Honi is back with another year of RepsElect, the SRC’s annual elections for its Executive and Office Bearers. While any undergraduate student can nominate for most positions, only councillors elected at the most recent SRC elections are permitted to vote. For more details on next year’s council composition and expected voting blocs, click here. Follow along this page for our live blog coverage.
Elected Office Bearers
*Note: This table will be updated as Office Bearers are elected.
| Office | Elected |
| Vice-Presidents | Daniel Bowron (Unity), Rose Donnelly (NLS) |
| General Secretaries | Tiger Perkins (Switchroots), Jasmine Donnelly (NLS) |
| General Executive | Emily Mackay (Engineers), Daniel O’Shea (Unity), Eliza Crossley (Switchroots), Harrison Brennan (Switchroots), Michael Grenier (Independents) |
| Education Officers | Ishbel Dunsmore (Switchroots); Yasmine Johnson (SAlt) |
| Women’s Officers | Alev Saracoglu (SLA), Iggy Boyd (Switchroots) |
| Welfare Officers | Ella Haid (SAlt), Felix Tonkin (Unity), Harrison Brennan (Switchroots), Eleanor Douglas (Switchroots) |
| Ethnocultural Officers | Rand Khatib (Switchroots) |
| First Nations’ Officers | No candidates nominated for this election. |
| International Students’ Officers | Ashrika Paruthi (Switchroots), Clare Liu (Penta), Lily Wei (Penta), Yuchen Li (Penta) |
| Environment Officers | Maddie Clark (SAlt), Simon Upitis (SAlt), Rory Larkins (SLA), Satvik Sharma (Liberals) |
| Global Solidarity Officers | Jasmine Al-Rawi (SAlt), Deaglan Godwin (SAlt), Skye Dannaher (Switchroots), Cooper Gannon (Liberals) and Satvik Sharma (Liberals) |
| Intercampus Officers | Alex Poirier (Artistry), Lydia Elias (SAlt), Ting Hou (Penta), Wenqing Xiao (Artistry) |
| Sexual Harrassment Officers | Alana Ramshaw (Switchroots), Eliza Crossley (Switchroots), Grace Porter (Unity), Zoe Coles (Switchroots) |
| Queer Officers | Ella Pash (Switchroots) and Yasmine Andrews (Switchroots) |
| Disabilities Officers | Khanh Tran and Jack Scanlan (NLS) |
| Mature Age Students’ Officers | No candidates nominated for this election. |
| Interfaith Officers | Josh Norena (NLS), Sargun Saluja (NLS), Siwan Xu (Penta), Thomas Thorpe (Liberals) |
| Social Justice Officers | Jordan Andersen (Switchroots), Julius Wittfoth (SAlt), Keira Garland (SAlt), Eddie Stephenson (SAlt) |
| Refugee Rights Officers | Akee Elliot (SAlt), Amelie Roediger (Switchroots), Annabel Pettit (SAlt), Lydia Elias (SAlt) |
| Student Accomodation Officers | Alana Ramshaw (Switchroots), Ishbel Dunsmore (Switchroots), Jordan Andersen (Switchroots), Michelle Ung |
| Standing Legal Committee | Grace Wallman (Chair); Lauren Lancaster (Switchroots), Bowen Gao (Penta) |
| Directors of Student Publications | Gerard Buttigieg (NLS), Grace Porter (Unity), Simone Maddison (Switchroots), Jasper Arthur (Lib), Victor Zhang (Engineers), Xueying Deng (Penta) |
| Intercampus Committee | Alexander Poirier (Artistry) and Belinda Thomas (Unity) |
12:07 – Riki moves that the SRC accepts the results of these elections! The motion passes! Meeting is closed!
12:06 – Plot twist! A ruling from the current Standing Legal Committee means that the previous elections of the Ethnocultural Officers who were not preselected by the collective (i.e, Jasmine Al-Rawi, Vedant Patel and Yang Tu) is invalid. Rand Khatib is therefore the sole Ethnocultural Officer elected.
12:05 – Johnson withdraws. Lancaster and Gao elected unopposed.
12:02 – In the elections for the Standing Legal Committee, we have Bowen Gao (Penta), Lauren Lancaster (Switchroots) and Yasmine Johnson (SAlt). They all give speeches. Unfortunately I was not listening, so check out our live tweets and Instagram stories for updates.
