Issuu

the graduate union newsletter

OCTOBER 2020

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Graduate House

You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming.

â€” Pablo Neruda

www.graduatehouse.com.au

Contents Coming dates 4

International Days – October

GU COLLEGIATE 28

Special Online Only Event - 2nd October Laureate Professor Peter Doherty AC

October Monthly Luncheon - 7th Ocotober Associate Professor Nicola Reavley

Special Online Only Event - 20th October Victor Perton

Features 6

Dr Ken Rigby OAM National Centre Against Bullying Mubarek Imam: From Eritrea to Egypt to an “Aussie”

graduate house news 12

First Nations Indigenous banana cultivation dates back over 2,000 years

SDG Goals ASX150 companies need to improve their reporting on progress on SDGs

Innovation How eWater Systems is making a splash

Annual General Meeting (AGM) The 108th AGM of The Graduate Union of The University of Melbourne

Bush blossoms by Life Member, Mr Louis A Coutts

Graduate Women Victoria Award Winners

Calm Be with You Megumi Miki

REview 26

Other

September Monthly Luncheon Phillipa Challis OAM

We look forward to welcoming you back to our dining room and to our Meeting and Function services. All going well, this will be from late October.

COVID SAFE at Graduate house 37

Open and Safe at Graduate House

GU Face Mask

Graduate House Accommodation

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT 39

Donation Form Your generosity at this time in our Association’s history is very much appreciated

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COMING DATES

international days – October 1st October – International Day of Older Persons

1st October – International Music Day

The United Nations International Day of Older Persons celebrates the role of older persons in making wide-ranging contributions to economic and social development. This day also challenges issues such as discrimination and social exclusion of the ageing population. Globally, there were 703 million persons aged 65 and over in 2019. Over the next three decades, the number of older persons worldwide is projected to be more than double, reaching above 1.5 billion persons in 2050.

International Music Day (IMC) was initiated in 1975 by violinist and conductor, Lord Yehudi Menuhin to encourage the promotion of music among all sections of society, and to encourage the application of the UNESCO ideals of peace and friendship between peoples and the evolution of their cultures.

5th October – World Teachers’ Day Held annually on 5th October since 1994, World Teachers’ Day commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 International Labour Organization/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. This Recommendation sets benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions. With Sustainable Development Goal 4.c’s dedicated target recognising teachers as key to the achievement of the Education 2030 agenda, World Teacher’s Day has become the occasion to mark progress and to reflect on ways to deal with challenges of the teaching profession.

2nd October – World Smile Day The first Friday of October, World Smile Day (2nd October) was created by a commercial artist named Harvey Ball in 1999. This day came about as a response to his creation of the smiley face in 1963. Harvey worried that the commercialisation of the symbol would lessen its impact – the symbol has been used in many different ways including clothing, comic books, coffee mugs, pins and more. These little yellow faces are more than just a symbol, they’re a statement about the power of smiling.

10th October – World Mental Health Day World Mental Health Day’s objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilise efforts in support of mental health. The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.

16th October – World Food Day World Food Day honours the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945. The FAO aims to raise levels of nutrition across the globe, improve agricultural productivity, enhance the lives of rural populations and contribute to the growth of the world economy. It also provides assistance to countries changing their agricultural policy, to aid regions out of famine situations, to help implement appropriate technology and to facilitate a neutral environment to discuss issues around food production. www.graduatehouse.com.au

COMING DATES

17th October – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

24th October – United Nations Day

The observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty can be traced back to 17th October 1987. On that day, over 100,000 people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris, where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948, to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger. They proclaimed that poverty is a violation of human rights and affirmed the need to ensure that these rights are respected. Since then, people of all backgrounds, beliefs and social origins have gathered every year on 17th October to renew their commitment and show their solidarity with the poor. Ending poverty is not just helping the poor – it is giving every woman and man the chance to live with dignity. By eradicating poverty, all humanity can be transformed.

United Nations (UN) Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being. The UN was founded to support collective action to realise peace, development and human rights for all.

October –Alison Harcourt

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FEATURE

Dr Ken Rigby OAM National Centre Against Bullying

dedicated to reducing bullying and enhancing the wellbeing of young people”. In June 2020, Ken was awarded the Medal (OAM) in the General Division of The Order of Australia of the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours List “for services to Education and to the wellbeing of young people”.

Dr Ken Rigby is “Australia’s foremost expert in effective prevention and intervention on bullying in the world”. He was born in Lancashire, England, and emigrated with his wife, Jean, in 1959 to Australia where he became naturalised. Since then he has helped to populate Australia to the tune of four children, 14 grandchildren and (to date) three great-grandchildren.

