are unlikely to suffer when governments allocate goods by specifying from a shortage. As for my local Costco, I stopped exactly how much each family gets. The US by a few days later, and the toilet paper aisle was used rationing during World War II to allocate fully stocked. gasoline, sugar and even meat. China rationed a lot of goods including food, fuel and bicycles This article is republished from The Conversation until the 1990s. under a Creative Commons license. Sometimes businesses enforce informal rationing. Stores prevent customers from buying all they want. The Costco I went to for toilet paper had a sign limiting shoppers to five packages per customer.

13 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B FEATURE Tips for Self-isolation from an Amateur By an anonymous Resident Member

Self-isolation blurs day and night, and there to schedule your day as much as possible, but isn’t much difference between yesterday, today, it’s okay if you don’t want to work. Don’t push and tomorrow. It is like falling into a time loop. yourself too hard. I managed to produce about Knowing how to entertain one’s soul becomes 3,000 words at home when stuck in China, but extremely important. now I realised they are a pile of worthlessness. I should not have ‘faked’ working when I wasn’t Yet I feel reluctant to ‘lecture’ others on in the mood for work at all. Given another how to get along with self-isolation for I am chance, I would idle those three weeks away in well aware of the complexities of the human a much happier way, instead of squeezing my condition. We all have our own concerns, brain in front of the desk and producing nothing different commitments and various plans for out of nothing. I would have written fiction, 2020. I think Westerners are naturally more poetry or letters, for instance. averse to self-isolation, although it isn’t easy at all for Asians either, at least the Chinese We may never have a better opportunity than people I know. I still remember how my parents now to work on some long-dreamed ideas on always wanted to venture out and begged for a which we didn’t have the time for in the pre- 30-minute walk but were always turned down coronavirus days. Don’t give up on exercise, by the three ‘jailers’ of the house: me and my work-outs and eating healthily. Video call brothers. someone whenever you grow anxious and need people. Take a walk in the park for some For me, social distancing isn’t that hard, as fresh air, remembering to keep a safe distance this is what I will have to practise for the from others, of course, when you feel like you next three to four years or even longer while are about to burn out. Lastly, helping others is studying in Australia. Sociality is important one of the best ways to overcome the sense for all professions, but for most of the time, I of loneliness and even futility. But don’t get need to put myself into solitude to be a deep yourself too exposed to heart-wrenching thinker and an efficient writer. Compared with coronavirus stories if you have already started many other students, who cannot really work to feel upset or experience self-blame for at home, I am fortunate to be doing literary not being able to help enough. Be aware and studies and what I need most for my research cautious about compassion fatigue for we need is always books, books and books. I might to stay strong to win this battle and to sustain be forced to apply for a leave of absence to our humanity. protect my candidature if I cannot carry out my overseas archival research by this year, but I Being stuck in China wasn’t easy for me, have chosen to hold on to hope. especially with so much uncertainty ahead and so much work to be finished in Melbourne. Having said that, good books, a sip of quality Despair, self-doubt, and aspirated hope each coffee, movies (not at the cinema, of course), and every Wednesday afternoon as the travel plants awaiting care and love (I managed to ban was extended, manifested into insomnia. resuscitate three dying plants belonging to my These thoughts dominate my memory of former officemates – I am so glad that I didn’t February, and they are still as fresh today. abandon them for they instantly transformed my room as if by magic!), and writing are all But I finally learned to look at lockdown as an good ways to enrich a difficult, solitary day. Try opportunity, despite all its drawbacks and sad

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complications. It is indeed a good opportunity She was a terrible player but she never gave up to slow down, to be self-reflective, to be the idea of winning, even just once. I finally see retrospective, and above all, to be the daughter something in me that was inherited from her. of my parents, the sister for my brothers, and We emptied one room to create a small gym the loving companion for my partner. I am not with a table tennis table. saying I wasn’t able to fulfil my responsibilities There were, of course, some discussions on the as part of the family when far away from home, coronavirus and, as you might expect, some but I got so used to saying goodbye that I forgot tears. Some fell from sorrow, some from anger, that they might want me to stay a little longer. but some expressed our heartfelt gratitude I wish the coronavirus outbreak never for frontline doctors, nurses, and many others happened. We tried our best to not allow it to who risk their lives for the country. We knew close ourselves off by the care, optimism and they were scared deep inside, but they were fun we created together. The Chinese New empowered by a greater purpose and their love Year was ruined by the virus, but the hours and for others. We should all practise care and love minutes I spent with my family brought back to for others, and we need this to see us through us some good old days. We tried one new recipe these dire and trying days and months. That is every day, with some turning out surprisingly what Graduate House has been doing, and I am delicious and the rest a total disaster. We played proud of being a resident here. card games at night, with the open knowledge that my mum would finally lose all of her money.

15 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B FEATURE Jessica Liew Keen to learn how to build a future

When she was young, she would often go on site visits with her father and look at house plans with him. She even drew up the floor plan for her bedroom when her father was designing their old home for the first time. She initially found studying architecture challenging, having come from a science and theoretical background to something more intangible and creative, and having to learn to “switch that side of my brain on”. While studying for her degree in 2001, Jessica won an architecture competition for co- designing, with Sherry Anne Kwok, the fish and chip shop (Fish Bar Fish and Chippery) and the ice cream shop (Limonetto Gelati) at Newquay Promenade, Docklands. She was also invited to work in the offices of Plus Architecture (SJB + NFK previously) through the Developed Design and Documentation stages of the project until construction was completed in 2003. After completing her studies, Jessica returned “I’m a keen learner,” says architect, Jessica Liew, to work with Plus Architecture (her “one and and she continues to have a lifelong love of only job”) as a Graduate Architect. She has since learning. Jessica finished Form 5 (Year 11) in moved her way up the company to become a Brunei, then applied for a scholarship to study director. Plus Architecture’s goal is “to design Year 12 in Melbourne at Taylor’s College. She good spaces for communities where they can then applied to do a Bachelor of Architecture at come together and enjoy the space holistically”. RMIT – her main reason being that her father is The company gave her a lot of opportunities a builder and he had always wanted her to be a and her advice to people starting out is to “work civil engineer. Her father, her biggest inspiration, hard first, and once you have acquired the skills, started work at 14, ran away from home in you can work smart”. Kuching, Malaysia to Brunei, worked hard and built a life there. He started as a hardware shop Three years after starting with Plus Architecture, assistant, and worked variously as a plumber, she successfully registered as an architect. The sub-contractor, carpenter and builder. built environment – defined as “the human- made space in which people live, work and Jessica was more interested in becoming a recreate on a day-to-day basis” – is important fashion designer than an engineer. Noting, to Jessica. She started off handling smaller however, that many fashion designers did not projects and then moved onto “larger and larger study formally, she chose instead to study and larger projects”, each more complicated and architecture as it was design-related – “designing each working with increasingly larger teams. As buildings” – and would keep her father happy! an Associate and then an Associate Director, her

