After a familiar wait for quorum, the last Students’ Representative Council (SRC) meeting of 2024 began at 6:49pm. Following a series of adjournments this was also the first SRC meeting since September 4.
Outgoing President Harrison Brennan (Grassroots) made his final President’s Report, and opened with “it’s been a big year”.
Brennan continued, speaking to the Hodgkinson Review report released on Wednesday. “All the things we fought for this year are at stake at a higher level,” Brennan warned, “The SRC could have its funding cut.”
Brennan stated that the SRC would have to fight against these recommendations in 2025.
“I hope that next year we don’t see a slip in the standard of activism that we have maintained,” he concluded.
Jasmine Donnelly (NLS) then made her separate Vice-President’s report, saying of the Hodgkinson Review that “it’s just like… it’s serious infringement.”
“It’s also been accompanied by a funding threat, so going into next year some really strategic movements around that should be focused on,” Donnelly claimed, “I hope the next exec will demonstrate discernment about how they set out to achieve these goals.”
Donnelly concluded her speech by stating of her colleagues in the SRC: “I genuinely wish I could say it was a pleasure working with you guys… but it hasn’t been.”
Before taking a seat, Donnelly congratulated the next year’s Honi team, saying that she “loves to see a women-led ticket.” Good luck, Spill for Honi!
Deaglan Godwin (SAlt), also gave a Vice-President’s report, “I think we’re probably all on the same page” about the threat posed by the Hodgkinson Review, but that “we are not all on the same page” as to how the SRC will fight it.
“I don’t think strategic should be a synonym for careful, or cautious, or pulling our punches,” Godwin said, “I don’t think it should be a synonym either for capitulation, for submission to the University’s will.”
Godwin concluded that “I won’t be going anywhere, much to the disappointment of many people in this room, and Mark Scott.”
Shovan Bhattarai (SAlt) then stood to ask Donnelly a “question”. Bhattarai claimed that Donnelly had not wanted to put her name on a statement prepared against the Hodgkinson Review.
Donnelly replied that she believed that the review “should be aimed at showing the University that the review goes against their own interests.”
Donnelly claimed that the SRC’s service provision funding could be under threat by the recommendations of the Hodgkinson Review, which Bhattarai denied.
“This is not an attempt to cut back on the service provision aspect of the SRC,” Bhattarai said, “they are coming for the activists”.
Bhattarai and Donnelly then argued over whether students’ primary engagement with the SRC was with activism or service provision. Up to this point, the discussion was remarkably civil, with no heckling whatsoever. However, as the argument became heated, Donnelly threatened that NLS would pull quorum.
This was followed by questions over whether or not quorum was still being met.
Education Officer Grace Street (Grassroots) then made her speech, noting that NLS missed the previous SRC council meeting before speaking to “recent wins”.
Street said that with the Hodgkinson Review, the University has “pull[ed] out all the stops.” “This is a really big issue, they attack activists,” Street said, before asking the Council to “please vote up the motion later.”
Bhattarai then gave her speech as Education Officer, speaking to the Woolworth’s Warehouse strike. “I want to bring up this strike in particular,” Bhattarai said, “because I think it is one of the pinnacle things that students and student activists should be throwing themselves into.”
“It highlights so many of the key questions that as left-wing student activists we should be championing,” Bhattarai said, adding that student activists should be learning from these strikes “how to actually fight to win.”
“They know that the way you fight to win your interests,” stated Bhattarai, is “to withhold our labour.” “Shelves are empty … that is the model for how you fight to win”, she said.
Eliza Crossley (Grassroots) then gave the Women’s Officer Report. “Yeah what a fucking crazy year”, Crossley said, “this has been one of the best years for student activism.”
Crossley called the Hodgkinson Review “an existential threat” to activism. “Everything we do is under attack, from postering to banner drops … protesting inside buildings, picketing”, Crossley stated.
“If this University cared about safety they would abolish the colleges,” Crossley said. “We know that students are on our side”, Crossley continued, “we’ve seen hundreds of students come out this year.”