Ken spoke with us recently via an email interview. Vital Stats: Full name/Qualifications/ Accreditations Ken Rigby, BSc (Econ) Hons (London); Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Leicester University); PhD (Psychology (Adelaide University).

Ken is an Adjunct Professor (Research) in the School of Education and the Hawke Research Institute at the University of South Australia. He is a long term member of the National (Australian) Centre Against Bullying (NCAB – See www.ncab. org.au). After completing an Honours degree in Economics and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education at the University of Leicester, England, he taught in high schools for 10 years, first in Essex, England; then in Tasmania and South Australia. He gained a PhD in Psychology at the University of Adelaide and was registered as a psychologist in South Australia. From 1969 to 1996, he was employed as a lecturer in psychology and research methods at the University of South Australia. His work has focused mainly on bullying in schools. He undertakes research, provides workshops for teachers and parents, speaks at conferences, periodically acts as a consultant for government bodies and produces books, questionnaires, DVDs and podcasts on bullying designed to assist teachers and parents. Since 1990 he has contributed more than 100 publications addressing different aspects of the study.

What did you study at university? Economics, Education, Psychology. What did you learn during your tertiary education – not just academically, but what ideas did you form and what perceptions? Did any of your views change significantly when you went to university? I learned to be more analytical and concerned with evidence – and less prone to believe what I wanted to believe. My basic views did not change much. What is your earliest memory of having an interest in your field? I observed and experienced some bullying in primary school. In 1990 I became aware of research being conducted into school bullying and heard the claim being made by the foremost researcher in the field, Professor Dan Olweus from Norway, that the prevalence of school bullying could be greatly reduced and a great deal of human misery thereby eliminated.

What has been your pathway since graduating? What was your first job after graduation and how did that job prepare you for your later Ken was presented with an award in June 2012 by positions? Any lessons learnt? the Australian National Centre Against Bullying My work before going to university was (NCAB) “in recognition of a lifetime’s work significant – two years of National Service in the www.graduatehouse.com.au

FEATURE

What did you develop during this time – professionally and personally – in terms of your ideas, and did they change? I don’t think I consciously sought to develop professional or personally – but simply followed my interests and got better at some things – and probably less good (through neglect) at others. It is hard to know what brings about change – getting older perhaps? I am probably more conservative now in some ways – on religious and moral matters, but even more radical as far as social and economic equality is concerned.

Royal Navy resulted in greater recognition of my own personal inadequacy in the face of bullying and an increased dislike of institutional authority. My PhD focused on attitudes to institutional authority. After graduating, I was a teacher for 10 years in schools in England and Australia. This helped me understand better how schools operate and motivated me to examine, through research somewhat later, how children can be helped when they are being victimised by peers. What are your goals and what are you ultimately trying to achieve? I hope to improve the understanding of people regarding bullying, the serious harm it can do and how it can be best addressed in schools.

What is the most important thing that can make you successful at your job? Keeping at it – but being ready to change how you do things when you see a better way. What are you working on for the future? I’m working on a commissioned book on multiperspectivity and bullying. The aim is to help us – including me – to understand how and why different groups see things differently in this field. I hope to finish it this year.

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and what lessons did that person teach you? Being married for over 60 years to a caring wife and having four remarkably good children. The most important lessons have probably been to count my blessings and to make me more aware of my numerous faults.

What advice would you give graduates? Follow your interests as far as this is possible, even if the outcome is less lucrative.

What were some of your major milestones? Getting married; having kids; graduating; and getting published in my field – and being recognised through the award of an OAM for the contributions I have made.

What do you like doing when you are not working? I like reading newspapers and books, doing crosswords, watching television, especially Test cricket [a cricket tragic who never rose above grade level, however, in 1961, playing cricket for Circular Head in Tasmania, took 9 wickets for 9 runs; in 1962, scoring 49 not out for a Salisbury XI in South Australia.]

What have you been most proud of in your career? I don’t think I am particularly proud of anything, just glad that most things have turned out pretty well. What are some of the greatest challenges in your work and how did you overcome them? Teaching effectively and writing for publication. As a teacher, I was fortunate in actually enjoying helping people to understand things. As a writer, I have had to work hard.

*** A description of Ken’s work can be found at www.kenrigby.net.

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FEATURE

Mubarek Imam: From Eritrea to Egypt to an “Aussie” people to improve their lives is when I feel the happiest and most fulfilled, because I believe in “what you give is what you get”. Where did you first begin your primary education? What do you remember most? I went to Awet Elementary and Junior School in Asmara, the number one school in the country during my time. In my language – Tigrigna – ‘awet’ means ‘victory’. Most of the students are from families who have leadership positions in the country and are upper working class. One of my friends was Elsa, the daughter of the current Eritrean President. My best times in Eritrea were at that school, where I played basketball, made lifetime friendships, and where I built my personality, values, emotional resilience, and confidence. The most valuable thing I learned was to clean my own bedroom before going out criticising the rest of the world.