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Fish Bar Fish and Chippery, Docklands Limonetto Gelati, Docklands. Photo credit: tripadvisor.com Photo credit: weekendnotes.com main task was to “win projects” for the company. more and staying up-to-date with the ever- Now, as Director, her work mainly involves “how changing advancements in architecture, such as to run a business more than being an architect”. in artificial intelligence and smart technology. Her biggest challenge was the lack of female “My thirst for learning is still there,” she said. mentors or role models and dealing with “I don’t want to be at a point whereby I stop difficult clients, from which she learnt this learning. I want to keep learning.” lesson: “It’s about having enough knowledge Her fundamental goal is to “keep learning to be confident to be standing where you are. and enjoying” and her next ventures are in You need to have the background knowledge architecture for computer games and for and the confidence. Also, the confidence to cinematography. “You can branch into a lot of admit that you don’t always have the answers.” things and I want to know where those branches Jessica’s advice to new graduates is to “please can get me.” ask a lot of questions”. And to females entering Jessica and her passionate team at Plus the workforce: “Learn to speak up a lot earlier. Architecture have been, and continue to be, People need to learn how to speak up. Learn committed to delivering impactful designs from a female mentor who is different to you.” through exploration and collaboration. Jessica’s next task is working on the next Learn more about Plus Architecture at: generation, grooming the next Director. She www.plusarchitecture.com.au thinks it’s important to let the next generation have their turn, and for her to focus on learning

17 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B REVIEW

March Monthly Luncheon Ms Helen Parker OAM

They say that nothing changes your life as much The experience, however, was not solely about as having a baby, and our March Graduate House motherhood. Helen says it “opened her eyes to Monthly Luncheon speaker, Helen Parker OAM, the reality that my story was being replayed in can vouch for that. the life of thousands of women in this nation”. As founder of The Babes Project, Helen’s own While at the hospital, the midwife started a life experience contributed to her establishing conversation with her around support - about this one-of-a-kind organisation that supports the kind of support young women need while pregnant women and “creates communities for having a baby. Beginning this conversation at Australia’s most vulnerable women”. Box Hill Hospital, she found herself with a new Talking about her first-hand knowledge of the opportunity, and this was working in a clinic for gaps experienced by new mothers, Helen says young women. that her own story is one similar to a lot of “One day, I went to have coffee with a midwife, women. In her own case, Helen fell pregnant and chatting to her, she called the head of social while at university, at the age of 20, in her third work, the head of maternity ward and some year of an architecture degree. other midwives and they said to me ‘we can’t “I felt a little bit ‘all over the place’ wanting to do engage the women that need this clinic and we both leadership roles but also wanting to create think you might be the key’.” more community in my university campus.” All “And that began my journey into how to engage, these activities came to a “screaming halt when I vulnerable, young women,” Helen says. found out that I was pregnant”, she says. Working in a program at Box Hill Hospital, Helen The pregnancy was her ‘wake-up call’ that forced says it was there that she realised that this issue her to live more by her values and made her was a vital part in how we were raising the next reassess her relationship. “When every person generation, that women were making brave around me told me that I really shouldn’t have the decisions, and yet they were alone and scared. baby, and that I wouldn’t be supported, I knew The ‘system’ was helping but only really putting then, I needed to change my path.” on a band-aid. Many people were giving things Moving back to Melbourne, she walked into the to women but no-one was linking these things Salvation Army and asked for help. together or understanding what their needs were. There is nothing more confronting than walking into a place like that when you are pregnant, Finishing with the program after four years, alone and scared, Helen says. To their credit, followed by a couple more years of parenting, however, they chose to walk alongside her. she soon realised that every woman in her life was a single mum, and that she had become “And so I had two young women from the the person that people went to about single Salvation Army ... they were not parents, they’d parenting. Helen says she looked around and never been at a birth before, and they rocked realised that it was the same problem she saw at up to Box Hill Hospital on Melbourne Cup Day. Box Hill Hospital. The horses raced – and I had a baby. I wish motherhood were that easy. And so began the Knowing there weren’t many positive options greatest learning curve of my life.” for vulnerable people in the community, Helen decided to open The Babes Project in 2009. This

www.graduatehouse.com.au 18 REVIEW

The Babes Project ”creates communities for Australia’s most vulnerable women” Ms Helen Parker OAM centre provided support for women at all stages and was on the verge of being homeless. Helen of pregnancy and parenting, and adopted a worked with her, describing how slowly the holistic approach. young girl came to trust Helen. Realising that the Opening in Croydon in 2009, it was incorporated young girl had no one to birth with her, Helen that same year. Helen says she and her team were went with her. very excited to see it turn into a safe space for “It was the longest labour ever. She just talked women. and talked and talked. I just thought – this is The organisation proved a huge learning curve, really hard to hear. When there is nothing else and the day after their opening, they had their to do than just wait in a room, waiting to have first client enter, in her school uniform, with her a baby. And you just think – how did we get to school bag on her back. this place? She is our most vulnerable, and the system has let her down, and then I had the most “In that moment, I knew that our idea had amazing moment where I watched this young validity.” woman – so desperate for family – birth her own Now having celebrated its 11th birthday, Helen family. She birthed her baby girl and I got to see proudly says the Croydon centre has helped her transition from this lost, broken, fragile little between 700 to 900 women and runs a full being and then become someone, because she perinatal program. was someone’s mother.” “There are so many complexities to a woman’s Helen realised then that a lot of women are story but when she becomes pregnant she scared to ask for help, because they are scared instantly becomes more vulnerable. And so, all they will have their children removed and we want to do is provide that safe space for her, become part of the system that created the and walk it out with her.” problem. Helen describes a situation when she was “So how do we re-create the system? How do confronted with a case of a young girl who was we re-create hope – for a generation that seems pregnant, who had been in the state care system, quite hopeless? For a group of young people that has very little, positive outcomes?”