12:00 (Fuck) – For Intercampus Committee, Alexander Poirier (Unity) and Belinda Thomas (Unity) nominate and are elected unopposed.
11:59 – Elected as Directors of Student Publications are: Buttigieg, Porter, Maddison, Zheng and Deng.
11:58 – Riki moves a procedural motion to merge all subsequent agenda times into one. Motion carries. We WILL be able to go home faster.
11:47 – Deng speaks from the Zoom. Says that she has accumulated knowledge relevant to the role via her degree. We move to a vote.
11:45 – Leach, Buttigieg, Porter, Arthur and Harvey waive their speaking rights. Maddison speaks her nomination, points to the “loud and proud” radical work of student publications like Honi. So true of her, in our personal and professional opinion.
11:43 – Elections for the Directors of Student Publications up next. Nominees are Freya Leach (Liberals), Gerard Buttigieg (NLS), Grace Porter (Unity), Jasper Arthur, Qiana Harvey (Liberals), Simone Maddison (Switchroots), Vedant Patel, Victor Zheng, Xueying Deng.
11:42 – Wallman elected unopposed.
11:41 – Grace Wallman (Switchroots) is the sole nominee for Chair of the Standing Legal Committee. Says that the SRC needs to continue its legacy as a fighting activist union.
11:40 – Your new Student Accomodation Officers are Ramshaw, Dunsmore, Andersen and Ung.
11:34 – Ung gives her speech from Zoom, says that if elected she will make it her number one priority to connect students to affordable housing. Tu waives her speaking rights. We move to a vote.
11:32 – Andersen starts his speech by criticising Coalition governments for making housing unaffordable, also criticises USyd for selling off student accomodation properties.
11:31 – Dunsmore gives her speech. Ends with “Fuck the Colleges!”
11:30 – Constable lists a bunch of questionable policies as to what the Colleges have done to address SASH, criticises the Left for calling for the abolishment of colleges.
11:28 – Onto elections for the Student Accomodation Officers. Nominees are Alana Ramshaw (Switchroots), Bryson Constable (Liberals), Ishbel Dunsmore (Switchroots), Jordan Andersen (Switchroots), Michelle Ung and Yang Tu. Ramshaw waives her speaking rights.
11:27 – The motion carries. Thank FUCK, it is 11:27pm!
11:26 – All four candidates are provisionally elected. Lauren Lancaster moves a procedural motion for reducing speaking time to one minute.
11:24 – Elias says that the Refugee Rights Officers should be engaging in activism and opposing the Labor government, citing recent protests fighting for the freedom of Tamil refugees.
11:21 – Pettit uses her speech to criticise SLA for suggesting that “having Labor on side” on refugee advocacy was beneficial for the movement.
11:19 – Roediger also condemns both major parties for their “shameful” policies, says the SRC should support a platform for students with lived experience as refugees. Outlines some of her plans, including building mentoring programs and supporting Refugee Rights Week next year.
11:17 – Elliot gives a speech condemning the major parties for their anti-refugee policies. Says a leftwing activist SRC needs to mobilise students and convince them to fight.
11:15 – For Refugee Rights Officers, nominees are Akee Elliot (SAlt), Amelie Roediger (Switchroots), Annabel Pettit (SAlt) and Lydia Elias (SAlt).
11:15 – For Social Justice Officers, Andersen, Wittfoth, Garland and Stephenson have been elected.
11:07 – Garland waives speaking rights. Riki moves to a vote.
11:05 – Wittfoth gives a speech. Unfortunately Honi was not paying attention, although it probably had something to do with mobilising people en masse, tearing down the systems of oppression, etc.
11:03 – Update: lights have been turned back on. Andersen gives his speech.
11:02 – Someone has turned out the lights? In the middle of Riki’s spiel to allow speakers to continue uninterrupted.
10:56 – Leach proposes “real action” involving “increasing the economic conditions”. The Left starts singing ‘I would rather be a picket than a scab’ in attempts to shut Leach’s speech down, however it only succeeds in extending her speaking time. Says that the SRC needs to protect ordinary people from the “real wage theft” of “taxing ordinary people for services nobody cares about”. Tells the Left to “go and get a job”. Lol.
