Contents EdHorial
RETROSPECTIVE TAX IAN COOK goes to the bottom of the harbour to dredge up Fraser's tax problems
ARCHER RIVER The test case of the Racia) Discrimination Act investigated by SHAUN HOYT
SEXIST LANGUAGE ANNE HORAN lool<s at the campaign to replace sex-specific terminology
POPULAR THEATRE TROUPE What you say isn't as important as how you say it. DANIELLE BOND is on the case.
REVIEWS Pots, Intcrgalactic travel, Blowtorches & Warren Zevon
BARBEQUES Some barbed comments from Knife'n'Fork MacArthur, your guide to outdoor eating
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SEMPER is a non-profit political and cultural maqaiinc based at the University ofQld.
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•c I
So Brisbane's event of the decade, the Commonwealth Games, has been and gone. An extra thirty thousand people in town, a few hundred medals won, hundreds of people being arrested at the one time. All gripping stuff.
Yet what was the point of the Games themselves? The Grecian concept of sport was a carefree expression of friendship epitomised in flow and energy of movement. To play games as they did was to liber­ ate the individual from tal<in9 themselves too seriously.
However our society is a competitive one, and the Games mirrored this competition. The Brisbane telephone directory for 1982 features a fistful of medals, while viewers of the television broadcast of the Games were regularly informed of who had won the most medals.
At the time of writing, Australia was ahead on the medal count, while at the Commonwealth Games four years ago (in Edmonton, Canada), the Canadians kept most of the gold, silver and bronze there. In view of this, it would be fair to suggest that the home crowd support plays a major role in the performance of athletes.
When Raelene Boyle took of in the 400 metres the crowd were right behind her. And Boyle's victory embodied some of the traditional Australian characteristics - self-reliance, courage, a career spent over­ coming obstacles, a sense of fair play. As she received her medal the
, crowd emotionally joined in singing "Advance Australia Fair". Under these circumstances it's easy to be an Australian. But while
the crowd may be urging the competitors to greater heights, it is their training and their work which enables them to find those extra re­ serves.
Raelene Boyle's victory was indeed a great one. Hopefully Aus­ tralians will not resen/e this spirit, which embodies a sense of fair play, exclusively for the sporting arena.
UNION !NE\N&
IT'S A PARTY
By this stage you're all aware that the Union elections have been and gone. Well this announcement has nothing to do with voting, but rather how to celebrate that completion of voting.
Everyone is invited to the Union Post- Election Party to be held on Wednesday 20th October at 7.30pm in the Main Refectory,
It's free admission and cheap alcohol will be on sale. NINJA SKIL and the TRUCK DRIVING GURUS are playing. So come along and celebrate the New Union, or the beginning of exams, or the end of the Games, or whatever.
EDUCATION
ALTERNATIVE HANDBOOK - There will be an Alternative Handbook meeting on Friday October 15th at 2pm in the E.G. Whitlam Room.
All students interested in writing about their department or particular subjects are encouraged to attend.
ASSESSMENT - There will be an Assessment Workshop on Wednesday October 20th at this institution. The Union Education Committee has called this meeting in an attempt to raise the assessment issue.
All interested students please attend.
UNION COUNCIL
An extraordinary meeting of Union Council was held on Wednesday 15th September.
The main business of this meeting was constitutional changes that were necessary before the Union could make its submission to the University for a Capital Contribution Fee and a read­ justment in External Students' Union fees.
Other decisions made at Union Coun­ cil included — * approval of the Prior Plan to refurbish and improve the Heirston Refectory; * the passing of a motion extending both
Senrper-2
moral and financial support to the Aboriginal Land Rights rallies held in King George Square on the 17th and 26th September, 1982.
The 10th Ordinary Meeting of Union Council will be the 28th October at 6.15pm in the E.G. Whitlam Room.
UNION CONSTITUTION
A Constitutional Working Party, estab­ lished late last year, is at present review­ ing the Union's Constitution and Regu­ lations. Any interested student is wel­ come to make submissions to this Com­ mittee. Contact through Union Office, Union Complex or phone on 371.1611.
UNI-REVIEW
Can 18 000 students get their act together? Find out on October 20th in the Cement Box Theatre,
CEMENT BOX THEATRE
From October 20th to November 14th, the T.N. THEATRE CO. will be presenting "THE ELOCUTION OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN".
The play is directed by Bryan Nason and stars Ken Lord.
For further details contact Robert Kingham - Cement Box Director.
ENTERTAINMENT
The Media Committee of the Union has organised a concert for November 5th in the Main Refectory. The COMSAT ANGELS and INSX will be playing. The doors open at 8pm. For further details contact the Union Office on 371.1611..
THE BISTRO
The Bistro has recently opened a Gourmet Smorgasboard- It's on every lunch hour from 12 noon until 2pm, the cost is $5 for students and $6.50 for non-students, tn addition to a hot or cold meat/fish dish, and a varity^ of salads, is a free glass of wine and a cup of coffee.
There are still Evening Child Care vacancies at Playhouse. Evening child care is available from Monday to Wed­ nesday 5-9pm.
The cost to the parent is as follow - COST
$1.20 per hour INCOME 0-$100 per week or a single parent $100-$200p/w S200 and over p/w
$1,40 per hour $2.10 per hour
For further information contact Ester Friedlander at Playhouse or ring on 371, 1611.
SEXIST LANGUAGE
The Union has completed it's survey of Departmental Handbooks re the use of sexist language. Thirty-five depart­ ments were surveyed. The main findings were that female linguistic exclusions occured. That is to say, there was overall use of the masculine male pronoun in sex-unspecific contexts.
Reports detailing sexist language found and our suggested alternative terminology were sent out to the Heads of Departments concerned. In addition, copies of non-sexist guidelines were sent to each member of the academic staff. So far the response has been good.
Copies of these guidelines are avail­ able to students (free of charge) through the Union Office.
C.A.R.E.
The Campaign Against Racial Exploit­ ation will be bringing out famous British Lawyer, Tony Gifford Q.C. to speak on C.A.R.E.'s campaign in South Africa. The A.L.P, Club and the University
of Queensland's Law Society are spon­ soring a free lecture on this subject.
It's on the 27th October at 8pm in the Physiology Lecture Theatre 1. For further details contact Fleur Kingham at the Union Office (371.1611).
POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS
The P.G.S.A.C. is to send a submiss­ ion in October to the Australian Vice- ' Chancellors Committee on the Tutor­ ships System being introduced at this University.
If any postgraduate wishes to make their feelings on this Tutorship Scheme known, please contact Jack Ford — the Postgraduate Organiser.
The National Postgraduate Association C.A.P.A. is holding its annual conference from the 3rd to 6th December at Mel­ bourne University. The P.G.S.A.C. is to contribute papers on the Queensland Tutorship Scheme, Supervision, and Sex­ ual Harassment. Any postgrad interested in contributing to these papers should contact the Postgraduate Organiser before theSlst of October.
MEETING DATES
Thursday 21st October - Management Cttee, 5.30pm, E.G. Whitlam Room. Sat. 23rd October - External Students Cttee., 3pm, Whitlam Room.
See you at the Union PartylH
regards,
flibu^y
if Dan Whitehead, Executive Director of the Games Foundation, had wanted to, he could have surrounded himself with Games paraphena- lia.
He could have parked his gold Ford Meteor QEII in his driveway next to the trees that the Council sup­ plied free to homeowners to brighten up Brisbane. With his Adidas 'Games' track shoes, he could have walked up his driveway (which would'vc been painted red, white and blue, if he'd listened to 4MMM's radio advertisements) and sat down in his favourite chair.
Opening a G;imcs Special XXXX, he could'vc turned on the television where he would'vc been told that he should 'Shine on Brisbane' and to 'Be there, be llicrc, be there, be there on the day'.
When 'On their marks' (about competitors' prcjiar- ations for the Games) was finished, he could have sur­ prised his wife by giving her some Games symbol car- rings or pendants or brooch.
On going to bed, he could have used a stuffed Matilda (made in Taiwan) as a pillow as he fell asleep on Sealy's Matilda, the Games bed.
Inspiring stuff. It can be said with a good deal of ccrtainity that
Dan Whitehead didn't do that, but he certainly did have the opportunity. While the Brisbane Games have spread a great deal of sporting goodwill among the Commonwealth nations, il has also instigated the great­ est (in quantity, no quality) advertising line that Bris­ bane has ever seen,
Mike Browning, Advertising Manager of the Games Foundation, claimed th.it the question of ihe Games becoming too commercial must be balanced by whether or not il would have been better t'or the Government lo foot the bill than the private sector.