19 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B REVIEW Helen says the stories they see across all three centres are very confronting. Helping women with children with serious health conditions is also challenging, and they are frequently supporting women who are feeling very alone and isolated. “I guess, for me, I am all about making change in our nation. I think sometimes that can feel overwhelming but I say we will not stop till all women in Australia know that they can access support and it is absolutely not okay for them to go without it.” Determined to be proactive in making change, The Babes Project can only work by helping one individual at a time. Committed to looking after the vulnerable Ms Helen Parker OAM (right) people in society, Helen says society has to stop with her daughter Ariel at the Monthly Luncheon its tendency to apply ‘band-aid’ solutions for Committed to changing these outcomes, Helen people. says The Babes Project is dedicated to walking alongside women in the long term. “I needed more, I needed to be told I could do it. I needed to be told that there was something The Croydon centre became successful and so in me, as a young woman, that could be all my they decided to replicate the model. “Frankston, child needed. I needed those people to show me at the time, had the highest teen pregnancy rate I could do it.” in metropolitan Melbourne. It is very different from our Croydon centre. It has a high amount Helen says no one had any vision for her, let of drug and alcohol abuse in families, with lots alone her child. Society still tells people that of teens there. We’ve had our two youngest single parenting is not okay. mothers there: 12-year-olds.” The Babes Project also released their Rewriting Helen is proud to say their Frankston centre was Motherhood book which was launched at the crowdfunded. “We shared our vision, we like to Victorian Parliament. The book tells the story of think with all of Melbourne, or what was more 10 women who have been helped by The Babes likely Frankston, and we raised $54,000 in 35 Project. days ... and that centre has just been a remarkable “This International Women’s Day (8th March) let space.” us think about how women become vulnerable Working on from that success, Helen says they just because of how our society functions. Let’s then decided to partially remedy the ‘Victoria- be alert to that. Let’s think about how we can only’ problem that they had, and quickly opened a participate in making positive change.” third centre in Cairns. Devoted to helping the thousands of young Describing it as a “really humid, in your face, women who are vulnerable and in crisis, and challenging demographic”, the group was able needing a community to support them, Helen to crowdfund $68,000 in 30 days for the centre. says The Babes Project is all about creating safe Receiving referrals from around the country, spaces, and enabling these women to become the organisation changed their structure so they whatever they imagine. could be national, developed an app and began Find out more or donate to The Babes Project at: a national support service with a nurse and https://www.thebabesproject.com.au/donate midwife available on the phone or via Skype. This service has now enabled their first baby to be born in Katherine, in outback Australia.

www.graduatehouse.com.au 20 VALETE

Valete Dr RICHARD DAVID HARCOURT 1931-2020

Both Richard and his wife Alison were residents at Graduate House for six weeks in 2018. This brought them both even closer to our family here in Carlton, and we were very honoured to get to know this incredibly interesting, warm and academically gifted couple at a deeper level. Both Richard and Dr Alison Harcourt AO were awarded Honorary Life Membership of The Graduate Union at the 2019 AGM meeting. The following is an excerpt from a tribute from his cousin: Richard was my cousin but he was far more akin to a brother and friend. John and I spent much of our childhood with Richard and his much loved sister, Di, at their place or ours, playing cricket and discussing all manner of things. Richard was a many dimensional person; he had a wonderful spontaneous wit and he and I spent many happy times adding one absurdity to another in sustained conversations. He was a good cricketer, specialising in the hardest challenge of all, leg spin. It was an enormous privilege to have known him .. .like I’m sure, so many others, I love him and I shall miss him dearly. We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Honorary Life Member Dr Richard Harcourt Geoff Harcourt, 9th April 2020 th who passed away on Friday, 10 April 2020. We share Geoff’s sentiments. He is very much Dr Harcourt holds a Bachelor of Science and a missed and we all here feel a great deal of Diploma of Education from The University of sadness. Of course, too, he will not be forgotten. Melbourne. Significantly also, in 1961, he was the very first student to graduate with a PhD A full version of the tribute will be published in a from Monash University. coming edition of The Melbourne Graduate. A regular patron to our dining room, Richard was popular and much loved by all staff at Graduate House. He had a clever wit, a never-ending bank of quotes and a unique, quirky sense of humour. Over the almost daily lunch for several years he debated vigorously his views on valence theory and the reasons why he should have been awarded both a Brownlow and the Nobel Prize!

21 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B GRADUATE HOUSE NEWS Parkville Storytelling Project Graduate House

In 2019, the Metro Tunnel Creative Program ran workshops with numerous organisations across the Parkville precinct to come up with a theme that resonated with all institutions in the area. The organisations agreed that showcasing the precinct’s ‘unsung heroes’ would be a great way to share some noteworthy stories that people may not have heard. Around 20 organisations contributed information, and these were turned into stories by local writer Sonja Dechian. The stories were then given to local illustrators who engaged with the written pieces to bring them to life in their own creative way. One of these organisations was The Graduate Union, and we were fortunate to work alongside Sonja, who was able to perfectly capture the essence and ethos of our Association. We publish below her story about Graduate House (originally published in the August 2019 As each of these students pursued their own Newsletter). destinies, the association they had established also continued to flourish. In 1957 The Graduate * * * Union purchased Gladstone Terrace – a series Graduate House of seven terraces in Carlton which soon become By Sonja Dechian Graduate House, a residential college set up On 4th May 1911, a group of young graduates of exclusively for postgraduates, welcoming a The University of Melbourne met to establish diverse group of graduates from universities an alumni association, a group that would across the world. welcome postgraduate students of all disciplines, During the 1970s a further three terraces backgrounds, ethnicities and life stages. were added, thanks to benefactor Stella Mary They called it the Melbourne University Langford – an English teacher and Head Mistress Graduate Association. also known as an astute investor. Ms Langford, a The chairman was a student named John graduate of The University of Melbourne, is said Monash, who would go on to become one of to have been passing by Graduate House one day Australia’s best-known war commanders. Also when she was drenched in an unexpected storm. present that day was Helen Sexton, just the third The warden invited her in to dry off, offered her woman to graduate from Medicine at Melbourne a cup of tea and an umbrella before she went on University, who would play a key role in setting her way. It’s said she was so impressed by The up the Queen Victoria Hospital for Women and Graduate Union and the kindness offered, that Children. Another founding member was a future she made provisions for it in her will. Prime Minister – a young Robert Menzies.