10:55 – Riki rejects Sharma’s nomination since he has already been elected to two OB positions. Grim.
10:54 – Stephenson says that the politics of service provision and activism are fundamentally opposed. Thinks that people “can fight back” and “embolden ordinary people to get what they are owed” instead of “someone from Grassroots spoon-feeding some pasta in your mouth”.
10:51 – Nominees are: Eddie Stephenson (SAlt), Freya Leach (Liberals), Jordan Anderson (Switchroots), Julius Wittfoth (SAlt), Keira Garland (SAlt), Satvik Sharma (Liberals).
10:50 – Elected as Interfaith Officers: Xu, Norena, Saluja and Thorpe. Onto Social Justice Officers elections.
10:39 – Thorpe says that it’s important for us to be united “under one common interest”. Notes that this is a Judeo-Christian value “that our society was built upon”. He references the Bible, to some heckling! He mentions more Bible stuff, sorry, Honi tuned out and didn’t hear.
10:38 – Xu gives her speech, notes that her Education background gives her some research and insight into the role of Interfaith Officer.
10:37 – Saluja speaks to her nomination and begins with an acknowledgement of Country. She proposes to promote cultural festivals that will lead to greater diversity on campus.
10:35 – Norena waives his speaking rights. Grenier says that it’s good that the SRC has an Interfaith Portfolio.
10:33 – Nominees are: Josh Norena (NLS), Michael Grenier (Independents), Sargun Saluja (NLS), Siwan Xu, Thomas Thorpe (Liberals).
10:32 – Tran and Scanlan are elected unopposed. Now onto the Interfaith Officers election.
10:29 – Tran begins their speech by saying that “we live in a University not accessible to disabled students”. Cites the lack of ramps to accessing the SRC Office. Points to the social model of disability, calling for the SRC to go further in advocacy for disabled students. Go Khanh (we are not at all unbiased)!
10:26 – Scanlan says the disabilities population at USyd is “woefully small”, which is the reason CAPS services are limited and it took so long to create a disabilities space. Criticises the University and the SRC for not being accessible to disabled students.
10:23 – The preselected Disabilities Officers are Honi editor Khanh Tran and Jack Scanlan (NLS). Three others have nominated, but due to collective autonomy regulations only Tran and Scanlan’s nominations are accepted.
10:23 – Riki concludes the adjournment early and proceeds to the elections of the Disabilities Officers.
10:19 – Quorum is called. Riki takes a procedural to adjourn for 10 minutes, returning at 10:24.
10:15 – Julia calls a quorum count as Councillors trickle back in the room.
9:58 – Pash and Andrews are elected unopposed. We move into another break (thank god), see you all at 10:15!
9:56 – Andrews notes the work they’ve done this year as Queer Officer, including improvements on the queer space and securing gender affirming supplies like binders.
9:55 – Onto the Queer Officers’ election, where Ella Pash (Switchroots) and Yasmine Andrews (Switchroots) are the preselected candidates. Due to collective autonomy regulations, they are the only nominations Riki is able to accept.
9:55 – All candidates are provisionally nominated.
9:53 – Coles begins her speech by highlighting the need for intersectional approaches to fighting sexual violence. Promises to work closely with the Women’s Collective as SASH Officer.
9:52 – Porter acknowledges that she does not have as much experience as others within the SRC, but has been “inspired” by the work they have done in fighting against sexual violence.
9:50 – Ramshaw waives her speaking rights. Crossley gives her speech. Notes the findings of the NSSS survey and calls them “scary”. Calls for the SRC to fight against sexual violence and harassment on campus.
9:49 – We now have the elections of the Sexual Harassment Officers. Nominees are Alana Ramshaw, Eliza Crossley, Grace Porter and Zoe Coles. All except Porter (Unity) belong to Switchroots.
9:49 – With only four candidates, all are provisionally elected.
9:48 – Hou outlines her experience, asks students to vote.
9:46 – Elias begins her speech by condemning Dannaher again, and the Council for “empowering Stalinists”. Says that the SRC should not be lobbying management or sitting in meetings with Deans, but rather fighting back. Praises the strikes at the Con.
9:44 – We’re now onto the elections of the Intercampus Officers. Nominees are Alex Poirier (Unity), Lydia Elias (SAlt), Ting Hou, Wenqing Xiao. Poirier is absent; do you guys think he’s gotten tired of all these elections he’s nominated for?