The probicm of Games funding is a complex one. If the Games were Government funded, il would
mean that there would be SIO million less that could have been spent on public services. But worse than ihc monetary factors, it would mean that the organisation of the Games would have been done by politicians and would suffer from all the bureaucratic problems that arc associated witli ihc political system.
"Wc are on target with the Games budget. As Dan Whitehead has said again and again, there will be no debt for the Government at the end of these Games," Mr Browning said.
The Games had 26 major sponsors as well as about 90 minor sponsors, 46 licencee companies, they pay a royalty to the Foundation based on the sales of the products bearing the Commonwealth Games symbols.
The Foundation Is quick with dealing with the un­ authorised use of the Games symbol.
"If someone is using the Games symbol illegally, we take legal action. We have to protect the rights of the Foy^i^fori and we have to protect the people that HSre giVdi money," he said.
Mike :3r6vJlning claimed that two or three companies
Melbourne may have the Aussie Rules and Sydney the Rugby League to help boost business, but Brisbane has trumped them both with the Commonwealth Games. JOHN HENZELL looks at who's making money out of the Games.
'mdi "A lot of people are using thfr C lni per se," Mil e"'*'!"!.
Browning claimed, 'ijbwc are tKings i'liiceUhe gdid Ford :.^;/: Meteor QEll, they*i^ttiing to'.do Wttfi^tis,''-<„-v, ~^^t;i^
Ford \vas oncif if^V^ny compartiw tha^Wpugh't "^ . r- pcct^sues'aii'a way of bencfitinV^frofti.lhe-.-i^« . "
ilth'tajmes wjtbout actually paying lT(or!W'.4<>i out Games s Commonweal to the Games Foundation >,><i.:-. a\V?>
The gold Ford;,Meteor QEII is k staraani^Met|bf:,.-/;-^j ^. with unique cloth^4edt\covering, better wheels _at3(lj^''i>:;|;^ tyres, custopi gfgpr} .st ping, commferorative b*aBges^i-^p and a special Gamiirl'gold medal • facsirtllie keyring^*'' "'^'
Other advertisJD^ftistered an ajmostfinpistic State .- l .*' . pride. Mostly itiSyP I TfcOtitlnuation of existing adverj-V-ir?'
Before the.darjiesfB'f^'e'a great issue ih the lives of QueenslandeB^ ,we:Hacl,a(f$ tliat tofd us how great it was to liveMfo-e; •Thfe' afi'k of Quieenstand claim'ed:«, that 'Yotgcan^Urtfbri'*aX3ueens|aodcKYi'hilc X>fX)< '^ used t o « % ' W h a t do you like' ^Boul^QueenjIand? WhatrntjE^s^wfeTiest Ajjssinctatp'?*^ " n
Errol ^tew 'We're QueensUndersj Golden Peahl^; people to bur '^
ajrnat ao you like' iiBoiitiQueensland? ^v HebestAtosiestate?*,' 'W l ,':' 'i^- fts .conriifui the lifind. Kit'h:their iinglci. X-;> tnders |@:^i*'bn't l |f you "dbv n', but the^^i < A^^yTgoes to & conjfiwrtial.ijrging^ '-'t JD^goes to the coniftertial.ijrging^^^^^^
» guWnslarid madHoods. %VnC aloni?r|^ 'Wfl^ made the-Mte the greaitcst in t h e | ^ the lines dfi~'
land , . . ' "^ - < , , f Nobody was naiW'enough to think that;the i:ponsors
gave their money for altruistically sporting motives but the .Tiileage that some of the companies are getting from their sponsorship dollar is considerable.
Sealy, who provided the beds for the Games Village at a discounted price, released 'Matilda', the Games bed. Not that their 'Matilda' bed is the same as the one that is used in the Games Village - nobody cares about minor points like that. Besides, as Sealy points out, they are both posturepeadic.
— continued on following page
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In Australia as in other countries, legislative and other changes have for some years been made to enable women to enjoy societal oppor­ tunities and privileges to the same exteiM as men.
At the same time, sexual harassment, more frequent­ ly directed towards women than men, has been shown to be a serious form of oppression which may occur in the home, the workplace and the place of learning,
Frank Tiil,^ in a research report published by the U.S. National Advisory Council on Women's Education­ al Programme distinguishes five general types of harass­ ment in educational settings: gcncraffsed sexist remarks or behaviour; inappropriate and offensive but sanction- free sexual advances; solicitation of sexual activity or other sex-linked behavour by promising rewards; coercion of sexual activity by threats; and sexual assaults.
Till's research showed that harassment was often unreported because of students' fear of the conseque­ nces of reporting. Sandler^ points out that sexual har­ assment of students can produce such results as physical symptoms, depression, loss of interest In education, forced changes in educational plans and feelings of helplessness.
The University of Queensland Act 1965-1981 states that the University shall not discriminate against any person on the grounds of that person's sex, religion or colour. Apart from this legislative requirement, an important consideration is the desirability of maintain­ ing ethical standards in keeping with the principles and traditions of a centre of tertiary scholarship.
During 1981 a number of persons and groups on campus were alerted by action being taken elsewhere in Australia and overseas to the desirability of diminish­ ing, or preferably preventing, instances of sexual harrass- ment here.
In response to that concern the Vice-Chanccllor established a panel of six persons to act as points of contact for persons who consider they arc being sub­ jected to sexual harassment and from time to time the panel meets as the Committee on Sexual Harassment.
During the period over which the Committee has been meeting, complaints of sexual harassment have been considered. To date, these have essentially con­ cerned remarks or actions which proved unwelcome to their recipients and which might reasonably have been considered harassment by them.
Complaints are dealt with under conditions of con­ fidentiality. If the Committee is convinced that sexual harassment tnay have occurred, or has occurred, it will take what it considers to be appropriate action under the circumstances.
It is likely that in some cases of harassment the person responsible fails to perceive the effect produced upon the recipient. It is also possible that some cases of perceived harassment are related to the sensitivity of the recipient.
Nevertheless, the effects may be profound and last­ ing. The purpose of the Committee is to encourage
— from previous page
Beer has carried the brunt of the Games-derived advertising.
XXXX (another major sponsor) and Brisbane Bitter cans are both covered with Games logos depicting vari­ ous sports. This may have eased the consciences of the drivers who idly threw their empties out of their car windows.
XXXX went one further by releasing 'Games Special'. Rather than just a redesigned label, Games Special was in a new bottle and was half as alcoholic again as normal XXXX.
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Harrassment Contacts
staff and students to be self-critical and aware of the possible effects of their behaviour and sensitive to the attitude of others in order to minimise the possibility of harassment.
This means that the Committee sees its major role as educational and preventive. On the other hand it will not hesitate to recommend appropriate disciplinary action where it regards this as warranted. The Univer­ sity has a clear responsibility to take up cases of harass­ ment of students by staff.
It also regards itself as having a responsibility to con­ sider allegations of harassment in other cases, for ex­ ample, of staff by staff and particularly of students by students.
In Statute 13, which cover student discipline, 'mis­ conduct' is defined as:
'conduct on the part of a student which impairs the reasonable freedom of other persons to pursue their studies, researches, duties or lawful activities in the University or upon University premises or to participate in the life of the University or is other­ wise detrimental to the proper conduct of the University';
in addition, it expressly includes unlawfully assaulting a person on University premises.
The' members of the panel, who can be contacted under confidential conditions to receive complaints of
t_C ^ v . . * ' « • • • — .
sexual harassrnent involving staff or students arc: Professor G.N. Davies, Deputy Vicc-Ciiancellor (Academic) Ph. 377 3372 Professor E,R, Chamberlain, Head, Dcpt. of Social Work
Ph. 377.2507 Dr j . Irwin, Director, Health Service Ph. 377.2545 Dr M.C. Grassic, Deputy President, Academic Board
Ph. 377.3273 Dr H.W. Thiele, Director, Counselling Services
Ph. 377.2993 Ms F. Kingham, Secretary, University of Qld. Union
Ph. 371.1611
(Academic)
1. Til l , Frank ] , Sexual Harassment: A Report on ihc Sexual Harassment of Students. Research report, National Advisory Council on Women's Educational Programs, August 1980.
2. Sandler, Bornlce R., ct al. Sexual Harassment: A Hidden Problem. Educational Record 1981,62, 52-57.
rXv
John Sands jumped on the Games enthusiasm band­ wagon by producing 'The Sands Games', a board game based on the Commonwealth Games in which players had the opportunity lo win Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.
And then there arc the souvenirs. If you thought that Pierre Cardin made a wide range of apparel, you obviously haven't seen the Games Collection.