www.graduatehouse.com.au 22 GRADUATE HOUSE NEWS

of an 11-storey residential building. With 136 new rooms, this will double the accommodation available, and continue to expand on The Graduate Union’s rich legacy as Melbourne University’s only graduate-only college, providing a home for graduates from all corners of Australia, and the world. * * * Artist Alice Lindstrom transformed Sonja’s story into an illustration of Graduate House, showing “a place where diversity is celebrated and everyone is family”. This illustration is now on display on a panel on the hoardings of the Grattan St gantries. Alice Lindstrom studied Philosophy, graduating with a Bachelor of Humanities from the University of Adelaide. Shortly afterwards, Alice completed a Bachelor of Design at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). After working as a theatre designer in Sydney, Alice returned Throughout the 80s and 90s Graduate House to the University of Adelaide and completed continued to expand, with the purchase and a Master of Museum Studies and a Graduate redevelopment of further property. But for Diploma in Art History. residents it was the sense of community spirit Alice works in paper collage, using cut and paste and the possibility of lasting friendships that techniques, painting and preparing the paper made Graduate House a home. beforehand, before cutting and assembling it By the 2000s a larger and more modern to create textured and painterly collages. Her residence was necessary, and so the new aesthetic draws on diverse influences, including Graduate House was opened, with function mid-century illustration and design, folk art as rooms, a bistro and state-of-the-art kitchen. well as Modern art movements. Some of her clients include Penguin Random House New Today Graduate House remains a dynamic and York, Disney, The City of Melbourne, MoMA, exciting place to live, learn and meet new friends. Penguin Random House Australia, Harper Here, postgraduate students find security and Collins Publishing, Soho House London, Victorian friendship in a nurturing environment. Residents Women’s Trust, and ABC Radio National. describe breakfast time at Graduate House as a “small United Nations” – a place where diversity is celebrated and everyone is family. Sixty years after its inception, in 2017, Graduate House launched a campaign to fund construction

23 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B GRADUATE HOUSE NEWS Seen at Graduate House

10 year ex-residents reunion stone grill Ex-residents who lived at Graduate House in 2010 and 2011 held a get together at Graduate House on 21st February and enjoyed our Stone Grill meals. All are now well into successful and productive careers. We wish them the very best as they continue on their graduate pathway journeys and look forward to welcoming them back in the near future.

From left: Daniel Mudie, Mike Roy, Candice Tan, Mehmet Gurkan, staff member Bill Mihelakis, Leslie De Koninck, Hien Doan, Anna Thang.

Melba Group Lunch The Melba group met at the end of February for their first monthly luncheon for 2020. The Melba Group is a social gathering of women from diverse fields and occupations, who gather to discuss cultural and social issues that affect their work and the interests of women.

The February gathering guests were (L-R) Shiela Byard, Helen Hill, Elizabeth Owen, Pat Grimshaw, Marion Turnbull, Christine Harrison, Margaret Sawyer, Helen Clemson, Brenda Richards, Sara Murphy, Ruth McDonald and Pat Ryan.

The Annual General Meeting of The Graduate Union of The University of Melbourne postponed due to covid-19 outbreak

The global health crisis around COVID-19 has required Council to postpone the Annual General Meeting. Council members regret this very much but it has been made necessary because the Annual General Meeting could not take place under current restrictions without total reliance upon electronic means which, in turn, would make it difficult for many Members to participate. Please rest assured that the Annual General Meeting will be rescheduled at a later date in accordance with all regulatory guidelines to ensure the safety of Members, residents, staff and all guests of The Graduate Union. We have already sought approval from the regulator to postpone the meeting as many other organisations in our position have done.

www.graduatehouse.com.au 24 FEEDBACK/ POSTPONED EVENTS Feedback

Dining Room Feedback Organising our event at Graduate House is always an excellent experience. If I say the food was exceptional, it implies that it isn’t always? Can I say the presentation and flavour of the fish and veg was exceptional, and we’ll put it down to the ingredients available at this time of year? Also the fruit platters were very generous, and so full of flavour (again all the melons are great now), and a most interesting cheese selection. So many women send their compliments to the chef/ caterers for a really lovely lunch. We love your staff and feel very fortunate to have your services. Melba Group It is always so easy to organise a function here. Rosie is a joy to deal with and we feel very confident knowing that when we arrive, things will be in place. And if we forget anything or something is not quite right, it is easily fixed. It takes the stress out of events. All we have to worry about is the program. The food was delicious and plentiful. And all the staff are so friendly and helpful. Everything was perfect – our function room suited our needs and it is a joy to deal with the staff at Graduate House. Catherine Gosling, Association of German Teachers of Victoria Inc. Organising our event was excellent, as always. I can’t think of anything that needed improvement. Graduate House staff are always so responsive and helpful. Function rooms are suitable and food was excellent. Staff, as always, were very helpful. Penny Beeston, Geography Teachers’ Association Victoria. Your feedback is important The lucky feedback winner for March is Ms Elizabeth Carvosso who won a bottle of De Bortoli Sacred Hill Brut Cuvée. All Dining Room Feedback Forms will be in the Monthly Draw and in the running for the Year‑End Prize of a $500 Coles Myer Gift Voucher drawn at the Members Christmas Party on Friday, 11th December 2020.

Postponed Events

Due to stringent safety measures put in place Special Morning Breakfast to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus, 14th April, 12th May, 16th June Graduate House has postponed the GU- Collegiate events listed here. Women’s Forum 15th April, 20th May, 17th June Monthly Luncheon 1st April - John Basiran, 6th May - Cheryl Lacey, College Table 3rd June - Alfred Poulos 24th April, 15th May Italian Conversation Dinner GU Influenza and Vaccination Day th, st th th th, rd 7 21 April, 5 , 19 May, 9 23 June 28th April Bridge NIGHTS GU Annual General Meeting and Dinner 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th April, 28th May 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th May rd th th th 3 , 10 , 17 , 24 June We thank you for your cooperation and ramadan iftar dinner understanding during this period. 8th May

25 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS ACADEMIC and PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS

The following groups from The University of Melbourne have convened meetings, workshops and events at Graduate House during the month of February and March 2020.

Department of Faculty of Science Melbourne School of Melbourne School of Infrastructure Engineering Helen Freeman Awards Population and Professional and Global Health Continuing Education

4th, 14th February, 11th March 21st February, 6th March 13th, 14th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st, 3rd, 12th March 12 attendees 36 attendees 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th February 164 attendees 321 attendees School of Chemical and Research, Innovation and University of Melbourne UoM Operational Biomedical Engineering Commercialisation Strategic Selling Performance Group Workshop COVID-19 De-brief

26th February, 12th March 17th March 19th March 4th March 55 attendees 10 attendees 30 attendees 16 attendees

The patronage of Organisation Members in charitable, not-for-profit, government and professional development sectors is acknowledged, as is that of our many Members who hold their functions at Graduate House.