Mubarek Imam moved from Eritrea to Egypt and then to Australia. Read about his fascinating journey below.

I also attended evening sessions and learned the Holy Quran. At 13, I was selected to attend a prominent school in Islamic Religion. I stayed there until I left Asmara in November 2006.

Name/qualifications/work history: My name is Mubarek Imam, I am 28 and was born in Asmara, Eritrea. I’m excited to soon be called an “Aussie”. I hold a Higher School Certificate, but never pursued a higher qualification. I describe myself as curious, self-educated and intellectual rather than academic – not because I don’t value education, but because the higher education system today has become difficult to access for many and, in some cases, is not relevant to the job market and aspirations of many young people, including me.

Where did you complete your secondary education? I travelled to Egypt to continue my education. I was 14 and on my own. My family came to Egypt three years later. During those three years, I had to register myself, learn Arabic, make connections and sleep over at my cousin’s. I had to repeat Year 8 because Eritrean Certificates are not recognised in Egypt. I studied at B Karnak Language School, then moved to Future International Schools to complete my qualification. My motivation to continue studying started to decrease due to the challenges I faced to get an education.

I believe I have gained more knowledge and experience during my professional and personal experiences than I would have gained in university. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I had taken a different path.

Where were you during your teenage years? Where did you travel before arriving in Australia? My teenage years were spent in Cairo, the city that never sleeps. I had lots of experiences that taught me important lessons that shaped my later decisions. I no longer recognised my dreams. I started reacting to the world. I could not make

My first job was in Egypt as a home tutor. I was 16 and taught English and Maths to Year 1 and 3 students. I also worked in Egypt as a retail assistant, graphic designer, translator, customer service specialist and community worker supporting refugees and asylum seekers. Helping www.graduatehouse.com.au

FEATURE

any of your views change significantly when you went to university? In school, you learn first and then you do a test. In life, you do the test first, then you learn from it. My ideas and perceptions started forming before I finished secondary school. But real-life experience was unsparing.

plans because I didn’t know whether I would settle in Egypt or move elsewhere. For my whole nine years in Egypt, my dreams were on hold. On the ninth day of university, an incident with a lecturer occurred and I dropped out because I could not tolerate the injustice towards foreigners and the incompetence of the education system. I found work as a graphic designer at Fantasia Prints. I was 17. I ended up managing the place, stayed for three years. I had a good income, which gave me flexibility and independence. Working at an early age introduced me to mature people with life experiences with whom I found value and friendship.

The greatest perception I formed was that for me to be able to change the world, I must change what is within me first. Before that, I used to blame things on others and how they treated me. Now, it is all about how I treat myself. It is all about what I can control. And this has been the greatest blessing from Allah to me and then from Uncle Ibrahim, who was my boss and mentor for three years. I always say he has a PhD in the school of life. My view about world justice started becoming negative when I became aware of the sufferings of refugees and asylum seekers. I empathised with many of them because some were from my country and town, some had attended the same school back in Eritrea. I quickly started changing from empathetic – where I would just feel sorry for them – to compassionate where I acted on it.

How did you come to arrive in Australia? In 2016, my family was sponsored by the Australian Government to live permanently in Australia. The resettlement took almost four years. We are grateful to Allah and the Australian people for having us. I also pay my respects to the traditional owners of this land. What did you study at university and why did you choose to study that? Currently I am doing a Diploma in Leadership and Management at RMIT to help run my business and not-for-profit, and perhaps secure a part-time job to increase my income and experience. The Foundation of Young Australians conducted a study recently which showed that young people today will have about 17 jobs in five different careers in their life. At 28, I have already had 11 jobs in four different fields. I prefer short courses that are specific to the skills I need to achieve my aspirations.

What is your earliest memory of having an interest in your field? Currently I am doing community work. My earliest memory was the incident that happened on my ninth day of university in Cairo. I stood up for people who were voiceless, and I was persecuted for it. The community respected me for that and that meant a lot to me. When I started helping disadvantaged foreigners in Cairo, I was exposed to a lot of things of which I was unaware – the struggles, the stories, and their dreams. I knew how privileged I was compared to them. My story was less painful and less traumatic. Their stories showed me the value of gratitude for what I have. That is when I decided to use my privilege to help others. I started with translating, taking them to services, talking with them, engaging them in recreational and sporting activities and many other things. This made me feel proud of myself. I looked up to my grandmother, “E’ima”, who is the most helpful and compassionate person I know. I