9:42 – Al-Rawi, Godwin, Smith are elected on first count. Gannon-Sharma and Haslam were tied for the lowest vote, so a coin flip determined Gannon and Sharma elected.
9:33 – Smith withdraws their nomination.
9:31 – Smith echoes Haslam’s condemnation of Dannaher. “If we’re asking ‘what is global solidarity’, it’s not listening to a Stalinist. It’s standing in solidarity with students globally who are fighting against oppression”, Smith says.
9:28 – Haslam begins their speech by telling “everyone in Grassroots should take a hard look at themselves”, criticising Dannaher’s politics and involvement in Grassroots. Says that anyone supporting Stalinism “does not belong in Council”. Shames Grassroots again.
9:24 – Dannaher begins their speech with a quote from former CPP Chairman Mao Zedong. Makes an argument against imperialists and recounts some Marxist theory, many people heckling in the room. They disclose their Marxist-Leninist leanings and membership in the Communist Party of Australia.
9:22 – Al-Rawi condemns “the Stalinist running in these elections”, accusing them of standing with the Iranian and Israeli regimes. Calls for the SRC to do better in supporting the #FreePalestine campaign.
9:19 – Godwin refutes the “ridiculous lies and scenes we just saw”. Says that the elections of the Liberals to Enviro Officer is a “distraction” from important political discussions. Says that we need more activists coming out to protests to global causes such as the recent protest against the Iranian regime.
9:16 – Gannon reminds the Left that a Liberal has now been elected Environment Officer. Sharma says that “we need to protect the rights of investment bankers” in the world. Starts frothing at the mouth talking about deregulation, tax cuts, free markets, etc.
9:14 – Riki moves to the Global Solidarity Officers elections: Cooper Gannon (Liberals), Deaglan Godwin (SAlt), Jasmine Al-Rawi (SAlt), Skye Dannaher (Switchroots), Tamsyn Smith, Satvik Sharma (Liberals), Sophie Haslam (SAlt). Sharma and Gannon nominate jointly.
9:12 – Julia threatens to shut the meeting down in response to fierce argument in the back (sorry I am live-blogging from home I can’t see anything in the back). People shut up and sit down.
9:10 – Riki declares the provisional results: Maddie Clark (SAlt), Simon Upitis (SAlt), Rory Larkins (SLA) and Satvik Sharma (Liberals).
9:02 – It is past 9! Votes are STILL being counted!
8:56 – Votes are still being counted, SLA still blocking Honi livestream…
8:47 – Upitis gives his speech. He shits on Labor, predictably. Criticises the climate activists for “sucking up to the ALP”. Demands for a shutdown of the fossil fuel industry. Says that voting for Grassroots will “shift environment activism to the right” and also tells “serious activists” not to vote for Solidarity.
8:44 – Sharma nominates again. He echoes Gannon’s earlier sentiments about the Left’s “hypocrisy”, accusing the Left of “branch-stacking” Enviro collectives across universities. Takes it upon himself to promote the former federal Coalition government’s shit climate “policies”. Someone tell Satvik that Scott Morrison isn’t gonna add him back on Linkedin, please!
8:42 – Larkins condemns SAlt for their abstention from climate organising by the Enviro Collective, and their undermining of the collective’s preselections. Calls for a just transition to 100% renewable energy, says that this can only be achieved by building a student movement that shares aims with workers rights and First Nations’ rights.
8:40 – Langdale calls for students to stand in solidarity with unionists in the public sector. Defends the preselection process to cheers in the room, arguing the importance of having Enviro convenors who have actually participated in environment organising.
8:37 – Clark says that there is a right and left wing side in debates as to who should lead the Enviro Collective, and labels Sherriff and Solidarity members as being part of the right, apparently forgetting that Liberals are also participating in these elections (?) Calls the Enviro Collective’s preselections a “sham election”.
8:34 – Sherriff opens his speech by expressing his solidarity with First Nations people in their fight against settler-colonial. He references the large 2019 climate strike and says that the Enviro Collective is a platform for students in exploring new political ideas. Outlines his vision for an activist Enviro Collective and emphasises the importance of respecting the preselected Enviro Officers from the collective instead of electing candidates in factional deals.