The Brisbane Mall was filled by people, locals and tourists alike, wearing T-shirts, sweat shirts, jackets, jumpers, scarves and leg warmers (scarves and leg warm­ ers in a city that hit 34 degrees in the week before the Games began!), emblazoned with Matilda or other Games symbols.
On the Gold Coast, a large number of women could be seen wearing the Games bikinis.
There was jewellery available to match the Games clothing. All the manufacturers from the Queen Street jewellers to Woolworths and K Mart showed their range of Games rings, keyrings, earrings, badges, brooches, tic pins etc.
If the tourists had bought too much clothing and jewellery, they needn't have worried for there was a Games bag to put it all in.
If their Games Special beer was getting warm in the hot Queensland sun, then the purchase of a Games ice bucket or stubby holder was a virtual necessity . . .
An extra mode of sales that was expected was not welcomed. The Queensland Consumer Affairs Bureau publicly warned tourists about 'southern con men' who were coming to Brisbane for the Games.
Without old favourites like aluminium siding to use, the field was wide open for the get-rich-quick scheme proponents. But as Joh keeps telling us, Queensland is the state for free enterprise.
The public reaction to the commercial funding of the Games has generally been positive among people who are aware of the practicalities involved.
Sporting purists, those people claim that the Games should be purely for sport and not have anything to do with advertising, can claim to be idealistic. Less charit­ able people might call them naive. Whatever, they don't seem to be anything more than a small minority.
Talking to interstate and overseas tourists, the major­ ity of people who have come to see the Games accept that commercial spinoffs are inevitable.
As a Victorian said, "Even if there wasn't any official sponsorship or licencing, the companies and manu­ facturers would cash in on the Games, so it's just as well that the Games Foundation gets some money out of it."
The competitors themselves treat it philosophically. " I f the Games were being funded by the Govern­
ment then the facilities probably wouldn't have been' as good as they actually are," is the way one Canadian put it.
Although most tended to accept that the Common­ wealth Games were irreversably paired with commercial­ isation, several commented on the fact that the Brisbane Games seemed to be more commercial than previous Games.
Idealistic as one can be, there is no denial that the Games is an expensive affair.
Despite the Games Foundation's economising (for example, using volunteer workers wherever possible) and sponsoring, the ticket prices are still expensive.
The commercialisation of the Games has meant that millions of tourist dollars have gone Queensland's way. But while the tourists brought their cameras, their suntan lotion and Uieir summer clothes, they needed to bring their cheque books too.
mcntKC
The Costigan Report bought to light the nature of tax avoidance in Australia. In an attempt to regain some of the lost tax, the Federal Government is in the process of intro­ ducing retrospective tax measures. IAN COOK evaluates the implications of retrospective tax.
in his attempt to regain ground lost over the tax avoidance issue Mr Fraser may be placing Party unity at risk by giving the proposed tax laws retrospective effect.
Significant elements of the Liberal Party have public­ ly announced an opposition to retrospectivity but in spite of this, Mr Fraser is pushing ahead with a Bill which in the long run may prove a political embarass- ment and cause even further disaffection with his leader­ ship.
Clearly, Fraser had to move quickly to close loop­ holes within taxation laws and recover some of the vast amounts of money lost by the Government through tax avoidance, as detailed in the McCabe-Lafranchi and Costigan reports.
However, tax legislation with retrospective effect is opposed by the Western Australian branch of the Party, other individuals within the backbench and even some members of Cabinet have been reported as having reservations about what Fraser is trying to do.
There is not doubt that the Bills will be passed since the Labor Party supports the principle of retros­ pectivity in tax legislation but if Fraser is forced to rely on Labor support to push the Bills through it will be embarassing for the Liberal Party and himself as leader.
The issue, however, is something of a rarity in Aus­ tralian politics in that it involves matters of principle.
The supporters of retrospective tax legislation argue that it is necessary to counteract the artificial schemes constructed to deny the Government money which is legitimately due.
Further, It is said that when these taxes are not paid to the Government the tax burden on those who do pay up increases and it is unjust to allow this to happen.
However, another argument which is less often cited Is that retrospective tax legislation would demonstrate that the Government is prepared to pursue money which has been tost in the past as soon as it became aware of the schemes which were employed. The result being that the tax avoidance industry would always be open to the threat that taxes artifically avoided may in the long run be identified and recouped.
In his address to the nation, the Prime Minister
emphasised that the actions of tax avoiders in creating artificial schemes was immoral and unfair to all other
* Australians. Fraser's address was one designed to develop support
within the Australian community for his proposals and as a result pressure the potential waverers in the Party to toe the Fraser line.
"Fairness" represents the rally cry of the pro- retrospective people. Against this the opponents of retrospectivity believe that in principle any legislation with retrospective effect should be opposed, since what it does is make something legal, (though, perhaps, immoral) into something illegal after the act was legally done.
Tlie Australian legal fraternity is amongst the groups which opposes absolutely any form "of retrospectivity in any legislation.
The President of the Queensland Law Society, Mr. John Waddley, believes that while most people may support the introduction of retrospective tax legis­ lation on economic grounds it should be opposed on principle.
"The danger of retrospective legislation is that it can create a precedent, and precedents are very import­ ant as much of our legal system is based on precedent. Once a precedent has been established it can always be cited to say we can introduce more of the same type of legislation."
Mr Waddley said that retrospectivity would make the lawyer's task in advising citizens of their rights under the law very difficult because they could only base their advice on the law as it stood at the time and couldn't foresee how the law would be changed.
He said that it was unfortunate that the issue of ret­ rospectivity arose with respect to tax legislation.
However, Mr Waddley said that some aspect of retrospectivity may be unobjectionable so long as it was intended to rectify cases where fraud was being perpetrated; this was not the case here.
"The legislation as proposed as we understand it, will catch not only cases where an element of fraud exists, but also where there was an innocent partici­ pation in the tax scheme."
But it isn't the opposition from lawyers which will cause Mr Fraser the most trouble. Rather it is the oppos­ ition from within his own Party.
The Western Australian branch of the Liberal Party and most of the Members of Parliament of that state are opposed to the legislation. The President of the WA branch, Mr. Ian Warner, went so far as to publish a large advertisement in a Perth newspaper which attack­ ed the Government's decision to introduce the retro­ spective legislation.
In the advertisement Mr Warner wrote: "We believe the lure of retrospective tax legislation is too easy a temptation for expedient politicians to get out of self-inflicted trouble, in a belated demonstration that they arc doing their job".
While other Liberal MPs have been a little more reticent there are a few notable Liberals who will cross the floor to oppose the Bill. One of these is Senator Neville Bonnor who believes that retrospective legis­ lation is totally contrary to the Liberal Party's philos­ ophy.
"The Prime Minister and his Cabinet are determined to go ahead with it, I cannot and will not support it.
"I don't support tax evasion orany of that stuff that has been going on, I don't support it one little bit. But let's introduce a law to outlaw it now, not five or six years ago, but outlaw it now so that we stop people from doing those things.
"As I understand it there are quite a number of members of the House of Representatives who will not support the Bill and will cross the floor and vote against it.
"I doubt if there is sufficient to block the Bill be­ cause with the support of the Executive, and those who do support the Government in this issue plus the Op­ position, it will go through the House, I can't at this stage, say what number in the Senate is of the same opinion as I am and so there is a strong likelihood that it will pass through the Senate.
"But that is on the Executive's hands, they forced the issue and they will have to live with it."
And indeed over the next few weeks the Fraser Government may find it increasingly difficult to live with the division the legislation threatens to cause within the Party.
That Fraser had to resort to an address to the nation concerned with demonstrating the necessity for retros­ pectivity is significant, according to Dr. Paul Reynolds, Senior Lecturer in Government at the University of Queensland.
"The statement to the nation by the Prime Minister was basically an appeal to the public over the heads of the Liberal Party to try to generate, or, at least, capitalise upon the groundswell of opinion in favour of retrospective legislation designed to catch blatant tax avoiders in the rather dubious schemes they have been operating.
"I think the hope is that the recalcitrants within the Liberal Party will see that the public is on side in this issue then they will not make too many waves for the Prime Minister."
Dr Reynolds said that the retrospective tax legis­ lation issue was one which was good pragmatic politics if Mr Fraser could get the Bill passed without the oppos­ ition within the Party becoming too significant, and particularly so long as Mr Fraser did not have to rely on the support of the Labor Party to pass the legislation, due to back bench opposition.
"In one sense this is an issue which brings together economics and ideology for the more right wing mem­ bers of the Liberal Party, but also as far as some ele­ ments of the backbench are concerned it's just an­ other way-station in the general long march from wel­ fare economics and interventionist government.