Association of German Australian Asian Australian Calabrese Australian Society Teachers of Victoria Inc. Association Cultural Association (ACCA) for Music Education (AGTV) (AAA) (ASME)

6th, 27th February, 12th March 10th February, 10th March 18th February, 17th March 12th February, 11th March 103 attendees 12 attendees 14 attendees 17 attendees

Australian Academy Care Connect Ltd Australian School of Australian Teachers of Technology and Applied Management of Media (ATOM) Engineering (ATSE) (ASAM)

13th, 14th, 24th, 28th February, 11th, 12th, 19th February 5th March 20th February 2nd, 5th, 16th, 17th March 57 attendees 27 attendees 15 attendees 236 attendees

Dental Health Services Geography Teachers’ League of Women Victoria (DHSV) Association of Victoria Inc John Cain Foundation Voters of Victoria (GTAV)

28th February 7th, 10th February 19th February 10th February 21 attendees 65 attendees 83 attendees 12 attendees

www.graduatehouse.com.au 26 ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS

We thank all convenors and delegates of academic, professional development and research events for their contribution to the fight against the spread of COVID-19 by cancelling and postponing their functions. This is a very difficult time for all who organise such important learning and development group sessions and we very much understand how hard it has been to see so many people not come together as originally planned. We miss you all and very much look forward to seeing you later in the year. Wishing you safety, health and peace of mind.

Melba Group Mental Health First Aid Modern Greek Teachers (MHFA) Association of Victoria Mosaic Lab (MGTAV)

28th February 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 17th, 18th, 13th February, 11th March 4th, 5th March 13 attendees 19th, 20th, 21stt February 11 attendees 20 attendees 235 attendees

Order of St John Parkville Conference Probus Club Inc Social Education Victoria of St Vincent de Paul Carlton-Parkville (SEV)

3rd February, 2nd March 17th February, 16th March 11th February, 10th March 18th February 17 attendees 20 attendees 140 attendees 12 attendees

Rotary Carlton Rotary Club of Carlton Board Meetings, Book Fair The Graduate Union and Heritage Cluster The Graduate Union Collegiate Events and Governance Meetings

11th, 18th, 19th, 25th February, 3rd, 10th, 11th March 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 18th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 149 attendees 26th February, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th March 559 attendees

Social Work Department University Lodge Wellspring Community Women & Leadership (Victoria) Australia

4th February 11th February 26th February 25th February 8 attendees 20 attendees 5 attendees 28 attendees

27 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B FIRST NATIONS Wominjeka (Welcome)

Koorie Oral Histories are Online

Since the late 1980s, Koorie Heritage Trust The generous support of Aboriginal Victoria has worked with Victorian Aboriginal Elders to and Viva Energy Australia has enabled new oral record and preserve their stories. histories to be recorded and ensures that the Oral History is the oldest form of sharing existing Oral History Collections are properly knowledge and culture. Aboriginal people of stored and preserved for the benefit of future Australia have been sharing their stories orally generations. for 60,000 years or more. Sadly, if these stories Listen to these oral histories and be sure to share are not shared, they will be lost, as the prehistory with others! to this country is not written. Oral histories can be found here: http://bit. This online exhibition presents a selection of oral ly/38V8gbZ history recordings from this collection.

www.graduatehouse.com.au 28 FIRST NATIONS Wominjeka (Welcome)

Victorian government implements a redress scheme for stolen generation

The Victorian State government will establish a many Aboriginal children from their families, landmark Stolen Generation Redress scheme to creating what is today referred to as the ‘Stolen address the trauma and suffering caused by the Generation’. forced removal of Aboriginal children from their In 2018, a survey found many Stolen Generation families. members still suffer health, social and economic Announced by Premier Daniel Andrews and disadvantage, with up to 70 per cent relying on Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Gavin Jennings, on welfare and more than half living with disability 25th March 2020, the scheme will see $10 million or a chronic health condition. invested towards a range of redress options. Such a scheme was one of the key items Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Gavin Jennings raised at the first meeting of the First Peoples’ said, “This is about delivering members of the Assembly of Victoria, which was set up by the Stolen Generation the recognition, respect and Andrews government to negotiate a framework support they deserve and acknowledging how for a treaty. deeply damaging this policy was for so many.” The consultation process will begin this year, with Recognising the scope of the redress, Premier the scheme to begin in 2021. Daniel Andrews said, “We say sorry, but the The Andrews government is deeply supportive of words are not enough – redress is about tangible self-determination, putting Aboriginal Victorians support for people who are still suffering, many at the centre of decision-making, ensuring years on from this horrific policy.” they have control of their own lives and their “Despite the wrongs done to them, Aboriginal own futures. The scheme will exist alongside children, families and communities remain strong other initiatives supporting Stolen Generation in their cultural heritage and identity – and we members like Connecting Home Limited and the will be guided by their voices as we take action to Koorie Family History Service. right these wrongs.” “We can’t change the past, but this will make Redress options include redress payments, an enormous difference to the lives of so many funding for counselling, and funding for a funeral Aboriginal Victorians who were so badly treated or memorial fund. The funding may also go by their state and nation.” toward assisting survivors tell their stories and Find out more about the redress scheme at: ensuring that they are suitably supported in https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/righting-past- making redress applications. wrongs-with-stolen-generations-redress/ Acting under past state laws, Victorian authorities previously forcibly removed

29 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B INNOVATION Innovation Ancestor of all animals identified in Australian fossils