8:31 – Gannon speaks to his nomination for Enviro Officers and is immediately met with heckling and laughter. He calls out the “hypocrisy” of Councillors in the room and accuses all members of SAlt and Grassroots of being from private schools and the North Shore. Uses his speech to… criticise the hypocrisy of the SRC instead of actually platforming his policies for environment action. Let’s stay on topic, Cooper!
8:30 – The motion carries. Kadkol is permitted to remain.
8:28 – Godwin says that Riki’s decision sets a “bad precedent” for factional heads to be “silenced” and kicked out of meetings “simply for heckling”.
8:27 – Julia calls for order, Godwin moves a procedural motion dissenting to the Chair’s decision to remove Kadkol.
8:21 – People are still yelling, people are still standing around, people have not yet left the room speeches have yet to commence, etc.
8:13 – Deaglan Godwin (SAlt) is seen yelling at Riki, presumably related to Kadkol’s call for removal.
8:07 – Dermody highlights the role of the Enviro collective in campaigning in support of the Gomeroi people, as well as opposing the Beataloo mining project. His speech is met with lots of heckling, with Riki naming Hersha Kadkol (SAlt) for the third time and asking her to leave the room for 30 minutes. Says that it is “disgraceful” that SAlt has tried to roll the elections of the Enviro Officers and undermined some of its efforts this year.
8:05 – We proceed to the elections of the Environment Officers. Nominees are Angus Dermody (SLA), Cooper Gannon (Liberals), James Sherriff (SLA), Maddie Clark (SAlt), Marcus Langdale (SLA), Rory Larkins (SLA), Satvik Sharma (Liberals), Simon Upitis (SAlt). Honi is expecting some dramaaaaa…
8:02 – Quorum is called, RepsElect recommences!
8:00 – Julia calls for a quorum count.
7:42 – We’re on break! RepsElect will recommence at 8pm.
7:42 – Since there are only four candidates, all nominees have been provisionally elected for International Students’ Officers.
7:41 – Li gives her speech from the Zoom, promises the listen to the needs of international students and support them as best as possible.
7:40 – Wei introduces herself as a second-year student, says that she would like to help international students develop study abroad programs. Wants to help provide welfare support.
7:39 – Liu introduces herself as a first-year Business student, outlines her plan to support international students in their studies.
7:36 – Paruthi gives her speech, outlines her plan to grow the International Students’ Collective, as well as mobilising international students support for the NTEu strikes. Expresses her desire to work closer with Education and Welfare Collectives.
7:35 – We’re onto the International Students’ Officers elections. Nominees are Ashrika Paruthi (Switchroots), Clare Liu (Penta), Lily Wei (Penta), Yuchen Li (Penta).
7:34 – There are no nominations for the elections of the First Nations Officers. They will be elected at the first council of 2023.
7:33 – Since there are only four candidates, all four have been provisionally elected.
7:32 – Patel waives his right to speak. Tu begins her speech by admitting that she is affected by the “dominance in the room”. Calls for disadvantaged students to exercise their rights.
7:31 – Khatib gives her speech and begins with an acknowledgement of Country. Calls on the council to reflect on how everything we’re doing is founded on settler-colonialism. She introduces herself and notes that she was born in historical Palestine, says that now is the time to amplify Palestinian voices.
7:28 – Al-Rawi speaks first: condemns the Labor party for being the “key architects” for their poor refugee policy and calling a Day of Mourning for the Queen’s death earlier this year, a term which has long been associated with January 26 for First Nations people.
7:25 – We’re now onto the elections for the Ethnocultural Officers. Although Ethnocultural Officers usually elected autonomously, only Rand Khatib was preselected. Riki is obliged to accept the other four nominations: Jasmine Al-Rawi (SAlt), Vedant Patel and Yang Tu.
7:23 – Haid, Tonkin and Brennan are elected. Tu and Douglas both tied for the lowest votes so Riki did a coin flip – Douglas was elected.
7:16 – SAlt nominees Williams and Stephenson withdraw, as per!
7:15 – Tu speaks to her nomination from Zoom, appears to rehash her policies as Senate candidate. She suggests taking out loans from management to avoid austerity measures as a welfare policy. Lol.
