WHO IS THIS DOG, AND WHAT IS HE DOING ON THE COVER OF YOUR UNIVERSITY FILES CONSERVATION AFTER THE DAM THE UGLY SIDE OF ENVIRONMENTALISM FEARS AND PHOBIAS MORE CAFES THAN YOU CAN POKE A FORK AT EDITORIAL Conterrls One problem in the way of women achieving equality, is the vehicle with which the change will take place. CONSERVATION AFTER THE DAM The Franklin Dam issue left the Australian conservation movement euphoric, enthusiastic and far better organised. KEVIN VELLNAGEL reports. Like racism, or any of the other 'isms, attempting to change soc­ ietal opinion by miltiant means tends to alienate more than it con­ NEWS verts. Attempting the same goal by quiet and subtle means is ex­ What do East Timor and the Killer Tomatoes have in common? Hint: Its tremely slow. not their colour. Obviously, there is no simple solution. YOUR UNIVERSITY FILES: And who has access to Ihem. When the United Nations announced its Convention for the Elimi­ Despite being passed by the Federal Government, the Freedom of Information nation of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the Act has no teeth at this University. PAUL O'SHEA explains why. Australian Government planned to ratify it, there was a great furore SUBMISSION FOR PROPOSED FEE RISE FOR OLD UNI UNION from many sections of the community. The Festival of Light was You can't say you haven't been warned. Actually, the fee rise is inevitable so moved that it sent out a press release about the famiiy-group- {and we couldn't say that unless we were pai... wanted to). destroying Convention. The seemingly innocent section explaining the role of women in NEWS the workplace merely suggested that women should have the choice Is a blockade in the Games Room inevitable? Only if they put in nuclear pinball games (at 20 cents, of cotirse). to go to work, not that they have to. What no one seemed to realise was that if the Australian Govern­ THE UNIVERSITY MYTH: Ivory Towers, GPA's and TE Scores. ment does decide to adopt the report, it only means the Convention DAVID PHILLIPS explains the limitations of the existing way of assigning is a goal that the Government should strive towards, not one that it University places (and why you have deserved to come here at all). has to. Even if it is adopted as the bible according to the UN, many n THE UGLY SIDE OF ENVIRONMENTALISM of the changes won't take place. One man's theory about what happened with the Franklin Dam. Letters to the Editor concerning JOHN GROVER'S article should be submitted to On another side, as some of you may have noticed in the previous Semper by August 12. Semper, the Federal Education IVIinister, Susan Ryan, has indicated 13 U.N. ANTl-SEXlSM CONVENTION: Family-Destroying, there should be more women involved in the teaching side of tertiary Society-Changing, or all a Myth? education. Whenever the Festival of Light feels strongly enough about an issue to send She proposed Affirmative Action legislation that would require even Semper a press release, we know it must be important. CHRISTINE the appointment of suitably qualified women to positions at all FOGG reviews all those who have something to say about the Convention. levels of the academic hierachy. 14 NEWS The implication is, if a man and a woman of more than a basic Fulltime students on the dole can afford to call their lecturers by phone - academic qualification apply for the same position, the woman which is just as well since they won't be able to call for free in the should get the job in order to lower the segregation. forseeable future. This tokenism, to my mind, does more damage than good. A basic 15 OFF THE CHAMPAGNE TRAIL instinct of humans is that we like to believe we're thinking for our­ When hundreds of Diplomats get attacked each year, one may begin to wonder selves. When someone comes in and forces an opinion on you, you why such postings are popular as 'jobs for the boys'. JOHN HENZELL, the react against that. antithesis of diplomacy, takes a look at the situation. 16-17 WOUF WEEK For the male-dominated and sexist department of popular myth The Week of University Fun is your week and Tough Beans if you don't like to have a woman forced among them, will cause a reaction against it. Join in the Pram Race and throw a custard pie or two, but watch out them, despite whatever level of competency the woman may show. for pranks. It many take considerably longer, but the change in values about women will take place through proving their competency, not by 18 OEDIPUS A short story by KIERAN RIDGE (with a little help from his mum). forcing opinions. Sexism is bad, but tokenism is worse, because it perpetuates the 19 DOLLARS FOR DEGREES: Are you really here just for the money? problem. If you arc, then why are you