SS&H Journal Lhg.UG S46 the UNIVERSITY of QUEENSLAND
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SS&H Journal THE UNIVERSITY LHg.UG S46 OF QUEENSLAND LIBRARY Semper floreiHr; £003 x^ Received on: 04-11-03 SEMPER FLOREAT ENDGAME EDITION 2003 Contents: Indigenous people have been, often violently, dispossessed of their land EDITORIALS and culture. They remain some of the most marginalised in our society. STUFF There can be no social progress without recognition of the Injustices Dream Job in the Last Stalinist State 6 suffered by Indigenous Australians. A Test not Primarily of Speed 7 Interview with John Birmingham 8 Dude, Where's my haggis? 11 The End 12 SEMPER FLOREAT Inconceivable: A life without music 13 THE UQ UNION NEWSPAPER Whinge for a whinge, More Whinging, and Whinge 14 Aunty Jan: I Need a Man 16 Unleash the Gimp 19 Editors: David Lavercombe Shona Nystrom UNION STUFF Jim Wilson Arts Editor: Sofia Ham What you need to know and do when you vote. 20 What student politicians mean when they say 21 Polling places and times 21 Telephone: 3377 2237 President's report 22 Facsimile: 3377 2220 Resignation 25 [email protected] Annual Budget 26 Paying the Printer _ 26 27 Semper Floreat Offices Red Room Incident 27 Union Complex Idle Threats 'Yes' campaign 28 The University of Queensland On being defamed, and Mojo mumbo jumbo 29 St Lucia, 4067 How to Succeed in the UQ Union 30 Quotes from the year 34 The views expressed in Semper Floreat do not necessarily reflect OTHER STUFF those of the editors, the UQ Union, or The University of Queensland. To my friends in the Ministry of Truth. 35 The editors encourage you to submit It's A Girl Thing 36 your own views for publication (see You're gonna Love the Ten E-mails I Fonwarded You Today. 36 page 2). It Used to be about the Bakeries 37 Me Begs Your Pardon 38 Twaddle and Waffle 39 Assist Children to Learn to Live 41 Chuck Morris Movie Night Vow Upheld From Beyond Grave 42 I Looked So Unbelievably Hot Last Night 43 Magnum Releases Controversial New Secret Passions Rangel _ ,44 Jim's Ail-Time Top Five Films 45 FATS: Fll M ART THEATRE SOUND Film 46 Sound 47 Whatcha Gonna Do 50 Schonell Timetable. 52 -UQ qi £> (^ A U ^ T) T' 1 0 fi union most cases. It was a shame that the need for this arose, and the Union could not work constructively together for all DAVID LAVERCOMBE played a minimalist hand this year. Our students. What is the biggest shame Is all priorities had to change to encompass our the time we wasted having to deal with the We decided to run in the student elections new fundamental purpose: survival. bullshit Mojo were trying to pull. We were for the position of Student Newspaper Fortunately the constitution was drafted not the only area to so have our time Editor in 2001. At that time we knew Me with the intention that Semper could not be wasted by Mojo stirring the pot; almost all about student politics, but knew that we so victimised by a hostile executive. This areas of the Union were affected, including wanted to change the direction and did not prevent Mojo trying everything they some staff areas. Wages are one of the relevance of Semper Floreat to make it could think of to stop us: Interpreting the biggest costs to the Union. It is not reflect the fact that UQ is one of Australia's constitution in spurious and often economically responsible for Mojo office leading Universities. We lost, but gained laughable ways; slashing our budget and bearers to be wasting their time creating experience regarding election putting money in the wrong budget lines; trouble and irritation for other office campaigning at UQ, and, having no passing unconstitutional motions at bearers, who then need to waste their own endorsement, made a name for ourselves Administrative Committee; abusing time dealing with the shit. That's what so with 750 primary votes. We ran again in presidential emergency powers to attempt much of their year has been, political point 2002, and were endorsed by both Whitlam to make the Union Secretary Co-Publisher scoring and useless games. It is and Mojo. We were bigger and better in the of all Union material; refusing to authorise kindergarten stuff really, petty bullshit 2002 campaign, and polled 1417 primary Purchase Request Orders; and refusing to promulgated by self-absorbed people votes, commanding an impressive lead in pay our printers. Mojo had no tenable whose entire lives have been consumed primary votes and increased our margin as justification for their actions and time and by student politics, Mojo is not Robinson preferences were distributed. again they abused their power attempting Crusoe in having these type of