7:13 – Tom Williams (formerly Grassroots, allegedly also attempted to join at least one Labor faction, now in SAlt) says that we should address the cost of living crisis by protesting.
7:12 – Brennan sets out an agenda for their election, promising to fight for better special considerations. They say they will look at the expansion of programs like FoodHub to aid the cost of living crisis and ensure there is better student advocacy.
7:08 – Felix keeps it short and sweet by noting that he’s not here to rant and argue. Up next is Harrison Brennan, who was also preselected by the Welfare Action Group. Harrison takes a harsher approach, telling SAlt if that if they care about students, they should attend the Welfare Action Group.
7:06 – Trots arguing that Mark Scott’s salary should fund the FoodHub (free food service run by the USU and SRC). It seems they’re expecting disagreement? Probs wrong crowd if so.
7:02 – Trots yelling. “I hate these speeches, they’re so boring” – overheard from a misc observer. Idk, we’re enjoying it!
6:57 – Women’s officers are elected. Moving into elections onto Welfare Officers. Nominees are: Ella Haid (SAlt), Eleanor Douglas (Switchroots), Eddie Stephenson (SAlt), Harrison Brennan (Switchroots), Felix Tonkin (Unity), Tom Williams (SAlt). There are four positions available.
6:49 – Women’s Officers are next: the preselected WoCo candidates are Alev Saracoglu and Iggy Boyd. Eddie Stephenson (SAlt) and Qiana Harvey (Liberals) also nominate, but due to collective autonomy regulations, Riki must reject them. Only Boyd and Saracoglu are permitted to speak.
6:48 – Dunsmore and Johnson are elected Education Officers. The room breaks out in chants of ‘NO CUTS! NO FEES! NO CORPORATE UNIVERSITIES!’
6:40 – Johnson criticises Sharma and his previous speech, pointing out that he has never actually been to a strike. References the NTEU’s strikes this year, says that SAlt has been “leading” the organising. Says that the SRC’s role is the mobilise students to fight for their interests.
6:38 – Sharma talks (again). He starts yelling (again). Councillors heckle him (again). That is all.
6:35 – Dunsmore begins with an acknowledgement of Country. She points out the challenges of the university sector with management cutting courses and jobs, references the need for a fighting and militant student union. Calls it “shameful” that there are candidates in the room who are calling to defund education, criticises the ALP and Labor students for choosing to “play the parliamentary game” in education policy.
6:32 – Christensen begins their speech by referencing the education campaign here at USyd, says that it hasn’t been able to mobilise enough support. They receive heckles from the room before continuing with their speech and says that we must organise faculties to produce a student-specific demands.
6:30 – Education Officers elections up next. Nominations include: Honey Christensen (SLA), Ishbel Dunsmore (Switchroots), Satvik Sharma (again, ugh) and Yasmine Johnson (SAlt).
6:29 – Harvey waives her right to speak. Marsden-Redford and Harvey withdraw. Remaining candidates are elected.
6:26 – Marsden-Redford criticises Grassroots and the SRC for not doing enough to motivate its Councillors to attend other protests beyond strikes. Outlines SAlt’s vision for the SRC of “throwing every bone in its body” into activism over service provision and sitting on advisory boards.
6:25 – Grenier begins by acknowledging that “I’m not the most popular person on Council right now”. Says that the SRC needs to continue fighting against racism and expresses his disappointment in the passing of an earlier motion changing the name of Lunar to Chinese New Year. Doesn’t speak about “that issue because I don’t want Honi to mark it off their bingo”. At least he’s self-aware?
6:23 – Brennan gives his speech: calls the SRC “vital” to the experience of students and staff. Says that its important that executives and office-bearers actually fight for students’ rights instead of simply using it as a line in their CV. Says that the General Executive should support systems that support students, as well as its activist campaigns.
6:22 – McKay also acknowledges Country and says that she wants to provide better representation and support for Engineers. She cites her participation in FoodHub, as well as supporting the NTEU’s ongoing campaign.
6:21 – Crossley “echoes the Acknowledgement of Country we’ve heard tonight”. Dives straight into her speech, says she wants to push the SRC to be more visible and have higher engagements. Also promises to support the collectives and calls for better funding and resourcing for collectives and its services.
6:19 – O’Shea begins with an Acknowledgement of Country. He says he sought out this office because he believes in providing “an effective administration”.