“We need to come back stronger because there is too much at stake.”
Victor Zhang (Engineers) then delivered the Disabilities Officer Report on behalf of him and Khanh Tran, praising the members of the Disability Collective for their hard work over 2024. “I have full confidence in Remi and Vince going into next year”, Zhang said, concluding by stating “free Palestine and defend the CFMEU.”
A procedural motion was then moved to skip to General Business. This saw incoming 2025 President Angus Fisher (NLS) speak to the Campus Access Policy Feedback Form Motion.
“What it [the motion] essentially says is that we should all respond to the CAP feedback form”, Fisher said, “we can actually use the feedback form to showcase our anger and unhappiness.”
Jasmine Donnelly, seconding the motion, stated that whilst “this is not generally in alignment with the SRC strategy of full activism,” it “is not the only strategy NLS would employ” in the coming year.
Crossley criticised the motion, saying that “as far as I’m concerned we actually have told the University how we feel.”
Donnelly asked Crossley from the bench if she was speaking for the motion, given her criticism of it, to which Crossley replied “yes, I’m for the motion.”
Grace Street addressed NLS, asking “when was this [motion] submitted?” Street said: “we’ve been fighting this since July, so what have you guys been doing this whole time?”
The discussion devolved into heckling over the contributions of NLS to activism. Donnelly was heard stating, “guys, I feel like Grassroots is gaslighting me now.”
“Do you want to see my fucking spreadsheet, I’ll pull out the receipts if you want,” Street said. “If you guys actually want to do stuff, don’t say that you would do something … I don’t know where this second prong has gone.”
Jasmine Al-Rawi (SAlt) then spoke, stating “we’re going to vote this motion down, actually,” citing that it was “clear NLS strategy.”
“At best, this is totally pointless,” she said, continuing,“To put forward that this is a genuine strategy, that’s disingenuous.”
Al-Rawi remarked that the university wants to “Stop our ability to organise students” against management. “The role of the student union is […] to come out and fight and be a part of student activism” she said.
“You guys [NLS] are completely unserious about fighting against it.”
Donnelly responded, remarking that “I understand why Socialist Alternative is voting this down … It’s not in your strat, I’m not offended.”
Donnelly continued “nobody said this was the primary mechanism,” met with further heckling. “It’s called a prong, just one, just half. Get over it and do the survey.”
Emma Searle (SAlt) spoke to the “pressure we were able to mount on the side of students,” and confronted NLS, remarking that “asking us to fill out a report and do nothing […] is insulting.”
“Your strategy has done nothing all year,” Searle continued. “You need to be serious about things that work […] Activism is the only path forward.”
NLS upvoted. Grassroots upvoted. SAlt voted against the motion, with Bhattarai asking Grassroots: “why are you guys voting for it? … you’re agreeing with the two prong approach.” The motion carried.
The next motion brought forward was ‘Support Woolworths Warehouse Workers on Strike.’
“Workers are eager to fight this massive corporation,” Ben Walden (SAlt) said. Walden then encouraged members of the Council to “go out and support the striking workers.”
Jasmine Al-Rawi called for “a raising of hands if you’ve been down to the woolies picket line.” Only SAlt raised their hands.
“This is the most significant industrial dispute this year,” Al-Rawi said, noting the importance of this indefinite strike. “It is important that as students we show our solidarity.”
There is an “appetite of workers to fight back against management […] we need more students to come out to the picket line, they love having us there.”
“NLS… You guys say you love the unions… where were you?” Al-Rawi asked. Jasmine Donnelly promised that NLS would attend, to which Al-Rawi said “we’ll hold you to that.”
Ishbel Dunsmore spoke next, supporting the “sector-leading” action by Woolworths, as a casual retail worker. “Grassroots will be there”.
Aayra Pagrut (SAlt) spoke next, endorsing the strike. She remarked that these actions “increase workers confidence” and remain a “confrontational strategy.” “[Working] conditions are horrendously shit, [workers] are disrespected every day,” she said.