If I were to study to have one career, I would study Political Science, given my interest in politics. I see how politicians influence our everyday lives. I believe our world today needs to encourage and support those leaders. But also those leaders need to listen to the most vulnerable. I have hope in the newer generation. My generation will look to prioritise the vulnerable ones. What did you learn during your tertiary education – not just academically, but what ideas did you form and what perceptions? Did 9

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FEATURE

felt very fulfilled and happy doing the same thing she does. In Eritrea, grandmothers have a big role in raising their grandchildren and the community in general. Grandmothers are the day care for children and the unrecognised schools for the community.

decisions on my own. I became more confident in dealing with everyday life. I built a solid foundation of faith, learning the difference between what is morally right and wrong, the importance of individual responsibility, and a great hunger and curiosity for knowledge.

What has been your pathway since graduating? What was your first job after graduation and how did that job prepare you for your later positions? Since leaving school, I have tried many different jobs to find out what I was passionate about. I wasnâ€™t ready to be tied to a specific role or profession. I took most the positions out of curiosity. I grew a mindset that always thrives to grow, change and impact others. You learn about places, people, cultures and history. You learn to think, communicate, care, act, fight and to let go. You become more resilient to challenges and learn how to overcome them. You gain more experience and become more effective.

When I was 17, another milestone was my decision to leave school and pursue other means of gaining knowledge â€“ self-learning and employment. It was a hard decision. I might have upset my family, but I believed that the school system was not for me. I have returned to study several times since then, but itâ€™s just not my preferred method of gaining knowledge. My latest milestone was coming to Australia four and a half years ago. I was resilient, confident, mature. I developed a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset. I decided to be at the front of change for myself and my people. I was able to find more opportunities and was able to aim higher. My strategic perspective, fierce attitude and respectful behaviour connected with me with like-minded friends who invested in and mentored me and made my settlement easier.

In my career and learning journey, the skills I gained were communication and problemsolving, critical thinking, and digital literacy. Selfteaching was critical in the process of change and development for me. Being multilingual, curious and hungry to achieve and impact others helped to secure jobs.

What have you been most proud moment in your career? My proudest moments are when I achieve one of my aspirations. The more I did the things I said I would do, the more confidence I gained.

Now, I am preparing to pass these skills and knowledge to people who might need them to grow in their lives.

When I came to Australia, I wanted to be a youth worker. I had no formal qualifications, almost no experience, and with little English. Eight months later, I took a role in the community sector to develop and implement a community event. Three years later, I had worked with around more than 1,500 young people from different backgrounds through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, engagement events, and schools. Recently, my proudest moments are when other youth workers would consult me on challenges that they are facing.

Who has been the biggest influence on your life and what lessons did that person teach you? The biggest is my father. He was a businessman who was known for his trustworthiness and discipline in the community, taught me the importance of handling money properly. My father is a great role model for handling difficult situations, taught that a man is better when he can control his anger, and a great example of being kind towards women. He also made sure that I learned from the mistakes he made. He is a quiet person, but you can learn a lot if you observe.

What are some of the greatest challenges in your line of work and how did/do you overcome them? The greatest challenge I faced is separating professional and personal life. The work I do is directly related to my community. Sometimes, that means you invest your emotions too much. Sometimes, clients might even be people that you personally know. This makes you more compassionate, but it takes a toll on your mental

The teachings of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) were also a great influence in my life. He taught me the importance of keeping connection with relatives, loving neighbours, standing up for the vulnerable and giving to charities. What were some of your major milestones? At 14, I moved to Cairo, Egypt. I started making www.graduatehouse.com.au

FEATURE

We are advocating for young people and residents for employment opportunities, connecting them with local services and providing one-on-one support to young residents to prepare them for employment. Our main focus will be capacity building in the future.

health. With the help of my mentors, I learnt to manage it, which improved my productivity significantly. Being politically correct is also a challenge to freedom of expression for people who lack knowledge of the language. What did you develop during this time – professionally and personally – in terms of your ideas, and did they change? During this time, I learned to approach complex things strategically, to be patient, to look after my mental health and also to speak the truth. I learned how to say ‘no’. Mindset-wise, I started to think above the line. I learned the importance of selfdevelopment, so that you can help others around you. I started to take ownership instead of blaming others, being accountable instead of making excuses and take responsibility instead of denial.

What is your next goal? Do you have an ultimate goal that you are working towards? Once I become an Australian citizen, I want to be involved in politics. Start a family. My belief is that this life is a test and I must do my best to receive a great reward in this life and after. My ultimate goal in this life is to create a legacy that serves people – by doing that, I want to be closer to God. Following on from your own life experience, what advice would you give young people today? Try the uncomfortable. Try as many things as possible until you find your passion and don’t let other’s wishes be enforced on you.