"But of course, there has been a lot of speculation within the Party about Fraser's leadership and so on and it may well be that a section of the backbench is prepared to systematically defy Fraser because of the Withers' case, the Moore and MacKellar case, the ele­ ments of the Peacock support, so you have a whole series of cross currents in the Liberal backbench so you can't say that there is a group opposed to Fraser.
"It is unlikely that the revolt on this issue will go much beyond the economic drys, on the otherhand, it will be another factor in the general dissatisfaction within the Government's ranks."
But time is running out for the Fraser Government for not only does it have to get the legislation through without the disunity over the issue becoming too ob­ vious, but also the legislation must be put into effect, and be seen to have been put into effect.
And even if this is done there is no guarantee that the Fraser Government will come out less than badly mauled over the whole issue, as Dr Reylonds points out: "To date, the Fraser Government has lost on the tax avoidance issue because nobody has very satisfactorily explained why the Government didn't act when it became aware of the problems in the mid 1970s."
1982 has not been a particularly good year for the Fraser Government and it will be even worse if Fraser's gamble does not pay off and he cannot get the back­ bench to support him or to be less vocal in their opposition.
Semper-5
In the light of the spiralling arms race, scientists are the modern scapegoats. When the mushroom clouds start ro l l ing ' over, they'll be the ones to get the blame for it al l .
Yet not all scientists arc prepared to accept the Judas role of the modern scientist, selling out humanity for pieces of silver.
The Association of Scientists Against Nuclear Arms (SANA) are a group of people interested in science who feel they have a responsibility to halt and reverse the arms race.
'Originally the title was pronounced as "Sarna", but now we prefer "Sana" as in sane, because that's what we'd like to think we're doing - injecting some sanity into the whole nuclear debate,' says Professor Peter Mason, Professor of Physics at Macquaric Uni­ versity in Sydney and the main speaker at the inaugural meeting of SANA.
The title of the organisation also stresses that the scientists arc opposed to nuclear arms, and not necessarily to nuclear power.
'Your'rc talking about two completely
different things. Sure a nuclear power plant accident like Three Mile Island (in America, 1979) is a tragedy, but that's nothing compared to what will happen in the event of a nuclear war,' says Pro­ fessor Mason.
•In "The Fate of the Earth" by johna- thon Schell it's been fairly well docu­ mented that with a nuclear war than virtually all life on earth will be wiped out.
'There's been a world-wide reaction against this. Over in New York recently there were one million people marching against the build up of nuclear arms. As such scientists are just part of a larger movement,' says Professor Mason.
The organisation is quick to dispel any notions of elitism about itself. At the inaugural meeting there were several people who shyly admitted they knew nothing about science, but were inter­ ested in being part of such a movement.
'They are as welcome as anyone else to join,' said Professor Mason.
Although part of the wider protest movement against the arms race, SANA intends to remain as politically indep­ endent as possible.
In conjunction with similar interest groups such as the Victorian Association for Peace Studies, SANA will provide information on weapons and their effects to Members of Parliament, the media, or any interested group.
SANA will also publish a regular bulletin and the members, either collect­ ively or as individuals, v/ill contribute to scientific or other publications.
Professor Mason said that because of the specialisation in scientific research most scientists worked on problems with no regard for the application of what they were researching.
He described how during the Vietnam War scientists had replaced steel with plastic in anti-personnel bombs so they could not be detected by X-rays.
"They didn't listen to the screams of the children, they didn't even hear them because they were so busy thinking about X-ray absorption of different polymers.
'I would suggest that you can't do science responsibly without, in your own mind, following through the possible
'implications as far as you can,' said Professor Mason.
-ANDREW FRASER
'Cis.^^s^.'-s::--
The peace movement has created more interest recently than ever before and is an issue v^'hich should concern every man, woman and child. After all, the thought of total annihilation is not a very, pleasant one.
However when it comes to an issue of such magnitude, many people prefer tak­ ing a back seat. There are at least forty- five Australians who are prepared to make some contribution to peace.
These forty-five people are the mem­ bers of 'Woobora', a group promoting peace throughout Australia from their bicycle seats.
In March, these people began a World Bike Ride for Peace in Canberra and have since travelled along the east coast to Darwin.
The group Is concerned with the min­ ing and exporting of uranium, the arms race, B-52 landings and Aboriginal Land Rights. The members of 'Woobora' believe that their peace mission encom­ passes other issues such as land rights,
Paul Marshall, who started the ride in Canberra, said that their interests lie in common sense and justice. "The fight for land rights by the aboriginal
people is a just one. Without justice there can not be peace and that's what we are striving f o r . . . peace."
Mr Marshall said he doesn't believe that Australians are apathetic towards issues such as uranium mining. "They feel that the arms race and nuclear war is inevitable.
"We know that it's not inevitable and that with public opinion throughout the world swinging in favour of peace and anti-uranium groups, ordinary people can become unified to do something about these issues."
Another member of 'Woobora', Kathy McDonald, stressed the importance of communicating at the 'grass roots' level.
"We meet the people In a town. We go to the schools, the pubs, the streets. Anywhere we can speak to people."
The bike riders hold forums and debates, show films and entertain the town's people with street theatre and sing-a-longs.
Paul Marshall explained that it wasn't important to attract the whole popu­ lation to a forum.
"I f five percent of the population come along and hear what we have to say then we've done our job. The debate has been Initiated by us :nd the issues
and facts will be passed on by the five percent who spoke with us."
In Bundaberg, residents were writing to the Editor of the local paper about 'Woobora' weeks after the bike riders had moved further north.
Once the riders had reached Towns- ville things began to heat up. The news editorial appealed to the City Council not to officially welcome the riders.
The reason it gave was that four of the riders had painted peace slogans on a bill­ board advertising a brand of cigarettes, and that not all citizens were anti- uranium.
The Mayor of Townsville did official­ ly greet the riders and helped them plant forty-seven trees in the pattern of a peace symbol measuring forty metres across. This area is to become Queens­ land's first Peace Park.
After this the group were raided by police in the early hours under the notorious Health Act Paul Marshall accused the police in Townsville of trying to 'damage the credibility and standing of the World Bike Ride and our cause'.
The group has left more permanent reminders of their stay in Townsville, including the Peace Park and an Atomic Free Embasssy which sits outside the main gates of the Ben Lomond Uranium Mine near Townsville. Visitors to the mine are greeted by the residents of the Embassy with chants of "You're entering a death zone".
The riders peddled their bikes into Darwin July 19 but have since split up for a time. Some members continued across to V/estern Australia, others came back to Brisbane and the rest stayed in Darwin.
An advance party has travelled to Japan to join in the rememberance ceremonies in the Peace Park at Hiro­ shima. This group is waiting to be joined by the rest of the group, who are present­ ly raising money to buy a yacht, the 'Hati Sentosa' ('Peaceful Heart').
The total cost of this yacht will be between $30-40,000, and the group re­ quires sponsors before it can make this exercise a truly international one.
-GAVIN ALDER
Senrper-6
Queensland University Union has stuck with the middle of the road following the recent Union elections.
The Students Welfare Action Team (S.W.A-T.), a team composed predomi- natly of A.L.P. members, swept all the executive positions and most of the faculty positions it contested.
Fleur Kingham, the current Union Secretary, becomes the first female President of the Union in it's 72 years of operation.
In contrast to last year, when S.W.A.T. hastily rallied it's forces the day before nominations closed, this year the engineer­ ing of tickets started before the May by-election.
The 1981 election saw a victory for S.W.A.T. which was at that stage, a coalition of left and centre groups against a team which was identified as being on the right, through the Liberal Party affili­ ations of it's leader, Barry Atkins.
While S.W.A.T. came Into power this year as a happy coalition, throughout the year the centre and left factions have clashed on many occassions, and it came as no surprise to see the Education Action Team (E.A.T.) running against S.W.A.T.
S.W.A.T. campaigned heavily on a continuation of the present style of administration, while E.A.T.'s slogan, 'If you're hungry for a change, vote E.A.T.' epitomised their policy of making the Union a more progressive institution.
However, E.A.T. proved to be no real challenger to S.W.A.T. and were beaten for most places on the executive by what started off as a joke team, S.W.A.P.O. (Students Who Are Pissed Off).
S.W.A.P.O. capitalized on a backlash against the Union by students who were not interested in pondering the intricacies of campus politics. S.W.A.P.O. threaten to run again next year, and should they adopt slightly more serious policies they could be a big threat.
This year their policies centred mainly on consumption of alcohol, but the more
subtle approach of the other joke parties, the Reformed Psuedo Post Neo-Neoist Party and the jobby Party, failed to win many votes.
