SEMPER FLOREAT AUGUST EDITION 2003 tSwi^ Contents Indigenous people have been, often violently, dispossessed of their land and culture. They remain some of EDITORIALS the most marginalised in our society. SERIOUS STUFF There can be no social progress The Free Trade Agenda, 4 without recognition of the injustices What Cost Freedom 5 suffered by Indigenous Australians. Weapons of Mass Deception? 6 So Much Deception? 7 The Case for Legalisation 8 Australian Citizens: Not Worth the Effort? 9 SEMPER FLOREAT The A'c of Stability 10 THE UQ UNION NEWSPAPER Taiwan: The Struggle for Statehood 11 What a State It's In 12 Editors: David Lavercombe Whither Medicine ^_ 15 We Want Your Urine 16 Shona Nystrom Water -More Precious Than Gold: The Campaign to Save Lake Cowal 18 Jim Wilson For Diversity's Sake 19 Arts Editor: Sofia Ham The Invoice Years: The Good Old Days of HECS 20 They Just Keep Coming Back for More 21 Telephone: 3377 2237 UNION STUFF Facsimile: 3377 2220 The Second State of the Union Address: The Repori of the President. 22 [email protected] Postgrad Area Response to Letter to the Editor 22 Higher Education at Federal Level: an Update 23 Semper Floreat Offices Notice of Student Referendum 24 What You Need to Know and Do When You Vote at the Referendum 25 Union Complex The University of Queensland OTHER STUFF St Lucia, 4067 No Worries? 26 Balls, Brains, and an Assassination 28 29 The views expressed in Semper The Toga Party Floreat do not necessarily reflect Protests: Been to one, been to them all. 30 those of the editors, the UQ Union, or The Outrageously Public Self 31 The University of Queensland. In Defense of Rugby Union -Not 32 Unleash The Gimp 33 The editors encourage you to submit 34 your own views for publication (see The Unified Being page 2). A Walk in Darkness _^__^_^ 35 The Soundtrack of my Life 36 Progressive Rock Reappraised 37 Products From Your Parliamentarians 39 Happy Jan: Tequila is Not My Friend _ 40 Conspiracy of the Month 43 Whinge 43 FATS: FILM ART THEATRE SOUND Fresh Flicks 44 Free Range Comedy -Fresh from the Ovum: Interview with Tony Martin 46 SoundScape . 47 Music Releases and Interviews 48 Interviews and Reviews 49 Interview with Michael Franti 51 Pages 54 Whatcha Gonna Do 55 Schoneil Timetable. 56 -UQ •A 11 11 T £) q-' 1 0 if union David Shona Jim The Treasurer has finally authorised the It has been encouraging to see people I hate editorials. You spend a month (or payment for the printing of the last two respond to articles we have published. It longer in this case) putting together a editions of Semper. This was quite a relief for means that people are reading and magazine, and then you're expected to us, as we have been trying to settle this thinking about things. write a pithy two hundred editorial outstanding bill for quite some time. However imparting a little piece of wisdom for your Spending so much time around people the Treasurer was acting on the Secretary's wide-eyed, eager beaver readers. Well, 'interpretation' of the constitution and was who call themselves politically informed guess what? I've got nothing. No waiting upon legal advice regarding this. The and politically active, I have beer, amazed witticisms, no pearls of v/isdom. Just legal advice made il clear that there were no at how often people back away from a grounds for the Treasurer lo refuse payment, political debate. Some tell me they are some shit about how I hate writing and that the Secretary's 'interpretation' was afraid of hurting friendships. If a friendship editorials. Cunningly, I've made the untenable. Despite this, the Mojo Secretary cannot stand up to a stiff debate on a few subject of mine how much I hate doing it, and Treasurer still attempted to delay topics, then it can't be too deep. Who else and how I can never think of anything to payment as long as possible, I believe their can you trust to give honest responses to write. Pretty clever, don't you think? I think purpose was lo antagonise our printers so your ideas and thoughts? that's called being self-reflexive, but I that they would refuse to print anything could be wrong. further for us. Even Admin Committee (on Sometimes it seems the ideals of the which the Secretary often holds three votes) group are more important than developing My main concern now is that I won't be authorised the payment of this debt (the Mojo individual ideas. 