What is the most important thing that can make you successful at your job? There are eight traits that I constantly invest in before developing skills for a specific job: work ethic, focus, push, ideas, improve, serve, persist and passion.

Dream bigger and aim higher, don’t be limited by stigma and what others think you should be. It’s also important for young people to have mentors and positive role models. Listen and learn from older generations to gain wisdom. Respond patiently rather than reacting emotionally to the challenges you face. Your positive attitude towards things and respectful behaviour will take you far.

The following have helped me become successful: people skills, management, analytical skills, creativity, computer skills and technical skills. What are you working on for the future? I recently founded a non-profit organisation, Young Assets Foundation (YAF), to strategically overcome challenges that young people face by bringing them to the front of change for themselves and their communities. We are in the process of finding the right people who believe in YAF’s values and vision to help shape the organisation’s strategies.

What do you like doing when you are not working? I have recently developed a cycling habit. It helps me exercise and is fun. I like to occasionally watch general information documentaries and read books. I also write when I am inspired. I mainly write for myself. It helps me to think critically and be distracted from things happening around me.

We are also developing approaches to assist young people in Australia to help them transition to adulthood. I have also been working on creating an online platform and workshops for young men and boys to challenge the negative stigmas of toxic masculinity that contributes to suicide, peer-to-peer violence, and gender-based violence, amongst many other challenges. We want them to become better versions of themselves so that they can have healthy and respectful relationships and to become emotionally intelligent and aware.

Final comments? I think it’s important for people to identify their purpose in life. Today, we have many ways to help identify that. When someone has a clear goal or a purpose, the road might be full of challenges, but you will never get lost. *** Find out more about Young Assets Foundation here:

Giving the current COVID-19 pandemic, we are responding to the day-to-day needs of young people who reside in the Yarra public housing area.

https://www.facebook.com/young.assetsf https://www.instagram.com/young.assetsf/ 11

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GRADUATE HOUSE NEWS

Annual General Meeting (AGM) Thursday, 27th August 2020 The 108th AGM of The Graduate Union of The University of Melbourne

Pre-Annual General Meeting (AGM) The CEO/Head of College, Dr Kerry Bennett, commenced pre-AGM proceedings by explaining the processes for conducting the meeting using technology (via the Zoom application) as provided in rule 38.

meeting and introduced members of Council, the Auditors, the Accountant and the Returning Officer, explaining that new Council Members would be introduced and welcomed under Agenda Item 8. The Hon Diana Bryant explained that the documents available online to Members for this meeting were the Rules and Regulations of The Graduate Union of The University of Melbourne Inc. (the Association); the draft minutes of the annual General Meeting of the Association held 30th May 2019; the agenda for this 2020 AGM of the Association; the annual report which included the Financial Report for the year ended 31st December 2019; and the Explanatory Memorandum for Agenda Item 10.

Members participated in a test remote polling voting exercise to prepare for voting during the AGM. Dr Bennett introduced The Hon Diana Bryant AO QC, the President of The Graduate Union of The University of Melbourne Inc. Open Annual General Meeting The President took the Chair of the Meeting, and declared the 108th AGM of the Association open at 5:35PM, welcomed all Members to the www.graduatehouse.com.au

GRADUATE HOUSE NEWS

President’s Address

of the Finance and Audit subcommittee. The Association is in a sound financial position, but it would be foolish not to acknowledge that there may be worse to come. Graduate House has maintained 50% occupancy of our accommodation, but when the academic year ends most occupants will leave and, along with the higher education sector, we do not know what the future holds.

President of The Graduate Union, The Hon Diana Bryant.

The Hon Diana Bryant began the President’s Address by noting that this was her first chairing of an AGM as President and that with the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, this AGM was a virtual, and “far from a normal”, AGM. She looked forward to seeing Members in person at the next AGM in 2021.

Chair of the Finance and Audit subcommittee, Cr Rhys Watson.

The Hon Diana Bryant then addressed the departure of Cr The Hon Gaetano (Tony) Pagone from his chairmanship of, and from, Council. He has served the organisation extremely diligently over many years, including through this difficult year. Cr Vince Mirabelli will be the incoming Chairperson of Council and has been heavily involved in the administration especially this year, as have all the Council. The organisation will continue to be well served by the incoming Chair and Councillors.

She commended the response of the CEO/Head of College and staff to the pandemic, saying that the Association was fortunate to have Dr Bennett as our CEO with her expertise and academic background to recognise the threat immediately, and to understand how to address it to create a supportive and safe environment for the residents and staff. Dr Bennett has had to deal with the financial modelling, and share the apprehension of what the future holds, including the retrenchment of some longstanding staff, to enable the Association to remain financially responsible and viable. All this required “not just good luck, [but] also good planning and execution”.