Shovan Bhattari remarked on the lack of presence at strikes, “It’s been a real omission,” she stated, “I am glad people are reckoning with that.” Brennan queries about a strike fund.
Remi Lebreton (Groots) spoke next: “I agree with everything said so far” they said. “Grassroots will be there … I think it’s correct that we need to head our course like this.” They spoke to poor working conditions in retail, stating “as a retail worker for the last 6 years, I’ve only seen conditions worsen”
Godwin then moved a procedural to amend the motion, to account for fundraising for a strike fund.
Shovan Bhattari noted that this national strike disproves the notion that there is “no appetite” for organising and building union movements. Workers are “sticking it to the bastards who run Woolworths,” she said.
Brennan concurred and the motion carried.
The next motion, ‘Stop the cuts to Higher Education’, was first addressed by Yoshi Leung (SAlt).
“In arts alone there are 69 units being cut including the entire writing studies minor” as well as “20 cuts to philosophy,” she notes. She went on to condemn management being “endlessly driven by profits.”, Leung argued.
Grace Street spoke next, remarking that such attacks on the arts only used Labor’s international student caps as a pretext. She condemned the University of Wollongong’s cuts to history and language studies.
“[I am] really proud the incoming Education Officers have picked this up before their term has started,” she said.
Tobias Harrison spoke next, remarking on the “attrocious” cuts, including the “complete gutting” of total subjects, including Ancient History and Philosophy.
Harrison noted that this shouldn’t be dismissed as a consequence only of the international student caps. Universities are not in a “shit situation financially,” he said, and only act to serve the “massive profits they are already making.”
“[The University] doesn’t give a shit about staff, doesn’t give a shit about students”, he said, remarking that the university sees students as “walking debit cards”
Angus Fisher (NLS) then spoke to the motion, opening with a seemingly bizarre statement: “The only thing I can commend Mark Scott on is how slick he is.”
He continued, stating “That’s exactly how they get to push through these course cuts … pushing [cuts] through committees and checks and balances.”
“The way I think we should fight this is by understanding the way the university is doing that”
Martha Barlow spoke next, concurring with the campaign: “This is extremely shameful from the University.”
“We should definitely direct a lot of energy and anger at management, but we cannot ignore the historical cuts to education that the Labor party has made,” she said.
The motion carried unanimously.
Godwin then raised a Procedural motion to suspend standing orders, seconded by Bhattarai. The motion carried. A procedural motion was then carried to raise a motion from the floor to release an SRC statement on the Hodgkinson Review.
Annabelle Petit spoke to the motion, stating that “If we’re going to build opposition to this report […] that needs to start with the very least a statement that is nothing but scathing and honest”.
“This is a highly politically motivated attack,” she said. “The university admits that Hodgkinson was brought on in response to the Gaza solidarity encampment.”
“It’s an extremely draconian concept,” she said. “So called contested phrases can be punished,” citing “from the river to the sea” and “intifada”.
She cited Bruce Hodgkinson’s former clients, such as BP and NSW police, and described the report “as an Extension of the Campus Access Policy”.
Luke Mesterovic (Grassroots) spoke next, concurring with Petit. He stated that attacks on students have only occurred “because of the sustained pressure that groups like the Zionist lobby have put on the university”.
“I am taken aback by how comically draconian the university has been,” noting the recent outlawing and removal of an Autonomous Collective Against Racism (ACAR) bake sale.
He went on to say that “as a disabled student, I am incredibly offended that universities are weaponising disability… they are using our experiences as a way to shut down activism.”
Ishbel Dusmore spoke next. “Now that NLS has won Presidency, there is no excuse,” Dunsmore said. “If you want the SRC to survive, which is existentially threatened by the cap, you have to be willing to take political risk.”
“Words mean nothing if they are not backed by action.”
