Concessions and conflagrations

Paul Coats talking to new Graduates at one of the University's many induction sessions

Welcome to all the new enrolling graduate students at unimelb! It's been a pleasure to have the opportunity to speak at so many of the large induction sessions that are held during this time of year. In addition to informing you all about the many services of the GSA, myself and other office bearers and staff have been passing around our public transport concessions petition in these sessions. Over 1,500 graduate students have signed it so far and we're pleased to announce that the Vice-Chancellor and Provost have endorsed the campaign too (see media release). I've had several emails of encouragement from graduate students.

Just some samples or encouraging correspondence from you guys!:

"Interesting fact: before coming back to study I was away for two years in London, and of course London has a reputation as one of the most expensive cities in the world, and yet if you compare my commutes (of similar distance) in London and Melbourne, London is only more expensive by less than $5 Australian (on a weekly basis), and yet provides far greaterreliability and infrastructure." 

"I've noticed on the GSA website that you're currently holding a petition for Postgraduate Concession Card and the $950 Stimulus Package. I would like to sign both these petitions. I'm just wondering if there is easy way for me to do this. Please tell me what I should do. Thank you. I look forward to any future activities at the GSA."

We will continue to collect petition signatures in the coming weeks – and are calling on any dissident Labor MP to table the petition in the Victorian Parliament. Watch this space for more updates on the campaign. 

If you're new to Melbourne Uni, or returning to study, please join us for a fabulous range of activities next week during the GSA 'Oweek for Grown-Ups' (see website for program). In particular I'm looking forward to meeting many more of you at the launch of our creative writing Journal MUSE on March 4 (thanks to outgoing publications editor Aaron Manion for all his hard work on this), and at the GSA Welcome BBQ and Film Screening on March 5. Many of our new office bearers will also attend these, including those elected at our last Council meeting on 19 February: 

• Queer Officers – Ali O'Toole and Dave Pejoski
• Women's Officer- Rohani Mohamad
• Publications Officer – Louise O'Shea 

The bushfire catastrophe has touched all of us here at the GSA. One graduate student told me they were so proud to be part of an organization that takes this issue seriously (we've donated $5,000 to the appeal), but just as we responded to the human tragedy of Gaza, so too must we now throw our support behind those affected by this disaster. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Jaeson Hermocilla, and to the Philipino student community at unimelb. Jaeson was a University of Melbourne student killed in the Yarra Glen fires, and President of the Phillipino Students Society. We also mourn the deaths of two University staff members, and thousands of other staff and students who have lost friends, family and homes in the fires.  

I think the fires had certain unnatural elements. Already there is a class action being launched by bushfire victims against the Victorian Government and private electricity provider SP AusNet Ltd against alleged mismanagement of overhead electricity infrastructure. It is believed that falling power lines may have caused some of the worst fires. Why is it that in Victoria, a state swathed in highly flammable mountain ash forests, that only 400 people are permanently employed as firefighters? (The Firefighters Union have rightly called for more funding for professional firefighters. In my opinion this does not negate the wonderful generous work of CFA volunteers). Why aren't all homes in the highlands fitted with concrete underground bunkers or similar safety devices? And why did Melbourne get to 46.4 degrees on that fateful day? Was it global warming?  

These and other questions would suggest that human intervention, or lack thereof, explains more about the scope of the tragedy than nature does. There's been a huge public debate about these and other questions. I am not very sympathetic to those that say that all criticisms should wait until after the reconstruction -  the time to start acting on the above is now. And preventing more catastrophes is one of many ways we can honor those who lost their lives. 

Nothing seems normal anymore, but whilst the last spot fires are extinguished, and the reconstruction begins, we know that the GSA must get on (as best possible) with business as usual. After all, we have thousands of graduate students to represent, and so many issues to confront. 

Today we have been hurriedly preparing our submission to the (very truncated!) Senate Inquiry into the new Student Services Fee proposed by the federal government (you can download our brief submission from the front page of the website). The proposed legislation and guidelines are a venerable mine-field of contradictions, holes and ambiguities. I'm sure all the law students out there know what I mean. But thanks to the help of GSA advocate and policy guru Sara Pheasant, we managed to wade through the details just enough to be able to make a case for funding student representation and advocacy.  

Lastly, for anyone out there who's the slightest bit interested in my research, my Citrus gracilis cuttings are starting to callus, and hopefully will have roots in the next few weeks. I'm excited, even if nobody else is. But hey, isn't that often the case with research? 

Busy as always 

Paul