Geologists think that an Australian fossil which lived more than 555 million years ago may be the first ancestor on the family tree that contains most animals today, including humans. This wormlike creature, called Ikaria wariootia, is the earliest known bilaterian, an organism with a front and back, two symmetrical sides and an opening at either end joined by a gut. The discovery was made in Ediacaran period deposits in Australia. The fossils are between 2 mm and 7 mm long, with the largest being the size Image source: https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2020/03/23/an- of a grain of rice. Found by a team of University cestor-all-animals-identified-australian-fossils of California (UC) geologists, the discovery was published in the journal, Proceedings of the The discovery of Ikaria wariootia came after the National Academy of Sciences. UC team noticed minuscule, oval impressions near some of the burrows. A 3D laser scanner This ancestor is one of the earliest complex was thence used to reveal the regular, consistent multicellular organisms, including sponges and shape of a cylindrical body about 1-2 mm wide algal mats, that have variable shapes. Known and with a distinct head, a tail and grooved collectively as the Ediacaran Biota, most are not musculature. This creature was the perfect shape directly related to animals that exist today. and size to have made the burrows. The development of bilateral symmetry was This tiny ancestor was named Ikaria wariootia a vital step in the evolution of animal life as it to acknowledge the original custodians of the enabled organisms to move purposefully. A land where it was found. The genus name comes multitude of animals, ranging from worms to from Ikara, meaning ‘meeting place’ in the dinosaurs to humans, developed in accordance Adnyamathanha land. The species name comes with a similar bilateral body plan. from Warioota Creek, which runs from the Evolutionary biologists had previously predicted Flinders Ranges to Nilpena Station. that the genetics of modern animals would Regardless of its relatively simple shape, Ikaria come from a bilaterian ancestor that was simple wariootia was a complex organism in comparison and small, with rudimentary sensory organs. to others from the period. Ikaria clearly moved by Preserving and identifying the fossilised remains contracting muscles across its body like a worm of such an animal was regarded as difficult, if not and fed on buried organic matter, revealing that it impossible. probably had a mouth, anus and a gut. For 15 years, scientists had agreed that fossilised Find out more about this discovery burrows found in the 555 million year old at: https://www.sciencedaily.com/ Ediacaran period deposits in Nilpena (directly releases/2020/03/200323152108.htm north of Adelaide), South Australia, had been made by bilaterians. Until recently, however, there had been no sign of the creature that had made the burrows.

www.graduatehouse.com.au 30 INNOVATION Innovation Termite mounds show the way to a low emission future

Metallic blue crust in soils and on termite mounds found in Western Australia are now being seen as signposts, and indicators of hidden metal deposits, according to new research from the national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). These hidden metal deposits are seen as essential to support the world’s transition to low emission technologies. Conducted in the southern Pilbara region of Western Australia, the study of new advances in sample analysis showed how metallic blue crusts, The blue metallic shine of manganese crust, shows referred to as manganese crusts, display unique zinc clearly in the southern Pilbara region of WA. signatures that indicate the presence of other base up in a range of natural materials such as soils, metals in nearby areas. termite mounds and vegetation,” Dr Spinks said. These crusts are also found in rock and cave “The zinc is altered as it moves from the metal varnishes, making them simple exploration tools deposit to the surface, which has traditionally made for base metals like nickel and cobalt, metals which it unreliable as an exploration tool, but we’ve been will be needed to support a transition towards a low able to apply recent advances in data analysis to emission future. understand it in more detail.” Lead scientist of the research, Dr Sam Spinks, said “This new research shows we can now measure zinc the CSIRO’s new exploration tools and processes variations, or isotopes, so accurately that we can are helping to tackle the global challenge of identify what metal deposit lies deep underground.” sustainable energy and resources. Termite mounds have previously been used in “Australian explorers need new, cost-effective Australian exploration, with earlier CSIRO research techniques to find the next generation of deposits finding that termites bring up small particles from below the surface,” Dr Spinks said. ore deposits and store them in their mounds. “As the world transitions to a low emission future, “Australian exploration companies have been there’s a need for more nickel and cobalt to build analysing samples from termite mounds in gold electric vehicles and batteries to store renewable exploration in recent years. Now zinc offers another energy. We’ve shown that analysing zinc isotopes technique for use in broader environments and found in manganese crusts has huge potential to to find a range of metals,” CSIRO research group be used to explore for these metal deposits, and leader, Dr Yulia Uvarova said. others.” These research findings have been published in The study analysed termite mounds and soils close the scientific journal, Chemical Geology. Find out to a zinc-lead-silver deposit, comparing this data to more at: https://www.csiro.au/en/News/News- samples from elsewhere, to prove the connection. releases/2020/Termite-mounds-map-path-to-low- “Zinc is commonly found in most base metal emissions-future deposits, and over time, it is released and ends

31 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B GRADUATE HOUSE SERIAL

Scheherazade and Shahryar by Ferdinand Keller, 1880

THE STORY OF THE FISHERMAN AND THE JINNI continued — One thousand and one nights serial

Dunyazad said to her sister, “Please finish this years. Now I will leave you there until the tale; you are not sleepy!” So Scheherazade hour of Judgment. Did I not say to you, ‘Spare resumed: “it has reached me, O auspicious King, me and God shall spare you; and do not slay that when the fisherman said to the jinni, “I will me lest God slay you?’ But you spurned my never believe you until I see you inside with my supplication and had no intention but to deal own eyes”, the evil spirit shook and became a ungraciously with me, and God has now thrown vapour which condensed and entered the jar you into my hands and I am more cunning than little by little until it was all inside when lo! the you.” The jinni said, “let me out and I make fisherman made haste to take the leaden cap you prosperous.” The fisherman said, “You lie, and stoppered the mouth of the jar and called you accursed! My case with you is that of King out to the jinni, “Choose what death you will Younan’s Wazir and the sage Douban.” “Who die! By God, I will throw you into the sea and was the Wazir of King Younan and who was the build myself a house here, and whoever comes sage Douban? What was the story about them?” here I will warn him against fishing here and say the jinni asked, whereupon the fisherman to them: “There is a jinni in these waters who began to tell The Tale of the Wazir and the Sage gives, as a last favour, a choice of deaths and Douban. fashion of slaughter to the man who saves him!” “Know, O jinni, that there was once in a city When the jinni heard this from the fisherman of Persia a powerful and wealthy king, named and found himself shut up in the jar, he knew Younan, who had guards and troops and that the fisherman had outwitted him. He strove auxiliaries of every kind, but he was afflicted to get out but could not because the Solomon’s with leprosy which defied the efforts of his seal prevented him. He began humbly to say, “I physicians and wise men. He drank potions did but jest with you.” But the other answered, and swallowed powders and used unguents. “You lie, O vilest of the jinni, and meanest and All to no avail and none of the physicians could filthiest!” He set off with the bottle for the sea, cure him. At last, there came to the city a great the jinni calling out “No! No!” and he calling physician, stricken in years, whose name was out “Yes! Yes!” The jinni softened his voice and Douban. He had studied many books: Greek, humbled himself, saying, “What would you do Persian, Roman, Arabian, and Syrian; and was with me, fisherman?” “I will throw you back skilled in astronomy and medicine — both into the sea,” he answered, “where you have theoretical and practical. He was familiar with been housed for a thousand and eight hundred all plants, herbs and grasses, whether harmful

