Realstered for Posting as a Publication, Category B

No.3/AprH9,1981 50 cents at Newsagents 6DIT0fiinL UNION FACES SINCE first elected In December coniOTs 1975, the Fraser Government has TIGHT YEAR made major cut-backs in the public MOVIE DISTRIBUTION 4 sector. Health care, social services TIM LOW looks at the movie theatre business in Brisbane. The Union fa(»s a tight financial and many other areas have suffered year following last month's budget under Eraser's penny-pinching meas­ THE CONCEPT OF ALTERNATIVE DEFENCE 9 session of Union Council. ures. Now, as Lyn Taylor's article National defence is necessary, but GENE SHARP explains that it can be non-violent. The Council approved savage cuts to (page 3) outlines, there is a possib­ many union departments as Treasurer ility of the re-introduction of ter­ NUDISM IN QUEENSLAND 11 Wige) Pennington warned of the Union's tiary fees. Pew realize that Queensland is a haven for nudists. CHARLES STUART bares all. •financial difficulties. The Review Committee of Common­ The shortage of funds has arisen because wealth Functions must eventually have AN EVENING WITH THE NATIONAL FRONT 13 student service fees - unchanged in four an effect on education. Phil Lynch's JOHN HENZELL speaks to two leading members of the National Front. years - have not kept pace with, inflation. 'razor gang', as it is known in the popu­ As student enrolments have not increased, lar press, has been set the task of further THE PLIGHT OF THE HAIRY NOSED WOMBAT 15 the union's main source of income has pruning government spending. This mammal Is one of the rarest in the world. TIM LOW reports. been eroded by the inflation rate of the Some of the more outrageous of the VIRGINITY 16 last four years. 'razor gang's' suggestions have been the The Union's creditors are also demand­ Various people confess how they lost theirs. abolition of the Prices Justification Tri­ ing a hefty repayment of the Union's bunal antd the removal of the dole from SEMPER is a non profit ADVERTISING: Scott protit DUDiicdiiuiu iiiu, ....rint overdraft - incurred in the construction articles and graphics provided 16 and 17 year olds. The gang will prob­ political and cultural Blackwell of the Schonell Cinema 11 years ago. magazine based at the Semper and the authors are ably keep stashing until there's nothing duly acknowledged. The ex­ The Union will submit a proposal for University of Queensland. left except a Defence budget. ceptions are creative writing a fee rise in 1982 but meanwhile depart­ EDITORS: Ann Jones and So the leaked information regarding and copyrighted graphics which ments face a frugal year. Tim Low Semper Magazine welcomes remain the copyright of the Hardest hit was Radio 4ZZZ at the re-introduction of tertiary fees is LAYOUT and COVER: contributions and letters, but authors and may not be re­ not surprising. If fees were re-introduced Matt Mawson does not assume any respon­ produced without their per­ $18,480, half what it received last year. then government grants to tertiary inst­ TYPESETTING: Jennf Bird sibility for unsolicited manu­ mission. Triple Zed has been moving towards itutions could be reduced, using Fraser's PRINTERS: Mirror News­ scripts, photographs and illus­ Address all enquiries to: financial independence for many years, papers Ltd., 367 Brunswick trations, Semper Magazine and the station was satisfied with the logic. Money far better spent stimulating Street, Fortitude Valley University of Qld Union the private sector? DISTRIBUTORS: Gordon and Semper is copyright, St. St. Lucia. Old. 4067. reduced amount. The Union has virtually The leaked information suggests not Gotch Pty. Ltd., Brisbane. Lucia. Queensland, 1981. Non Ph. 317.1611 or 371.2568. no say over 4ZZZ's programming, and only that fees will be re-introduced but reduced financial support is seen as approp­ that fees will be higher for professional riate. courses such as medicine. This will guar­ Also hard hit were Legal Aid, Activities, antee the dominance of the upper middle and Semper. class in the professions. Legal Aid lost the wages of one part- The re-introduction of fees would time staff member, but through careful certainly cause a huge backlash from tert­ L^TIB^ management have retained all the current iary students. It would mean a vast num­ staff and services. Union potter Michael ber of them could no longer afford to BOURGEOIS VALUES efficiently -.wrtiich is some in music and 'specials' is Walker faces a less certain future. Most of continue their studies. An unpleasant While agreeing with the indication of its value). totally lacking in taste. Their his wage was slashed, but he remains irony for the government, is that a vast overall argument of "Com­ Despite the trendy cliches 'news' items and commen­ employed while moves are underway to number of them would apply for unem­ petitive Education" Semper and the adolescent ego-tripping taries are selective in there find extra funding, possibly from pottery ployment benefits. 19th March, may I make that abounds in this place, reporting to the extreme. I sales. Semper was cut the equivalent of one One theory that the cut-backs, if one point. Most students very few students are con­ hesitate to call the people who wage, and the paper will have an uphill finally introduced in the next budget, get the form of assessemnt cerned enough about their own speak on on 4ZZZ, announc­ battle maintaining the standard of last year. education (ie. personal develop­ ers. will not be as savage as originally mooted. that they want. -TIM LOW Possibly the dole for 16 and 17 year olds Some uni students are hers ment) to question the very In your article (page 9 will be means-tested rather than cut al­ (like most of their lecturers) nature (ie. purpose-structure- "The BaInd, the Hype, and the together and tertiary fees will be intro­ because it beats working for a process) of the university and the 'Beautiful') some stinging crit­ duced with a generous system of student living out there in the real assessment procedures that res­ icism is levelled at the com­ NEEDS A LIFT loans. It may look as though Fraser is world. Others are here to please ult mercial stations and their A young woman student who has visual and hearing disabilities needs a lift to and from the making concessions. mummy and daddy. However, As long as most of its stu­ announcers. One thing they are accused of is catering for University on Tuesdays. If anyone living in the Knowledge should be free, so education most are here to get the pieces dents have aquisitive bourgeois Moorooka area would be willing to help, please should be free. Unfortunately the Fraser of paper that will allow them to values, and see it as a training specific groups. I quote from phone 48,2461. A student group on the campus Government does not accept this; it sees make a comfortable, above- institution for a privileged elite, page 3 of your article on has arrangements to be with her while she is here. education as a possible source of revenue. average income when they leave the present uneducational pro­ 4ZZZ: (or are invited, for one reason cedures for university govern­ "what must be remem­ MANY THANKS or another, to join the local ance, teaching and assessment bered is that Triple Zed is a Dear "fellow student", academic club). will continue. public broadcaster catering This is the only way I can thank you for for different tastes and for finding and returning my wallet to me. You I have a colleague, somwhat DOUGOGILVIE have restored my faith in humanity. I appreci­ SONGS, STALLS & SAUSAGES lacking in couth, who has read a special target audience". ate your honesty and consideration, and only W.I.L.P.F. Qld and the Sunshine Coast both Marx and Billy Snedden Doss 4ZZZ have some divine wish I could thank you in person. ' branch of C.A,N.P. will be holding a fund- and says that they want to right to choose its audience JULIE WHITE raising barbeque at Townsend Court, join in "the pack rape of the 4ZZZ A WASTE while other stations cannot. Buderim on Saturday, April 25th starting proletariate" which has always The article on 4ZZZ print­ HANDICAPPED STUDENTS at 2 pm. I refer to the two ed in your magazine is blatant­ An open letter to the Deputy Vice- been popular and profitable. Chancellor (Fabric and Finance) articles published in your ly sympathic and obviously For more details, phone 355 6340. Almost all of these students University of Queensland are prepared to junip through magazine regarding 4ZZZ bias in favour of 4ZZZ. Dear Mr. Ritchie, whatever hoops are necessary and radio in Brisbane. To me your 'announcers' The comments of the Acting Registrar, Mr D.J. Monro's memo dated the 20th March re­ to gain the privileges of pro­ When 4ZZZ first started are foul mouthed, and that their language is very often lating to the needs of hancicapped students fessional status (and of course, broadcasting in 1375, being an were the subject of discussion at the Social this involves a great deal more undergraduate student (par- suggestive and obscene. Work D.C.C. meeting last week. than the hoops of formal time) t naturally tuned in, You may have gained the We note that the Vice-Chancellor's Commit­ hoping perhaps to try and gain tee investigating the needs of physically handi­ assessment). These people will impression from my letter that capped students recommends that departments never claim client rights within some entertainment from what I think very little of 4ZZZ and provide facilities such as lockers, common room the university because of such a I considered useless and un­ that setting it up was a waste space and facilities for recharging wheelchair principle became popular in the warranted squandering of my of students' money. Well, batteries. However, we wish to bring to your excessive student union fees attention yet again, (see memo from the Head of outside world it would under­ you are dead right - if it Department, 3rd June, 1980, letter from Dean, mine the whole authoritarian (excuse me not really a union provided some form of rea­ 29th May. 1980) the particular problems of the ideology from which they plan - more like a guild). However, sonable entertainment or some liftless Hartley Teakle Building, Many handi­ to benefit, materially and social­ it seemed that every time I community service then it capped students simply do not have access to tuned in, no matter what time the Social Work Department which is located ly, when they complete their would be worth the price. But ori the fifth floor. This means in effect, that training. of the day or evening, I could In my view, and probably that potential students are precluded from enrolling It is ttue that many stud­ never by any stretch of the of the many other fee paying in the social work course, and that some dis­ imagination say that I had part-timers (who are unable to abled students suffer considerable hardship Madness ents are concerned about ob­ daily (n using the building. jective fairness in assessment, been entertained - shocked, take advantage of union ser­ RALLY offended, embarrassed, dis- The Social Work D.C.C. urges that the lack of but ultimately this can only be vices) the biggest favour that a lift In this section of the building and the con­ WtDNCiDAt guisted - these words more APRIL 15 4 6-30pm achieved with objective type the Broadcasting Tribunal sequences of this lack be a matter for urgent tests wherein they can com­ aptly describe my reactions. could do would be to with­ consideration by the Vice-Chancellor's Com­ CITY SQUARE mittee. petitively regurgitate inform­ No, I am not Rono Joyner draw 4ZZZ's licence. CAROL LOW ation aquired from text books in disguise, I carry no flags for Chairperson, Social Work and gurus (something which anyone. But I feet that most ELIZABETH ANN Department Consultative Committee l^cillV For Pcocc computers can do much more of 4ZZZ's programming, both MCCARTNEY -€DucnTion. The threat df fees There is a strong suggestion that the Fraser Government will re-introduce fees for tertiary education. LYN TAYLOR reports.

he question of the re-introduc­ 1974 and 1980 in the number of Ttion of tertiary tuition fees arose young people proceeding direct in the federaj parliament again from school to universities or recently. A report from the Prime C.A.E.s. The direct entry to higher Minister's office was leaked to the education of school leavers has A.L.P. Education Spokesperson, John declined from 18 per cent of the Dawkins. Contained in the report was age group in 1974 to 14.5 percent the suggestion of a yearly fee of in 1980. This represents a reduction of one-fifth, and is a rapid and S1,000 for most tertiary courses and substantial reversal of the trend S2,000 for professional courses, such towards greater participation of the as medicine, young in higher education which had been operating strongly for John Dawkins questioned the Education some twenty years. Minister, Wal Fife, who stated that he would If fees had been a feature of tertiary give no guarantee tliat fees would not be a education in these years, the picture would feature of the next budget. He went on to no doubt, have been even grimmer. With say that it was the government's perogative the erosion of T.E.A.S., the scarcity of to determine these matters from budget to part-time jobs and the spectre of graduate budget. Tliis, of course, flies in the face of unemployment, young people are finding the government's election promise that the it increasingly difficult to study full-time. reintroduction of fees was not under con­ The reintroduction of fees could serve only sideration. to compound the picture, especially for Regrettably, the media, aside from the working class people. ABC current affairs programme, PM chose Over the last few years, quite a bias to ignore the ominous statements by Wal towards the re-introduction of fees has been Fife. In spite of the importance of the sliown by the press. There have been many question of fees for students, the incident articles, editorials and letters favouring fees was not reported in either the "Courier given prominance and yet the Students' Mail" or the "Australian". Union cannot get a letter attacking fees The present government has given many printed. Officers of the Union were very indications in the past that it do» not disappointed during the T.E.A.S. campaign favour free tertiary education. Prior to the in March 1979. It made bland statements ne of the main justifications used by to find that many journalists wanted to election of the Whitlam government in 1972, about fees such as: 'There is a considerable the exponents of the re-introduction of focus on 'how the rich rip-off T£.Ai?.' students paid high fees to attend tertiary Uterature on the case for charging fees in Ofees has been a survey done at the ratlier than on the ways in which tlie majority institutions. When Malcolm Fraser was the interests of autonomy and the efficient University of New South Wales in 1976. of students are disadvantaged by the scheme. Minister for Education in 1969, he opposed allocation of resources.' The survey attempted to assess whetlicr Education, generally, has received a baahing the abolition of fees when it was put for­ students would have continued their courses from the media, since the government de­ ward as part of Labor's election platform. The final reconunendation on fees made if fees had been reintroduced. People have cided to cut back funding for schools and Mr, Fraser has made no secret of the fact by Williams was that a study of the feas- seized upon tlie fact that 'only' 20% of the higher education. that he has not changed his mind about ability of a fee system based on costs be respondents stated that they would have 1981 would be an appealing year for the fees since then. researched with particular reference to the defened or not enrolled at all. government to introduce fees. The next On 20 May, 1976 the then Treasurer, proposals of Professor Blandy. The latter It is often not mentioned that it was election is a couple of years away, there has Phillip Lynch, announced that tuition fees proposals were included as an appendix to those who are already under-represented been plenty of adverse publicity for educ­ would be reintroduced for second and higher the main volume of the Williams Report. in out tertiary institutions, such as women, ation in the media. Plus, the national student degree students and considered for overseas working class people, mature age students union, A.U.S., has been weakened because students, explicity breaking the coalition's Blandy favoured the 'user pays' view of and country students who would have been of the secession of some of the larger camp­ December 1975 promise not to reintio- education in which the costs would be most affected by fees. uses. duce fees. The reasons given were purely bom by students and former students. In assessing the survey, there are many We hiive already seen the reintroduction economic: Various institutions would compete on the factors which must be taken into account. of fees for overseas students and wc know 'With a view to lightening some­ 'education market' for students. Although 1976 was possibly too soon to assess the full that many members of the coalition favour what the burden which education WiUiams does not recommend the wholesale impact of the aboUtion of fees. The recession fees for economic and philosophical rea­ programs are now placing on the adoption of Blandy's proposals, no res­ of 1974-5 may have deterred a greater sons. The attitudes of the university and budget it has now been decided to ervations are expressed and no alternatives influx of poorer students and graduate college administrations is unclear - to them, re-introduce tuition fees for stud­ presented. fees may be a tempting source of indep­ ents taking second and higher degr­ unemployment probably discouraged many potential students from working class endent revenue in these times of financial ees . . the question of imposing stringency. tuition fees for foreign students famihes. Prior to the budget in 1979, we witnessed, A survey carried out at the West Aus­ We should call upon our universities is also to be considered'. / once again. Senator Carrick's assurances that tralian Institute of Technology in March and colleges to make strong public state­ (Hansard) the government had no intention of re­ 1979 came up with very different results ments opposing the reintroduction of fees. What happened then to the 1976 dec­ introducing fees. When the budget was from the U.N5.W. survey. Students were The riglit to education for all does not ision on fees? On 30 September the Aus­ brought dovm in August, however, it con­ asked, 'Could you still afford to attend finish with school. Fees can only serve to tralian Union of Students co-ordinated a tained provision for the imposition of fees WA.LT. if tuition fees were re-introduced?' further limit the access of working class national student strike. Rallies involving on private overseas students. Although this Of the 2,097 replies, 712% said they could people to tertiary education, particularly if some 20,000 students were held all over move has netted very little revenue for the -not afford to attend W.A.I.T. if fees of up the Fraser government's miserly adminis­ Australia and two weeks later, the then govenunent, it has imposed very great hard­ to $500 were charged. A further 17.2% tration of T.E.A.S. is any indication of Minister for Education, Senator Carrick, ships on some overseas students. Some said they could afford to attend if fees how a fees system would be administered. announced that fees would not be re­ students arrived in Australia in 1980 un­ of up to $500 only were charged, while Queensland did not have a system of free introduced. aware of the fact that they would face a 3.9% could pay $500 to $1,000, secondary education until 1964. The im­ That, however, was not the end of it. yearly fee bill of around $1500. The govern­ position of fees in state secondary schools In 1977, the Federal Government set up the ment's motive in introducing fees for over­ would now be unthinkable — surely tert­ WilHams Committee which was to come up seas students could not have been an econ­ The recently released Report of the iary education should be seen in the same with the blueprint for tertiary education omic one - it must surely be the paving of Tertiary Education Commission stated: light. in Australia up to the year 2000. The the way for the introduction of fees for all There has been an absolute de­ Williams Report was tabled in Parliament tertiary students. cline of about ten per cent between

SEMPER, 9 April, 1981 Movie distribution

The business of screening movies is risky and unpredictable. TIM LOW looks at the industry's current dilemmas.