'I am right wing, so I able to do this again, I'm sure there is Liberals did not exercise their votes), shouldn't be saying this', or 'what would something constructive t could be saying, however the Secretary made it plain that this my lefty comrades think?'Then there is the decision was going to be appealed to council blind support of their party, regardless, like how you should contribute, or get (whenever that would be • the Secretary has and the blind criticism of their opponents, involved in the Union, or become more failed to call a number of Council meetings on regardless. This can even be seen aware. But lets face it, nobody really cares time). It was not until our printer personally amongst our federal politicians. what a student editor has to say, anyway. contacted the Treasurer and informed her In fact, no one even reads editorials, so that she would be held personally It sickens and saddens me. Members of you can call or your readers morons responsible and a summons would be issued council, and federal parliament for that without fear of retribution (not YOU of against her, that any resolution seemed matter, sit and call each other names. course). Is that two hundred words yet? possible, The Treasurer has made it plain that 'Words are better than bullets' -well yes, she believed Aaron Marsham (the President) but aren't we supposed to have left the Peace, out. was the only office bearer who could be sandpit by now? sued. However, when the lawyers were contacted regarding this, they blankly stated The ability to communicate articulately is to pay the outstanding bill. what separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom. Our ideas need to be I believe that the only reason the Treasurer able to develop and grow, or change, with authorised payment was as a result of the time and new perspectives. But people threat of legal action against her. it is take so much too personally. Your ideas unfortunate when some office bearers refuse are not who you are. How you develop to act in good faith, until they are to be your ideas has more to do with it. personally held responsible. SEMPER FLOREAT IS YOUR UNION NEWSPAPER The editors of Semper in 2003 believe WHAT YOU NEEDTO KNOW in an objective press. We are not dictated to by any particular political party or faction. Writliifg articles We attempt to make our reports on Union If yoi.|nfeive an Idea for an artlcle, it Is a good Idea to first check It with the editors to see activities as objective as possible. This relies If thefte interested and how much space could be dedicated to it.. on information received as well as activities obsen/ed by the editors. We are open to hear all perspectives on any situation. |rs are jnterested in your views, but not mere assertions. Essays and articles ^|ood argument and supported by facts will be preferred when choosing from We attempt to produce a balanced submissions. publication taking in as many different ideas and ideologies as possible. This relies on submissions. ily choose articles of 500-1000 words In length. If you have some The editors cannot guarantee every article will be well balanced within itself although a as well, but please don't paste them into Word, send them as well formulated argument is encouraged. We encouraae counter arguments to any article publisned. However for constructive Sub dialogue, criticism should be directed Sub fishing towards the content of the article, and not the author. throui ; Thg'editors- reserve/tHeviight to a personal Please d(^rjS^^i^^®up^S^]i^ert^6^ opinion/ but this- does not restrict our acceptance of the opinion of others. If you Semper £(*c We eSlS^'^^^ have an opinion, we Invite you to submit it to Semper hloreat -UQ umon u 9 9 0 H A q" Letters to the Editors Eds, Editors, advertised and held off campus on a weekend when no students are The May edition of Sempzr Floreat Good to see that Richard Alston is around? I'm not just pissed off 2003 was a big step in the right taking \essor\s from his friends at about the events though, what has direction. One thing however that UQ. As soon as you get shown up as happened to our beloved activities ready annoys (affix more colourful an idiot by the people you're space. Activities used to be a space metaphors here) me is people's funding, petulantly try and get back where one could go down and chill, inability to understand that people at them by denying them their have lunch and play trashy eighties sometimes need to enjoy something funding, and claiming anti-war bias computer games. Now it's a and stop analysing everything and (where is his inquiry into the wasteland. The cozy couches have anything. The world needs to be Murdoch press's bias?).