The National Civic Council-backed Friends -of Univeristy of Queensland failed to win any executive positions and this failure will make it almost impossible for the N.C.C. to maintain any sort of profile on campus next year.
While voting was mainly along party lines, some independents managed to gain office. The perpetual independent Gordon Curtis was most prominent in this regard, winning a position on the executive as Part Timers Vice President.
John Henzell and Phillip Malksham won the battle for Semper, although there is some doubt that this pair will actually occupy the editors' chairs next year.
A disturbing feature of this camp­ aign was the bitterness that has not been present the last few years. One prominent candidate had her car tyres let down.
while several members of her team who had left parked cars returned to find them with panels bashed In.
Last year's good natured rivalry that existed on the doors of the refectory where teams handed out their how-to- vote cards was absent, with friends of long standing who had worked together in the past, completely Ignoring each other for hours at a stretch.
The campaign was not confined to the University campus. Motorists on Sir Fred Schonell Drive, during election week, were exhorted to vote for four different candidates.
Altogether about 2,500 students voted in the elections, a number slightly down on last year's turnout. Yet with 15% of students voting the situation con­ trasts favourably with some southern campuses, where some elections are won by students who find it sufficent to persuade all their friends tb vote for them.
-ANDREW FRASER
t ' v ^ ^ ^ ? ^
Very few people who voted in the Union elections were satis­ fied they knew enough about the candidates to make an informed decision, according to a survey conducted by Semper during elect­ ion week.
n the survey 150 people were asked if they had voted, why they had or hadn't voted, and if they knew enough about the candidates.
The survey was conducted by asking people around university these questions. A (Jeliberate attempt was made to get away from polling areas, as this was where election fervour was highest.
Among the 150 people interviewed 65 had voted, 65 had not voted, and did not intend to vote, while 19 people were not sure if they were going to vote or not.
As the survey was conducted late in the week it is probable that a good pro­ portion of this last group did not vote.
Of the 150 only two said they knew enough about the candidates and their policies to make a decision they were completely happy with. While about half of the sample voted, a common response among those who didn't vote was that they would have if they knew more about what was happening.
"/ can't really see much point In voting as I don't know anytliing about the candidates. A few odd people have
come in and said 'I'/.i not going to bore you with electionpropoganda -just vote for me.' You don't know a thing about them." (Agriculture)
Among people who did vote many said they would have liked to have had more information, even though they were prepared to make do with what they had.
"/ voted because I think it's import­ ant to have the right people In there, even though I don't know who they'd 6e."(Arts)
Most people who voted did so out of a sense of civic responsibility.
"/ want to see responsible manage­ ment in the Union." (Architecture) "/ want to get some value for the money that I pay." (Musk)
However of tiie 65 students who did vote, 41 expressed a negative attitude towards the Union.
"I've voted but the people running seem like a mob of idiots." (Human Movements) "The candidates were all Arts pooftahs." (Science) "/ didn't want to vote, but when I walked Into the refectory all these people put pieces of paper Into my hand so It seemed easiest to vote. It's all a bit of a wank really." (Law)
Twenty of those who voted had an ambivalent attitude towards the Union. "I'm at a cojlege and it's easy to vote."
Only four of those interviewed expressed a positive attitude towards the Union. "/ think the Union is very import­ ant in the University." (Medicine) "We'd be stuffed without the Union." (Arts)
Of the students who didn't vote, about half had no attitude at all towards the Union. "I'm too lazy." (Arts) "/ forgot they were on." (Science) "/ haven't got time," (Science)
Most students who didn't vote had an overwhelming negative attitude towards the Union and the value of voting in the elections.
"The people I would like to vote for would be people doing a course that requires a high I.E. score such as Vet., Engineering, or Agriculture, because I think they're more practical.
"My Idea Is that practical people don't follow elections with the fanaticism of Arts students. That why Arts students always win. The reason I'm not going to vote is because if I was going to vote I'd vote for S.W.A.P.O. and the reason I'm not going to vote for them is because they're not serious." (Engineering)
The belief that the Union was the pre­ serve of Arts students was expressed by six Engineering students and one Science student. This assessment is rather puzzl­ ing in view of the largest group on the Executive being Law students.
- ANDREW FRASER
^tEiI><.VMt.f+-^
Following the landmark High Court decision, validating the Racial Discrimination Act, the stage is now set for the first legal action under the Act to proceed, in a case of alleged discrimination by the Queens­ land Government.
In this report SHAUN HOYT backgrounds the Archer River story.
The Archer River case, which was the cause of the Queensland Government's challenge to the Racial Discrimination Act, has been in a state of Ijmbo while the constitutional question was determined in the High Court.
With the May decision, upholding the validity of the Act, the Queensland Government will now have to de­ fend, in the Supreme Court, its refusal to allow the purchase of a property at Archer River, in the far north of the State, for a group of Aborigines.
Although this case has so far been overshadowed by the constitutional issue, the Supreme Court ruling will also be a crucial test of the legislation.
This is the first time that legal action has been taken under the Racial Discrimination Act - and it may en-' courage other actions, including a parallel case against the Queensland Government over another property in the Gulf country, which is already pending.
The legislation is now 7 years old and the Community Relations Commissioner, Al Grassby, who administers the Act, has issued a number of certificates enabling legal action to be taken. When Mr, Grassby cleared the way for the Archer River case to proceed in the courts, a total of 8 certificates had been issued.
But, until the taking out of a writ against the Queens- Inad Government a year ago, in April, none of those certificates had been acted upon. The reasons for this apparent reluctance to take discrimination cases to court can be put down to a variety of factors, some of which should become clear in the following outline of the long and complex sequence of events that goes to make up the story of the Archer River case.
And, as the Community Relations Commissioner has often pointed out, it must be remembered that groups likely to be the subject of discrimination are also likely to be the disadvantaged of our society, without ready access to legal advice, and intimidated by legal proceed­ ings.
The writ against the Queensland Government was taken out by an Aborigine, John Koowarta, on behalf of himself and the Winychanam Aboriginal Group. It alleges discrimination on the part of the State Cabinet In refusing to permit the lease transfer for a cattle pro­ perty at Archer River, neighbouring what was the Auru- kun Aboriginal Reserve, on Cape York.
The dispute goes back a long way, to 1973, when Mr Koowarta from Aurukun raised the question of the purchase of the land with the Federal Department of Aboriginal Affairs. He claimed that his people had traditional ties with the land and with seven sacred sites on the land.
The Winychanam people also planned to run the property as a business enterprise which would have allowed them to be independent of life on the Abor­ iginal reserve, under the rule of the Queensland Govern­ ment.
The series of events over the next eight years, leading up to the issuing of the writ last year, then went as follows:
* November 1975; An offer of $50,000 from the Federal Aboriginal Land Fund Commission (now
Semper ~-8
the Aboriginal Development Commission) to buy the Archer River property on behalf of the Winy­ chanam people was accepted by the Company that owned the property. Archer River Pastoral Hold­ ing, and a contract was settled to the consent of the Queensland Lands Minister. * July 1976; The Aboriginal Land Fund Com­ mission was advised that the Queensland Govern­ ment had refused to give approval for the lease transfer. * October 1976; The then Queensland Lands Minister, Ken Tomkins, wrote to an executive of Archer River Pastoral Holding, Mr Broinowski, suggesting alternative ways in which the company could dispose of the property.
Mr Tomkins said that the National Parks and Wildlife Service'may be interested' in the property, but that this branch didn't have 'a lot of money to acquire properties over an area as large as this'. The letter goes on: 'the other point that I felt may be the best prospect for you and you Company was that it may be possible to establish a wood chip industry there, , . , . and you may see fit to contact . . . Comalco, as I do know that this Company has been investigating the possibility of establishing such an industry in the Peninsula for some years now.' * October 1976; The then Federal Minister for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Ian Vincr, wrote to Mr Tomkins, asking him to reconsider his decision. • In replying, Mr Tomkins quoted a Queensland
Cabinet policy dating back to 1972: 'The Queens­ land Government has long and formal policies relating to the administration of lands for the benefit of the Aboriginal population of this State, and as part of those policies, the Govern­ ment docs not view favourably acquisition of lands for development by Aboriginals, or by Aboriginal groups in isolation.' Mr, Mclntyre says there arc precedents, such as the
settlement reached over the Framlingham Forest, in Prime Minister Fraser's electorate in Victoria.
The outcome of the Archer River legal action will itself be a significant precedent as this is not the only instance in which the Queensland Government has applied its policy against the acquisition of land by Aborigines.
Two other case? which have been cited are the block­ ing by the State Department of Aboriginal and Islander Advancement of negotiation for the development of a caravan park by the Aboriginal Burdell Co-operative in North Queensland.