Aaron Douglass (SAlt, Macquarie University) concurred with the “existential threat” to the SRC as noted by Dunsmore.
“At Macquarie University we have essentially a fake SRC, a deliberate strategy by the university, where they voted down a notion to condemn the arts cuts.”
“That’s what could happen at Sydney university if these cuts go through,” they said.
They remarked that activism was the “vital lifeblood of any sort of student union.”
Procedural to allow all visitors speaking rights moved, passed.
Al-Rawi spoke next, noting that the SRC must “gauge how big of an attack this Hodgkinson Review is”.
Al-Rawi remarked that “the struggle against apartheid, against the Vietnam War… where 1000s of students took part in protests… that would have never happened under these new rules”.
“Protest was the key thing that won these things.”
“The University has cynically used this argument that they care about student safety…They are contributing to the lack of safety and the massacring of people in the Middle East.”
The motion carried.
The next motion was “Support public sector workers fighting the Minns government for a pay rise.” Max Pomarca (SAlt) spoke first.
“[Nurses] have the worst pay in the entire country. Some people do 24 hour shifts. Its actually abhorrent that they are fucking treated like this.”
“Many nurses are paid close to minimum wage. What were they offered? A 3% Pay rise. Meanwhile, the Labor govt has offered the NSW police a 40% pay rise.”
“The Labor government are for capitalism, for cops.”
Lauren Finalyson (SAlt) concurred, remarking that Minns and labor are “Keeping workers on the poverty line.”
She remarked that “Labor is spouting the ideology of bosses…” “Minns and Haylen have launched a campaign of inconvenience against the RBTU and nurses.”
“If Labor were really a party for unions, their orientation to strikes would not be to criticise how disruptive they are…A strike is good when its extremely disruptive, thats the fucking point.”
Remy Lebreton (Grassroots) spoke next. “NLS harps on about change from within. What have you done to justify still being in labor, with regard to this?
The motion is carried unanimously, and Godwin moves a procedural to hear a motion to the floor. The motion regards the condemnation of Rose Jackson by the SRC.
Laura Olivio (SAlt) spoke to the procedural motion. Regarding a recent interview with Rose Jackson, Olivio stated that “Rose Jackson took to the right wing media”, to say that “when it comes to ‘the stuff about gaza’ she called it, student activists should ‘hate less’.”
“Fuck that”, Olivio said, “by the way, this is the Minister that didn’t know what the average rent was.”
Ishbel Dunsmore then spoke, asking “What’s left of the Labor left? … Is it Gerard [Buttigieg] staying one night at the encampment? Is it Angus [Fisher] refusing to say the word intifada? Finding solace amongst the likes of Rose Jackson and Jo Haylen?”, Dunsmore asked.
Luke Mesterovic (Grassroots) then addressed NLS, calling on them to “come up and defend Rose Jackson!” He went on to state that “Rose Jackson is particularly dangerous because she provides cover for people who think that they can be in the Labor party and have a conscience.”
Finally, Godwin spoke to the motion, stating “Karl Marx once said, all great hacks appear twice in history, first as tragedy, then as farce.”
“The exact same thing is occurring time and time again”, Godwin said, “it’s like living in groundhog day.”
“Each one of these people, would be willing to vote for a Genocide,” Godwin said, specifically pointing out each member of NLS. “You and you and you!”, he continued, raising his voice. “You can smirk as much as you like… but let’s be real, all of you do not have a principle you would not sacrifice! Everything you say right now you would scrub from the record!”
Godwin concluded by stating: “People like you shouldnt have it fucking easy. I am proud that my comrades back in 2006 made life fucking hell for Rose Jackson, and me and my comrades are going to make it fucking hell for you today!”
NLS, led by Jasmine Donnelly, attempted to pull quorum as the motion was voted on, but was not fast enough to prevent the motion from passing.
The motion passed, bringing about the end of the November SRC Council and the meetings for the year.
And so to Flirt for Honi’s tenure as your steadfast coverage of USyd student politics.