n the night of June 29 1980, ema it ran a brief but profitable season. Independants also survive on 'city move- Brisbane's Schonell Theatre was O overs', popular films that have run their overflowing with movie buffs out course in the city and arc then offered to to see the last Australian screening of suburban cinemas. the bizarre and sexually aberrant Until recently this sytem was proving 'Sweet Movie'. Last minute patrons profitable to the two giants, and to most lined the aisles watching actress of the independants. But troubles with Carole Laura's sincere horror as mem­ American film supply have shaken the in­ bers of a French commune held aloft dustry - Hoyts is faltering and several platefuls of their excreta. independants are in jeopardy. Blame for this seems to lie with Hoyts' Shortly after that screening the print of and G.U.C's policy of creating large multi- Sweet Movie was slashed to pieces and re­ cinema complexes. turned to its European owner. Destmcticn of the film - the only eople have never gone to the movies Australian copy of Sweet Movie - was not just for the film. Atmosphere has- an act of outrage or censorship. It was Palways been important. The ornate merely the final contractual obligation of foyer of Brisbane's Regent (now owned the Australian distributor, Australian rights by Hoyts) attests to this. Marketing strategy to the film expired that night, and slashed in recent years has been to place much more pieces of film in the mail were proof it emphasis on atmosphere, even to the point had not been kept secretly in the country. of de-emphasising the movie itself. The huge Odd arrangements of this kind are com­ Hoyts and G.U.O. cinema complexes, such monplace in the film distribution industry, as Brisbane's Hoyts-Regent, are the epitome a behind-the-scenes business about which of this strategy. Httle is publicly known. While media attent­ Modern cinema complexes convey an ion focuses on film production at its most atmosphere of vibrance and excitement. trivial - actors' sex lives and directors' Their spacious and luxurious interiors temper tantrums - film distributors escape offer a choice, not only of several movies, publicity. but of several leisure activities. Attractions But the industry deserves public scrutiny, include space invader games, movie sou­ as its operation tends to be monopolistic, venir shops, and licensed bars. Some have both in the United States and Australia. In coffee lounges, TV monitors showing com­ Australia many complaints have been made ing attractions, and in Melbourne's Hoyts to the Trade Practices Commission, which complex - a restaurant. CiTteTTia companies today are promoting themselves ahead of their movies. Newspaper ads by the The complexes are designed to be excit­ big companies, particularly Hoyts, show the companies' names printed much larger and more promin­ has noted a lack of competition in the in­ ently than the names of their film attractions. dustry, but it is unable to intervene under ing places, both as a lure for passersby and There is no evidence this approach is working with the public. Financial success for a film still the terms of its act. to attract those eager for a night out. Hoyts depends more on the qualities of the film than on the cinema complex screening it. In America attempts to regulate the in Brisbane want Brisbanites to say 'Let's industry have only created further prob­ go to the Hoyts-Regent for the night' rather lems, and in Australia it operates without than 'Let's go see Star Wars Part 4'. restraint. As a result two companies, both foreign- Attaching MacDonalds hamburger outlets sources say that within a few months the Ordinary People, and others have been owned, have a stranglehold on Australian to the cinemas is part of this strategy. While coinplex fell into difficulties. G.U.O. releases. In what was Hollywood's film distribution. They decide what films a restaurant meal and a movie is an extrava- Hoyts are supplied with fihns by several worst year, Hoyts have been left with Australians sec where and when. gent night out, a cheap 'Big Mac' before the film suits the budgets of most families. American distributers. Competition for average and difficult to market movies. The British-owned Greater Union Or­ money-making films in the U5. is so in­ ganisation (G.U.O.) is the leader in Australia Sydney's MacDonalds outlet in George St., surrounded by 14 cinema screens, is the tense most movies have been bought by a Without blockbusters to lure in patrons, with a six cinema complex in Melbourne distributor long before they have been made. and smaller complexes throughout Aus­ second-busiest in the worid. Hoyts have been having difficulties. For­ The promotion of atmosphere is only This system of Wind bidding relies on dis­ gettable fihns have been running brief tralia. G.U.O, has major interests in the tributors assessing accurately whether a film Village chain and in the distributors Birch, part of the cinema complex strate©'. Patrons seasons of a fortnight or less. The Hoyts- are also lured in by films that will be sold will make money. Unfortunately this has Regent decor and atmosphere have not been Carrol and Coyle. They compete against become an impossible guessing game. Hoyts and its subsidiaries, controlled by the out before they arrive. The individual cin­ enough to ensure healthy profits. With more cinemas to manage and fewer hit American 20th Century Fox, with 4-7 emas in multi cinema complexes have far In the thirties and forties, when movie movies, the company is holding onto many cinema complexes in each of the eastern fewer seats than the grand old theatres of stars were movie stats, a film was a guaran­ of the 'art' films that would otherwise go to capitals. past decades. When a hit like Star Wars teed smash hit if it featured the right actors independant cinemas. The independants are is screening its seats very quickly sell out, and actresses. Not any longer. Today's idols These two companies not only own most suffering as a result. and large numbers of late patrons find them­ are in the rock music industiy, and success of Australia's cinemas and drive-ins, they selves buying tickets for 'B grade' movies also control most films through subsidiary in a fihn depends on much more elusive they would otherwise never have chosen, qualities. Talented duectors and actors Brisbane cuiema has become a hi^y distribution companies. Each company has rather than return home. Some cinema agreements with several American dis­ are producing alternating successes and competitive battlefield with more cinemas complexes even manipulate this overflow failures, and investment in the industry fighting for fewer money-making fdms. tributers, and together they have rights by screening their best fdms in the smallest over almost every film arriving in Aus­ has become guesswork. Even the 'super­ Profits are coming more from refreshments, cinemas. In this way many average or un­ stars' are not immune to disaster — in the with theatres packaging their own sweets tralia. The only exceptions are a few fore­ popular movies (the vast majority) show ign language films offered by small dis­ last year CImt Eastwood, Burt Reynolds and cordials as profits from films become tributers. profits simply by being screened concur­ and Steve McQueen have all produced flops. more elusive. Patrons are becoming less Australia's few independent cinemas, rently with a hit fdm. In Australia it has become a matter of willing to gamble on unknown fihns, and such as the Schonell and El Dorado in This approach worked well for Bris­ luck whether the 'hits' go to Hoyts or cinemas will find their survival depending Brisbane, survive mostly on films discard­ bane's Hoyts-Regent when it opened last G.U.O. Each is dependent on whether its more on the few blockbusters ui holiday ed by these two big companies. For ex­ August. Hoyts had held back several block­ American suppliers have managed to secure periods. ample, La Luna was offered to' the Schonell busters - notably Apocdypx Now and the successful films. And the last six months And like the heroine of Sweet Movie, only after Hoyts rejected it as unsuitable. The Empire Strikes Back - and these en­ have seen G.U.O, emerge as the winner. The one or two cinemas may come to a stidcy Because of Schonelrs student-oriented cin­ sured a buoyant opening. But industry popular Superman 11, Elephant Man, end, D Cinema success story The University of Queensland Union's Schonell Theatre is the most successful student-owned cinema in Australia. TIM LOW reports.

n recent weeks the Schonell I Theatre has been one of Bris­ bane's highest-grossing cinemas. This achievment, remarkable for a suburban cinema, is all the more note­ worthy since the film Stardust Mem­ ories, one of the Schonell's successes at that time,had lasted only a week at the Hoyts Entertainment Centre.

Successes of this kind make the Schonell the pride of the University of Queensland Union and the envy of other student unions around Australia, As SchoneU Manager Ron Wakenshaw put it: 'We are the only student-run university cinema in Australia that is a regular first release outlet. And also in theatre terms are as luxurious and good as any in the city.' Yet the Schonell was originally designed, hot as a cinema, but as a live theatre venue. When constmcted in 1970 the student union of the day believed it would become a focus for student theatre and outside drama productions. Cinema projection was included in the design almost as an after­ thought - to screen lunchtimc and weekend monies for students. As a Uve theatre the Schonell was doomed from the start. As Wakenshaw explained, 'They built a J.C. Williamson type theatre facility with only 450 seats to recoup your money, in an isolated spot on the university where the public couldn't get access. Tlie whole proposition was the biggest white elephjmt you could ever unagine. The Cement Box is what they ABOVE: The Schonell Cinema as it looked just should have built in the first place. That after completion in 1970. was an ideal, small, economical, student FAR LEFT: Schonell Assistant Manager Greg theatre'- Gordon adjusts a display in the cinema foyer. With a student union sympathetic to Uve LEFT: Schonell Manager Ron Wakenshaw in theatre, early student productions at the his office. Schonell were heavily subsidised. Bookmgs for outside drama companies were inade­ quate. The Schonell lost heavily. ular city releases such as Chinatown, and In following years film showing;; in­ American-made student oriented movies creased, with first release art mo^es and - Ameritxm Graffiti, Up In Smoke, Animal films presented by student groups. But House, etc. This range of films drew in a rentals for fihn groups were subsidised, wide cross-section of students, cinema and the Schonell stUl lost money. enthusiasts, and the educated upper middle In 1975 Ron Wakenshaw was called classes of the western suburbs. in to solve the theatre's problems, 'I was With an energetic policy of screening regarded as a cinema expert and did sur­ several different films each week, the Schon­ veys for Hoyts — the big one being a survey eU gained a reputation as a vibrant and stim­ in wluch they planned the Sydney Enler- ulating theatre. Prices were kept below tamment Centre, the most successful in the city cinemas, and students were encouraged worid. to wait for popular city releases to come to their own cinema. 'ViHIien they approached me to manage the The SchoneU impressed many distributors SchoneU, I immediately showed them their with its ability to draw in the art cinema debits and their credits ~ that v^t they had audience. When in 1980 Woody AUen's was a theatre with a huge overhead and it cinema, and the SchoneU was programmed Crystal at Windsor had a programming poUcy to fiUtha t role. Manhattan premiered in Brisbane at the could only be profitable by becoming a city devoted to art films. But the Crystal was a SchoneU and Toombul, the SchoneU took Hoyls-typc operation.* In Australia, European foreign language less luxurious theatre and was poorly located. $17,000 ui its first week, the Toombul Wakenshaw convinced the union the (art) films had become viable after the With an art cinema audience centred around $6,000. This combmed income was higher theatre could bixome successful only if he, post-Woild War U migration. Migrants were Queensland University, the Schonell foimd than that of any other film that week. as ntanager, was freed from union COUIKO eager to see films from their home country itself ideaUy suited to emerge as Brisbane's supervision. Subsidies for privileged theatre and foreign language cinemas ran success- quaUty art cinema. groups were mthdrawn, and for the first fuUy in Sydney and Melbourne. These cin­ It is hard to believe the SchoneU now time signs were put around the campus emas also served the many movie buffs The SchoneU ran popular continental faces a problem with supply of movies. showmg where to find the theatre. who appreciated the artistry of European fihns - by Bergmaim, Bertolucci, Wert- Its problems Ue in the control of film Drama bookmgs were continued, but it films. muller, etc — and occassional art fihns from supply by Hoyts and G.U.O. Only a few was obvious- the theatre's future lay in Brisbane's migrant population was much the U,S., Japan, and elsewhere. Supple­ of the SchoneU's films come from smaU movies, Brisbane lacked a quaUty 'art' smaUer, and before the Schonell only the menting these were moveoveis of pop- — Continued on following page —

SEMPER, 9 Apri!, 1981 — Prom previous page — distributors. The French comedy Detec­ tives Honeymoon was one which proved highly profitable. The theatre's other films : A Guide toCiiiem a OwnershipJ come from distribution subsidiaries or allies of Hoyts and G.U.O. These com­ panies have control over almost all movies ^B in Brisbanej coming into Australia, even including many obscure art films. In former years any 'ariy' film reaching Hoyts was immediately offered to the Schonell, Crystal, or other independant cinemas. Hoyts overheads in the city were too high to risk screening limited appeal films. But with the opening of the Hoyts Entertainment Centre last August, followed by a shortage of money-making films, Hoyts has been holding onto many art movies. it has screened some with limited success (eg. l,a Cage Aux Folks), but some have failed (Woody Allen's Stardust Metnories), wliile others have been stored several months but then suddenly offered to the Schonell (Aff I.una).

Art films have not worked well in the inner city. But with an uncertain supply of money-making films, Hoyts, G.U.O., and Village are retaining many of the art films offered through their distributors. Most of these will return only meagre profits, but will be shown because of agreements with distributors, and to keep the cinema doors open in the absence of anything better. Independent cinemas are suffering as a result. The SchoneU has found its supply of good art movies sparse and unpredictable. It has had to scrap monthly screening programmes as access to new films has become more competitive.

The situation is made more difficuU with plans by Village to orient the Village 'Unemployment, societal pressures, and Twin cinema towards student and art movies. the semester system have made student Ufe The Future of. Film The Village Twin at Hew Farni is an more stressful, and the major Brisbane mar­ unhappily located theatre. An expensive ket for art movies is declining. The drift The movie-making industry faces an uncertain future m the eighties, cinema with high overheads, it lies in a poor away from art movies can be seen with according to recent articles in cinema publications and Time magazine. FeUini's Orchestra Rehearsal, which recent­ residential area. Village is negotiating with Changing populations, new technology, and rising costs are threatening an mdustry «n ly ran a poor season at the SchoneU. Ten Valhalla, a small southern distributer, to danger of becoming just an adjunct to television production. convert one of the twin screens to art years ago a FeUini film would have been weU supported.' movies. The other screen wUI show many Television is already an produced with more dis­ The irony for the Schonell is that is is DecUnes in the birth­ student-oriented movies - Bogarts, Pink rates of developing coun­ important medium for cipline and smaUer budgets. Panthers, etc. losing access to art films just as those films tries win lead to fewer fihn sales; many mediocre Disasters like EUtabcth are becoming less popular with students. young people - the bulk films passing through cin­ Taylor's Cleopatra, costing This move wiU bring the Village Twin Wakenshaw believes the cinema can survive of cinema audiences today. emas depend on television S44 million and grossing instead on escapist good-fun student movies. sales to show a profit. only $26 nullion^wUl give into competition wdth the SchoneU. But way to tighter productions neither the Schonell nor Villr.ge seem Woody Allen, Bogart, and new wave musicals Monaco, writing in Am­ Whilesome industry leaders erican Film, suggests fihns such as Redford's award- bothered by a possible battle. Wakenshaw are the type of films he says are now favoured believe the answer is just winning Ordinary People by students. of the future structured to is confient the SchoneU is better located to make films for older allow editmg into tele­ - at $6.3 mUUon. for art cinema, while Village spokesperson people, others are less op­ vision mini-series. The vari­ Critic James Monaco Richard Parton seemed unconcerned that How wUl the SchoneU's screening policy timistic. The young enjoy ous medk industries wUI predicts much more emph­ the SchoneU could be a competitor: 'It's evolve in the 80s? The cinema industry is movies both as a venue merge, he predicts.'Within asis in future on film hard to say ... It probably would be.' far too unpredictable to hazard a guess. for datuig and as an escape a few years it wiU make promotion. 'The lesson of from parental pressures at Wakenshaw's confidence is matched by But one thmg is certain. Ron Wakenshaw about as much sense to the seventies was that a home. Older married talk about theatrical fdms doUar spent on market- what he sees as a trend away from art wiU be battUnghard to keep the SchoneU as a people become progressive­ leading cinema and a fmancial asset to tlie as seperate from television .ing and advertising was movies. 'Previously the student-type patron ly mote difficuU to lute as it does now to talk considerably more profit­ wanted to see something in a foreign lang­ university union. from the comfort of their about hardcover books as able than a doUar spent uage, and to expand his mind. Now he only living room and colour TV. seperate from paperbacks,' on production (Detergent wants to relax when he goes out. Film critic James Monaco and cereal manufacturers believes the dbninishing Cinema operators are learned this lesson thirty youth audience wiU be pinning their hopes on years ago.)' He expects served by reissues of Star people's need for a lught future fUms with ten times Wars and Disney films - out, saymg patrons wUl as much spent on adver­ recycled every feW years stiU prefer a movie in a tising as production. for a new youth audience. theatre because of the out- The introduction of mg. But cinemas are now Monaco also predicts WESTERN SUBURBS RADIO cable television and video competing, not only against the growth of an anti- movies also concerns the television, but against other film movement. Television, film industry. With home venues for outings. Space media and advertising tiave AND TELEVISION "V/Si TVs evolving larger screens invader parlours and disco all had their vocal critics and stereo sound, more roUerskating are booming. in recent years. Cinema people wiU be watching The movie industry's share has escaped almost un­ blockbusters at home, of the entertahimentdoUar scathed. But not for much either relayed by sateUite is steadily declining. longer, Monaco argues. 'The specter of vride- * r. V.s <•' or from a purchased video Rising production costs film. screen television, video­ REPAIRS * Hi'Fi are also a problem. Cop­ discs and tapes, computer Video films are un­ pola's popular and widely video and a thousand * Radios likely to affect cinema acclaimed Apocalypse admissions, as people wiU Now, produced at $31 sateUite channels, mind- only buy films they have milUon, is only now break- blowing theatrical movies 32 Hawken Drive * S.il(.^ ot hiaiik ^.^h^ctk^. already eiyoyed in a cin­ mg even. Very few big and mind-consuming tele­ V;KIIOS. c.isx'tK' p!a^v.'Vs ema. But coaxial telemion budget films are making vision series — of a media- St. Lucia could affect theatre ad­ big profits; Star Wars and saturated universe - is lironMilo Shopping C\'tUiv '^ SPlC'lAl Soiu (M) missions, and leave fihn Superman are the notable gomg to turn a lot of producers withsmaUer pro­ exceptions, Fihns in the people off.' Ph. 371 5644 fits. future are likely to be -TIM LOW Shx^ping Around in the Western Suburbs When every dollar counts - and for most stu­ dents each does - getting your money's worth for food is important. SHELLEY DEMPSEY reports.

survey of food prices in eight AWestern suburbs supermarkets came up with a rougli guide to prices. The survey covered standard items such as sugar, tea, etc, and was conducted over two days - Thursday Aprii 2nd and Saturday April 4th, Woolworths stores were cheaper in com­ parison to otlter food chains such as Safe- ways, Cut-Price etc., according to the results. Woolies prices were also close between different outlets - the difference between the cheapest and the dearest Woolworths stores was a negilible eleven cents. Coles was not surveyed as there are no outlets in the Western suburbs, Milton Woolworths was the cheapest outlet overall, except for Jack the Slashers, where a total bill was unfortunately unavail­ able because the small packages used in the survey were sometimes unobtainable. How­ ever, using the nine items from Jack the Slasher's which were common to all stores, the total bill is considerably cheaper. Jack's, at $9.47 was 39 cents cheaper than the next cheapest bill, and SI.36 cheaper than the most expensive bill at Safeway. Jack the Slasher considerably undercut on some items and charges rock-bottom prices for others. The most expensive store, at Si4.04, (us­ ing all 13 items listed in the table) was Safeway at Indooroopilly Shoppingtown. This supermarket also showed the highest mark-up on any one product. The item was a can of sahnon, which was 80 cents dearer in Safeway than in Woolworths, the next most expensive. This can of salmon was most variable in price overall. It ranged from $1.17 at Jack the Slashers, to $2.09 at Safeway, almost a dollar's difference. Some products, such as sugar, milk and flour, do not vary at all because their prices Toowong Milton indooroopilly St. Lucia Hartsens Indooroopilly Paddington Jacktho Woolworths Woolworthf Shoppingtown Ironside Food mart Safeway Woolworths Slaslwr ITEM are controlled by boards which set man­ Woolworths Cut Prica St, Lucia WwtEnd datory prices. Shopping Centre It is interesting to note that the cost of Bread - Tip Top ] each food bill in this survey corresponds Maverick .63 .63 .63 .69 .63 .69 .64 .63 broadly to the socio-economic status of the Wholemeal ; suburb. Thus, Indooroopilly and St. Lucia Eggs - Standard [ were the most expensive places to shop, Dozen « 1.32 1.32 1.40 1.42 1.46 1.40 1.40 1.32 while Milton and Paddington were the Tea - Bushells • cheapest. 250g : .66 .66 .66 .76 .77 .66 ,66 .65 It is also miportant to note that what Rice — Sunlong | may seem like a negligible saving in this Long Grain • .54 .46 .46 .39 .45 .46 .46 - survey (a difference of SI. 16 between the 5Q0a : cheapest and most expensive stores) is Cheese - Coon 1 magnified when say thirty to fifty dollars 375g ] ^ 1.46 1.44 1.46 1.43 1.43 1.44 1.38 worth of groceries is purchased. Bear in Vita Brits 375g J .66 . .66 .66 .65 .66 .84 .66 _ mind, too, that only basics are surveyed Toilet paper — J here - usudly the more exotic products Wondersoft • .81 .81 .81 .84 .84 .81 .81 .73 have greater scope for mark-up. SodP - Sunlight * It is wise to be wary of places which Pack of 6 I, 1.42 1.42 1.42 1.49 1.60 1.42 1.42 1.42 overstate low prices in their advertismg. OMO - 1.25kg I Z22 2.22 2.22 2.58 ZS7 Z22 Safeway, for example, was screaming with Z22 Z22 Sugar-CSR 1kg <; .47 .47 .47 signs which said, 'Low prices daily at Safe­ .47 .47 .47 .47 —. way', and 'Save every week with Safeway'. SACS : .48 .48 .48 .51 .60 .51 .48 .48 The Ironside store at St. Lucia is another Fish - John West Pink Salmon \ 1.29 1.29 1.29 1.25 1.20 Z09 1.29 case. Despite the fact it is part of a 'Cut- 220g 1.17 price' chain, it was second most expensive Margarine - Spreadwell in this survey. In fact, most trustworthy 50Og ' 1.03 1.03 1.03 advertising seems to have come from Jack 1.10 .83 1.03 1.03 .85 the Slasher, a claim which is borne out by TOTAL ; ' $1Z9d $12.88 $12.99 $13.60 $13.51 $14,04 $12,92 - this survey.