Finally, the President acknowledged all the Council for their work and particularly for their diligence and application since COVID-19. Special thanks also went out to Dr Bennett and the staff who have borne the brunt of this pandemic.

The President noted that the Association was fortunate to have had Cr Rhys Watson as Chair 13

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GRADUATE HOUSE NEWS

in the transition that will be required after this AGM. The Association is fortunate with the Council members it has had in these troubled and unexpected times.

The President concluded by saying that everyone has been mindful of the students whose safety was entrusted to us, and of the membership who are looking forward to the fellowship we anticipate resuming, hopefully, sooner rather than later. There is cautious optimism about our future, but the Association will not stop being realistic either if difficult decisions are required.

Among those is Cr Rhys Watson who, like Cr Pagone, did not stand for re-election to Council at a time when the impact of COVID-19 was not anticipated. Cr Watson continued in his role of Chair of the Finance and Audit subcommittee of Council and in that role has provided invaluable leadership and important expertise at a crucial time.

Report from Chairperson of Graduate Council

Thanks were also extended to those new Council members who were elected a few months ago but were not formally able to take their place as Council members until this AGM. However, they were able to participate at all Council meetings since the results of the Council elections were known. This was important to ensure that those who have the tasks of continuing with the governance of the Association through, and after, the pandemic be involved in the decisions that were being taken by Council before they could formally take their position on Council. Continuity in governance and decision making in times of crisis is important.

Chairperson of Graduate Council, The Hon Gaetano (Tony) Pagone.

A particular highlight for the Association since the last AGM was the acceptance of the Hon Diana Bryant AO QC to the position of President. The role of the president of The Graduate Union is important. It is not a nominal or symbolic position, although the people who have been the Association’s president over the years, like Diana Bryant, add to the prestige of the Association. We are grateful and honoured by her agreeing to have accepted the position and to have become involved with the activities of the Association as fully as she has in these difficult times.

The Chairperson of Graduate Council, The Hon Gaetano (Tony) Pagone noted that this was his last report as Chairperson of The Graduate Union. He said that times of stress reveal the strength of people and organisations. That is no less true of the Association and the people in it. The staff moved quickly and decisively at the start of the pandemic to ensure the safety of all and the continuation of our activities in accordance with government health, and other, directions. We could not have been better placed, and better served, than by Dr Kerry Bennett as CEO and Head of College. Many hard, and some sad, decisions were taken, but they have been made with knowledge, human compassion and in line with the ethos of the Association.

Sadly, we have lost some of our residents and staff as a result of the pandemic. This has been inevitable but has been kept to a minimum. Thanks were expressed to all residents, staff and Members of the Association for the support over these difficult times and during the whole of Cr Pagone’s time as a member of Council and as Chair of the Association.

The strains upon the Association during these times have also shown the real strength of our governance structures and of our overall finances. The focus of Council has been to ensure that the Association has continued to be managed appropriately in the changed circumstances.

He said that it had been a privilege to be on Council and to have been its Chair. “It is heartening to be able to say that the Association continues to function well and that it will continue to have a strong and long future.”

The deputy chair, Cr Vince Mirabelli, was called upon to assist in filling the role as chair whenever Cr Pagone was unavailable to ensure continuity www.graduatehouse.com.au

GRADUATE HOUSE NEWS

Report from Chief Executive Officer/Head of College

• progress with the redevelopment of the terraces from 222 to 234 Leicester Street, and with the capital campaign through the establishment of a project control group that met monthly; • impacts from, and progress with, neighbouring construction activities, particularly with the Parkville Station and University Square; and • gratitude to Members for donating to the annual appeal and for considering the Association as a beneficiary in their wills. With respect to 2020, the CEO/Head of College reported: • significant impacts on the Association across all revenue-generating units, particularly with respect to residential accommodation and meeting/function services; • the health and safety measures adopted at Graduate House to mitigate the risk of infection transmission, to meet the federal and state governments’ restrictions and to retain business and going concern;

The CEO/Head of College, Dr Kerry Bennett, thanked the President and the Chair of Council, and informed Members that her report would be of both 2019 activities and of those in 2020 to address the impacts of the global pandemic.