www.graduatehouse.com.au 32 GRADUATE HOUSE SERIAL

or beneficial, and was versed in the learning the mallet and the ball. The King, accompanied of philosophers. In brief, he had made himself by his Emirs and Chamberlains, Wazirs and master of all sciences, medical and other. Lords of the realm, went there. As soon as he He had not been long in the town before he arrived, Douban came up to him and handing heard of the leprosy with which God had him the bat said, “Take this mallet and grip it as smitten the King and how all doctors and wise I do; ride along the horse-course, and leaning men had failed to heal him. He sat up through well over your horse strike the ball with all your the night in deep thought and when dawn might until the palm of your hand and your body broke and morning appeared, he donned his perspire. The medicine will penetrate through best dress and went in to see King Younan. He your palm and will permeate your body. When kissed the ground before him, then prayed for you have done this, the medicine remains in you. the endurance of his honour and prosperity Return to your palace and enter the bath and in fairest language and made himself known, wash yourself, then lie down to sleep. You will saying, “O King, tidings have reached me of find yourself cured and peace be with you!” what has happened to you and how the host of King Younan took the bat from the Sage and physicians have proved themselves unavailing to grasped it firmly; then, mounting his steed, he abate it. I can cure you without making you drink drove the ball before him and galloped after any medicine or anointing you with ointment.” it until he reached it, and struck it with all his When King Younan heard this, he said in huge might, his palm gripping the bat handle all the surprise, “How will you do this? By God, if you while. He did not cease malling the ball until cure me, I will enrich you even to your children’s his hand was moist and his skin, perspiring, children and I will give you sumptuous gifts; imbibed the medicine from the wood. Douban whatever you wish shall be yours and you shall knew that the drugs had penetrated his body, be my companion and my friend.” The King and bade him to return to the palace and enter then gave him a dress of honour and entreated the bath without delay. The King immediately him graciously and asked him, “can you indeed returned and ordered them to clear the bath for cure me without drug and unguent?” and he him. They did so, the carpet spreaders making answered, “Yes! I will heal you without the pains all haste and got ready a change of raiment for and penalties of medicine.” The King marvelled the King. He entered the bath and made the exceedingly and said, “O physician, when ablution long and thorough. Then he donned will you do as you have said? Haste, my son!” his clothes and rode to his palace where he lay Douban replied, “I hear, and I obey; the cure down and slept. shall begin tomorrow.” Such was the case with King Younan. As for The physician went down into the city and hired sage Douban, he returned home and slept as a house for better storage of his books and usual and when morning dawned, he went to the scrolls, his medicines and his aromatic roots. palace and asked for the King. The King ordered Then he sat to work and chose the fittest drugs. him to be admitted. He made a polo mallet with a hollow handle Was the King cured of his leprosy? How does into which he put the drugs. After that he made the tale of Douban and the King change things a ball for it — the two were prepared with between the fisherman and the jinni? consummate art. Stay tuned for the rest of the tale in our next Next morning, he presented himself before the Newsletter! king and kissing the ground between his hands, bade him to go to the horse-course to play with

33 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS how Norway is working to support Gender Equality SDG Goals

Working towards Sustainable Development Goal Norway views its role to combat harmful (SDG) 5: Gender Equality, Norway has developed practices as one of a political advocate working an international strategy to eliminate harmful in partnership with relevant countries and practices over a four year timeframe, from 2019 organisations, and one with ability to contribute to 2023. financially to stakeholders and thus deliver results. The strategy specifically addresses SDG 5.3, UN estimates show that by 2030, the total which outlines the goal to ‘eliminate all harmful number of girls married prior to 18 will stay at practices, such as child, early and forced marriage the same level, while numbers affected by FGM and female genital mutilation (FGM)’. The strategy will rise unless combat practices are fast-tracked. also includes tackling son preference. FGM and child marriage are most common in Central to this strategy, Norway will raise the countries with widespread poverty, vulnerability issue with the governments of the countries and low socio-economic development, particularly where the practice is most common, support UN in poor and rural ethnic groups. programs that have been successful and work Of these harmful practices, child marriage is alongside civil society organisations that have the most widespread, both geographically and effected positive change at the local level. numerically. However, the number of women Background and purpose of the strategy being married as children has declined from one in four to roughly one in five, with the biggest Norway’s new strategy builds on previous action decrease in South Asia. plans which cover women’s rights, and, more specifically, on efforts to eliminate FGM and At the global level, FGM has seen a decrease in combat negative social control including forced the proportion of girls subjected to the practice. marriage. It is associated with norms that believe a women’s sexual behaviour needs to be controlled. FGM is Harmful practices are defined as ‘a type of considered a violation of human rights. In recent violence that has consequences for the physical years, there has been the rise of medicalisation of and psychological health of those affected, FGM, and this may serve to legitimise the practice and undermines their ability to live full lives and increase its acceptance. The UN estimates and constrains their life choices’. All of these that unless efforts are intensified, the number of harmful practices, occurring in many countries girls exposed to FGM will increase to 4.6 million in throughout the world, disproportionally affect 2030. girls, significantly affect their health, educational prospects and participation in society, and The practice of son preference is a reflection reinforce gender inequality. of the low value placed on girls and women in some countries, and can range from sex-selective Harmful practices are often embedded in, and abortions to neglect, denial of education or maintained by, the shared knowledge of culture, even the killing of girls. Son preference is also religion and tradition. The carrying out of harmful embedded in many legal systems, where women practices on individuals with disabilities, sexual are discriminated against by the tradition of minorities or marginalised groups often worsen inheritance through the male lineage. Again, this is their vulnerability. often based on social norms.

www.graduatehouse.com.au 34 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS How to eliminate harmful practices Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls Eliminating harmful practices is very difficult. They have complex origins and need long-term, parallel efforts in multiple areas. While some of these practices have similarities, they differ In Southern Asia, in their drivers and impacts. Harmful practices a girl’s risk of marrying in childhood vary between, and within, countries, and so has decreased by 18% 40% since 2000 the success achieved in each country differs of ever-partnered significantly. Measures undertaken should be still, 30% based on knowledge of the national and local women and girls of women aged 20 to 24 years contexts while preserving an evidence-based aged 15 to 49 years were married before age 18 approach. have experienced (2018) physical and/or sexual The measures that are viewed as most effective partner violence are multi-sectoral approaches. Thus, donor At least contributions, political advocacy and the 200 million girls and women promotion of equality, education and health, are of national parliamentarians have been 24% are women An increase from 19% (2010) all effective strategies. These efforts, both directly subjected to female genital and indirectly, reduce the prevalence of harmful mutilation practices. Women represent but only Targeted approaches are also needed, and should