SEMPER, 9 April. 1981 informed the Rivers State authorities about izens and control multuiational companies. the spill. The Rivers State autliorities then Apart from spills, a serious problem for Nigerian disaster West African countries is the constant flow sent immediate aid of 1 million naira (just over S2 million) to the disaster area, and the of oil onto their coasts due to routine tank wasWng and deballasting operations by Early in 1980 some 250,000 people living around the Niger delta In Nigeria national emergency relief agency gave an­ other 2 million naira. Texaco's assistance tanker ships passing through die Gulf of watched helplessly as their livelihood was destroyed by an incident totally Guinea. outside their control. amount to around S900,000 - less than a sixtli of the money given by the Nigerian Ironically, a Texaco representative gave On January, 17 a Texaco offshore oil rig ing periodically to their home villages in­ authorities ••- but the company was under a paper ui November 1979 to a seminar exploded - the result of human error, the land. Few crops are grown in the delta. no legal obligation to give even that. in Port Harcourt about the procedure to be company said. Witiiin a fortnight the equiv­ Essential supplies are brought with the taken when an oil spill occurs. He suggested alent of 280.000 barrels of oil had gushed revenue from fishing. Almost overnight, Nature is slowly beatuig the pollution. that the spilled oil be surrounded by booms into the sea. Wind and waves spread the oil the fish had simply disappeared. With The fish are coming back - as are the people and sucked up or burnt. The paper was well over 100 Km. of coastline and penetrated little else to support tlicm, many people who left after the spill. But the process of received. But when the spillage did occur 30 Km. inland along the creeks and Inlets. left the delta and returned to their villages. recovery is likely to take a long time. The only two months later, these procedures Tlie effects of this relatively unpublished incident highliglUs the need for tighter were not followed. A quarter of a million spUl were devastating. When the rig exploded, Texaco initially legislation in countries where offshore oil people paid the price. The villages of the Niger delta depend on tried to stem the flow of oil and spread rigs operate. -JOHfM MADELEY fishing for their livcliliood. Tiie fisiiermen sawdust on the coast and sprayed detergent Developing countries, on the whole, Earthscan spend most of the year on the coast, return­ on the floating oil to control the pollution. lag behind the industrialised world in the But a delay occurred before the company provision of laws to protect their own cit­

original residents. He suggested, for instance, that the original residents may think of the street as a communal space while the 51st New image for Caxton St? newer residents could take a more conser­ vative approach and think of it solely as ANZAAS Congress on to say that there is concern in the Pad­ something to drive on. The 51 st Congress will be held in Brisbane magine Caxton Street blocked dington community. Local Alderperson, But the results are yet to come. They will Mavl1-15,1981 I off to traffic and made into a Joe St Ledger, has been actively involved be used to prepare recommendations for at the University of Queensland pedestrian mall. It may seem in projects of this type. future use. John suggested that the recom­ unlikely, but it is the type of scheme The students have prepared a quest­ mendations probably won't come in the The Congress theme is "Energy 4 Equity" which could result from a study ionnaire asking people what they like and form of a plan for development, more likely All enquiries regarding enrolment, program, presently being carried out in Padding­ dislike about the Paddington area and how a set of guidelines. accommodation, and Congress tours, should be ton. A group of Regional and Town they would Uke to see the area improved. Mr Taylor explained 'The study is a addressed to the Executive Otiicer. Planning students are surveying Pad­ One of the students involved, John Van As,, real-life exercise to prepare final year stud­ explained that they would be leaving the ents for the problems they will face in local The address is; dington with view to making recom­ Mr H.B. Green mendations for the development of questionnaires in letter boxes in the area authority planning offices.' As :such., it bounded by Petrie Tee, Heussler Tee, is being carried out with the knowledge and 51st ANZAAS Congress the area. Enoggera Tee and Musgrave Road. University of Queensland support of the City Council. ST. LUCIA, 0.4067 In the student's programme, staff mem­ John explained that the area had an 'But it would be in no. way binding on ber, Co) Taylor said 'This is an area which increasing number of middle class resi­ the Authority', Mr Taylor added. Telephone; (07) 377 3674 is undergoing change somewhat similar to dents, who he felt perceived the neigh­ -ANNE JONES (07) 377 2022 what has happened at Spring Hill'. He goes bourhood in a different manner to the r wmmi0^mmmm }mtii0tm0m0tmm^ AMPOL The Caxton Hotel TARINGA EAST Jazz [n' Jug Service Station Gailey Road, Taringa ASK FOR OUR $5 Lube * Grease all grease nipples * Check diff oil level "^ Check gearbox oil level * Change oil &: filter if required (cost of oil &: filter extra) * Check front end * Check brake fluid level THE Saturday afternoon rage j^,rtAt.<^

Ken Grantham Phone 370 2929 Caxton St (opposite flMPOL legal aid)

8 The Concept of Alternative Defence

Author of 'The Politics of Non-violent Action', GEIME SHARP lectured in England recently. Exerpts from his speech form this article.

here are four issues in the world Ttoday which arc particularly lems have failed. In many ways, if we look important in my own mind and at those failures, I think that we would have which, because of the connections to agree that there is something seriously between them, are related closely to lacking in their understanding of politics the issue of alternative means of and of those problems in particular. national defence. We fa-ie the enormous problems those four phenomena play as key parts of those institutions which exist ordy for carrying Firstly, it is very clear that we have not out acts of violence. We see that for a solved the problem of dictatorships. Dic- variety of good purposes. Societies, pop­ tatorsliip is not an issue which one hears ulations and nations have often created discussed much. Yet, it is very important. these institutions of violence for good This particular type of oppression is not purposes and that societies positively need merely something which continues to the capacity to say 'No, you caimot do these exist. There are probably more out and things, we will not allow it.' out dictatorships today than there were twenty, or thirty or forty years ago. Al- This is part of the old dilemma between thou^ the Nazi or Mussolini variety of these anarchists and statists, of just war theorists no longer exist, there are many others. and pacifists. Up until recent times, one The nature of modern technology, com­ liasn't had reasonably good solutions to munications and computors, psychological those dilemmas. One can renounce the manipulation and perhaps the use of chem­ violence, and repudiate it but not really icals and other vehicles for controlling have ready-made answers as to how we deal people mean that future dictators will have with these other social problems. If we at their disposal far more effective tools cannot find ways of dealing with the con­ for contoUing populations than poor Adolf sequences of institutionalised political vio­ Hitler could have dreamed of. lence, we are in serious trouble. Once you set up an institution whose purpose it is We have not solved the problem of genocide. The holocaust of Worid War to carry out political violence for one Two of the gypsies and others is in our purpose it can be turned around like a mach­ memory, but we don't talk about it very ine in a different direction and serve another much except to say how terrible the Nazis purpose. If you create an army to protect were and what a tragedy that was. For some your society against foreign attack, it can people, it helps to justify Worid War Two. be used to shoot down workers in your own We don't mention the other cases of geno­ streets if a situation arises where a strike cide in the world. There no longer are any will not be permitted. It can be used to full-blooded Tasnianians or any native shoot down people who are simply saying Indians in Argentina. There are some Am­ 'bread and liberty'. It can be used to exterm­ erican Indians who have survived the on- inate a section of the population. slauglit of European occupation where the see no historical evidence to show that slogan was often 'The only good Indian is I a simple anti-militarist argument will a dead Indian.' result in societies abandoning their military systems. We can point to many other major If we really v;ant to get out of the war attempts, not merely to be brutal, but to system and abandon the institution of war, exterminate whole peoples. Since Worid we have to get out of the context of vio­ War II there have been major slaughters lence. But it still has to be something that is of peoples in Africa and Asia. The modern capable of defending the country. I have, tools for doing this, the modern weaponry, of course, been assuming that defence and are now of such a character to make it the military are not the same. Similarly, infinitely more possible to destroy peoples. deterrance and the military are not the InNazi times, they literally had real problems same. figuring out how to kill large numbers of When I'm talking about defence, I'm people quickly. Genocide is.also something using the word literally defined as 'pro­ tliat peace groups don't talk about very tection', 'preservation', 'warding off of much. They do allude to the genocidal danger'. Sometimes military institutions are character of nuclear weapons, wluch is also Colonial masters - the acquisition of what too weak to do that and sometimes they are tme. political and economic lives, the best of the Gandhi called the mad tinsel of the West successes are highly limited. We have often far too strong to do that. During the Second The problem of war. Peace groups are - and most peace groups, it seems to me, created vast bureaucracies with impersonal World War, the Danish army was too weak very concerned about this problem. The don't expect that it's going to be possible rules and regulations to do things/or people. to defend Denmark and to try to do so fact remauis that we still have that prob­ to abolish war. So we concentrate on a People in great need in societies become militarily would have led to national suicide. lem. If ever there should have been the will whole series of other noble objectives of a 'clients' of these specialists solving their Modem nuclear weapons can only destroy to end the problem of war, and hence the lesser degree. These are all done without problems for them. In worse situations, and are an example of military defence willingness to mobilise the resources, know­ actually working to abolish war, which was systems of social oppression have been which is far too strong for adequate de­ ledge and information needed to do so, the original objective. created by those who have set out to bring fence. They cannot literally defend a nation. it should have been done by now. It has Systems of social oppression are very more social justice, producing even new Alternative means of struggle have been been' quite a few years since Hiroshima and widespread in the world today. While we systems of political terror. All this is re­ used in liistory for all kinds of social, econ­ Nagasaki and the eariier conventional have had many decades of efforts to build markably amazing. omic and political struggles. These altern­ bombings of British and European cities. more just societies and pull down systems of It is indeed curious that with all the ative means of struggle have been used for Yet the problem of war continues. social oppression, we have very lunited resources and intelligence available to hu­ overthrowing oppressive dictators, against Not only do we not appear to be in a results. It is true that many people now eat manity today we have been unable to solve occupying forces and in national defence. position where we are about to solve the better. They may have better housing, these problems which I have described. The people using these methods weren't problem of war, it now appears that the clothes and not be so cold and have perhaps What is far more shattering than our pacifists and didn't know about the great problem is becoming progressively more better health care. But, in terms of having a perceptions that the problems have not been saints of pacifism, less were they interested. difficult and worse. New types of weapons sense of power over their own lives, of being solved is our realisation that those pro­ and new generations of older weapons. They didn't know about pure, moral non­ able to shape their personal lives in some grammes, movenients, parties and govern­ violence and they probably didn't even Third Worid states mimicing their former sense and in a wider sense their social. ments which set out to solve those prob­ — Continued on following page —

SEMPER, 9 April, 1981 preparing and waging war, we can release If we can create alternative means and over and above our own self-education. — From previous page — a defence potenrial which would be far take hold of alternative means which have Various social groups and institutions - superior to military defence strategies. If been and can be used to deal with dictator­ Trade Unions, Churches, Universities and know about the word. People, fortunately, we could do a whole series of things which ships, genocide and systems of social op­ education authorities - need to do serious can be stubborn bastards at times. People could prepare a society for defence against' pression and even wars, then we can begin studies of alternative means of defence in can refuse to do what they have been real dangers, we would have a great and to do away with institutions of violence all their variety and complexity. We need told to do, sometimes even simply because powerful defence potential. because we will no longer be stuck with it military groups and strategists to study it they have been told to do it. Some of you nor need it anymore. and evaluate it. Many of these groups are have actually had defence policies - altern­ We do not have to argue with people seriously interested in defence property ative, nonviolent defence policies - for most that there is no need for defence. We can defined and in the problems of war today. of your lives. Firstly against your parents accept that there are needs for defence Some of the analytical tools used in mil­ when you were a child! Kids and animals because our worid is very dangerous and itary strategy can be applied to alternative actually are involved in all sorts of non- will become increasingly so and history defence as well. Our political parties also cooperation activities, and when we grow shows that threats can come to nations from need to undertake studies of this policy. up, we generally call such activities by more the most unexpected sources. It also does This is being done, to some extent in a num­ sophisticated names, like 'strike', 'boycott', not mean that we have solved a whole range ber of European countries and UNESCO 'work to rule' and so on. When we arc grown of other problems which urgently need our is soon to publish a book with a chapter up, we forget that when wc were kids we creative attention. on this matter. actually did nonviolent direct action quite Tentative but significant steps in these naturally and wc need to rediscover that We can offer the possibility of a super­ direcrions have already begun. There are such activities came quite naturally. ior, improved form of defence. However, still all kinds of problems involved in this There is actually a vast history of this we recognise that none of these past means policy which need analysis and research. kind of thing in many countries. Against of defence have been capitalise on the gains The concept of alternative means of ail kind of opponents and regimes in all that they had already made. We cannot defence, with all its present failings, never­ kinds of societies. Such activities should present a total blueprint which can be applied theless offers great hope to get humanity theoretically be impossible if the regime was to all situations and everything will be fine. out of some of these terrible dilemmas actually so repressive as they make out. We need to do a lot of other things first. and the presently available means of deal­ People have learned that by refusing to We need research and policy studies on this. ing with them which only serve to com­ cooperate they can wield power and that We need a great deal of thinking to be done pound them. At least we can begin to by working together and acting together amongst ourselves and our own groups. present an alternative. they can wield power. Sometimes, such We further need public education pro­ power can shake miglity industrial em­ grammes on alternative means of defence. pires as happened when workers realised the power of the economic boycott and the strike. So was born the Trade Union move­ military installations. Such installations ment we know today. Standards of living merely become irrelevant, as the effect of were improved and job conditions were im­ Meditating against war natural law, moved by the TM-Sidhi pro­ proved and safety was improved. gramme, quietly shifts Australia into a peacemaking role.' These initiatives in alternative defence, TM practitioners, who follow Guru thougli from some positions may be seen he Australian Transcendental lation by raising coherence in the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, say everyone is as failures, actually indicate to me that Meditation Movement is promot­ collective consciousness of the nation'. connected througli a common area of alternative means of defence are not simply T ing a meditation process it be­ TM members say this group practice has unbounded consciousness. They believe the almost the equal o( military defence but lieves will decrease the likelihood of already worked in other countries; they TM-Sidhi technique is powerful because its that they have a power potential which say it increased national unity in Thailand harmonising influence can affect the minds is infinalely greater than military defence. Australian involvement in war. and reduced war deaths in Zimbabwe in of all the people in a country. It can be used for purposes of defence. 1978. It allegedly can lower the crime rate The movement is hoping to perfect With preparations based upon careful The process involves groups of four or five hundred people practis­ in city populations around the world. techniques of levitation which will be policy studies and analysis, wc could, as taught to all participants of the 'new age we do in any other aspect of society, im­ ing the TM-Sidhi programme toget­ Wittholz said the aim of the pracrice was to create such strong national con­ defence scheme'. At present members can prove our capacity to wield it effectively. her for about an hour every morning leap from the ground while in lotus pos­ If we turned our intelligence and know­ sciousness that the U.S. bases in Australia and evening. Said Brisbane TM teacher would never be used. 'With this technology ition, but admit they cannot stay aloft. ledge to studying and preparing for altern­ Anne Wittholz: 'This creates order ative defence in the way that we have been the nation can become invincible without -TIM LOW and fearlessness in the entire popu­ the need either to keep or remove present

ization. She said that there was "The oppor­ tunity to learn skills not taught in many health/welfare courses - ie. submission Community Health writing, talking to government bureaucrats, and knowledge of government bureaucratic Student Initiatives In Community Health Is a group trying to broaden the structures. range of traditional health care. JULIENNE KERR reports. S.l.C.H. is also involved in encouraging Psychology, Law etc - in fact anyone who students to become more infoimed in the espite the cumbersome title, political background of health and wel­ wants to be involved. DS.l.C.H, or Student Initiatives in fare. S.l.C.H. provides a forum for dis­ Community Health, is a prac­ Another aim of S.l.C.H., to encourage cussion and lobbying. Political reading tical, working organization. Paul Dug- participation and imtiation in practical groups include both right and left-wingers, projects, is refiected in some of the current dalc (National Co-ordinator) was in and steer clear of party politics. projects. These include seminars on stress, Paul said S.l.C.H. was funded reason­ Brisbane recently, to meet the people women's health, and self-help groups. From ably for a student body. An annual grant involved here and to offer infomation the self-help groups encouraged by S.l.C.H., of 578,000 fiom the Federal Government and suggestions. He also outlined has emerged a viable cancer self help group. progress in other states. indicates the group is being taken seriously Sue Ritchie, of S.l.C.H. and has a future. Paul regards this amount S.l.C.H., (pronounced like 'hitch') was In 1981, S.l.C.H. is contributing to the International Year of the Disabled Person. as 'the best value the Health Department founded in 1975 by a group of medical by the disabled. Initiative is the key word could get, considering the number of pro­ students who felt their course did not On group is interested in providing project kits on different disabilities for use in here. Initiate your own project and S.l.C.H. jects involved Australia wide'. provide enough community contact. Striv­ can offer support, ener^ and finances. 'Students are keen to give their time and ing to move away from the-doctor-in-an- Primary school classes. This may be followed by day-outings, mixing disabled and non the community is interested in the students.' ivory-tower image, they looked for inter­ The budget caters for 2 permanent em­ disciplinary education with courses in other disabled children. Student educafion itself is of vital inter­ est to this group. Many feel that the course ployees, rent and administration costs for heilth/welfare professions. In N.S.W. the At the University of Queensland itself, each of the states. Family Health Team provided these stiid- they are doing is not offering all the inform­ S.l.C.H. hopes to produce a radio pro­ ation they want. Understanding how to The Vacation Employment Scheme in cnts with the opportunity of working with Victoria offers students a chance to work gramme with 4ZZZ to increase com­ work with other professionals of the future a family. They worked in groups of 4 on munity awareness of problems associated in other health-related fields during their can come from sharing common courses now. a family's he^th problems. with being disabled. They will also con­ holidays. Behavioural sciences and communication are While studying the family, the students duct a questionnaire on 'Access for the S,I.C.H. offers many opportunites to became aware of the socio-economic and Disabled on Campus'. Engineering and two fields where different schools and students who do not wish to become political currents underiying health care. Architecture students could be involved faculties can learn together. 'ivory-tower professionals' and who have As their sphere of interest widened, so did in developing recommendations from the S.I.C.H. organizes seminars such as the an interest in the community at large. They their members. Today S.l.C.H. activities results. A Resource centre is being built up recent one on "Death and Dying", involving can be contacted in their office in the extend to community health projects, in the S.l.C.H. office in the Relaxation educators and practitioners as well as stu­ Relaxation Block or by ringing Sue after student education and political issues of block. S.l.C.H. is compiling a list of, vol­ dents. Sue Ritchie (a member of the steering hours on 48.5345. health and welfare. Their members are untary agencies involved in Health and committee in Queensland) mentioned a few students of Nursing, Medicine, Physics, Welfare, and a booklet on services for and side benefits of belonging to such an organ­ Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy,

10 .UfSTVlB^ Nudism in Queensland -CHARLES STUART

espite the Queensland Govern­ Dment's repressive nature, or per­ haps because of it, nudist col­ onies are starting to flourish here. Seven years ago only one club, hidden in 3,000 acres of bushland owned by an obscure religious found­ ation, refused to fold under official harrassment. In the past few months, three new com­ mercial clubs have formed to bring the Queensland total to ten. And the Nudist Association of Queensland held its inaug­ ural meeting in November, boasting over 1000 members in the Brisbane area alone.