And, on Thursday Island, in the Torres Strait, a simi-' lar case occurred when the Queensland Lands Depart­ ment refused to transfer the lease that would have al­ lowed the Islander Co-operative to acquire eight blocks of land for a housing development
Most likely to be the cause of further legal action, under the Racial Discrimination Act, is another dispute, already mentioned, in which the Lands Department-has recently prevented the Australian Development Com­ mission from buying another large property for Queens­ land Aborigines.
This time the property, called 'Dorunda', is near Normanton in the Gulf. Its purchase would have allowed fringe-dwelling Aborigines in the area to return to their traditional lands.
Head of the Aboriginal Development Comission, Charies Perkins, has welcomed the High Court's ruling upholding the Act, and he says it has cleared the way for the ADC to proceed with the land acquisition.
But, as solicitor for Mr. Koowarta, Greg Mclntyre, points out, if that acquisition requires legal action then, as the Archer River case has shown, it will be a lengthy procedure which, under the Act, must first go through the stages of conciliation, presided over by the Com­ munity Relation Commissioner.
The Queensland Government has expressed concern that the High Court decision could lead to what it sees as a further infringement of State rights.
However, its to be expected that a Government which has consistently blocked attempts to purchase land in Queensland for Aborigines will not alter that policy merely because the Racial Discrimination Act has been judged legitimate.
* December 1976; In a Ministerial statement to the Queensland Pariiament, Mr Tomkins re­ affirmed this policy, saying that the Cabinet attitude remained unchanged and: 'that in accor­ dance with such policy as it is considered that suf­ ficient land in Queensland is already reserved and available for use and benefit of aborigines, no consent be given to the transfer of Archer River Pastoral Holding, No. 4785, to the Aboriginal Land Fund Commission.' * May 1977; The matter is referred to Community Relations Commissioner, Al Grassby, who then wrote to Mr Tomkins, drawing attention to the Minister's statement in Parliament, and express­ ing the view that the Queensland Cabinet policy was discriminatory and that any action to imple­ ment the policy constituted an unlawful act under Section 12 of the Racial Discrimination Act.
According to Mr Grassby, there was no reply to that letter and after waiting more than ten months two further letters were sent to Mr. Tomkins' successor as Queensland's Lands Min­ ister, Nev Hewitt, who also failed to reply. * June 1978; A compulsory conference was held in Canberra with representatives of the Winy­ chanam people, the Aboriginal Land Fund Com­ mission, and the Uniting Church, which had entered the dispute in support of the Aboriginal group. * July 1978; Two Queensland Government Minis­ ters, and two public servants boycott a compul­ sory conference called in Brisbane by Mr Grassby, under the provisions of the Racial Discrimin­ ation Act.
Those directed to attend the conference were the then Lands Minister, Mr. Hewitt; the previous Lands Minister, Mr. Tomkins; the Director of the Queensland Department of Aboriginal and Islander Advancement Mr Kllloran; and Chairperson of the Land Administration Commission, Mr. Hcffernan.
All four failed to attend, but, what did turn up, was a letter on their behalf from the Queens­ land Crown Solicitor. It was addressed to Mr. Grassby and argued that 'no good purpose would be served by their appearance as that Act (the Racial Discrimination Act) does not require tliem to make any statement or answer any question, . and as they would be obliged to adopt such a stand, it would be unreasonable to go through the motions of mere physical attendance.'
As well as pointing out this legal loophole, the letter also asserted that 'there has been no discrim­ ination as is alledged', and that 'the constitutional validity of the Act is disputed.' "' July 1979; Mr Grassby issued a certificate under the Racial Discrimination Act, Section 24(3), enabling the complainant (the Winychanam Aboriginal group) to take the dispute before the courts.
Such a certificate can only be issued after the Community Relations Commissioner is satisfied that all possible avenues of conciliation have been explored, and have failed.
Mr Grassby said that when conciliation failed, he issued the certificate on the grounds that: 'It is illegal in Australia to descriminate on grounds of race, or colour, or ethnic background, or place of birth.
It was clearly stated by the Ministers and implemented, by the two public servants, that land that was bought by Aboriginal people was not permitted to be taken up by them on the grounds of the fact that they were Aboriginal people.' * April 1982; After nearly two years, awaiting acceptance of an application for legal aid from the Commonwealth's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service, John Koowarta, repres­ enting the Winychanam people, issued a Supreme Court writ against members of the Queensland Cabinet for a breach of Section 12 of the Racial Discrimination Act. The case was then removed to the High Court by the Federal Attorney Gener­ al, Senator Peter Durack. * May 1982; The High Court rules in a split de­ cision (4/3 majority) that the Act is constitutional under the Federal Government's external affairs power to implement international treaties in this case, the United Nations Convention on the Elimi­ nation of All Forms of Racial Discriminafion.
The Archer River case was then returned to the Queensland Supreme Court for hearing.
Ironically, with legal action ready to proceed, after ail the years over which the dispute has dragged on, it is now impossible for the Winychanam people to secure the Archer River property.
The reason is simple. It was declared the Archer Bend National Park by the State Government in 1977.
Consequently, the writ taken out against the Queens­ land Government is not couched in terms of seeking land. Instead, it seeks a declaration of discrimination by the Cabinet, and an injunction restraining it from again acting in such a way.
The writ also seeks damages for loss of dignity, humiliation and injury to feelings.
Greg Mclntyre, the Cairns solicitor representing Mr. Koowarta, has proposed another form of com­ pensation which will be dependent on the outcome of the court action. If the plan is carried through, re­ presentation will be made on bchlf of the Aborigines that they be given part-management of what is now the Archer Bend National Park.
Semper-9
jSjSPPPiSM^PP^
HIGGINS/P.S.A.C. DEBATE C O N T I N U E S
On the 31st May, 1982, I wrote a . tetter to Semper concerning Graham Higgins' views on the re-introduction of ' fees for Higher Degree Students.
This tetter was sent on behalf of the Post­ graduate Students Area Committee which is the official representative body for the post­ graduate students at this University.
Mr Higgins subsequently answered our criticisms with a letter sent lo Semper on the 16th August. Mr Higgins has falsely misre- , presented me by slating Ihat "I don't believe that any sacrifice is justified in gaining an edu­ cation".
Nowhere in my \etler did I make such a statement! Mr Higgins also placed himself as an example of a student who has put himself at a disadvantage to gain an education. That is fine; but I was talking about postgraduate students who would be in an entirely differ­ ent situation to that which Mr Higgins is in.
The average age of a postgraduate student is 27 years, and 65 per cent of postgrads are married and 63 per cent of these have children. Approximately 30 per cent of postgraduates receive no parental financal support. These figures were drawn from the Council of Aus­ tralian Postgraduate Association's submission. to the Minister for Education in April 1982.
I asked Mr Higgins to provide facts for his claim that education is supported by the lower income earner. He replied "just ask one - better still, ask me.". Mr Higgins assumes that because he as a lower income earner, pays taxes, then so does every other low-income earner.
Such generalisations do not provide an adequate argument. Even if it is true that lower income earners pay more tax, then this is due more to the inadequate tax system sup­ ported by the Fraser Government, than the fault of the education system.
I quoted a sun/ey conducted at Sydney University last year, which showed that 43 per cent of students come from low income fami­ lies.
Although these students are obviously not In the majority, they make up a significant percentage of the student body. Any intro­ duction of fees would certainly hit them the hardest, and force them to leave the education system.
Mr Higgins states about the $2-3000 level of fees for postgraduate students: "How J.M. can justifiably pluck that figure out of the air will probably remain one of the world's greatest mysteries". If he had bothered to read the States Grants (Tertiary Education Assistance) Bill of 1S81, he would have seen on page 10 of the section, "Determination with Respect to Fees" the following statement: 'Tuition fees at such rate (not exceeding Si 000 per annum)". For a two year Master degree course, the total fees paid amounts to S2000, for a three year Ph.D. course the total amount will be $3000.
Mr Higgins fails to realise that I am not talk­ ing about students on T.E.A.S. as higher de­ gree students are ineligible for such assistance - it is postgraduate students who were to be affected by the re-introduction of fees!
Mr Higgins may be justly proud of being "rewarded by his own initiative rather than suffer the demoralising affect of being paid by the already overburdened tax payer". Post­ graduate students by the nature of their thesis work do seek to be rewarded for their own initiative.
Instead they are provided with few and inadequate postgraduate scholarships and also have the threat of the re-introduction of fees hanging over their heads. They have to suffer the demoralising effect of seeing their families inadequately provided for, because they, as low income earners on such scholarships, are overburdened by taxation.