people in to hinder us. their team, turn up any rock in student If has been a big year for al! of us, and it is politics and they are bound to come safe to say that we have learnt many For all their threats, name calling, and scurrying out, but Mojo has had the whip things and had a lot of good limes. There attempted bullying, Mojo managed to stop hand this year and have shown just how are some things that we would have liked only our second edition going to print, nasty they can be, for no purpose except to do, but were not possible and other through their politically motivated, to create trouble. things that we would have done differently. hatcheting of the budget. If this were a But I am proud of our efforts this year and game of 500, then Mojo played the bird. The main problem is that there is no real their results. But the bird only wins one trick, and Mojo way to keep student office bearers were forced to play it early. After that they accountable. While investigating our We have tried to make Semper reflect the couldn't win a trick to save themselves. options in relation to the actions of Mojo fact that it is a Union publication, We have The harder they tried, the worse they we explored avenues such as the Crime tried fo make it more consistent, ended up looking. and Misconduct Commission and other professional and entertaining. Rather than such institutions. We found few avenues to a self-indulgent wank-fest from the ivory In a lot of ways It was exciting and pursue regarding abuses of power or tower of student politics, we have tried to enjoyable having an adversary in the cases of misconduct occurring in a Student raise the standard and to encourage Union, especially considering Mojo's Union. If any Mojo people actually make it opinions and pieces from the entire gamut repeated attempts to stop us were more into real politics, some of their shit might of the student community, rather than one pathetic and funny, rather than come back to bite them on the arse - when narrow ideological facet or special interest threatening. In many ways I was the some scandal about their student days group. We were happy with the result and boundary rider of the Semper team this breaks in the media - but while it actually the encouraging feedback we received year, certainly I was our primary occurred, nobody cared. from the wider student community It is protagonist. I was the office bearer that excellent to see that our year in office has Mojo hated most this year, and my Our option remained to call a student encouraged other talented people to run presence at meetings would usually fire referendum to propose the dismissal of the for Semper. Independent Press and Rogue them up into talking shit about Semper or Mojo Secretary and Treasurer due to a both appear to be good choices for myself, basically trying to fluster me. failure to adequately discharge their Semper this year. Both would take the Certainly they'd try to have a go when I duties, abuse of power and a failure to act publication in different directions, as they asked questions of them in meetings, often in good faith and with due diligence. We added their own unique style to the paper, with very humorous results. They can take were hesitant to pursue this option, due to but would probably still maintain the quality heart in the fact that sometimes they did the fact that this levef of hostility would and relevance that the wider student succeed in irritating me: Jemma and probably have torn the Union apart. community has come to appreciate this Antonio strutting around the Union treating However, almost every other non-Mojo year. staff like servants; always being the first to area of the Union was attacked this year put their name down when a speaking list and some were privy to Mojo's worst The Union relies upon all its members opened at a meeting, regardless of excesses. Had these areas moved for pulling together and working for the greater whether they had anything to say; such a drastic action, then I believe we good. Despite our intention, this, of constantly espousing rhetoric and political would have supported it, because it would course, did not occur this year. Instead if verbal diarrhoea; and knowing that I could have been justified. But the left remained was a year of self-interest, conflict and ill never trust what they had told me to be disorganised and fractious, and Mojo will. true. continued to create problems unchecked. Two of the top three executive of the Union We made sure that we found lawyers However not all of our dramas revolved made it their stated objective to sabotage outside the Union proficient in around Mojo.