To mark this upsurge m enthusiasm, or perhaps because of the well known Aus­ tralian characteristic of refusing to kowtow to authority, the ten-year-old Australian Nudist Foundation held its annual con­ vention in Queensland for the first time last year. But this accolade marks the latest stage in over 50 years of troubled history in a place which seems heaven-sent for nudists. Queensland's magnificient climate and beaches have been part of the problem fac­ ing nudism here. Many families, especially in settlements far from Brisbane, practised nudism on theu own to avoid the hassles from prejudiced officialdom. sect started to advertise in Europe and pengary by Tom and Mary Priest was accep­ club was allowed. Also, the members were While the meagre scattering of nud'' America for nudist families to come and ted. forbidden from practising nudism outside hid away, each in their own bushlari. join the commune. closets, there was no chance for the move­ the grounds, particulariy on the miles of ment to grow. Under the.se condirions, as Several families responded to these 'The first constituted nudist club in deserted beaches. This latter restriction often happens, communal nudism started advertisements, particularly from Holland, Queensland was formed in their chicken parricularly finally broke Good Compan­ on shaky ground, under the auspices of a Germany, France, and England, but few pen.' ion's monopoly. In 1972, Eureka Club, fringe religious cult. This meant that many stayed more than a couple of months. A year later Tom and Mary sold out to which StiU survives, was set up on ten acres who wished to practise nudism gave it Among those who went to Queensland another former Dutch couple. Con and near Jimboomba. At the same time, an­ away after they found they were expected under ROTA sponsorship in 1953 was Gerda, who called the new group the Sun- other ten families spht off to form the to accept certain alien strictures which were Louk Slagt and her family from Holland. spots Club. But when the brave little band first club north of Brisbane, Golden Valley. part of the religio-nudist package. of nudists tried to put their toe out of the 'The commune had a transient popu­ closet theh troubles began. The latter, however, only survived 18 It also meant that those who stuck with lation and didn't take off,' says Louk, who niontlis on its own. 'Both new clubs were communal nudism could not shed the crank is today the secretary of the seedling Nudist They had a daughter Michelle, who was safety values for Good Campanions,' ex­ label. Society nearly always starts off by Association of Queensland. 'But the Gymno­ 13 at the time,' remembers Louk 'Con plains Louk. 'They have always been a bit labelling nudists as cranks. But when they sophical Society was the start of nudism in decided to get some publicity for nudism. restrictive in their rules because they were are sponsored by an organisation which is Queensland.' He wrote to the Courier Mail, about Bris­ bom m times when society in general was already at the eccentric end of the social bane people being over-dressed for the against nudism, and because the owners spectttmi, the label is almost impossible to The StiU birth, however, had not gone climate. of their grounds were somewhat narrow in wash off. When Max Heindel, the latest unnoticed. Its example convinced Ernie their attitudes.' Appleby to set up an informal group called guru in the long up-and-down history of Naturally, he brought his argument the Appollo Club on 50 acres of bush the Rosicrucians, died in England in 1919 round to advocating nudism. 'Shortly So, after ten years, and a healthier about 10 km away. his disciples split up. after his letter was published the author­ attitude from the rest of society, many ities sank their teeth into him. He lost his members wanted to escape from such restrictions as the banning of alcohol and The major section went to North Amer­ 'Appollo drifted on for a few years, job immediately as an announcer on local growing from about six to ten fainilies. commercial radio station. Then he was beach parties. 'The final spark was ROTA's ica to set up a very outgoing, quasi- insistance that the books be closed. No commercial splinter group, whose proselyt­ In 1956, the land was needed for agri­ called in by the head of the state police. culture so the group moved back to a few 'He was told that unless Sunspot was dis­ more members were allowed because they ing advertisements can still be seen in felt that at about 150 familiy units Good journey-fodder magazines. acres inside the Rosicurian estate.' banded Michelle would be made a ward of the state for being a neglected cliild and Companions was getting too large.' There was no suggestion yet that the corrupted by nudism. The other, more introverted part of the group had become a formal club. For A year later, in 1973, the Three Bears schism, went to Queensland. After run­ instance, attempts by Louk and her hus­ Sun & Health Club was founded as the fust ning highly successful businesses in Bris­ band, who still has to remain hi Uie back­ 'This put the lid back on nudism.' The commercial club in Queensland, on ten bane, at the start of the Second Worid War ground because as a schoolteacher he is an place was closed in March, 1962. Although acres at Beenleigh. 'This was the first really this sect bought 3,000 acres of virgin bush; employee of the state and might be sub­ the police chiefs threats were probably a open club. There were still a few restrict­ land 50 km to the south at Brown's Plains. jected to pressure if his extra-curricula bluff, the group knew that in Queensland ions, such as the normal limit on the num­ The sect, known at ROTA, for the Rosi- affiliations were published, failed when the powers-that-be get what they want, one ber of single men who could join. But it crucian Order of the Aquarians, operated they translated the Dutch League of Natur- way or another. Battered but not defeated was wide open otherwise.' on three levels. The first was the religjous; ism's constitution and tried to get it adopted the group slunk back to the ROTA enclave. In June they secretly formed the Good and esoteric form of Christian mysticism. by the group. Nudism had taken its first real step out The second was the commercial level, in Companions, the oldest surviving club in the state. For the next ten years it grew of the closet and had not been knocked which it ran a profitable timber business back in again. In 1975, another conunerciai and sand mining operation. The third was 'By 1960, the group had grown to about steadily m the shade of the Rosicrucion 15 families and ROTA began to pressure restrictions. For instance, visitors were only club opened. Sunshine Families. This was on known as the Queensland Gymnosophical a 100-acre ranch about 100 km west of Society and advocated a back-to-nature member to re-group under their auspices. allowed from other clubs twice a year, and An offer of a 20-acre property at Bur- no form of advertising the location of the nudist conunune. Just after the war the -'Continued on following page —

SEMPER, 9 April, 1981 11 Dealing with Bureaucratic Injustice

Queensland's ombudsman deals wittfi a great variety of enquiries. TIM LOW marks, and Muir said this vras evidence of reports. lack of discrimination. Muir's line of agru- ment is difficult to follow here; discrimin­ A Queensland Government em­ boards, commissions, colleges, corporations ation could well be more likely from 'face­ ployee on holiday in London missed a and authorities. less' examiners than from tutors who knew week of work because an airline strike the student. delayed his flight home. Returning to Areas outside his jurisdicfion include Brisbane after the strike he found the private enterprise, the Federal Govern­ ment (covered by a Commonwealth ombuds­ Another case involved compulsory mem­ Public Service Board had ruled his man), courts, decisions by Ministers and bership of a student's union, with students prior service was no longer to be Cabinet, and significantly, police in the at an Institute of Advanced Education ob­ recognised for long service leave and course of their duty. Also, complainants jecting on several ground^. They complained service incremental payments. Upset must show 'sufficiently direct interest' in it was possible to be an unfmancial member al this decision, the employee com­ their compliant. of their union, and that the institute, being plained he had made every effort to separate from the union, was not entitled reach work on time. When in 1979 a number of unemployed to collect union fees. They also submitted teachers wrote arguing that recommendations that the Commonwealth had legislated of the Select Committee on Education be against compulsory student fees, and that It is conflicts such as this which require implemented, Muir replied that the matter the services of Queensland's ombudsman, their union did not provide any major was for parliamentary consideration, and student services any^vay. Sir David Muir. Investigations by Muir therefore outside his jurisdiction. persuaded the Public Service Board that allhougli the strike affected only one air­ He was also unable to assist two pris­ Sir David Muir After examining the Education Act, line, it was unlikely the employee could oners spending weeks in solitary confine­ Muir rejected all tfiesc claims. He found have returned on time. His entitlements ment without hot water or cigarettes. While no fault with the insritute or the union were restored. the prisoners claimed this was illegal, Muir One complaint involved a student, 32, and concluded, ' ... it was difficult to see was informed of a section of the Prisons (apparently at Queensland University) who how one could claim to be a member of a Queensland's Parliamentary Commissioner Act allowing indeterminate punishment of claimed she was unfairly failed in a subject. Union and at the same tune refuse to pay for Administrative Investigation, or ombuds­ prisoners deemed 'troublesome', even when She alleged the failure was a discriminatory the membership fee for that union'. He man as he is called, investigates many such not charged with any ofTence. act to allow a younger student to take her agreed that the Australian National Uni­ confiicts between individuals and Queens­ place in the course quota. Muu- found no versity allowed voluntary membership of its land Government bodies. He is empowered Of almost 1,500, complaints received bv evidence that this was so, saying her five student union, but pointed out that it to deal witli complaints against State Govern­ the ombudsman in the 1979-1980 financial examiners all rated her work as a failure or charged an equivalent compulsory services ment Departments, Local Authorities year, at least two involved tertiary educ­ borderiine pass. The staff members who fees. throughout the state, and many public ation. knew her personally awarded the better The ombudsman has intervened on several occasions to minimise hardship. A prisoner sentenced to six months gaol had the conviction changed to three years — From previous page — campaigns to attract holidaying sun-seekers Already 60 famiUes have been attracted from the rest of Australia, turned him down following a Crown Appeal. The authorities to the 150-acre site since its opening io interpreted this to mean three years in Brisbane, in the foothills of the Great flat. Nudism was too far out of the closet November. for the pressure to work this time. There addition to VA months aheady served by the Divide. And with tme Australian com­ prisoner. mitment to sport, as well as the other was to be no retreat again. 'Colin appealed These surviving clubs clustered round Brisbane now make up the Nudist Assoc­ athletic pastimes, the club's five horses against this decision and took the Council iation of Queensland. But it is hoped to arc in constant demand for real bare-back to the local govenunent court. In March, The prisoner complained to Muir, who attract the other major clubs which have riding. 1978, when the judge visited the 20-acre eventually persuaded the authorities to site he said it was like a "little paradise", sprung up recently close to the state's ha/e the time aheady served included in But the pressures from prejudiced off- with great potential\ He over-ruled the 1,500 km eastern coastline. The major the three year sentence. one of these is the Townsville Nudist Club, cialdom were still not over for Queens­ councO's decision and Sunshine Leisure Other cases resulted in a safety fence fonnerly the Walkabout Sun & Health Qub, land nudists. A site pennit is needed from Club was bom. erected to protect children from a busy which nestles in vast areas of sugar cane the local council for any land use, other road, the reduction of excessive electricity fields about an hour's drive west of Towns­ charges, and removal of unjustified fines. than domestic dwelling. Even a pig farm At the same time as it was admitted to ville. needs a permit. the Australian Nudist Federation, another Considering the limits to the scope of club. Pacific Sun, was also enrolled. This is The other two are a private club in the another attempt to establish a club on the the ombudsman, Muir seems to be provid­ In 1977, when Colin Aldred tried to tropical forests near Cainis; and Solaria, a ing a useful service for individuals suffer­ start another commercial club at Logan north side of Brisbane. But, unlike the recently revived club near Rockhampton. ing govenunent injustice. Village, just south of Brisbane, the local still-bom Golden Valley of seven years council, which incidentally runs massive ago, its chances of succes are much greater.

SOFTWARE 80 SOCIALISM AND

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12 An evening with the National Front

by JOHN HENZELL

Former senate candidates Rosemary Sisson and Victor Robb represent the ^nlO'tH' J^^i f^'^ '" ^"f^^^'^^d. They are laying the groundwork for what they think will be one of the important political parties of the future. For this reason they have kept a low public profile. The Australian National Front does not have a good public image. Most people associate them with nazi-like fascism and racist immigration. They are quick to deny any affiliation with the more radical English National Front Their policies appear to be a toned down' version of their English counterpart but they still advocate dual race (European and Aboriginal) Australia and support massive monetary reforms. Without these measures, Victor Robb claims Australia is done for'. Each is an antithethis of the other— Rosemary Sisson is quiet calm and argues by reason while Victor Robb is brash, assertive, and straightforward to the point ofblatancy, using his loud voice to get the message across. But both vehemently believe in the National Fronts' policies. Also, both believe in supporting Australian industry over imports and the restrained use of natural resources like petrol. These values are not emphasised by their choice of cam. Rosemary drives a Mazda 323 while Vic drives a Commodore V8... While they claim dedication to their policies, neither wants to be a martyr to their cause. Both have received numerous death threats. On the night before the federal election ten men wearing communist badges wrecked the National Fronts information stand in Adelaide St. Before this interview they sent a private investigator to ensure there was no danger to their lives.

How does the National Front react to RS: The Australia people were not con­ accusations of racism? sulted. It was never an altercation. There was ROSEMARY SISSON: We don't hate a survey done two years ago of those who any other race — we're not prejudiced. All wanted a white AustraUa and 80 per cent 'In Australia, ideally, there should be two races we want is seperate development of the races of AustraUansdid. the Europeans and the aborigines.' Rosemary Sisson because we realize there's a difference be­ That frightened the government a hell of tween the races. a lot because it provoked mmority groups. Wtat son of public response have you I spoke to people who are in other belong to the aboriginal people. No min­ just non-Europeans. We want to save our had to your policies. political parties, some members from the ing can go on on the lands without the culture. RS: Good. We've got a few people who Liberal and Labor parties - just common permission from those aboriginals. If they The culture of the Australian white don't know anything about us - they scream ordinary members — and they say that, don't mind you mining those lands - fine, people is starting to be eroded. We don't "Nazis' or 'Fascists'. They really have no often, at their party meetings the quest­ but otherwise, you dip out. realise, but it is. We just want to save that. idea what we're about. With most people we ion of a white Australia is brought up. sit down and explain to them. They either And overwhehningly the whole branch will What would happen in a case where the Did Australia ever have a real culture entirely agree or say that they can under­ vote that they want a white Austraha and stand our policies although they mightn't aboriginal site and the resource were import­since it was a cosmopolitan civilization from they want that issue taken to the National ant to both parties. the beginning? believe in them. We're finding that half Conference of the party. It never gets the people agree with our poUcies. VR: You would have to refer it to an RS: No, we weren't cosmopolitan from finished because the leadership stops them. arbitrater. the start. I think if people voted for policies RS: The independent arbitrater accept­ VR: We're predominantly European and rather than parties we'd be laughing all But wouldn't Australia turn out the same able to botli parties. still are, but we won't be for much longer. the way. But they don't. way South Africa has with it's apartheid? The National Front, because we're RS: if we go and look at America - the VICTOR ROBB: It's a firnny thing. In VR: What's wrong with it anyway? What's aware of our own race, we believe that we American whites are going to be a minor­ the 40's, when Caldwell was the head of wrong with the aboriginals developing the really can understand what the aborigines ity by 1990. the Labor party and Menzies was at the head way they wanted to and us developing the want - as a race. The Labor party and the VR: If immigration isn't halted then this of the Liberal party, they were both rabid way we wanted to and the Asians develop­ Liberal party deny that races exist. And is what is going to happen in Australia within white AustraUa pohcy people. Now you've ing tlie way they wanted to — but in Asia. yet saying *0h yes, we perfectly under­ the next 50 years. got Fraser leadhig the Liberal party and stand you. You're a different race,' How We want to retain the European ethnic it's anti-white Australia and you've got Jhen what policy would the National can they possibly when they can't even flavour of Australia. We're not solving Hayden, leading the Labor party and he's Front take towards Australia's aborigines? understand the meaning of the word 'race' Asia's problems by taking God knows how anti-white Australia. RS: Our aboriginal policy is basically as it applies to themselves. many thousand a year from there. RS: It's become unchristian - they call that the aboriguies should be given land What economic reforms would the RS: If we bring them in we arc going to us unchristian. rights. A register should be set up. We work have troubles. I think the racial tension at VR: It's unhumanitarian. out a compromise of what the aborigines National Front pursue, if elected. VR: The National Front acknowledges the moment between the aborigines and the RS: We've also been called nazis because want and they keep their customs. whites is pure bigotry. I think if you start of our immigration policies. To people who At the moment whenever a minmg com­ tliat the current economic and a lot of the social problems that are confrontmg importing other races what you will be do­ say that — I'd like to throw the question pany wants to start operations, we've got ing is importing more racial problems. It's ri^t back into their faces. Is Arthur C^d- aboriguies who want to preserve a sacred Australia and westem civilization - there is no solution to them within the frame­ not going to be bigotry - it's going to be well a nazi or unchristian? Or, was Robert site. conflict over jobs. They'll say 'I've been Menzies a nazi or was he unchristian? VR: Not aboriguies — stirrers. work of existing monetary policy - so there has to be a change in monetary poUcy. trying to get a job and evei>' time I go for But since then the issue of human ri^ts RS: The mming companies are becom­ a job there's a Vietnamese applying for A lot of your social problems stem from has swung around so there wiU be equality ing very suspicious. There is going to be that same job and he always gets it when the economic problems that arise from the foralL trouble. They're tlunkuig "Well, they're my qualifications are better.' banking system. Drugs, pornography, marri­ RS: Yes, but... only inventing these tribal sites because I've got nothing against these people ages breaking down - a lot of that can be VR: But who swung the policy around? they've worked out by now that they can themselves. I've certainly got a lot against traced back to economic problems within The Australian people fidn't - they weren't get money out of us for mining on what the Whitlam and Fraser governments for the family. given the opportunity. It was done in the they call their tribal lands. letting these people in in the first place. parliament The Australian people didn't It's not their fault for comuig in. How does the National Front cater for change their mind and say '•Well scrap How would you cater for the clash be­ VR: This is one of the problems we the 'cast off' jobs that were origituilly the White Australia policy, we'll suddenly tween resources and the reserved and reg­ have to live with. But we don't have to planned for migrants. Are you talking become christian, well suddenly become istered sites? learn to live with it from Asians because about excluding foreign workers from humanitarian." Our politicians did it at RS: Whatever goes down hi the regis­ they shouldn't be here. the dictates of the United Nations Organ­ ter - that's their's. We'll pass an act of Australia. ization. parliament and declare that those lands RS: No, not blanket foreign workers -

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14 enviRonnnmT. The plight of the Hairy-nosed W>mbat

The Queensland hairy-nosed wombat is on the brink of extinction. TIM LOW looks at efforts to save what is one of the world's rarest mammals.