doing Arts? NIGEL PENNINGTON and other delegates at a recent conference in Toowoomba have been looking at other reasons for why you're at university. SEMPER is a non-profit political and cultural magazine based at the 21 FRIEND OR PHOBIA: Fears, Phobias and other Balls of Fun. University of Queensland. Arc you afraid of DARREN WINDSOR? If you are, then you suffer from Windsorphobia, which also afflicts republicans. EDITOR; John HenzelI; ASSISTANT: Harry Dunstall TYPESETTING: jcnni Bird 22 CAFES MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND LAYOUT: Matt Mawson COVER PHOTO: Stephen Nash They also make thtj reviewers go round. ANNETTE O'HARA, KAREN LONG PRINTERS: Warwick Daily News, Warwick and JOHN HENZELL arc all considerably fatter after this in-depth report. DISTRIBUTION: On campus, by editor. Off campus - Gordon & Gotch ADVERTISING: Phone Graham Higgins, 371.2568 27 STEPHEN DONALDSON PUBLISHER: Ms. Fleur Klngham, President of the Sludcnis Union, U.Q. One of the Great American Fantasy writers talks to JOHN CASKEY about Contributions arc welcomed, but no responsibility is accepted for unsolicited life, the Universe, but not about why we've got a dog on the cover of Semper. material. 31 ODDS AND ENDS Ducks, slugs, humps, pigs, Mounties, pet bras, dead egg timers, truck massacres, submarine swimming pools, kangaroo scrotums, Carstairs of the jungle HQ and more. Compiled by JOHN HENZELL without putting Lester SHELL AUSTRALIA the Wonder Dog anywhere on the page. POST-GRADUATE 25 WHAT'S ON All that's important in the world of entertainment, compiled by SCHOLARSHIPS KAREN VENSKE Arts & Science/Engineering THE REVIEWS 26 Books: THE ORIGINS OF POLITICAL SURVEILLANCE IN AUSTRALIA Two Shell Post-Graduate Scholarships providing for fees reviewed by ANDREW ERASER, and THE ROOF OF QUEENSLAND and living costs plus cost of travel, are offered to reviewed by ROSA MUSUMECI. 26 Theatre: PLASTIK! reviewed by ANNETTE O'HARA. provide post-graduate study at a university in the United 28-29 Records: Lots and lots (which means I'm too lazy to count them all). Kingdom. 30 Films: BURDEN OF DREAIVIS reviewed by JOHN HENZELL The Shell Post-Graduate Arts Scholarship is open to FIRST CONTACT reviewed by HOWARD STRINGER honours graduates of an Australian university in arts, MUDDY RIVER reviewed by SALLY WILLIAMS commerce, economics and law. The Shell Post-Graduate Scholarship in Science or Engineering is open to honours graduates in science or engineering. Applications for scholarships, which are normally tenable from October 1984 close on September 26,1983. Prospectus and application form maybe obtained from the Registrar of the University or from the Personnel Manager of The Shell Company of Australia Limited. FEATURE CX>NSERVATION AFTER THE DAM Encouraged by success in the battle against the Flowing on from the Franklin, a number of con­ MON REPOS ROOKERY Franklin Dam, conservationists have attempted servation battles will receive more co-ordinated support. These include: One victory the WPSQ has scored occured on July 27, to use their new-found political ability on when a Bundaberg court rejected an appeal by a land other catnpaigns. Ranging from saving turtle developer to re-zone as 'rcsidental A' an isolated pocket SUNSHINE COAST HINTERLAND rookeries from developers, to stopping another of land behind the Mon Repos turtle rookery. dam, this time in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, Many of the residents of the Malcny region are already The rookery, situated on one of the few sandy the campaigns are summed up by KEVIN staunch conservationists, and the building of a dam in beaches in the area, is a major turtle breeding ground, VELLNAGEL. an area that many of them consider to be as worthy and also one of Bundaberg's biggest tourist attractions. of saving as the Franklin, has merely personalised their The Woongarra Shire Council had refused to re- determination. Enthusiasm generated by the Franklin Dam zone the 14.99 hectare site from 'rural A' to 'resi­ The Maleny Plateau was once rich in timber, but has decision hasn't been left unused. In a state of dential A', thereby stopping a professional developer since been almost logged to extinction, because of the post-High Court euphoria, the conservationist from going ahead with a TOO allotment sub-division. fine timber to be found there. The dam, situated in The land developer, who stood to make $800,000 groups have pooled their resources to form a Baroon Pocket, threatens areas that local residents to $2.5 million from the sub-division, appealed against more coherent national conservation strategy. have begun reafforestation 'programmes in, and threat­ the Council's decision in court. ens the natural beauty of the area.