Alumni Adventures
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2009 SPRING SAMSydney Alumni Magazine Alumni Adventures Atanne 80, summers Peter Sculthorpe• kids’ stuff • great is not books resting • prize xwordon hisISSN 1834-3937 laurels inquisitive [in-kwiz-i-tiv] -adjective 1. given to inquiry, research or asking questions; eager for knowledge; intellectually curious: an inquisitive mind. As you’re taking the time to read this, there’s a good chance you have an inquisitive mind. If you want to know more about almost anything, we have a short course for just about everything. So why not contact us today and satisfy your inquisitive mind? Visit 160 Missenden Road, Newtown Find us on these social networks: Click www.cce.usyd.edu.au Call 02 9036 4789 CCE SAM Sep09Ad 210x275 CMYK 001-1.0.indd 1 31/07/2009 8:54:34 AM 15 20 36 contents Features 13 Family Matters New regular column by alumna Sara Donald in which she will explore the Regulars complexities and joys of work and family relations 2 Your Letters From women in TV drama to ruminant methane, the range of 15 Law Editor Diana Simmonds The history of the law and The University of Sydney, interests is widening Indigenous Australians explains Alumni Relations Offi ce why they are disproportionately Room K6.05, Quadrangle A14, NSW 2006 5 Interview criminalised, writes Thalia Anthony Phone (61 2) 9036 6372 Dr Michael Spence, Vice Chancellor Fax (61 2) 9351 6868 and Principal, on his fi rst year back at Sydney 18 Music Email [email protected] The Scott brothers, Craig and Phil, Contributors talk to music critic John Shand about Thalia Anthony, Gil Appleton, Caroline 6 Nota Bene their divergent careers Baum, Gavin Brown, Sara Donald, African Wild Dogs revealed; Dexter Hoyos, Maggie Renvoize, SOPHI’s choice; Crossword winner; 20 Cover Story Paul Roche, Rachma Safi tri, Karl John Anderson on reverb; Sydney Anne Summers AO takes apart Schwerdtfeger, Ted Sealey, John Shand, Festival and the University; Australia’s self-satisfi ed cocoon of Michael Spence, Anne Summers, Julia Gillard launches Compass; contentment, otherwise known as Shari Wakefi eld, Ron Witton Alumni Centre update; Aloominee “luck” Editorial Advisory Committee anyone? University’s protestors SAM the Sydney Alumni Magazine is commemorated in Indonesia supported by an Editorial Advisory 25 SAM’s Adventures Committee. Its members are Kathy Australians are like Wildebeest – Bail, editor Australian Financial Review 34 Books trekking around the world in search magazine, Tracey Beck, director The Lost Mother by Anne Summers; of greener pastures – or adventure. Alumni Relations Offi ce, Andrew The Blue Plateau by Mark University staff and alumni share Potter, media manager, University Tredinnick; The Psychology of Wine by their travel stories: Rome, Lake Eyre of Sydney, Susan Skelly, editor, ACP Evan Mitchell and Brian Mitchell; and Tanzania Magazines, Helen Trinca, senior leader Henry Loves Jazz by Stephen Lacey writer The Australian newspaper. Published quarterly by the University 35 Prize Crossword 36 Sport of Sydney. End of the Barassi Line. Code Emeritus Professor Dr Gavin breaking is happening throughout Publishing Management Brown’s brain-stretcher. Now with 10 group football and in the University added value! Level 1, 30 Wilson St, (PO Box 767), Newtown NSW 2042. www.10group.com.au 38 Grapevine Publisher Paul Becker Updating your adventures and whereabouts around the world Design Wendy Neill Printing 10 group 40 Diary Advertising Enquiries Events to note and enjoy Janet Clark [email protected] mobile 0404 112 641 ph (61 2) 9550 1021 Cover: Southern Chinese Lion dance is SAM uses performed to summon luck and good Greenhouse Friendly™ fortune and exorcise evil spirits. ENVI Coated paper ENVI Coated paper (Getty Images) ENVI Coated paper is an Australian Government is manufactured in Member of the Circulation Audit Board certified Greenhouser Friendly™ Product. Australia and is certifi ed Audited Circulation 155,139 copies 100% carbon neutral. SAM Spring 09 1 letters and females is what carries the AGRICULTURAL SLANT story. Women are now equal to their I wish to present my slant L>CI:G'%%. male counterparts, who previously SAMSydney Alumni Magazine on two phrases in the letters dominated crime/cop shows. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR pages (SAM Autumn ’09). To me the introduction of women Letters to the editor should First, the defi nition of faith “as into forensic TV drama/literature include: full name, address (not an illogical belief in the occurrence over recent years is due to women for publication), degree(s) and of the improbable”. This well defi nes year(s) of graduation where writers realising we have been the evolutionist but I would describe applicable, daytime phone sorely underrepresented in the my faith as “confi dence that God number and/or email address. world of forensic crime drama. will do what He says He will do Whatever one thinks of Patricia Please address your letters to: because history has demonstrated Cornwell’s novels she has created The Editor His power, wisdom, good character a heroine/role model in Kay SAM and faithfulness”. The “ancient texts” Scarpetta. The same too can be Peter Sculthorpe at 80 K6.05 Quadrangle A14 are not necessarily wrong because Atinternational 80, Peter justiceSculthorpe s forensic is nottv s prize resting crossword on said of Lynda La Plante’s character, University of Sydney NSW 2006 they are old. Rather, they are the his>HHC&-()"(.(, laurels Jane Tennison, in Prime Suspect. most studied writings on earth and Letters may also be sent These are women we can urge us to use our minds. Moses electronically (with full contact admire – despite the so-called details) to: was a scholar who carefully recorded violence – and in some cases identify selected events up to his time using NOTHING LIKE A DAME with. They are strong, complex, [email protected] common knowledge (800 years is not I think Claire Sellwood over- vulnerable, and sexy. They make Opinions expressed in the pages long after the fl ood) and patriarchal emphasises forensic violence on TV us feel good as women. However, of the magazine are those of records. Later writers confi rmed and has missed an important point in despite Sellwood’s opening comment the signed contributors or the those who had written earlier, as her article “Good Gore” (SAM Winter that the forensic crime genre has editor and do not necessarily they extended the story to their own ‘09). As she says, CGI (computer “raised eyebrows” because of the represent the offi cial position of time. Even after 2000 years, we have generated imagery) and make-up contributions of women, she fails to the University of Sydney. strong historical data to confi rm the reality and infl uence of Jesus Christ. (graphic) artistry have “heightened identify the reason why women are Space permits only a selection My career has been in the reality of on-screen violence”. But so highly represented. They make of letters to be published experimental agricultural science. in forensic terms is it really violent good drama; pure and simple. here. Letters may be edited by All genetic improvement I have seen or just old-fashioned make-up tarted the editor for space or other Denise Hunter (BA ’93). has been by design of breeding up by means of new technology? reasons. Are forensic experts now to be Artarmon NSW programs to exploit existing genetic accused of violence? Surely not? In addition, I believe her numerous quotes from university scholars also overemphasise the violent nature of forensic drama programs. Dr Natalya Lusty is quoted as saying that our attraction to “screen violence and cruelty” is due partly to the removal of and obsession with “violence and death” in our lives. Could it not be that we, as an audience, are simply amazed by the cleverness of the computer- generated images – as we were with the special effects in King Kong generations ago? Lusty goes on to say that screen violence allows us to “explore the confl ict that we know exists in the world” and that characters like Gil Grisson (CSI) and Tony Hill (Wire in the Blood) represent the “complexity of individuals”. I agree with the words “confl ict” (the basis of all good drama) and “complexity” not because I agree with Lusty’s arguments but because now we fi nally have good drama between the sexes. The so-called forensic violence is the subplot; the confl ict between males 2 SAM Spring 09 I agree wholeheartedly with him that we should criticise “all established orthodoxy that is not open minded”, that we can’t “rate all theories and arguments equally” and that we should not discard established ideas unless “new evidence better supports an alternative theory or model”. I think that in “unpacking” just one sentence of Illustrations by Maggie Renvoize Illustrations my letter, Rodney has inadvertently built several straw men. Rodney Crute argues that intelligent design or creationism cannot be tested and that my beliefs “fl y in the face of science”. A lot depends on what we mean by “science”. If Crute means a system where objective phenomena are observed, measured and subjected to controlled experiments, then how can such a “science” have variation. On the other hand, we have that regardless of any action on during digestion of the plants eaten anything to say about events that witnessed rapid extinction rates but carbon our climate will continue by the animals and its return to supposedly happened billions of no new species have evolved. We to change for at least 20 years. atmospheric CO2 as it is oxidised. By years ago and have never been are setting up gene banks to delay The implications of climate contrast, fossil methane adds to the repeated? Such things cannot be the decay.