When Lawson, Blaxland. and Went- and fire could al! cause tlie species' worth crossed the Blue Mountains in extinction. 1813 they scaled the doom of much The entire wombat colony, estimated at of Australia's wildlife. Their discovery only 40 - 100 wombats, lives in burrows in of vast inland plains, ideal for grazing the bank of a sandy gully. .Mthough dry sheep and cattle, attracted a rush of now, the gully was once the bed of a river. settlers who cleared and burned With excessive rainfall it could fill with wliere-ever they went. Within a cent- water and drown the wombats. ur>', many of the common mammals Wilkinson thought this unlikely. 'It would of inland Australia had vanished. have to be a pretty big ilood.' He felt that even if the burrows flooded the wombats Extemiination was swift, especially for might swim around and survive. small ground-dwelling mammals - wallabies, Wilkinson said he was more concerned by bandicoots, native rats and marsupial carn­ the dangers of a drought. 'That's something ivores. Tiiese were least able to cope with more critical and liable to happen.' the changes to their environment, particul­ arly the introduction of sheep, cattle, rabb­ Belyando shire records show the area can its, foxes and cats. expect drouglit every 7 - 8 years. The wom­ But the accounts of early settlers suggest bats are well adapted to their arid environ­ some mammals were rare even when Cook ment, but droughts increase competition first sighted .Australian shores. These early for food from other mammals. Cattle graz­ rarities include the pig-footed bandicoot, ing will no longer pose a threat but kang­ the lesser bilby, and, most notably, the aroos and wallabies could be a problem, Queensland hairy nosed wombat (Lasior- Photo courtesy of National Parks and Wildlife Service Wilkinson conceded there might be the hims bamardi). need to reduce competition from these Wombats today are mostly confined to eastern Australia suggests the species had continue, and in 1974 a seven year grazing marsupials but refused to say how. Trapping temperate southern Australia, so it comes as already fragmented into small and isolated permit was granted on the wombats' hab­ or shooting inside a national park would a surprise that there is a tiny wombat pop­ relict populations. itat - all national park. certainly be controversial, but Wilkinson ulation in tropical Queensland - at Epping Efforts to save the species began in 1965 Yet surveys of the area indicated grazing said. '1 don't know what we'd actually Forest west of Mackay. It is even more sur- when the Queensland Museum visited Epp­ was a threat to the wombats' survival. Cattle do'. p.nsing that the nearest relatives of this relict ing Forest to see if wombats still survived. were eating and trampling grass on which the To assist the wombats, National Parks wombat live on the arid plains of South Their discovery of series of fresh wombat wombats fed, and were damaging the marsu­ may retain the additional water supplies Australia - 1,400 km distant. burrows prompted the National Parks pials' sleeping burrows. put in for cattle. The Department has also branch of the Forestry Department to pro­ In 1979 National Parks approached the considered the strategy of sending in hay as The first hairy-nosed wombats found in pose a national park for the area. Eastern Australia were at Deniliquin, in New World Wildlife Fund requesting funds to emergency drought food. But according to South Wales. Discovered in 1884, they were The lessees of the land objected. A family fence the park from cattle. A grant was pro­ Wilkinson there was no real contingency exterminated by 1909. A second population of cattle graziers, they argued that they had vided, and last August the fence was erected. plan, as the problem has not yet arisen. was found in 1891 near St George, inland protected the wombats and would continue The seven year grazing lease finally ex­ Fire is the third problem. Locals who have southern Queensland. Three specimens coll­ to do so. The matter lapsed. pires this May; then at last the cattle will be been burning the area for decades say the ected there were the last ever seen. In 1968 the family approached the Lands removed. wombats become confused by smoke and A tliird population, described as recently Department asking that the land be sub­ National Parks researcher Gordon Wilkin­ start wandering about. National Parks have as 1939, is the only surWving colony. A divided. As a condition of the subdivision, son said it was normal for his department to yet to decide whether burning the park small group of wombats live a precarious 6580 acres were set aside as national park - allow grazing leases to run their full course should become a normal management prac­ existence in the small, arid Epping Forest an area covering most of the wombat hab- in new national parks. He said the wombats tice. Many grassy habitats arc more product­ west of Mackay. itat. The wombats were safe. Or so it seem­ had been monitored to ensure the grazing ive with regular firing, but the effect of Tlie rarity of these wombats even at the ed. was not too destructive. smoke and fire on wombats is uncertain. turn of the century shows they were in dec­ The Forestry Department had failed to When grazing stops will the wombats be Overall, the future of wombats seems far line well before the arrival of Europeans. allocate any funds for improvements to the safe at last? Not necessarily, according to from secure. Even around Epping Forest That they were never found elsewhere in park. They also allowed cattle grazing to Wilkinson. He conceded that floods, drought the species has recently shrunk in range. Areas of uneven ground around the colony indicate former burrow systems that have since collapsed. And the residents of the area attest to wombat colonies that no in the old Miocene deposits indicates they longer exist. were native to Australia, not immigrants. Studies suggest the wombats have not The mihirungs were endemic to Australia, declined in the last four years, but the an­ Prehistoric finds as their fossils have not even been found in imals are so shy they are rarely seen, and the nearby New Guinea. population estimates are crude and unrel­ tn prehistoric times, Australia had a richer and more diverse bird fauna- Dr van Tets says the mihirungs were the iable, including huge flamingoes - than It does today, according to scientists from largest birds that ever lived, dwarfing the Wilkinson is uncertain why the species CSIRO and Monash University. emu. They lived side-by-side with the emus has declined. He postulates that clearing and cassowaries of Pleistocene Australia. and grazing upset the habitat in recent Australia stretching back more than 20 but were not reieatcd. years, but cannot explain its rarity in earl­ Dr P.V. Rich of Monash University in The miliirungs were equipped with Victoria, and Dr Gerry van Tets of CSIRO's million years. ier times. 'It may have been induced by Some of the most recent fossil finds enormous, very strong beaks. aborigines or climatic changes, we'll prob­ Division of Wildlife Research in Canberra, Dr van Tets believes the extinction of say, however, that fossils of what were have come from Miocene deposits at Lake ably never know.' Pinpa in South Australia, north-west of the fiamingoes and the mihirungs may have If the species becomes extinct it will be a believed to be uniaue bird species from the occured relatively recently, perhaps during Pleistocene epoch (10,000 - 2 million years Broken Hill, and pleistocene deposits in great loss to science and society, while the other parts of the L^e Eyre basin. the great drought induced by the last glacial southern hairy-nosed wombat {Lasiorhinus before tire present) have in many cases been period, lasting from 17,000 to 8,000 years Fossils have also been found of three latifrons) of South Australia has been stud­ found to be relatives of modem Australian ago. birds. species of flamingo, one of them larger ied in detail, little is known of its northern relative. than any in the world today. Another was He says Aboriginal legend refers to the Dr van Tets says that among the ex­ a small, now extinct species, and the third mihirungs being dive 'when the mountains Elsewhere in Queensland wombats occur ceptions are some Australian flamingoes, was probably the greater flamingo, still spouted fire' - probably a reference to only in the southern Granite Belt near a group not represented in the contment common today in Africa and the Americas. volcanoes m Victoria's Westem EMstrict, Stanthorpe and Wallangara. These are the today, and a family of giant birds called Despite the presence of other flamingo which were last active about 8,00G years common wombat of south eastern Aust­ the mihirungs. species in various parts of the world, and ago. ralia, {Vombatu^ ursinus). Both appear to have vanished - about their absence from Australia, Dr van Tets 10,000 years ago, after a long history in says the presence of further flamingo fossils

SEMPER, 9 April, 1981 15

*^How I lost my virginity.. /'

— From previous pane — up when suddenly she kicked off her shoes, My friend on the other hand, claimed pulled up her dress and slid off her panties. that she had multiple orgasms and insisted Boy! I was really stunned. It must have been on doing it again instantly. She always obvious too because she said, "Well don't exaggerrated, just sit there gawking do something!' I stood up - dropped my jeans to my knees - stepped forward and fell over TRAUMATICJ-MaleatlB. (luckily not on her}, I finally clammered on top of her and to my horror and mount­ It was at the local church dance. In the ing embarrassment I couldn't find the sixties, dances were really something else. 'opening'. The girls sat along the wall and when the 'I can't find it!', I whispered. band started up the guys would stroll across 'Can't find what?', she hissed. the floor and ask them to dance. If you 'Yours!', I replied. happened to be fifteen, skinny and siy 'Here, I'll guide you', she said. crossing that floor was like going over the Well I don't know if it was having a girl's trenches. hand on my penis for the first time or the The band started playing 'Love me do' trauma of the whole ordeal because about virgin so I figured It must have been men­ - I took a deep breath and crossed the two seconds after entering her I climaxed. sense of guilt in its followers. Even when strual bleeding. My mind raced, 'Christ, you've got nothing to be guilty about and floor to ask this girl for a dance. She seemed 'What, already!', she said in a castrating what would mum say, I couldn't very your feeling pretty good about it - Bingo! - bored, she had her head down and was tone. well say i cut myself shaving'. a sin of pride. just staring at the floor. I said, 'Excuse me'. I stood up, pulled up my jeans and She looked up and it was then that 1 saw helped her up. She muttered something The next morning i headed off to work Something a priest once said kept going that she was a lot older than me. When I about it getting late - said goodbye and early, i couldn't face the family over break­ through my mind; 'If you have sex with a think back I guess she couldn't have been headed off home. I bet I put her off shy, fast. As I walked along Adelaide St. on the girl before you get married it shows lack anymore than eighteen but when you're skinny, fifteen year olds for life, way to the office I dropped a brown paper of respect for her. Always remember that fifteen even sixteen seems ancient, I asked I went back to the dance but didn't bag into a rubbish bin. it contained the one day that girl may be someone's mother'. her if she vanted to dance and to my sur­ stay long. I had the feeling everybody blood-stained shirt and briefs. I felt really Not that I could really imagine the girl at prise she said 'Yes, please'. knew what I'd been doing. It was like I guilty and nervous, it was like disposing of the dance with a tribe of sprogs but I still She must have fancied, shy, skinny, had 'fornicator' emblazened across my a body. I half expected to feel a heavy hand felt guilty about it. fifteen-year-olds because it wasn't long forehead. I headed off home with 'Rock on my shoulder. Anyhow, it was almost a year before I before we finished up in the scrub behind around the clock' ringing in my ears. Over the next few days I did a lot of soul made love to anybody again and that was a the hall on a plastic rain coat engaged in I got home and started to get undressed. searching. I felt really unclean about the really beautiful experience. I suppose its what was quaintly known then as 'heavy As I undid my jeans I looked down and whole affair. It still seemed like I had that a case of doing It at the right time with the petting'. Until that time my experience froze - there was blood all over my under­ 'fornicator' sign on my head. I suppose it right person for the right reasons. Its a pity was limited to a bit of harmless kissing pants and the bottom of my shirt. I checked ail had something to do with my Catholic that for so many of us the first time is such and cuddling at school dances. and found I wasn't bleeding, it must have upbringing. If there's one thing about the a traumatic guilt trip. We were starting to get pretty worked been hers. I was fairly sure she wasn't a Catholic church it really instils a healthy

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18 inT6RVI6UU- Errol Bray Theatre as a force for change Errol Bray's play 'The Choir' outraged Bris­ bane's critics recently with its use of homosexual sex and castration. LAURIN McKINNON spoke to him about the themes behind his plays and his work with children's theatre.

Would you like to give some idea of the less, and has happened with the critics here storyline of The Choir. in Brisbane. Just because someone swears It is a play set in an orphanage where on stage or because a play has castration in there's a prize winning choir. They have won it, will every other play have castration in it? a competition three years in a row. The There may be some plays that are absolutely matron gets this idea in her head that if brilliant that have castration in them, and she castrates the choir then they'll keep their others that are dreadfully written, tasteless voices and they'll keep on winning. So she pieces of rubbish. So the very fact it has that does, but she doesn't check up on all medical in it doesn't itself mean anytliing. It does facts and she's castrating them much too late. mean that writers are looking to write plays That simply becomes a symbol for what, I that have force, passion and emotion behind think, institutions generally do to children them. You don't get it on television. Tele­ - to all of us, really. People make a lot of vision is so cold. But in the theatre you can absurd decisions and our lives are run by get very strong emotions so lets have them them. and lets try and say something a bit differ­ ent through theatre. The play received loud reviews from The Nimrod production had a discussion Sydney. Some of them are bad, 'theatre every Thursday night and at least a hundred of violence', 'promotion of anarchy', 'phys­ people stayed each time. I went to those ically revolting' and 'paranoid claptrap'. Is discussions and the audience was very sup­ this the kind of response you expected from portive. We never had any screamers or the play? people hopping about saying filth, rubbish I was rather surprised, actually that some and all that sort of stuff. of those critics were prepared to reveal their own hangups so violently in public, wliich JTie Qioir lias been called sexist. Do you was wonderful. In fact, they guy who wrote have any feelinp about that? 'paronoid claptrap* was virtually saying, There's a bit of a problem with it because I'm satisfied with society, I've got a good the very fact that it's so powerful. A lot of job, I'm O.K. Jack; stop whinging. That's people come out and say Alih! But you didn't what a number of very soUd, respectable say anything about women. And I've been middle class people think about the play. criticised a lot for what 1 did say in the play. 1 suppose I'm one of the few playwrights The problem was that the symbol of cas­ who actually attacks the middle-class in the tration doesn't apply all that effectively to theatre and as they constitute the main women. I either had to give up that story audience for the theatre it's a bit suicidal. and not write it at all or say, well, it does But if you keep a bit of balance then it can run the risk of dealing mainly with the male work. I think my plays will always work far part of the population. I think all the ideas more with a younger audience. People who of oppression can be carried over into wo­ are solidly entrenched into the system and men's rights, but not as obviously as they have made sure the system works for them, apply to men. This is the reason it is called are going to tend to say this is nonsense. sexist. Someone asked why wasn't the person who ran the orphanage a man. That would said any patients we have in here who arc got to politely not say it on stage. 1 think Do you feel you should qualify using have brought up all sorts of homosexual homosexual must be cured. Yet they tested that diows a really bleak attitude and a violence and sex in the Choir? connotations which are already in the all their nurses before they got the job and really double think thing of 1984. As long No I don't. There is a way of using play. I worry a bit that the play may be the tests told if you were homosexual or noL as it's on television, on the news and in the violence and sex on stage. I try to jolt saying bad things about homosexuals. Tliis So they knew they were employing homo­ newspaper, you're safely distanced from it. people's expectations a little bit. Jolt tliem is a view of sexuality of anyone put in tlus sexuals. Homosexual nurses were treatiiig But v^en someone puts it on stage and out of their normal way of thinking so that pressure situation and oppressed and so on. people for tlreir homoscxuaUty - it was mixes a bit of emotion with it and says they take a different point of view while It would be very easy for people to say, jl^st bizarre and absurd. look you relate to this ... It's funny quite the play runs. But some directors hook into he's having a go at homosexuality, and say­ a few parents come up to me after they see that and make a vice out of it. I think that ing that homosexuals are all like this. Has that beat performed yet? The Choir. A woman said, what, you're the Nimrod production,- for example, was No, it's never bwn done. It's a bit more really saying is children should be aUowcd too violent. I was shocked by it myself. You've written several plays with a violent than The Choir, actually it's pretty to do anything they want, aren't you? It was really unnecessary. That's why I've homosexual theme, haven't you? horrific. Yet the thing that's most horrific Which of couise, is absolute nonsense. No been so pleased with the Brisbane pro­ There are three that have homosex­ about it and which most people who read way would I ever say that. But they get a duction. Bryan Nason is a sensitive director uality as part of the play. I wouldn't nec­ it don't know, is that it's all true. little cdgey that peihaps they're not doing and he's done some beautiful things with essarily say that they had homosexual People talk to me about how I image the right thing, I think it's ratlier good. the production. themes. My first play, was about nurses these things and think them up. The week in a mental hospital and what that instit­ that The Choir was being woikshoppcd in The Choir undoubtedly has a gizy follow­ Canberra, I read this story in the news­ 'Romans in Britain' had a lot of trouble ution does to them. There's a lot of homo­ ing, h that group specifically catered for? sexuality involved because at the time I papers, for everyone to read, about a man I remember many years ago when Aus­ with Mary Whitehouse. She actually put a in American vdiose eight year old son canic law suit on that particular play, for por­ knew some nurses in a mental hospital tralian plays first started coming back into and a lot of them were homosexual, les­ home late from school so the man got a pair our theatres. Everyone rushed to sec things traying certain scenes which sound similar of scissors, cut the boy's penis off and flush­ to those in The Choir. Have you received bians and male homosexuals. I was horr­ like Don's Party, The Rcmovalists and dl ified that the institution they were working ed down the toilet Those things arc happen­ that sort of stufT. One of the things that was any reaction of that kind? ing around us all the time and yet you've This is the thing that I think is so mmd- in treated homosexuality as a disease, and -Continued on page 22—

