Slogan: Naturally Nabilah
Colour: Green
Faction: Independent
Degree: Science / Advanced Studies III
Quiz Score: 50%
Favourite USU venue on Campus: Courtyard
Biggest Campus Pet Peeve: Her walk to Stats class
Most Toxic Trait: Needs a sweet treat after everything she does
Favourite Bathroom to ‘go piss girl’ on Campus: Susan Wakil
Nabilah Chowdhury is a third-year Bachelor of Science and Advanced Studies student, majoring in Wildlife Conservation and International Relations. She has based her campaign around socio-economic issues that students face, specifically the cost-of-living crisis, making student life more accessible and implementing policies that battle racism and colonialism on campus. Chowdhury has been a prominent figure on campus, and noted her experience in both USU and SRC spaces in her interview. She has had experience in her role at the SRC as Global Solidarity Officer, alongside executive roles in USU Clubs and Societies (C&S).
Chowdhury is sitting at the lower end of the quiz rankings with a score of 50 per cent. Her weakest area in the quiz was on the section about USU club funding, and her strongest was knowledge about USU operations and incorporation.
In the quiz, Chowdhury showed a sound understanding of the general workings of the USU, though it was not as comprehensive as some of the other candidates. She was able to correctly identify the definition of Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU), but could not elaborate much further. She received full marks on her knowledge on FoodHub, which was a welcome response given some candidates lack knowledge regarding FoodHub’s operations and opening hours. Chowdhury was unable to correctly answer questions about the funding and operation of USU clubs, and the USU Disabilities Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP).
In the interview, Chowdhury stressed that lack of transparency was a major issue faced by the USU as society executives face insufficient funding and poor response times when liaising with USU staff. She linked this lack of transparency and the timing of the most recent SGM to rationalise why the motion to incorporate the USU failed.
Chowdhury further emphasised the importance of the USU in taking an active political stance in addressing issues facing students, such as the cost-of-living crisis and climate change. Her policies on the topic include paying volunteers in the USU’s VTeam, increasing awareness and advertising of services such as FoodHub, expanding grants and discretionary funding, expanding discounts for using reusable cups and introducing e-waste recycling bins. When asked further about improvements for FoodHub, she suggested greater funding and extended hours to accommodate more students. She also suggested collaborating with USU food outlets directly to redistribute excess food to FoodHub.
Touching on her experience in activism, Chowdhury discussed her plans on how the USU can build more ethical and clear internal processes. After discussing her involvement with the climate action movement and on a NSW Greens ticket for local council, she suggested that the USU send out more newsletters, emails, and outreach materials to “increase transparency in the USU”. She noted that her activism is influencing her approach to campaigning for this election. Chowdhury is staunchly pro-Palestine and strongly supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.
Chowdhury was notably the only candidate that had a First Nations focused policy. In her policy statement, she included a section dedicated to anti-racist and decolonisation policies. These range from embedding First Nations languages and art into spaces within the USU, pushing for more multi-faith prayer rooms and cultural spaces, to tailored mental health services specifically to tackle racial discrimination. Her policies in this area are significantly more detailed and diverse than many of the other candidates.
She also discussed the Abolish the Colleges campaign and campaign for international students to be eligible for concession Opal cards. Putting focus on holding the colleges accountable, Chowdhury suggested using legal avenues to make changes if the university does not.
On the whole, Chowdhury has a vast range of experience that is tailored towards the interests and wellbeing of students and broader society. A limitation Honi finds with Chowdhury’s campaign is her lack of fundamental knowledge in some of the important areas of the USU, such as the Disability Inclusion Action Plan and the functioning of C&S. However, her policies are well-rounded and seem to have realistic and logical steps in order to fulfil these promises.
Watch Nabilah’s interview here!