• a proactive and responsive approach delivered by dedicated, professional and hard-working staff, and with sound governance and leadership by all members of Council and the subcommittees;

With respect to 2019, the CEO/Head of College reported: • the launch and successful implementation of the first year of the Association’s third strategic plan with progress on all key result areas of the strategic priorities of an innovative, influential membership, a culture of giving, planned and achieved major projects, well-managed finances and mitigated risk and effective responsive stewardship;

• continual defining of different scenarios (worst, likely, best) and financial modelling and forecasting for each; • the receipt of government support through JobKeeper and cash flow boosts at the federal level, and the Business Support Fund at the state level;

• 22 GU Collegiate events with approximately 1,679 attendees and insightful speakers/ convenors from many different disciplines, walks of life and countries;

• staff redundancies and permanent reductions in hours; • efforts towards new accommodation offerings and the launch of a new Get Advice page; and

• 25,346 delegates attending 1,242 events and functions convened by 223 groups, predominantly in the not-for-profit sector;

• gratitude for the continued and strong moral and financial support from Members. In concluding, the CEO/Head of College thanked the Members, the President, the Council and its subcommittees and her much-appreciated colleagues on staff.

• with now 145 rooms (including 31 bedsits off-site), continued high college occupancy, averaging 89%, and more than 800 residents from many different regions of the world, as well as increasing demand with over 45,000 graduates enrolled in the two key source universities (The University of Melbourne and RMIT); 15

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Financial Report for the Year Ended 31st December 2019 The Chairperson of the Finance and Audit subcommittee, Cr Rhys Watson, outlined the key results for the financial year ending 31st December 2019 indicating that:

The Returning Officer, Mr Ron Ritchie, provided his election report, indicating that at the close of nominations on 12th March 2020, three valid nominations had been received for the three vacancies to be filled on Council, declaring elected Cr Molina Asthana, Cr Martin Comte and Cr Natalie Gray and indicating the terms of office for all three to be until the 2023 AGM.

• operating revenue of $3.797M had increased by 1.6% since 2018 and had been generated primarily from accommodation ($2.36M, 62.2% of revenue) and catering ($1.27M, 33.5%);

The Hon Diana Bryant welcomed and congratulated the elected Councillors and provided the following short biographies for each. • Cr Asthana has been a Council member since 2017, and has been actively involved in Graduate House affairs, including as Chairperson of the Governance and Nominations subcommittee. She is a lawyer by profession and has significant experience on other boards including the Law Institute of Victoria, AFL South East Commission, Good Shepherd AusNZ and Gymnastics Victoria. Cr Asthana founded the organisation Multicultural Women in Sport which aims to empower migrant women from multicultural backgrounds through sport. Cr Asthana is passionate about diversity and understands the issues of our diverse membership. She is well-connected in community and government through her extensive community work and tries to bring people of all walks and influence to The Graduate Union. Cr Asthana has spoken at GU events and actively spends time at Graduate House to interact with Members and understand their needs. She has won multiple awards for her community work including the Victorian Multicultural Award for Excellence twice.

• donations and bequests had increased from $388K in 2018 to $431K in 2019; • key expenses continued to include those for salaries and wages ($1.73M, decreasing from 2018 by $56K) and catering ($0.54M, slightly lower than that in 2018); • interest payments had increased year on year due to the full year of expenses following acquisition of the Barkly Place apartments late 2018; • surplus of $0.42M was $0.13M greater than that in 2019, and total comprehensive income in 2019 of $0.67M was $0.66M less than that in 2018 due to the higher increase to the buildings valuation with the late 2018 acquisition of the Barkly Place apartments; • cash flow from operating activities of $105K was $137K lower than in 2018; • cash and cash equivalents by the end of the financial year increased from $117K to $208K; • borrowings included $7.052M from NAB and $4.297M from Bank Australia; and

• Cr Gray joined The Graduate Union as a Life Member immediately following graduation from the Bachelor of Town Planning with 1st Class Honours in 1983. Over the years, she has been watching the organisation, whilst being preoccupied with her career in property and finance. She now has the space to contribute to the Association and believes that it makes a significant contribution to facilitating thinking and learning. Cr Gray’s work requires a strong understanding of ethical governance processes and accepting the time necessary to carry out due diligence for each stage. Her involvement currently is particularly fitting as her skills are relevant to the proposed redevelopment. Much of

• total equity (assets minus liabilities) had increased from $28.45M to $29.10M in 2019. Election of Council Members

From left: Cr Molina Asthana, Cr Natalie Gray and Cr Martin Comte. www.graduatehouse.com.au

GRADUATE HOUSE NEWS

her work these days is for not-for-profit organisations such as non-government schools, health facilities and places of worship. She has also established two charitable Foundations linked to education and research.

• Cr Reilly is a senior executive with a track record of achievement in leadership, strategic planning, managing competing priorities and building positive stakeholder relationships. She is Executive Director, Human Resources with Victoria Police. Previous positions include Chief Corporate Officer, Court Services Victoria; Executive Director People and Culture, LaTrobe University; and Deputy Director, Department of Justice. A Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors course, Cr Reilly has also completed an Executive Management course with Monash and the Filo Community Leadership Program. Cr Reilly was appointed to Council in March 2020.