SEMPER, 9 April, 1981 19 Commonwealth Bank

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20 FICTIOn Err^ly, myErr^fy

A Short Story by JOHN CLARK

Emily won't speak to mc. She just sits there staring at mc. Staring, staring, staring. GLiring. Saying nothing. Maybe it was something I did. Maybe it was something 1 said. Maybe I shouldn't have called her a slut- "I'm sorry, Emily, I didn't mean to hurt you." I rub my red eyes. But still she doesn't respond. Emily won't speak to me. She just sits there in the back of the lifeboat staring at me. Staring, staring, staring. Glaring. Saying nothing. She's been like that for tliree days now. .\nd I'm worried. I'm going crazy. "Speak to me Emily, speak to me please." Silence. "Whisper sweet nothings into my car." Silence. "I'm sorry EmDy, I didn't mean that, sweetheart," What am I doing? yfhzt am I saying? I'm going crazy. She used to speak to me, you know. She used to whisper sweet nothings into ray ear. Ah, Emily was so romantic, once. She used to smile at me and say, "I love you I love you I love you." She used to smile at me and say, "Fuck the living daylight out of mc, big boy'." Emily is like that. Her moods change a lot "Speak to mc! I've got to hear your voice!" Emily, my Emily, is my only companion in this motion­ less lifeboat Emily, my Emily, is my only reason for still being aUve. Emily, my Emily, is my life size inflatable doll. And I just resized I'm going crazy. I'm frightened-1 grab the silver canteen, and swallow a mouthful of water, nervously. ItspiDs from my trembling lips. "Get a grip on yourself!" I tell myself quite firmly. "Haha." And I laugh at the joke I made. "Get a grip on yourself? Hahal" I've been doing little else for the past four days. I masturbate a lot It's a Qlthy habit, I know. But I can't think of any­ thing else to do. I'm going crazy. Emily's a good looking chickl She reminds me of lot of my wife. She's got soft blue eyes, and blonde hair, and brown thighs, and smooth skin, and long slender legs, and a pretty face, and breasts the size of rock mclocs. I love her. And she won't speak to me. And I'm going crazy. It's been weelcs now, I think, yeah, three-four-five weeks since the ship went down, I think. I can still bear the screams burning in my ears. They're dead now, all dead, but the screams still remain. I can hear them. Sometimes they're so loud I can't sleep. Sometimes they're so loud I can't think. I remember the mad scramble for the Ufeboats. People screaming, nmning, falling, slipping in blood. I remember the fight the old man put up when I tried to take his bag. He was a .jeweller, and he carried that black bag with him everywhere. I thought it must have contained about a million dollars in diamonds, and rubies, and sapphires. It didn't It contained Emily. I had to kill him to get the bag. I didn't want to. He put up such a fight, biting, and scratching, and clawing, and spitting blood. He was ihad. He fell and hit his head I know it's acid because the other day I slipped a hand Ocean Cniisc. Why did tlie Captain have to get drunk? on a desktop. It was an accident I didn't mean to kill Why did the crew have to get stoned out of their skulls? him. into it and now I've only got a single finger left on my right hand. Why did the engines have to blow up? Why, why why? Jesus! I kiOed a man for a life size inflatable doll. I've dressed and bandaged the wound, but it still hurts I was lucky to get out alive. There were three hundred Jesus! It was worth it sometimes. people on board the ship, and I was the only one that got What am I saying? I'm gomg crazy. out 1 can still hear their screams. I was lucky. The explosion "Speak to mc, Emily!" I hope tliey come and rescue mc from this God forsaken ocean. nearly sank the lifeboat It knocked mc out I must have Emily just sits there in the back of the lifeboat, saying been carried away, on the explosive swclL The ship's gone. nothing. I hope they come and rescue me and Emily. I love Emily. Emily is my wife. There's no wreckage left Nothing. The sea has swallowed Her voice recorder must be broken. Hey, maybe I could the dead. And now it's hungry for me. I can feel it watching, stick my hand down her throat, and fix it up. I'd be gentle, Ah Emily, how do I love you? Let me count the ways. I love you to the length and breadth and depth of this waiting. ever so gentle. It might only be a twisted tape loop, or a "I'm scared, Emily." jammed cog, or a fluff of dust in the machinery. She won't endless ocean. I love you to What am I saying? I'm going crazy. Emily is the most important thing in my life. It's the feel a thmg. I'll just reach down and tiny, unimportant things I like most about her. The way No! I couldn't do that to Emily. She's only a doll, a bloody doll, not flesh and blood and bones, not real, live, living. Only rubber and plastic she twirls strands of hair between her fingers when she's Frustrated, I ttim and look out across the sdll sea. and glue and pauit AdoU. thinking. The way her face broods when she thinks nobody's There's no wind. There's no sound but my own laboured "Speak to me, Emilyl" watching. The freckles on her face. Her ear lobes. Her breathing, and the ceaseless bleep-blccp-bleep of my bleepcr shiny plastic skin. sending out the distress signaL Emily does not reply. She just sits there in the back of the lifeboat, saybg nothing. Hey? I'm going crazy. Plastic skin? That's not Emily. The sea is pale white and shhnmciiDg. It's one great I shake my head rou(^y, and wipe the sweat from my sheet of waxed gjass. It's menactng, and eerie, and dca«L How did we get into this mess, anyway. It was supposed It's add. to be a pleasitte trip. A Women's Weekly Trans-Atlantic — ConUnu«d on foUbwIrig paga —

SEMPER, 9 April, 1981 21 But Emily hasn't moved. She's still lyuig BOOHS. — From previous page — there in a listless heap at the back of the life­ boat She wont move. She wont talk. She can't move. She can't talk. She's only a bun­ THE PENGUIN BOOK OF MODERN AUSTRALIAN VERSE: Edited by dle of plastic. I suddenly realise the truth. Harry Heseltine, Penguin, 1981. face. Everything will be alright Just stay That's only a life size inflatable doll with a calm. Think. Hold onto your mind. Forget hole in its plastic hide, over there. That's about her. Forget about that doll over there. not my Emily. Emily, my Emily, is a thou­ '50's, like Judith Wright and James McAuly, Forget how randy you arc. Hold onto your sand miles away from mc, mind. have been omitted. Heseltine has included I drop my left hand to my side, and play "Hello down there! Are you okay?" Tlie^njJiuliBtKjk, poems by a younger generation of Aus­ with the cuff of my trousers. My fingers of Alodmi'^s^ tralian poets, like Kevin Hart, Richard wander. They close around something solid. A gust of warm wind tussles my hair, Tipping and Michael Dransfield and Vicki and 1 look up into the burning sky. There's I lift it up slowly, and nonchalently examine Aiij5tinliaii\^(!i"se Viidikas. jt It's a book. It has a plain brown cover. a grey helicopter hovering there, firing a It's called "HOW TO MAKE LOVE TO A blast of air downwards from its spinning LIFE SIZE INFLATABLE DOLL." blades, sending rough ripples outward The introduction to the anthology is across the sea, rocking ray tiny lifeboat an interesting explanation of the 'modem like a cork. Australian verse' included in the book and Jesus! I remember now. It came with I'm saved, saved, saved. Emily. provides informative reading on its own. ^ I feci reality flooding back into my mind. The introduction praises the Queensland "Emily, I love you." I'm not crazy anymore, I know what I am, "What? Did you say something Emily?" who 1 am, where I am. I'm Roger Adams, University Press, for its efforts in the late "Don't tease mc Emily, please don't I'm a second-rate insurance salesman, and a 60's and early 70's, in producing its 'Paper­ tease mc. Speak to me. Don't be cruel." part-time thief. I'm alone on this lifeboat in back Poets' series, which Heseltine believes the middle of the Atlantic Ocean vrith a caused Brisbane to be the centre of literary Oh my God my God my God. She's shoddy life size inflatable doU that I stole activity during the period. hissing at mc. from a little old man after I killed him, Oh my God my God my God. She's I'm not crazy after all. sprung a leak. The chosen poems are without exception, I tried to fix her up with a bandage, They'll be picking me up soon. I'm going brilliant. From Aboriginal poet Jack Davis's, "Warru", 'A young man straight as a wattle' but it's no good. It won't hold. I'm sorry home. Back to Wangaratta. Back to Emily, Edited with an Introductioo' Emily. I don't have any patches, or glue, I'll wrap my arms around her, and hug her, ny Hefty Heseltine spear', to Richard Tipping's, "Mangoes", not even a bandaid. I tried Emily, I tried. and cuddle her waist, and slip my fingers 'Mangoes are not cigarettes'. Vicki Viidikas', If only I had a bandaid. I can't bear to look through her shiny hair, and kiss the freckles "The Whole Bag" and Brisfaanite David at her anymore. Emily, my Emily, just sits on her face, and tickle her earlobcs, and tell there in the back of the lifeboat, staring Maloufs "An Ordinary Evening in Hamil­ her I love her, ton". The winner of last year's 'Patrick downwards. She looks old, and very very Harry Heseltine, editor of the 'Penguin "I love you, Emily, I love you. And I'm White Literary Award', Bruce Dawe, is tired. not crazy anymore." Book of Australian Verse', and the 'Penguin Book of Australian Short Stories', has col­ featured with three poems including, "Enter She's crumpled, and shrunken, and wrink­ lected a fine anthology of most of Aus­ without so much as knocking", and Francis led, and shrivelled. She just sits there in a I can see them peering over the side, look­ Webb, whose poetry Heseltine sees as form- heap. And she wont speak to mc. ing down at me. They're coming to get me. tralia's noted poets, in 'The Penguin Book They'll be picking me up soon. They'll be of Modern Australian Verse'. mg the basis of most modem Australian I hide my face in my wet hands, and cry. verse, is another feature of the anthology. Emily, Emily, Emily. I whimper. I'm a very taking me home. emotional person. "I love you, Emily, I love you." Bruce Beaver, Judith Rodriguez, Chris Sniffling tears, I look up at the sky, and Heseltine explains that he has included Wallace-Crabbe and most of Australia's "Hello!" wave my arms wildly. poets whose careers were beginning in the modem poets, make 'The Penguin Book What? Did you say something, Emily? "I love you, Emily, I love you." mid 1950's. He sees it as a time when of Modern Australian Verse' an excellent "Hello there!" I cry. "Australian's sense of living in a 'post war anthology. She did. She did say something. She's I hope someone on board's got a band- period' began to give way to a new set of still alive. Emily is still alive! aid. perceptions about themselves." Poets who -SHVION STOCKS I wipe my eyes, and look up at her. had established their careers by the mid

-Continued from page 19- With The Choir the characters react to the only way for kids to have control of creatmg their own work we developed a homosexuality by saying, what we do their activity was to have their own space. community theatre as well. Over the period terribly important was that Australians were isn't poofy. They're very like kids of their With the help of a number of people I set of years we've educated the audience to have seeing themselves reflected on stage. I thing age, they're very concerned not to be called up an actual theatre which is in fact owned a really good understanding of what kids this is important for any group of people. poofs, but they still indulge in sexual act­ by children. It is a Co-operative and the are on about. Over a period of time, they've I work with a chDdren's theatre in Sydney, ivity. majority of our shareholders are children. I come to see that their children not only the Shopfront Theatre. The kids come to Also a number of homosexuals have think it's the only theatre in the world can make very sensible statements about those shows all the time to sec each other probably had, like other people, fairly that is actually owned by children. It's a the world, but do have feelings about because they create the plays themselves. severe experiences in institutions, like very big space. It's a 300 seat theatre, two sexuality, about control of theh lives and Seeing yourself on stage makes you im­ school and boarding school. Because of old shops and a house. The main basis of the so on. That's been really heartening to see portant, it make what has happened to you their homosexuality, they've probably been work there is the kids doing work themselves. the way parents have reacted to that and important. much more aware of the oppression in those The plays are created by kids about their have accepted and appreciated it. institutions. Some homosexuals have said own lives and about their own experiences. That's what's happening in the homo­ that because of their sexuality the pressures I've never written any plays for the younger One line in the play says, theatre never sexual response to The Choir. They are on them were so much greater, than on people there. I don't write plays for the changed anything. Is that meant satirically? seeing on stage a group of people who are anyone else. I think they probably relate normal body of young people there be­ ^ It's really a bit of a playwright's joke. incidently involved in homosexual act­ to any oppressed group. The funny thing' cause it is very important that they create It's in the second scene in the play actually, ivities. It's not like The Boys in the Band is tliat a lot of women have reacted to the their own work. where one of the characters who knows which looked at this bunch of very carefully play very positively and very strongly. I everything, Colin, says he wants to be a selected homosexuals who were all react­ think any group who are aware of their politician because they can change thuigs ing to their homosexuality in different ways. oppression will relate to that play. Ifas The Choir created through Shop- front? but theatre never changes anytWng. It's a point lost. You're saying this to a theatre You mentioned Shopfront, you've had No, it was created while I was there because I was so disgusted with the way audience so you see I can't lose. If the a very strong involvement in that haven't theatre audience goes away and says they're you? Would you like to explain? the funding bodies were treating us. The red tape, the bureaucracy and the general put­ right, theatre doesn't change anything, I've Well, I created it, I set it up. ting down of what kids were doing, I was won. Or if they go away and say this play I was doing work with kids in various pretty cranky and so I sat down and vwote will make me change then I won out too. theatres in Sydney but it was always tacked that play to make a really strong statement But, I suppose, it was written out of fear on to an adult theatre. The kids never about how kids are oppressed. Of course, that something as powerful as theatre really had any control. It occured to me that once I start writing something I always wasn't working as well as it should and that find I'm not totally in control, the material I think it's a pity. Also it primes the audience controls it. When I read it afterwards I up to let them know that I would really elUI ^W mJ* BRISBANE thought, my god, if we do this with children, like this play to change them. people will come and bum the place down. I think it has changed a lot of people We'd only been going a couple of years at a personal level. It won't create revol­ •HeKawasaki then and we really weren't strong enough, ution, or have people running down streets Phone-52.8804 52.8894 I think we could possibly do it now. Although and burning schools or any of the other PHIL eenumonr I'd like to hang off a little longer and just see things people might fear. But I think it has TO OF MOlMAINoyiGW) what general reaction is the various pro­ had a quiet revolution amongst a lot of yproAunr w RocKariB«& CAVNO: moTORcycLU ductions that are gomg on. people on a personal level. A number of f-WUNWWUPtJa UOKfWtKJMT CAWH^*" 41 ALLISON ST people have spoken to me after the play •n»»*aA«rt(iuPntw MAYNE and told me that. I think theatre is a force Homosexudity is an incredible to-do, 522115-522116 especially for adults. for change aligned with many other events SECOND-HAND Oh yes, it's amazing. I thmk this has in socieiy and many other faistitutions in society. BIKE SPEQALISTS been one of the major advances we've made at Shopfront Because the kids have been

22 .enviRonmeriT- Eadng Around the Bush

The rise of the alternative society in the 70s meant a re'iectioi} by many of their materialistic lifestyles and a return to rural living. Alternative (ifes^les in Australia became based around European models of agriculture and animal husbandry. But despite the ethos of the 'back to used with both a botanical text to identify nature' movement, the Australian bush the plants, and a craft book to use them. remained alien and hostile. 'Hippies' had In the case of fish poisons this is just as trouble relating to the dark, murky scrubs, well. The Cribbs list many plants that can and like their ancestors 100 years ago, set be crushed and thrown into water to stun about converting their lands into myth­ or kill fish. This practise is obviously des­ ological gardens of Eden. tructive, and is abused in parts of South In 1975 Alan and Joan Cribb published a East Asia. Unfortunately the Cribbs adopt book that laid the foundations for a new a cavalier attitude to the subject, and apart relationslrip with the bush. The Cribbs, from a brief comment in the book's preface, botli botanists, had researched the manu­ they fail to stress its illegality. scripts of early explorers and anthropol­ Criticisms aside, the book has much ogists, and produced a chatty book 'Wild value. The Cribbs live in Brisbane (Alan food in Australia', describing most of heads the University of Queensland Botany Australia's edible plants. They showed that Department), and their bias towards plants any patch of scrub, anywhere in Australia, of Queensland is helpful for those living could be utilised as a source of food and there. water. 'Wild Food in Australia' was a means Gardeners familiar with the weed black Figs IFicus) have fibre used for rope making. to overcome the alienation and hostility niglUshade {Solatium nigrum) will be de- The sticky sap has been smeared on twigs to of the Australian bush. The murky scrubs liglited to know the juice of its (edible) capture small birds. could become wild gardens laden with sour purple berries can be used as ink. The Black Nightshade (Solanum nig­ berries and fibrous yams. leaves of lantanna and sandpaper figs make rum) has edible berries with juice that can be used as ink. Unfortunately those buying the book fine sandpaper. Banksia cones can be soaked soon discovered its limitations. It had few with dripping and used as candles. And illustrations and gave sparse advise on stinging nettle fibre can be spun to make identification. While most readers could linen. recognise edible pigweed and prickly pear The chapters on grazing plants, timber cactus, few could identify other common trees, and honey-producing flowers will edible plants such as Murdannia graminea not be useful to most people, while and Pothos longipes. The book was only 'Dyemaking Witli Australian Flora' by the usable by botanists, or in conjuction with Handweavers & Spinning Guild of Victoria well illustrated plant texts. is a mors practical text on vegetable dyes Cribbs' book also annoyed anthropol- than Cribbs' section. Their advice on tan­ o^sts, who tried to use it as text on abor­ ning leather is useful, as are many snippets iginal foods, a purpose for which it was of practical information throughout the never intended. The need still exists for book - such as how to extract caster oil such a book; at present there is not even a from the common castor oil plant, complete list of abori^nal foodplants. Despite its limitations, 'Useful Wild Recently the Cribbs published a second Plants' is an important addition to the book 'Useful Wild Plants'. This complements growng literature of alternative technol- *Wild Food', and describes non-dietary og>'. The Cribbs are presently working on uses for plants - tanning, dyeing, rope- the tliird book in the triology - a guide making, etc. The book will be welcomed to natural Australian medicines. This will by the alternative society, but it suffers be awaited with interest and caution - many the same problems as its predecessor. Plant toxic plants have been used for their sup­ descriptions are inadequate, and it has posedly therapeutic effects. even fewer illustrations. -TIM LOW Samphire (Salicornia qutnquaflo- The Cribbs are efficient at literature USEFUL WILD PLANTS IN AUSTRALIA ra), a source of soda for soap research, but have not backed this up with by A.B. & J.W. Cribb. Collins, Sydney. Supplejack (Flagsllaria indica) has been used to make baskets, fen­ making, practical application. They provide many Hardback $15.95, paperback not yet avail­ ces, traps and roofs. Ttie shoots are edible. references to obscure uses of plants, but able. Illustrations by TIM LOW very little advice on how to make rope, soap, or perfume. Their book needs to be

^_ I ^^ "^ YOa BICYCLED TO THE BEACH Environmental Games ADVANCE 2 SPACES

Two environmentally-conscious board games for children are available at the Environment Outlet Bookshop, 170 Ann Street, Brisbane.

