Slogan: Stronger with Sally
Colour: Matcha Green
Faction: Penta
Degree: Science II
Quiz Score: 62%
Favourite USU venue on Campus:Laneway Café
Biggest Campus Pet Peeve: During the final/assignment period, when there’s literally no study spot to be found and I end up circling through every library and building like a lost GPS.
Most Toxic Trait: Productivity addict
Favourite Bathroom to ‘go piss girl’ on Campus: N/A
Sally Liu is a second-year Science student representing the growing faction of Penta — notably securing two core executive positions in the 2025 SRC after an acrimonious change in leadership — in their bid to represent their faction and international students on the USU Board. Liu’s campaign is managed by the current International Student Officer of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) Bob Song. Liu is also the Faculty of Science student representative on the Academic Board and the Faculty of Science Board.
Liu scored 62 per cent on the quiz; while this is not a stellar result, she demonstrates decent understanding of the university and the USU, proactively answering questions around Voluntary Student Unionism, higher education legislation, club funding, and FoodHub. However she had gaps in her knowledge around National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) campaigns, workers’ rights, and recent student campaigns. However, it remains clear in her quiz that she has been coached by her faction Penta — who demonstrate a desire for greater representation in all student organisations.
Liu is supportive of the incorporation of the USU in principle. She was one of the few candidates in the quiz that identified that the university must approve any changes to the constitution of the USU.
Liu’s flagship policy is on overhauling food on campus: seeking to lower food prices, increasing the diversity of food options, and expanding FoodHub. She is critical of the lack of diversity in food options on campus and speaks to the success of Rolls and Bowls in Holme and Nene Chicken in Manning.
She suggests that FoodHub should seek donations from and partner with organisations like FoodBank to lower the operating cost of FoodHub. However, FoodHub already sources discounted food items and essentials from FoodBank. Like many other candidates, Liu is also campaigning on extending the opening hours of FoodHub.
She did not, however, provide any details on how the expansion of how her food overhaul strategy will be funded. Food policies are oft-promised, so it will remain to be seen whether or not she and other USU hopefuls are able to deliver.
Liu is also campaigning on the USU providing greater outreach to the membership and student body: “Currently my friends don’t really know much about the USU, even though I know the USU is sending out newsletters.” She continued by citing the relative lack of engagement at the recent Special General Meeting and stated that increased engagement of the membership in the governance of the USU “will really help us… moving forward”.
One way she proposes to achieve this, especially with regards to increasing international student outreach, is to open “accounts on platforms like REDNote and WeChat.”
When probed about her politics, she did not respond and instead said that she wishes to “help to build a better community, and to support the students and members”. When pressed about the role of politics on the board, she stated that “politics works if it’s served for the interest of students”. This answer is unsurprising given that most candidates running in recent memory believe that it is possible to make a distinction between the interests of students and politics.
Overall, Sally Liu is running on a platform of popular policies and will draw from the international student community backed by the renewed campus stupol heavyweight faction Penta. While her policies are ambitious and oft-promised, her campaign has a laser-like focus on food and USU outreach; though it remains to be seen whether or not she can deliver on these promises if elected.