6:15: Moving onto elections of the General Executive. Nominees are: Emily McKay (Engineers), Daniel O’Shea (Unity), Owen Marsden-Redford (SAlt), Eliza Crossley (Switchroots), Harrison Brennan (Switchroots), Qiana Harvey (Liberals), Michael Grenier (Independents).
6:14 – Riki calls a procedural from the floor that speakers stay on topic – probably in response to a certain first-year Liberal’s constant derailing. Unfortunately, procedural fails.
6:13 – Perkins and Donnelly are elected General Secretary.
6:10 – Sharma continues reading a Friedman extract over Riki’s warnings that his speaking time is up. Honi thought we were in a RepsElect meeting, not a Liberals book club.
6:08 – Sharma begins his speech by reading an extract from liberal philosopher Milton Friedman, reminds hecklers in the room “I’m a Law student!” Ok.
6:07 – Clark says that the SRC should be activist, anti-management and oppose Labor. Praises SAlt, predictably, for their work building a student activist movement, then (also predictably) withdraws.
6:05 – Donnelly also speaks, expresses her keenness to continue the activist work of the SRC from an administrative standpoint
6:03 – Perkins begins his speech with an Acknowledgement of Country. He says that he’s proud of the Enviro Collective’s work in centring First Nations voices this year. He outlines his vision of a radical SRC General Secretary, one that is activist, one that strongly opposes Labor’s Accords, refugee policy, etc.
6:02 – Moving onto elections of the General Secretary: Tiger Perkins (Switchroots) and Jasmine Donnelly (Switch) have jointly nominated, Satvik Sharma (Liberals) and Maddie Clark (SAlt) have also nominated.
6:01 – Riki declares Bowron and Donnelly elected, with 37 votes.
5:54 – We have our first SAlt withdrawal for the night; Godwin withdraws his nomination!
5:53 – Sharma begins his speech to heckles from the room, calls SAlt “disgraceful” for calling for a revolutionary approach to student activism, tells them to “get a life, go back and actually do your degree”. It is unclear what he is actually planning to do as VP if elected beyond yelling at SAlt.
5:50 – Godwin addresses the council, predictably begins by acknowledging the importance of striking workers and students. He says that student unions need a “fighting solution” to the issues we are facing today, which he says is the work of every office bearer, paid or not.
5:48 – Donnelly gives her speech: commits to campaigning for the Uluru Statement from the Heart, fighting for better special considerations and better mental health and disabilities services. She promises to continue supporting the NTEU strikes.
5:47 – Bowron, who is jointly nominating with Donnelly, begins his speech by acknowledging his previous experience on last year’s SRC General Executive. He notes his and Donnelly’s participation in this year’s NTEU strikes, and acknowledges outgoing VP Emily Storey’s efforts in re-establishing FoodHub.
5:45 – Four nominations for Vice-President at the time of closing – Rose Donnelly (NLS), Daniel Bowron (Unity), Deaglan Godwin (SAlt) and Satvik Sharma (Liberals).
5:43 – Speaking time debates begin! Riki outlines the rules of 2 minutes for major position (i.e, Vice-Presidents and General Secretaries) and 1 minute for other office-bearer positions.
5:43 – First procedural moved! Speaking time changed to 2 minutes.
5:38 – Riki calls for silence and reminds everyone that only voting members of Council are permitted to sit in the first four rows. They remind us of the rules; nominations are open until speeches are called, which allows candidates from the floor to nominate. They also address affirmative action procedures; this means that at least half of the elected councillors for each portfolio must be non-cis-men. They recognise new regulations surrounding collective autonomy, where certain identity-based portfolios only allow active members of that collective to nominate for that portfolio.
5:26 – Julia Robins (Secretary to Council) begins distributing ballots to councillors, she explains the rules for voting.
5:22 – Riki Scanlan is appointed Returning Officer for the following elections of the SRC’s Office Bearers.
5:18 – Chair is ceded to SRC President-elect Lia Perkins. She outlines her vision for the upcoming SRC, which involves an activist union that fights against any policy that “fucks over” students.
5:15 – Outgoing SRC President Lauren Lancaster calls quorum. She reflects on her term, acknowledging the mammoth efforts of activists on the NTEU’s strikes this year.