The Habitat Game, published by the NSW was published by Uie Queensland Conserva­ National Parks and Wildlife Service, shows tion Council with a grant from tlie Inter­ the dependance of animals on certain envir­ national Year of the Child Conunittee. onments. "Allwhere" animals hop around The game requests players to make their the board on the throw of dice, hii\dered own markers from recycled materials; these or aided by features of the environment. are moved around the board at the throw In the desert, for example, a hot sun means of dice. The game rewards'and penalizes missmg a turn, while a rain storm is a boost right and wrong activities while on an forward. illustrated holiday. Activities earning The game is briglitly coloured and decor­ bonuses include cyclmg and using public ated with many animals; a system of reward transport, and writing to the Prime Minister cards teaches children to associate animals that the Barrier Reef be saved. Penalties are witli their habitat. The game's serious short­ for breatliing m pollution, disturbuig wild Bicycles are quiet, clean and coming is its failure to mention human animals, and bringuig pets into national efficient — and a lot of hrn. Is it destruction of habitats - there is no "Miss parks. The game is amply illustrated al­ safe and pleasant to ride to school a turn because of logging and overgrazing". though the colours are sombre and un­ from your home? It sells for $1.25. „ appealing. It costs only 20c. The second game, "Gomg on Hobdays , ^^ ^ -TIM LOW From 'Going on Holiday^' From The Habitat Game' 23 SEMPER. 9 April, 1981 moving the pight clrdes with Sanyo fr- % 'At X^J^'i'"t^y ':\-». Ai>>?).*ai j .V'r.'-f .^" (•^viwm^* m m CZ1201L: 5 YEAR BAHERYLIFE* •>i:i:/ • Polar/rectangular j^^r.-?.'.:?:^)^^^^'-. 7 conversion --V « Permutalions/ combinations ^ • 3 levels of parentheses ^^< ..,.. • Faster operation than ^A^^'; ""'••fet ^:^' •A"y ever before • 1 independent ^uy memory • All irig and log i-**. functions • 3 year guarantee I<--K • Povi/er, inverse power and '.^• factorial functions • Conversion for jjjf. decimal degrees/degrees, minutes 'i,<.j and seconds • Statistical calculations — rr rtiean variance and standard deviation (n and n-1 formula), sum and sum of squares, • s-^/ V Vo • Scientific notation • Handy protective wallet \Sy • Automatic on-otf system with Lithium battery means at least 5 years' battery life ^ • Means replacement battery FREE if required within Syears Of purchase 3 n^ 95 ^^X EXEMPT r^iA^f .^- , •^yui 24 lor, £l^»it«. CZ1203:3 YEAR GUARANTEE! J.Tt/ • 1 independent memory • 2 levels of CX1231 CALCULATOR parentheses • All trig and log functions ^Smi • Features 10.000 hours battery life • Scientific notation • Hyperbolic • Power PrS'v^'!^ inverse power, permutation, comcombinationb ' • 8 digit display m it??tMr^^ and factorial functions • Faster opoperatio( n than « Percentage & Square Root keys \'i^: >. I M^^^Wr^^, ever before • Conversion for polar to • Addressable memory ijj-.'j»y/,rr-:vs^ rectangular and decimal degrees/degrees • Liquid crystal display $1195 V*,i^l§i^^^3 "^'""*^s ^"^ seconds • Statistical calculations (big & visable in daylight). || — mean, variance and standard deviation 'i%i (n and n-1 formula), sum and sum of squares TAX EXEMPT • Normal distribution permutations and combinations etc. • Lithium battery/2,000 -i- operating hours batteiy lite! • Single key depression evaluates the probability density integral for normalised standard distribution. *Can last your entire tertiary career on leak-proof Lithium battery suppled, C^^HBJE T-. , $0^45 TAX EXEMPT r^s-

available at The Calculator Shop 600HS. Impr^siotis ofKusl\at}$c

SEVEN SIXES ARE FORTY-THREE: by Kiran Nagarkar, Translated by It is the inclusion of quick and clean Shubha Slee, University of Queensland Press. Cloth $12.95, Paperback $6.95. impressions like the above, which have no Asian and Pacific Writing 14 significance for the plot at the time, that SEIVEN SIXES ARE serve to colour the narrative and give it FORTY-THREE "When I was in the seventh standard the stant link. Much of the novel concerns itself depth. teacher said to me 'For heaven's sake, how The negative aspect of the discontinuous A NOVEL BY with his relationships with women; his aunt, KIRAN NAGARKAR can you write such blatant lies? Aren't you his friends, his lovers. narrative is that initially it leaves the reader ashamed of yourself? Seven sixes are fort}'- The setting both in time and place has up in the air. three? Now nib out that nonsense and write no continuity, no effort is made to main­ Wliilst the overall framework of personal the truth'." tain a traditional 'plot'. This style of a relationships and events in the novel, is clear discontinuous narrative is both the high­ at the conclusion, at the beginning the reader does not realize their significance. In Seven Sixes are Forty-Three, a novel light and the weakness of the novel. It's virtue is that it gives a fluidity and This is initially disconcerting and requires by Indian, Kiran Nagarkar, the truth still perserverancc. adds up to forty-three. The novel is told by apparent timelessness. This impression is heightened by the use of u peculiar mode This could have been alleviated by a more a young man Kushank. It depicts his ex­ definite introduction to the main character, periences, his love affairs, his perceptions of of writing that adds a tinge of the surreal. For example:- so that readers could identify him as the link the world. In many ways it is a dismal in all the relationships. portrait of life in India. Poverty forms a "We returned to the Victory Stall. backdrop to the lives of the characters of The young girl at the next table the novel. Death is a common occurance. looked like a Maharashtrian. The These difficulties are worth overcoming, However, the lasting impression is positive, carefully dressed man she was with, as the novel lias a distinctive individual and tills is largely due to the basic honesty, probably from her office, tried to hold perception of the world and everyday and easy manner of the novel. her left hand with his right. Her events. Once over the first bit, it is easy to Maharashtrian upbringing brought her read and involving. Well worth reading. The novel is a collection of impressions flat black handbag smartly down on -ANNETTE READ with the character of Kushank as the con­ it."

TURTLE BEACH: Blanche d'Alpuget. Penguin: Harmondsworth, 1981. barriers by presenting literature from Asia into a double-headed creature'. Judith's and the Pacific in English. marriage and her relationships with the This is the first volume of Korean short other characters fonn a main theme in the stories to appear in English translation. book - Minou, the zany French-Vietnamese It is difficuU after reading such a small wife of a high-ranking Australian diplomat, sample, to ascertain whether there is any­ and Kanan, the almost god-like Indian 'who, thing distinctly Korean about this literature. western educated though he was, was Indian The setting of some of the stories certainly down to the pale yellow tips of liis black fin­ differs from Australian settings both physic­ gers, and who had an Indian's vanity of omn-. ally and socially. However, 1 found difficulty iscience concerning the human heart'. in relating to these stories because they verge on the parochial and offer no means of They provide a continuous background identification. for the other major theme of the novel; For example one story 'Echoes' recounts the tragic pliglrt of the Vietnamese boat- the experience of a married couple who people in Malaysia. Blanche d'Alpuget her­ leave the city to settle on the land. The self has worked as a journalist in Australia, story follows their daily work, bits of con­ Indonesia and Malaysia, which no doubt versation, and the marked changes of the explains the historical accuracy and emot­ seasons. Though this may be an interesting ional understanding of the situation. The record of life on the land, since no insight book ends with the tragic climax of Minou's was given into the characters, and no par­ pathetic wait for her family to arrive on a ticular philosophy of life given, h fails to refugee boat on the East Coast Malaysian elicit a personal lasting response. beach where the giant sea-turtles gather to breed. Some of the stories do have a lasting 'Turtle Beach' has a certain sense of appeal due to the fact tliat they relate to Blanche d'Alpuget writes with a style futility, of the sad inevitability of life, MEETINGS & FAREWELLS; MOD­ issues common to all people - personal that commands attention - far from feeling that is reflected in characters throughout insecurity, personal relationships, social re­ that I had to concentrate, I was drawn in tlie novel. It is not a book to be read if you ERN KOREAN STORIES: Edited by lationships. Some of the stories arc written by the atmosphere of 'Turtle Beach'. From are in need of cheering up, but 1 would Chung Chong-wha, Uni verity of Qld with a tinge of the surreal, and these are an aesthetic point of view alone the author certainly recommend it as thought-provok- Press. 1980. particularly appealing, is successful. She manages to capture the ing reading. „L1NDA HERON The aim of the Asian and Pacific Writing 'Wearing Thin' for example relates the peculiar beauty of Australia in passages of Series is to break down cultural and language simple description - 'The rainclouds had story of a family waiting for the return cleared, leaving a summer evening the of the father's eldest daugliter. It is evident colour of goldilsh .skin against which the ; that the daughter will never return but that mountains stood detached, spiky and the waiting is a ritual which keeps the family black.' Just as easily, she is able to evoke together. The air of frustrated lives and the atmosphere of Kuala Lumpur - 'The relationships is cleverly maintained by a COMICS constant banging noise the source of which air outside the hotel felt as sticky as warm beer and was laden with the sounds and cannot be identified. iLOYDS' Another notable feature of this and scents of intense, competitive small-scale capitalism'. bookshop other stories, is a frankness about human At no stage could the book 'Turtle life. Beach' be considered riveting adventure. For example, If is more of a study of changing emotions, BOOKS for PLEASURE "The way the old man fingered his mole, he looked a whimpering child." set against a backdrop of the contrasting BOOKS for RESEARCH cultures of Australia and Malaysia. The BOOKS for INTEREST Such graphic and frank observations serve central character, Judith Wilkes, is a jour­ to create a closeness which is lacking in nalist, whose marriage to a successful (and LLOYDS OFFER SHELF many of the stories. predicatably arrogant) lawyer provides ample HELP FOR EVERYONE fuel for Blanche d'Alpuget's own particular In conclusion then, the book suffers form of social comment. She uses a gentle WE ALSO BUY BOOKS MARVEL COMICS and BOOKS from the fact that it is a collection. Wliilst ^ sarcasm that never becomes vicious - 'they SHOP 12 bought and sold at BASEMENT some of the stories arc worthwhile reading, were known at first as a handsome couple I do not think it is worth reading the whole and, later, as a perfect couple. They were ELIZABETH ARCADE BOOK EXCHANGE at our 182 EDWARD STREET shop collection. joined in common speech as Judith-and- -ANNETTE READ Richard and in people's minds they grew

SEMPER, 9 April, 1981 25 .music.

This is proven by Violent Love, a tongue- But sometimes I'm so aimless that in-cheek ballad, and in the title track which I drift back to the beach has a late fifties-early sixties feel to It. And there are times I float around No Mo Do Yakamo is another song where for days. the band experiment with their .sound and Waiting for a wave find it works well. The song with its deep- If you have broad tastes in music, this voiced vocals and simple but effective album has a lot to offer. lyrics is one of the tracks which helps give -ASHLEY BOWEN A Case of the Shakes some variety and interest to cover up its poorer moments.. Though this record from Dr, Feelgood has a few weaknesses the music is enjoy­ able enough for the listener to forgive the faults. -MARK ARMSTRONG

J WAV E S MIKE BAT T CLOSER: Joy Division (GAP) JERMAINE: JermaineJackson (Astor) This album has just been released in •ft Jermaine Jackson has always appeared Australia, nearly a year after it appeared to be Michael's ambitious brother who in England. It is one of the first records to w also wanted to be the leading light in the come from the GAP record label which is 'V Jacksons, His solo releases, since leaving devoted to independent English music. The Jacksons, have been mainly uninspiring Closer has been greeted with universal 1 XgEJ^i ^^. and hence I continued to hold the belief critical acclaim. It is Joy Division's second Jt^^ that he was all ambition and no great talent. and final album. The lead singer, Ian Curtis However, during the period of his last committed suicide in May, 1980. After hear­ album, 'Let's Get Serious', a few things ing Closer one suspects that his death is part ARC OF A DIVER: Steve Winwood occured which gave him the confidence of a thematic publicity stunt. ^^B^^t^ (Festival) to act on his own. 'Let's Get Serious' was There is a temptation to be overcome by produced by Stevie Wonder and although Steve Winwood is one of Britain's most the task of describing why this album is the record is not great it was an improve­ highly regarded and distinctive musicians. brilliant and just recommend immediate ment and Wonder told him he was capable In the mid-sixties he played a central role purchase. (if not by name) in the Spencer Davis Group, of doing it himself. Needless to say. Wonder The music envelopes the listener in the probably best known for "Keep on Running". probably taught him a lot in the process. dark world of Joy Division and Ian Curtis. Then in 1967 formed Traffic with Chris Also Jermaine married the daughter of Even the titles of the tracks are suggestive, WAVES: Mike Batt (CBS) Wood, Dave Mason and Jim Capaldi. Two Berry Gordy, top dog in Motown. Influence for instance. Isolation, Atrocity Exhibition Since creating the Wombles about a years later he played in the transient 'super increased tenfold. How this affected his and The External. decade ago, Mike Batt has produced a group' Blind Faith with Eric Clapton, Ginger latest record, 'Jermain', is interesting. The next temptation to fight is stating Steeleye Span album, and released works Baker and Rick Grech. Traffic finally dis­ On side one he exercised his new found that Joy Division holds the future of rock featuring a variety of accomplished mus­ banded in 1974 and Winwood's self-titled freedom by writing or co-writing all the 'n' roll. The rhythms are often primitive, icians ranging from Chris Spedding to the solo album came out in 1976. songs as well as producing them. They compelling; yet the music holds a com­ sound fresh and belong to the classic motown London Symphony Orchestra, Arc of a Diver is virtually a total solo plexity and variety of levels that few rival. sound. "You Like Me Don't You" and effort - Winwood playing every instru­ The music is raw yet refined; sinister but "Little Girl Don't You Worry" are par­ Waves is a refreshingly adventurous ment and recording, mixing, engineering, beautiful; naive yet sophisticated. It is ticulariy good for their inventive backing album on which Batt employs a wide variet/ and producing the album. The result is a everything that rock should be except of musical styles and instruments, to portray characteristically soulful, rhythmic almost vocal arrangements. Jermaine has also joyous. the thoughts and surroundings of a seafarer. funky sound - unmistakably in the best taken various elements of style from Mo­ -ANNE JONES By juggling the parameters of tempo, lyrics, traditions of Traffic. If this is to be taken town greats and used them to good effect. instruments etc. the appropriate mood is as a criticism, it is my only one. "Little Girl Don't You Worry" is instru- mently very Wonder-like and vocally he cleverly, often subtly, evoked. Some tracks Viv Stanshall, one of three lyricists used often sounds like a young Marvin Gaye. are simple melodies, v^^ile others are pop, on the album, aids Winwood in his own That song also highlights the ability of latin or 'classic' orchestration eratically statennent to the listener in the title track. his voice In range and texture. punctuated with sax and guitar breaks or This time to the sky I'll sing if overlaid with a 'primal' drum beat. clouds don't hear me On side two Berry Gordy has had a The album starts calmly with Batt singing To the sun I'll cry and even if I'm hand and produced two disasters, one "The Winds of Change" blinded of which is a version of "Can I Change We can't go on anymore with this I'll try moon gazer because with My Mind" (best version by Roy Buchanan) notion. you I'm stronger which Is flat and uninteresting. They make Just saving to buy a ball and chain; Lean streaky itiusic spawned on the side two not worth the trouble. Seems it's all arranged... streets I can recommend side one but what I hear it but with you I had to go you do with side two is up to you. The Winds of Change are blowing -DAVID ST. JOHN hard in our direction. 'cause my rock and role is putting We can't go back we we can't on weight stand still; And the beat it goes on i^i^ The albums predominant mood is a Only the title track "Waves" fully uses the depth and versatility of The Amsterdam mixture of frustration and inspriation, Chamber Orchestra, which is combined with Winwood's powerful yet often constricted drums (Trevor Morals), bass (Frank McDon­ vocal style readily expresses both tempera­ ald) percussion (Frank Ricotti), keyboards ments. Drums, guitars, keyboards and vocals (Mike Batt), saxes (Mel Collins), and guitars mould to form an Intricate rhythmic full A CASE OF THE SHAKES: Dr. (Jim Gregan and others). The track chops band sound. The more sparse. Innovative Feelgood (EMI) and changes unpredictably - portraying 'Spanish Dancer' also hold together well. Dr. Feelgood are an English band who different facets of the ocean, using for It is a credit to Winwood's technical abil- have the pub rock/party style of music down instance a relentless drum beat Interspersed itys that the album does not come across to a fine art. The band produces a cheerful, with swirling strings, alarming guitar and as overdub on overdub. energetic sound but unfortunately most of satirical oboe. The selection of songs Is an even bal­ the album's lyrics deal with tired, old Further use of 'classical' instruments ance between the tender and the brash - subjects and have little purpose besides is relieved by lighter boppy tracks such as at times the lyrics are remarkably poignant. giving the vocalist words to sing. 'Portishead Radio" - thumpy beat, fast Go down babe a slot machine to But the record is not all bad, one high­ dicky guitar, and bright keyboards — rem- to take my dime light is Nick Lowe's song, Best in the World, iniscent of U.K. Squeeze. Cunning diversion to pass the time which has the vocalist shouting out a fast- The second side of the album is mainly Second-hand woman that's the way paced rock and roll number on what turns Instrumental, the tracks have a strong you are Second-hand woman out to be the album's best track. Lowe latin influence, and so conjure up images However, the trusty keyboards unfailing­ who produced the record Is responsible of exciting distant ports. This is in stark ly return on a joyous note, giving the album SOUND EFFECTS: The Jam (Poly­ for the Rockplle sound the band achieves contrast to the more reflective melancholy a very pleasant over-all feeling. A collectors gram) on the better rock and roll numbers like "Waiting for a wave" which Is simply vocals piece that would serve as a good Introduct­ In the 1979 and in the 1980 New Mus­ King for a Day and Who's Winning, over floating strings. ion to the music of Steve Winwood. ical Express Reader's Polls, the Jam swept When the band depart from their normal / know I make for places that -ASHLEY BOWEN to victory In almost all categories. Last sound they are at their most Interesting. they say I 'it never reach — Continued on followtng page —