Half of be long-term in nature. These measures should be them 39% 27% in West Africa part of an integrated theory of change, addressing of the workforce of managerial positions factors that in combination result in improved practices. The negative impact of son preference is hard Research by the World Bank into son preference to quantify. One measure is in the birth sex rate, found that indirect measures to improve women’s where a higher proportion of men to women in the Access more data and information on the indicators at unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2019/ status, opportunity and power seem to have the birth rate is seen. A significantly disproportionate greatest impact. birth sex rate, as well as a higher mortality rate for girls and women, leads to a whole missing cohort, Working with civil society groups including or what is referred to as the ‘missing women’. This human rights organisations and activists, women’s is most prevalent in India and China. rights organisations, faith-based actors, interest groups, youth and diaspora organisations all There is an estimated deficit of 126 million help to decrease harmful practices. Civil society ‘missing’ women globally. In addition, excess actors are central in holding states accountable mortality of girls and women does not receive the to their political and human rights obligations, same amount of attention, despite the fact it is and in lobbying for progress and change in as much a cause for the ‘missing women’ as sex community attitudes. These organisations also selection. have significant local knowledge and a long-term Little is known about why many of the countries presence in countries where these practices are with the highest levels of child marriage and present. Thus partnering with civil society actors FGM are also countries engaged in conflict and is crucial. humanitarian crisis. It is also documented that Other larger international organisations, like the child marriage will increase in the context of a UN, UNICEF, the World Health Organisation humanitarian crisis, but too little is known about (WHO) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) the link between humanitarian crises and son also have specialist knowledge and numerous preference, or whether crisis and conflict increase programs that specifically target harmful the incidents of FGM. Due to these risk factors, practices. Norway will continue to support these the Norwegian government has identified that programs and work to improve them even further. harmful practices must be prioritised during a crisis or conflict.

35 ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS Regional organisations are also supportive • further efforts to combat sexual and gender- platforms for advancing this area, with the African based violence in humanitarian contexts; Union (AU) often focusing on harmful practices. • raise the topic of harmful practices in Demonstrating strong African leadership, the meetings, to increase the dialogue in AU has, on several occasions, outlined its support organisations, who are in a position to for women’s rights and equality, supported the contribute change; elimination of child marriage and launched its own initiative to eliminate FGM in 2019. • maintain a high level of contributions to organisations that work to eliminate harmful Norway is committed to strengthening the global practices; norm on harmful practices and the rights of girls and women. Yet to succeed in eliminating • maintain strong cooperation with civil society harmful practices, it is important that countries organisations who can effect change in take ownership of these practices, and have the communities; and political will to enforce integrated legislation, • begin dialogue with religious leaders and faith- policies and implementation that is well-funded, based organisations to play a positive role in and performance monitored. changing practices at national and community What the Norwegian government will do level. In order to eliminate harmful practices by 2030, Norway’s role as an advocate will: international efforts must be intensified. Norway • promote the elimination of harmful practices has previously had an important role, both through normative processes and participation financially and politically, in combating FGM and in multilateral board meetings; is committed to this. Likewise, it will increase • strengthen political cooperation with national its efforts to abolish child marriage and raise and regional actors; awareness of son preference. • promote elimination of harmful practices in Using a multi-sectoral approach, it will use meetings with the authorities in countries avenues like health, education and gender where these practices exist; equality in high-priority areas, working with the host government to increase its support for sexual • support national and local actors because local and reproductive health and rights. In an added engagement and ownership are essential for layer, Norway’s humanitarian strategy outlines successful intervention; and protection against sexual and gender-based • promote data collection and research to violence as a priority area. strengthen and share the evidence base for Previous efforts by the Norwegian government strategies to eliminate harmful practices. to combat FGM were assessed as successful by In combating son preference, Norway will Chr. Michelsen Institute and these efforts will continue to integrate measures that boost the continue and be strengthened. It will accelerate status, opportunities and power of girls and its actions to prevent child marriage and, in cases women, measures which seem to be the most where multiple harmful practices exist, it will effective. ensure these are addressed by a range of different agencies, including the national government and The key players in this strategy include Norway’s civil society groups. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), the The Norwegian government will: Norwegian Foreign Service missions and other • reinforce efforts to combat harmful practices relevant ministries. in prioritised foreign and development policy Find out more: https://www.regjeringen.no/ areas; en/dokumenter/eliminate_harmful_practices/ • encourage the inclusion of harmful practices in id2673335/ comprehensive sexuality education;

www.graduatehouse.com.au 36 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Fund lifelong learning the evolution of online crowdfunding

The concept of online crowdfunding is not new. It almost mirrors fundraising in the physical world. In simple terms, Modern-Day Online Crowdfunding is an adaptation of the age-old concept of collection buckets, managed through one online platform. The concept of tin rattling at street corners has revolutionised into a sophisticated means of fundraising on the world wide web. There are many moments in history where public funding or crowdfunding has been used to finance projects or ideas. One of the most well-known crowdfunding projects is the Statue of Liberty where the fundraising campaign was published in the newspaper New York World. The campaign saw over 160,000 USD raised in the 1880s to finish the building of this monumental figure recognised all over the world today. innovation and artists and involve the consumer Over time, fundraising campaigns transcended or audience directly in their work. mediums and were advertised on television using videos. One of the first instances of this method Today, there are many ways to crowdfund and of fundraising was widely used in India, when its fundraise online, using different crowdfunding first prime minister, Nehru, encouraged people to platforms designed for specific types of contribute to the war efforts. campaigns and ventures, along with the various social media and digital media platforms. While In 1996, crowdfunding was adopted for the first crowdfunding is a new phenomenon in Australia, time over the Internet when fans came together it has become widely popular based on the and contributed over 60,000 USD to Marillion, success it has brought with it. a British rock band, for their US tour. Inspired by this, a fan-funding website was developed for Online crowdfunding allows campaigners to artists. The platform ArtistShare raised part of the market and fundraise at the same time and funds for 10 Grammy-winning music records and provides creators the opportunity to allow their gained worldwide recognition. campaign to cross geographical boundaries in a matter of seconds to create a global audience. The economic crisis in 2008 increased the popularity of online fundraising when Fund Lifelong Learning is an online crowdfunding entrepreneurs turned to friends and family on campaign developed by Graduate House to online social media platforms to raise funds for advance education, research, professional their businesses and ventures. Using this method and sustainable development, social good and to democratise fundraising, crowdfunding sustainability for People, Programs and Places. platforms were developed to empower

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