- J . M . F O R D Postgraduate Organiser
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RE-. GROWTH L I M I T S I refer to Ian Cook's article, 'Growth
Limits' (Semper 16 August) setting out some of the arguments for and against the University's ill-conceived plan to extend, by stealth, the boundaries of the campus, by acquiring all the residences up to Picardy Street.
As your writer states the Brisbane City Council has rejected^ the University's applic­ ation for consent use of certain properties in Hawken Drive as University offices.
The University has since appealed against this decision and thematter will now be argued out, at considerable expense, in the Local Government Court.
Whatever be the final outcome, the Uni­ versity community should be aware of the cost of this exercise in terms of the loss of good will to the University.
Several hundred St. Lucia residents objected to the application, the local Alderman opposed it, the local Member of Parliament opposed i l , the Minister for Education, according to press reports, is unhappy about it and, as stated, the City Council voted against it.
A list of those objecting bears careful analysis. These are not the people who sign anything put in front of them. Among them you will find graduates of this University, lawyers, accountants, teachers, engineers, mem­ bers of the judiciary, including the former Chief Justice, members of the University staff, retired graziers, company directors and pro­ fessional people of all kinds.
Their views should not lightly be disre­ garded. In their considered opinion the Uni­ versity should not be permitted to vandalize a high class residential suburb. These are the very people the University looks to for support, the very people who might contribute to the University Foundation.
It's a crazy policy which puts these influen­ tial people offside.
In terms of public relations, the University has not acted with diplomacy or common sense. An apology is due to the local shop keeper who was visited by "two heavies" from administration" who abused him for exercising his democratic rights by participating in the campaign to oppose the University's appllca- tionl
It will take the University many years to recover the good will of the local community.
- R U P E R T G O O D M A N Resident of St. Lucia
BRISBANE COLLEGE OF ADVANCED EOtiCATWN
GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN
TEACHING (PRIMARY) The Graduate Diploma is a one year full-time course oKcrod to graduates from Universities and Colleges of Advanced Education. Lectures are al College's Carscldine Campus.
Graduates may have rrajors in Arts, Social ScierKes. Malhs and Sderico and Communication.
The preparation lor a career in primary teaching includes:
• Studies in the Curriculum ol the Primary school;
• Studies in Teact*»g and teaming; • Field Studies which combine two four week
blocks of teaching practice and one day a week of School Studies.
Graduates trom the course have excellent pros­ pects ol emptoymenl wilh the Queensland Edu­ cation t}epartment and In Independent schools.
For (urther mtormatlon, contact: The Admissions Officer, Brisbane CA.E., VIclcrta Park Road. Kelvin GJove, Q. 4069. Telephone: (07) 356 7044
CLOSING DATE: 13 OCTOBER 10B2
ENGINEERS' REPLY I ann writing on behalf of all Civil
Engineering students who were present at the function held on August 13th.
The function was not the sort of thing liable to end In vandalism. It was a staff/ student 6.B.Q. put on by the staff to show their appreciation to the students for the work they did during Expo Uni.
While regretting the loss of the venue for 4ZZZ, I also regret the implications that Civil Engineering students were involved in the vandalism and the misinformation that 4ZZZ has taken all the blame.
The Civil Engineering Students Ass'n Ex­ ecutive was approached by security on the Monday following the event and we have been fully cleared of any blame.
Had Shelley Oempsey bothered to research her article she would have found this. We suggest that in future more care is taken with articles befoie blame is aportioned.
- C E S A E X E C U T I V E
S H E L L E Y REPLIES! I was aware that Engineering students
had been cleared of the blame - perhaps I should have said so in the article.
The reason I didn't was because I person­ ally couldn't see how either group could have been cleared, given the meagre evidence avail­ able.
I did not intend to blame the engineers outright - I merely wanted further investi­ gation into the issue for Triple Zed's sake.
I did mention that the University received reports of punks in Jacks Road after the damage occurred, and stressed at the end of the article that, whether the culprits were engineers or punks, nevertheless, they have effectively put Triple Zed, Brisbane's only public broadcaster with any intere.st in live rock music, in serious financial jeopardy, I reiterate my call for more information and investigation.
The winner of the E.A. T. Bistro competition was
M Frick 83graceville Ave. Graceville
BRISBANE COLLEGE OF ADVAKCEO EDUCATiON
GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN
SECRETARIAL STUDIES Do you hold a degree but are uncerlain of Ihe career direction you would like?
Have you considered an executive career it business?
A career path you make like to consider is as an Executive Secretary or Personal Assistant. BCAE offers a one year full lime post-graduate course at. Ihe Kedron ('ark Campos which combines a high standard of secretarial skills with a broad basis in management, accounting and organisatnnal prac­ tice and wilh electives available iri computing and in­ dustrial relalkms. The course is designed lo produce graduates capable of displaying initiative and de- ciston making skills required by executives in today's business world. There is a shortage of well qualified people in this area of business. Career prospects are excellent.
For iurther intofriMrion contact: The Admissions Offteer, Brisbane C.A.E.. Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove. Q. 4059.
CLOSING DATE: 13 OCTOBER, 1982
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THEY'RE coming to take Over the past few weelcs the Student Union
of the University of Queensland has conducted a survey of the language used in departmental handbooks with regard to sexism.
A report of each handbook, detailing any sexist language found and suggesting alternative terminology, has been sent to each Head of Department concerned.
With the reports, copies of nonsexist guidelines, compiled by the Student Union and based on the McGraw-Hill Guidelines for Equal Treatment of the Sexes'^, the Miller & Swift Handbook of Nonsexist Writing^, and the survey itself, were sent to every member of staff.
The Student Union hopes that this exercise will help to eliminate sexism in subsequent departmental handbooks and m lectures and tutorials. These guide­ lines are also available to students: copies can be obtain­ ed free of charge at the Student Union Office.
One of the major problems encountered in devising nonsexist terminology is finding a suitable singular pronoun in place of 'he' in sex-unspecific contexts such as:
"No student should enrol before he has seen his supervisor."
This use of 'be' is both sociologically and linguistically unsatisfactory. The sociological objection is that it is demeaning to females to be merely subsumed under a term whose primary use is to refer to a male.
From the linguistic perspective, while It is argued that 'he' in sex-unspecific contexts means 'he or she', we do not, however, feel comfortable using it in this way of a nurse, a typist or a kindergarten teacher; similarly, the writers of the 1975 Family Law Act felt it necessary to use 'he or she' of a spouse and not 'he'.
These examples suggest that people fmd it difficult to dissociate 'he' from maleness, which raises the ques­ tion of whether, in fact, 'he' is a sex-indefinite sense exists.
if we take it that it does exist, use of 'he' in sex- indefinite contexts is ambiguous: which 'he' are we using? If it doesn't exist, then use of 'he' in such con­ texts is inaccurate. Consider, for example, the follow­ ing advertisement [WjE Australian, 14/8/82) - one which was otherwise totally unsexist in wording.
The Government of f Papua New Guinea
< " ' ^ i S ^ Department of Justice Applications are invited for the following vacancies within the Coirective Institution Services of the DepBrtrt»ent._
Commandant National Training College - Level 19
The appoinlce will tic iubpuni>ible loi IhUL-tliuitirilmunjtjumenlolltti) liaiiiii)>| Colleue, ppuparu ir.imino |Ho;l>unmiu!> arid ovutsee llii-' level ol liaminu Hcwil! a:>sis1 in Ihe sducliun ol Mc<:iiiil>i, assuss und rnporl on Ihu ulliciunLv and polunUdI ol all peisonnol m ti jmiiiu. The applicant mubl (MVU IUIIMI V iiuulilicalion^ in social or twhavioural sciencuii. tjachimj quiihficaliOMb and ijitivun ;ii)iiHniblialtuL' jUilily, wilh vxpuiioncu in a di&ciplinud lurcu jiid soniu kiiuwiitduu ul lliu tiumiinj nouds of a Corrctiivu Insdtuliun OtibKablu.
Accountant Level 17
Ttie appointee will t)« responwUlc lor dccounlinfl ol Public monies Ihroiuih lecurrenl expenditure, NHlional Plarininy L"»peiiililuia Plan and Inlernat Riivoiiuc al a National Level. Jtiilwill supurvisu uccouiitimj procedures al alt Cuiiuctive Instilulions, Pay anoSupply Units and conduct audit m lliosi' aiiMS Tti.;.ipplicantmustt>eaqualilieda(;OieaisteiodactomitaiilwilhL'«ii.;iiei(.(.'iii i> .lucentralised orqanisalion and aUitily lo supeivibu and Ham i.l.ill
Here, is 'he' 'sex-indefinite', 'he' meaning that both men and women may apply, or 'male-only' 'he', thereby in a deliberate yet subtle - and, moreover, sanctioned - way, deterring women from apply for the positions?