26 music

— From previous page — track to bring a highlight to the second side. Like Victor Borge or Erik Satle. The notes It has the possibilities of a hollywood horror are the stuff of Nilsson humour. Every year they won amongst others best album, movie soundtrack, using pure orchestration. minute of Flash Harry sets you up for the single, guitarist, bass, drummer and Paul THE FALL The whole album uses old beats, samba, ' n .t next punchline, and not only are the prat­ Weller won Most Wonderful Human Being. tangos and such, but with added electronic falls unpredictable and perfectly tuned, The Jam have captured the imagination of pulse. but their lead-ups are great too! the English people. The only critisim I have, is that addiction Unfortunately and inexplicably, they has set in. I now need my daily hit of Visage. The problem is this though; Flash Harry have had little success in Australia. They -JENNI BIRD is lush and beautiful like say 'Gaucho' - have had no hits and their albums are but its a piss-take! Harry can run rings ignored. 'Going Underground', a recent round almost everyother singer and song­ single, went directly to number one in writer, but he couldn't give a shit! England and nowhere here. One begins to suspect conspiracy. Or perhaps they As the pinnacle of the album, a slow don't make film clips (they do!). sensuous piece of Smokey Robinson funk Whatever the reason, the Jam deserve called 'It's so easy' oozes from your speakers, to be popular in Australia. After four the next little ditty is waiting at the end of albums they are very much in top form, two minutes of magical fade: 'How long can reaching heights none could have predicted. disco on'. Soured Affects is a very good album. Slight example. They've used the 'Beazley Street' Harry Nilsson - v;ho else would start personal bias here, their last album 'Setting feel and theme on the trendy side of the Sons' is better, but these albums improve music business. on every listen. The original mod revivalist, Paul Weller Two mysterious characters appear once is still exploring mod themes especially in again on Grotesque; J. Temperance and songs like 'Boy about town'. His work is R. Totale XVII seem to be involved in real and relevant to English kids today. Smith's personal mythology. Musically Sound Affects is lyrical and melodic without ever slipping into the schmaltz of earlier work. A particularly 'W.M.C.-Blob 59' is nothing but throw- atrocious example is 'English Rose' from away trash, an atrociously recorded bit of the second album 'All Mod Cons'. On tape-meddling which, luckily, takes up very Sound Affects the music is strong and TRUST: Elvis Costello (WEA) little space on the second side. interesting without ever being overbear­ Albums that contain lines like 'Good ing. It is like the suits they wear: smart. manners and bad breath will get you no­ Mark E. Smith's vocals are hard-edged The tracks are uniformly good. High­ where' can't be all bad. And Trust isn't but often difficult to decipher, steady, lights are 'Pretty Green' and 'Monday' all bad; but it certainly could be better. busy drums are provided by Paul Henley which contrast giving the album's best and Craig Scanlan has added sharp guitar aspects. The punch of the first stands Elvis Costello is talented, exciting and riffs. against the fluid 'Monday'. interesting but on Trust he just isn't trying. The Jam certainly deserve recognition He is still using the same old idea, lyrically Also available is a single. 'Totally Wired' in Australia, perhaps Sound Affects can and musically, without developing them. is the accessible A side. The band changes his record with a song about himself written, achieve it. its techniques for this side of the single. sung and produced by Eric Idle and Chariie Costello brought the two minute track -ANNE JONES It could be the child of a marriage between Dore, "Harry". to new heights with his last album 'Get The Stranglers and Gang of Four. 'Putta He's a pretty nifty guy, Happy'. We had all hoped that Get Happy Block' on the B side has the band reverting Alv.-ays locks you in the eye. was a watershed for Elvis. But the changes to its own kind of norm. haven't occured. If he isn't going to come Everybody passing by will sigh. up with new ideas at least he could do For Harry... oohk Harry. Mark E. Smith describes the album as something different with the old ones. Come and share a joke or two. "strange", but the band's manager disagrees Come and have a smoke or two. "It's everybody else who's strange. Every­ You can have some coca- Nick 'Slap it down, turn it up' Lowe must body's over producing and they're the ones Cola too... with Harry. shoulder a lot of the blame. Lowe has who're wrong". produced all of Costello's albums. As an artist Lowe is the ultimate eclectic, as- a If you have an adventurous taste in And fini^ the album with a delightfully producer he has a certain rough charm. But drunken 'Always look on the bright side of Elvis now needs a producer willing to take music this album is certainly worth a listen. -^ENNI BIRD life'. more time to bring out the ideas. They say Harry's finished with making Most of the tracks are mellow and com­ pop records now - that he's more inter­ panionable, but few stand out. The best is ested in movies and videos. It's a pity, but the slow, moody 'Watch your step'. 'New It is going to make life a lot easier for some less talented people in the music biz. Lace Sleeves' is good until one realizes that FLASH HARRY: Harry Nilsson it's 'Green Shirt' ('Armed Forces'! Part II. Flash Harry's great, but try before you (Polygram) buy it. If the jokes don't kill you, then it's The single 'Clubland' is also intriguing, but Harry's been making this sort of record like most of the songs on Trust it doesn't not your formula. for fifteen years now. When he started they -IAN NICHOLSON get going until it's almost over. called him a one-person Beatles. He could VISAGE: Visage (Polygram) write simple yet engrossing melodies, sur­ In late 1980 the leaders of the English And the thie; is Elvis asking us to trust round them in 'perfect' arrangements pointy-headed music fellowship collaborated him until next time? Maybe he should have in several styles, sing them in five dif­ in producing an album. Calling themselves called it 'Laurels'. ferent voices and tell jokes at the same Visage, their music is the computerized -ANNE JONES time! STEREOSYSTEMS THAT SOUND BETTER brand. Little else could be expected with the group's members coming from Magazine For Flash Harry Steve Cropper is en­ and Ultravox with two other people, Steve listed as producer. A session guitarist of Strange and Rusty Egan, well-known lurkers GROTESQUE: The Fall (Gap) mammoth credits and skill, manages to add round the London scene. Emerging from Manchester, The Fall a creamy gloss to every note and matches Side one has the added bonus of Barry proved their ability on both record and Nilsson's perfectionism in arrangement. Adamson (also from Magazine) playing bass stage. As Dave McCullough of Sounds on three tracks; the title track, 'Blocks on wrote "All rock bands are Teddy Bears, The musicians, of course, are as famous Blodcs' and 'Tar'. 'Blocks on Blocks' and but The Fall is a Snake" But to try and as the principles, while the songs {bar two by 'Fade to Grey' are possible commercial define their music would be difficult and Eric Idle, one by Charlie Christian, and cHandoicHi'tfi successes with 'Fade to Grey' already re­ of no value. Lowell George/van Dyke Parks's L.A. leased as a 12" dance single. Tar' is one mariachy spoof "Cheek to Check") are LOWER PRICES of the more outstanding tracks with its After releasing two albums in 1979 and period .\lilsson ) vignettes that exactly cap­ ON TOP QUALITY SPEAKERS anti-tobacco theme, bursts of subtle sax 'Totales Turnes' in 1980, Australia has had ture and establish moods and feels: seduct­ CASSETTE DECKS, TUNERS and a convincing chorus. to wait until now for a local release. ive late night stuff. But, take a look at that AMPLIFIERS & BLANK TAPES On hearing side two, 1 felt more thought Grotesque requires concentration to pick cover! The potplant, the smoking jacket, SPEOAL DISCOUNTS to STUDENTS had gone into the production of side one. up the purity of it's sound. No track could the cravat, the painting, the carnation, the 'Mind of a Toy' Is monotonous, to say the be considered easy listening or danceable. brandy, the shades, the coy expression . . . 70 HIGH ST Ph 371 - 5977 least, and 'Moon over Moscow' is remlnscent Several tracks have a John Cooper-Clarke uh oh! the baby's bottle In his hand! TOOWONG Car park at rear of The Sabre Dance', 'The Steps' is the one influence, 'C !n' CS Mithering' being an Harry's always told jokes on his records.

SEMPER, 9 April, 1981 27 RXD. Campus Cuisifje

THE CAMPUS BISTRO: Holt Room, University of Queensland Union Refectory

With the opening of the new Bistro in When Dam''s Pizza departed last year the Holt Room of the Refectory the Union because of building regulations, as a gesture can boast a good quality restaurant avail­ of good will he left behind his pizza recipe. able for student use. The Union has opened The pizzas are delicious with a fluffy crust the Bistro mainly to fill an apparent gap in and plenty of topping. They are priced the service offered by the Refectory. Now it between $2.00 and $2.40. can offer a substantial variety of meals to evening students and those workuig here on There is also a range of steak and fish weekends. served with salad. The steaks are cooked to specification on a char grill. The T-Bone Also the Bistro caters for people going to steak I had for lunch was tender and cooked the Schonell Theatre. Patrons are able to perfectly. These meals are between $3.00 have a good meal on campus before taking and $3.50. in a movie. Especially to cater for these people the Bistro will soon obtain a liquor But probably th& most exciting dishes licence to serve wine. available are the Asian dishes. These vary every day and include things like Nasi Union Treasurer Nigel Pennington pointed Goreng and Sweet and Sour Pork. Each out "We wanted somctlrng a bit more up­ meal is served v/ith beautifully cooked white everyday. One of the main problems with altered, but with good food at such reason­ market". They seem to have achieved it. rice, a vegetable dish and a hot, spicy sambal. the Bistro is that it is located too close to able prices, who cares? Definitely the best The Bistro offers a sni.iil but varied menu Having sampled two of these dishes, I have Semper's office. place to eat on campus. Bring on the wine. at what must be the cheapest prices in town. to fight the temptation to try a new one The decor of the Holt Room has not -ANNE JONES

KWALI: 6 Sherwood Rd., Toowong Golck. It was very dry and not very spicey. My companions had a variety of dishes For a couple of years now. Hungry Years including Indonesian Beef Kebabs, Beef has been one of the \Vo;.tcrn Suburbs most Rendang and Pork with Plum Sauce. No-one popular restaurants. A >!iiirt walk from the was very excited by their meal and the Royal Exchange, it w;i- .; good place to go Beef Rendang was pronounced definately when alcohol made foou essential. duU. Hungry Years beg:in is a cafe with a MOST dishes seemed to be toned down; broad range of ethnic .iiui oz food at reas­ probably to suit the Australian tastes. Un­ onable prices. The.fou.! deteriorated and fortunately, that just makes the food bor­ the prices rose. In Dccemlcr 1980, it changed ing. The food at Kwali is potentially quite hands. good, but it's not great now. Renamed Kwall, it now offers Malaysian It could be improved in quite simple food with a few throwbacks to Hungry ways. For instance, each dish arrives as a Years days. meal, when it is preferable to order rice So when a large group of us roamed and side dishes separately to mix and match. over there after a few drinks, we quickly And also the coffee is dire, that could easily ordered some ^rlic bread. It is still good, 4 be fixed. although more garlic would suit my palate. of cabbage and unidentifiable sticks of quality. Each was served with a pleasant Hopefully, Kwali will improve. The Spinach and Fcta pic is still on the rice dish and excellent Chinese-style veget­ -ANNE JONES menu too, but we all decided to sample the wood with a bland, barely recognisable sauce. ables. The little wooden sticks made a more unusual foods. Two ordered entrees: reappearence in my spiced chicken, Ayam Char Sicw, BBQ Pork and Curry Beef Fortunately the main dishes were better Mulughataiiy (sic.) costing $2.80 each. These dishes were considered small, or­ dinary and were oddly presented with THE PANCAKE MANOR: 18 Charlotte Street, Brisbane paying. From there the change is event­ grated canot and a slice of cucumber. ually returned to the customer. For main course a couple of oar number Having waited up to half an hour for my ordered Gado Gado at $3.50 and the rest The Pancake Manor is one of the range of main meals and beverages. change on previous occasions, I asked the had full meals at $5.50. Gado Gado is an latest closing "respectable" eateries. The establishment is B.Y.O. waitress if the management had a policy Indonesian salad that has a range of salad Open until 2a,m. on the weekends, The light dishes offered are probably of delaying the return of change in the vegetables including mung beans sprouts, the Manor offers a wide variety of the reason the place K popular with the late hope their patrons might forget about it. cucumber and bean curd with a hot peanut meals. These, however, are largely night post cinema/pub crowd who've prob­ She denied this but said the staff were so sauce. Kwali's Gado Gado consisted mosdy ably already eaten. Perhaps this was in­ hvsyi there was often a delay. She ad­ restricted to desserts with a limited tentional as a late night surcharge is applied. mitted a few people left without their The Manor opens at eight in the morning change. and offers an attractive soundmg breakfast That night I waited at least twenty menu including Eg^ Benedict minutes for my change and only got it As the name suggests, most of the meals by reminding the waitress, "Oh, haven't THREE BRILLIANT are pancake or crepe based. Least expensive I ^n it to you yet..." The « 9 of Uiese is the simple stack pancake with Nevertheless, the service is very pleasant. WORKSHOPS cream or ice cream. Maple syrup is provided The place itself m a converted church and at all tables. has a medieval touch — complete with suit Normally partial to the hot fudge sundae of armour and ftag^ - and electronic g^mes The R«J HIU CommunUy Arts Centre, assisted by the Australia Council, will conduct three mm I tried a pancake mozerrella on my latest discretely hidden downstairs. workshops between 19th May and 25th June at the Centre, 60 WaterworKS Rd. RED HILL visit. This was a pancake topped with cheese A ^ant sized chessboard is provided and a midly spiced minced beef sauce. "for serious players only" - an interesting Glen O'Malley, tutor, PHOTOGRAPHY > mm 1 resisted the temptation to have an diversion. Tuesday 6 • 8 pm

28 .Film. Portrait of a plastic fan^ly

ORDINARY PEOPLE: Directed by Robert Redford, starring Mary Tyler Moore, Donald Sutherland. Albert Cinema. Fine intentions and high ambition in liigh drama.) Perhaps they're right, and a film-making are admirable. And were they mere record of surface "facts" is enougli enough, then "Ordinary People" would (after all, many people have been con­ deserve the praise lavished upon it. Un­ vinced). But I beg to differ. Rather, I'd fortunately, intent doesn't suffice, thougli argue that the essence of creative imagin­ it's aU that Robert Redford and his screen­ ing lies in the shaping and structuring of writer Alvin Sargeant have brouglit to their one's material: above all else, to probe and work. illuminate the superficial "facts", to reveal Granted, tlieir very choice of subject is a larger meaning. Wliat "Ordinary People" difficult. In outline, "Ordinary People" is lacks is any such imaginative extension: but another variant on a theme that's been its smooth, but plastic. much done (and much mauled) of late: Predictably its deficiencies are most the discontents of the modern American evident in its attempt to explain. In a family. The elements are the same: a mother film about a family burdened by the past whose springs of affection dried with the we see precious little of that past (and death of her first son; the confused younger seeing is the whole point of cinema): a son, harbouring an irrational guilt; and the mere handful of vignette flashbacks, just caught-in-the-middle father, bewildered by the barest facts. There's no sense of the past what's happening around liim. As well there's inlierit in the present, no attempt to draw a caring psychiatrist (wliich shows that the living detail of relationships within the psychoanalysis is still big in the American family, past and present. All we're given are imagination). By now its stock material. a handful of cues (e.g. Mother loved her But that's not insurmountable - what is first son best), that are meaningful only important is how the material is worked because we've seen the same thing many and developed. This is the heart of the times before, and know what to expect problem. not because they form links in a larger "Ordinary People" has pretensions to family portrait. It's cliche: stereotype being a close study of family life and crisis. cues to elicit stereotyped responses. In fact it's the worst naturalism: Redford The Russian poet Osip Mandelstam once and Sargeant are content merely to docu­ wrote that, "In every family even the most is essential is a feel for the unique dynamics In its imaginative poverty it reduces the ment the surface reality, contentedly assum­ casually uttered word has its shadeofmean- in every family; only this will make the importance to trivia. ing that's the limit of their responsibility. ing, and an endless, unique interplay of experience of a dramatic treatment immedi­ -A.S. YAP (Sargeant writes like a tape recorder, except', nuances is always at work". The family ate. "Ordinary People" is but another in a that he relies on "Oh God" in moments of is a subject of the largest importance. What long line of (mostly TV drama) clones.

3711679 * ST. LUCIA

^PEN TO THE PUBIIC PRIVATE BENJAMIN: directed by Howard Zieff, starring Goldle Hawn. George Cinema.

In Hollywood of old, anyone endowed with beauty could aspire to become a star; 7i^oodu4Ue*i technique was essential to a career on the stage, but no previous training was required to be a star. Nowadays with the demise of the stars, the direct replacement is someone FESTIVAL like Goldie Hawn, who plays the title role of "Private Benjamin".

TOE b-t, 18-20 April, Sat Sun Mon Judy Benjamin is one of those individuals \\m^im 6 pm: ANNIE HALL who goes through life with her soul in 7.30: MANHATTAN various stages of disrepair. Her first marri­ 9.15: STARDUST age ends in divorce and her second husband MEMORIES dies of a heart attack on their wedding night Jeepei:^ In a situation of such bleakness, comedy W bananas alleviates the feeling of helplessness. Judy Tues April 21 reacts to it by locking herself in a motel 7.30: ANNIE HALL room for eight days. After which she de­ ysuahran Lovi: cides to forget it all and join the army. waotM and Wed April 22 Only after being sent to boot camp, 7.30: MANHATTAN does Judy realise the enormity of her M J)L\T11 predicament. Army life is drastically dif­ ferent from that of the recniiting posters. WINNER i>'.^ OF FOUR Thurs-Sat April 23-25 Her rich father (Sam Wanamaker) manages ACADEMV 7.30: SLEEPER to buy Judy's discharge, but she realizes at AWARDS Brii Film the last minute diat there is reason, even if HtilAcltm it is a bizarre one, wluch makes the army Rftt Dittcto Tues-Wed April 28-29 an attractive career to her. She decides to 7.30: BANANAS stay on. Her transformation is predictable. 'ANNE' best in her endeavours to instill army dis­ HALL" Private Benjamin possesses the kind of cipline and blind obedience into Judy. I M Thurs- Sat April SO-May 2 Another character worthy of mention is 7.30: LOVE AND DEATH optimistic purpose that invented the Ught- bulb. Hawn has tlie gift of appearing on the Colonel Thombush (Robert Webber), who screen and bringing a whole history of a has obvious designs on Private Benjamin but Tues-Wed May 5-6 character with her. She offers the audience his lecherous plans run awry. 7.30: Everything You Al­ a character study that could have been ways Wanted to tedious or ludicrous, but turns out to be This fihn is an affirmation of the richness Know about Sex neither; it is wholly absorbing and full of and joy to be found in eccentricity; it interest. celebrates and draws attention to the basiq humanity which motivates it. Benjamin's Commanding Officer is Capt. -STEFAN LIPOVICH NOTE: THE TIN DRUM screens at 9 pm all sessions Lewis (Eileen Brennan) a woman caicer officer who manages to come off second

SEMPER, 9 April, 1981 29 CALCULATORS ...... z^..

.'••:.••;»•

UN I ON L MLL ULHTijR -EiHOP

ALL PRICES ARE TAX EXEMPT UNION SHOPPING ARCADE Phone UNIVERSITY OF QLD 370 9817 ST LUCIA 371 1611 30 PO€TRV mymb The scene is set:- Main road — Four lanes, early morning weak sun. Alight mist, dispersing, pierced by a few headlights. Most traffic is unlit; cold shapes Suddenly there, then gone in a rush of air.

Industrial estate — Parallel roads, advertising signs. Lights that have burnt all night and will soon go out High wire fences, guard dogs trotting silently, Waiting for handlers to come, And the crackling smoke of welding, and the din of the day to start.

Between the two — A narrow strip of land Unused by developer and engineer alike. A boggy, narrow strip Marked 'Easement' on the Plan, And as such not to be touched.

Two herons strutted there, Loftily deeming it suitable — Six inches of stagnant water in a pair of wheel ruts

For two displaced birds — a home.

All cleanliness and grace and beauty Strode in their own reflections there. Highway one side, industry' the other, and a narrow strip of green.

Two herons, uncomplicated, simple, trying to adapt.

Both were dead in a week. -BERNARD JENNINGS

TheDQllQclof Fa/t-food Fannie 'Cos he worked at Hungry Jack's. The arguments were not long in coming. She was only a girl from McDonald's, Though they bought a pre-packed babe But we loved her anyway ... At a store that sold such conveniences, All parcelled and ready-made. She was orJy a girl from McDonald's, Employed in a humble job: Should they attend Sunday services at Doling out 'burgers and french fries The Burger King's or Ron Mac's To the slobbering, hungry mob. Should their tiny young babe be baptised Many would picture her 'dressed to the nines', At McDonald's or Hungry Jack's? But we loved her just as we found her. Her heart was soon broken and she left him Looking so pure in her blue-and-white suit - And returned to her old job, The angel behind the counter. But no more was she the sweet goddess Of the slobbering, hungry mob. She avoided the fast-handed managers. Needing no quick promotions, Too late, she realised her mistake, and And even said "No" to Ronald himself - Depression overcame her; And that caused quite a commotion. She knew she would never again be To all, her love seemed unattainable, The angel behind the counter. So we were all quite upset And so, in a fit of hopeless grief, she When she fell for a dashing young charmer, Threw herself in the fr>' vat; Who dressed in brown, yellow and red.- And was served, next day, to customers. In sixty-four seperate Big-Macs.

They were married beneath the big 'M* sign. She was only a girl from McDonald's But their friends all turned their backs; But we loved her anyway ... R.I.P. For they knew such a love could never last. -Jean-Paul Satyr

31 SEMPER, 9 ApriJ, 1981 Home 'live' recording can Stylt for the true be a rewarding and stimulating hobby nl-fi junkie