A number of alternatives have been advanced, such as, 'he or she'; id, te, co. The latter three have little hope simply because they are 'artificial' and pronouns are a 'closed' area of language to which new material is rarely admitted.
The dual construction 'he or she' is different: it is composed of 'natural' pronouns, and has, over the past few years, gained some ground.
It does, however, have certain disadvantages: it can be argued that an element of sexism remains in that 'he' precedes 'she'; it has also attracted criticism for its 'clumsiness', a characteristic which Is particularly appa­ rent in reflexives ('himself or herself) and where pro­ nouns occur in close proximity with others (e.g., 'A student cannot plan his or her course until he or she has consulted with his or her supervisor.')
away
This 'linguistic awkwardness' frequently results in the dual pronoun being used in a token way only initial­ ly, the writer/speaker thereafter reverting to the mas­ culine only pronoun.
What is needed, then, is a one-word, 'natural' pro­ noun, and the best candidate — one which was sug­ gested in the reports and guidelines - is singular 'they', that is, 'they' used with a singular antecedent as in:
'SOMEONE has forgotten THEIR book.' 'ANY STUDEI>)T can apply if THEY have the pre­ requisites.' 'They' in this singular, sex-unspecific capacity is
nothing new. It has been in the language for centuries: witness examples from Shakespeare and Jane Austen:
'And everyone to rest themselves betake' [Much Ado About Nothing, I I , iv)
'Each leaning on their elbows and their hips' (Venus and Adonis, 43)
'Everybody should marry as soon as they can' [Mansfield Park, p. 3^'^]
'Nobody put themselves out of the way' (Ibid, p. 11)
In present-day English, however, it is used only in speech and informal literature (and even in these areas 'he' is more frequently employed). This is largely a result of its proscription by the nineteenth century, male- biased, traditional grammarians who argued that 'they' was a plural pronoun and accordingly could not be correctly used with a singular antecedent, and that 'he' should be used instead.
Thus, number alone was seen as important In antecedent-pronoun agreement; gender was totally ignored: the fact that masculine 'he' was to be used with an antecedent which covers females as well as males was considered to be not only acceptable but 'correct'!
The prescriptive grammarians taught that, for ex­ ample;
'The person who enjoys their work is fortunate.' should be changed to:
'The person who enjoys his work is fortuante.' and:
'No one wants to admit they did it,' should be rephrased:
'No one wants to admit he did it.' So successful were the grammariai s that, in 1850,
an Act of Parliament was passed which decreed that in official language 'he', rather than 'he or she' or 'they', was to be used in sex-tndefinite contexts, legislation which, 130 years later, is still with us, embodied in a statute of this university, viz.:
'In these Statutes and the Rules made thereunder, words importing the masculine gender shall be taken to extend to females and the singular to include the plural and the plural the singular unless the contrary is indicated by the context."*
Thus, as Bodine5 says: 'Whereas unnecessary number is to be dispensed with by the arbitrary choice of either the singular
or the plural, unnecessary get der is to be dis­ pensed with by the use of the masculine only.' '
(emphases: Bodine's) The English language was thus deliberately altered
by the traditional grammarians to accord with their male-oriented view of the world: 'he' became the stan­ dard singular pronoun used In sex-unspecific contexts. Most books or other formal literature the reader exam­ ines will confirm this. In the spoken language, however, singular 'they' clung on tenaciously, probably because prescriptive teaching has less effect on speech than writing where there is more scope for self-editing. Ex­ amples of singular 'they' in speech abound. The Fol­ lowing are only some of the hundreds I have collected recently from the media and other sources:
'Everyone telles their children, 'If you get lost, ask a policeman'"
(Maxine McKew, 'Nationwide', ABC, 3/3/82) 'Can anybody look me in the face . . . and say that they have not used a public phone for a private phone-call?'
(Norm Lee, Liberal Member for Yeronga, 'Nationwide', 26/4/82)
'When a person's very desperate, the stuffing goes out of them . . . and with it the capacity to do anything about it themselves.'
(Frank Pavlin, Reader, Social Work lecture, U.Q., 31/3/82)
To those who are concerned with developing a language representative of all rather than half of society, I suggest we work on singular 'they' with the energy of the traditional grammarians - but in the opposite direction!
Singular 'they' is presently used fairly frequently in speech. It is also employed, though to a less extent, in informal written material such as student manuals, class notes and newspaper articles.
The reinstating of 'they' into the language, must therefore start in these areas where it already has a hold. Once more fully established there, 'they' is likely to spread into formal literature, and eventually totally replace use of 'he' as a standard, singular, sex-unspeciftc pronoun, a move which will eliminate ambiguity, in­ accuracy and the linguistic exclusion of half of society.
-ANNEHORAN
REFERENCES 1. In The Norton Reader, Norton & Co., N.Y., 4th ed. 1977.
162-73. 2. C. Miller & K. Swift, revised British edition. The Women's
Press. London, 1982. 3. OUP, London. 1970.
.4. Statute 44, Part 4. U.Q. Calendar. 1982. p. 107. 5. A. Bodlnc, 'Androccntrism in prescriptive grammar: singular
'they', sex-indcfinile 'he', and 'he or she'. Language In 5(7c/cf>', 4.1975. p. 136.
Sennper-11
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•^S' With sunny days well upon us, the true Brisbanite can
be found, not'watching Lawn Bowls or Badminton competitions between the Isle of Man and Botswana, but planning their first barbeque of the season.
The Victa mower hardly cooled down Iwfore the guests arrive, the twilight hangovers from drinking in the sun, the carcinogenic leather that once was prime beef, the lingering aroma in your clothes the next day - all this and more make the backyard barbie the highpoint of the summer social calendar.
Personally, 1 don't mind admitting that I like barbe- ques, and Til try and suggest a few cooking styles that are ideally suited to this great institution, while still encouraging the odd bit of experimentation. I will say at the outset that in fact all of the recipes are quite suited to the kitchen as well - either in the pan or under the grill, and should not be solely relegated to the great outdoors.
As I'm also a bit of a fence-sitter. Til put in a plug for my personal favourite - the hibachi on the verandah. These natty little Japanese inventions are ideal for the traditional Queensland verandah, offering a smoke-free, kitchen, a feeling of being outdoors, and no need to" tackle the jungle in the back yard; in short, the perfect compromise. They burn charcoal, which should be start­ ed with tightly crumpled paper and pine chips at tlie bottom, and perhaps a touch of metho {not kerosine, which will taint the food). The real secret, however, is how to get all the coals smouldering away. I always suffered defeat until a fellow biatwurst-lovcr from Melb-
s ourne (what would they know about barbeques?) showed me the trick - the domestic hair-diyer, liberally applied, will ensure your journey to brat-heaven.
BRATS & DOGS One of America's major contributions to the worid's
selection of convenience foods is the lowly Hot Dog - a pas'y bread roll with an equally pasty imitation-meat frankfurter smothered in a chemical-flavoured red sauce. Like most foodstuffs captured by the fast-food moguls, hot dogs have a creditable heritage waiting to be enjoyed.
First and foremost, choose a good quality continental style weiner - or what about pork or veal bratwurst (they look white and anaemic but taste wonderful), Italian pork sausages (filled with real minced meat), Spanish chorizos (paprika flavoured) and so on. Most delis carry a range these days, with the best value to be had in the Valley (Italian) and West End (Greek/Leban­ ese).
All the best dogs are fried or grilled - forget about
dumping those good weiners in boiling water. These can be done on the barbeque (for a horde), on the hibachi (by far the best for brats and dogs), or in a pan on the stove. Before you drop them in the pan, be sure to fry up a pile of thinly sliced onions, which are the next ingredient. Remember that weiners are pre-cooked so they won't need as long as bratwurst, sausages etc.
Real American hot dogs use small bread rolls that don't smother the meat, but personally I think the main thing is the quality of the bread. Boycott limp stodge and buy cmsty rolls or sticks (cheaper) from a hot- bread Idtchen, or baguettes from delis or the bakery at the West End Market.
Finish your roll off with a choice of mustards or condiments and you wiU be most pleasantly surprised.
BURGERS
Yes, everything I've said about hot dogs applies to burgers.
If you ask for a hamburger in an American restaur­ ant (and just about every one has them on the menu), theyll ask you how you want them done . . . you know - rare, medium, well-done. They make them really thick., from the real meat (I won't say beef - it usually comes from Australia), and most come well-grilled on the outside and still a little pink inside.
If you have your own mincer, you can try a variety of meats (and blends). Lamb, and pork a