• Cr Comte became a Member of The Graduate Union after graduating from The University of Melbourne with degrees in Music (1969) and Education (1971). He re-joined more recently. Cr Comte brings experience across three residential colleges as a student and as a member of leadership teams. During his PhD studies (University of Michigan) he lived in a predominantly ‘black’ college. He describes this experience as having helped shape his understanding of the importance of colleges with respect to minority groups. Cr Comte is vigorously committed to student/ staff wellbeing, supporting gender diversity, and exploring new possibilities for quality cultural, social and educational experiences at Graduate House. He believes strongly in the ‘added’ benefits of college life. University appointments have included Dean of the Faculty of Education, and Associate Dean, Cultural Development. Other experience includes being on the Board of The Australian Ballet School, and National Council of Musica Viva. Currently he chairs the Advisory Committee for Worawa Aboriginal Girls College, Healesville.

Gratitude was extended to retiring Councillors and a short account of their contribution to the Association while on Council was given. Appointment of the Auditor The Hon Diana Bryant reminded Members that Mr Sam Claringbold and his team from JTP Assurance had undertaken the independent audit for the past four financial years of the Association and had been recommended for reappointment to undertake the audit of the 2020 financial year. A motion that the appointment of Sam Claringbold of JTP Assurance to undertake the independent audit for the financial year ended 31st December 2020 was raised and carried.

The Hon Diana Bryant welcomed Cr Gabrielle Reilly, explaining that Cr Reilly had been appointed to Council as provided in rule 48.1(d), and giving the following short biography.

Motions for Special Resolution The Hon Diana Bryant confirmed that Members had received notice of two motions for Special Resolution, as well as the detailed Explanatory Memorandum in which was outlined the rationale and justification for the proposed amendments to the Rules of The Graduate Union of The University of Melbourne Incorporated. Both motions were raised and carried. Discussion and Question Time Cr Davis OAM congratulated the President, Council and the staff on the success of the AGM and for their approach and hard work during the pandemic, and noted technology issues for potential remedy at subsequent meetings using technology. The Hon Diana Bryant noted that this was the first time that the Association had held the

Cr Gabrielle Reilly. 17

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Classroom Research, Melbourne Graduate School of Education. His research interests include the relationship between schools and vocational training, models of education and training, VET in schools and youth transitions from upper secondary schooling in Australia and internationally. He has played leading roles in winning and conducting more than 70 major educational research grants and consultancies, focusing on young people, education and VET, including: the ACACA national longitudinal VET in Schools study tracking Year 12 students’ development of career and life skills across time (2018-2020), the Careers Guidance: defining and measuring quality project for NSW DEC (2014), the NSW BVET Destinations and Expectations Survey for the Office of BoS and NSW BVET (2013), and the Evaluation of the Senior Secondary School Pilots (DEECD Victoria 2012). He has written journal articles, book chapters and commissioned reports, including in some of the most prestigious international journals such as Oxford Review of Education, Comparative Education, British Journal of Sociology of Education, Journal of Education Policy, Australian Journal of Education, and European Journal of Vocational Training. He also has chapters in major publishers, including Springer and Oxford University Press.

AGM entirely online and that continuous quality controls would be implemented to ensure best participation by Members at such meetings in the future. No further comments or questions were received from Members. Honorary College Fellows

Associate Professor Kate MacNeill and Professor John Polesol.

The Hon Diana Bryant announced the appointments (in absentia) of Associate Professor Kate MacNeill and Professor John Polesel as Honorary College Fellows, noted that both had volunteered as the academic mentors for the two 2018 United Board Fellows who had resided at Graduate House and gave the following short biographies.

Date of Next Annual General Meeting The Hon Diana Bryant advised Members that the next AGM was scheduled for Thursday, 27th May 2021.

• Associate Professor Kate MacNeill is Director of the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) in the Faculty of Arts. She continues to teach in the Master of Arts and Cultural Management program, in the School of Culture and Communication. With a background in law and economics she had extensive experience in policy work in the government and non-government sector prior to returning to study art history and obtaining a PhD in Art History (Identity and contemporary Australian art). Her research interests include the intersection between law and artistic practice (in particular, cultures of intellectual property and censorship), leadership in the arts and cultural sector, and ethics and creative practices.

Close of Meeting The Hon Diana Bryant thanked Members for attending the AGM and for embracing the technology and thanked the CEO/Head of College and staff for their significant efforts in preparing and hosting the meeting. Dr Bennett extended gratitude to The Hon Diana Bryant AO QC for chairing the meeting and joined the Members participating at the meeting in applauding such. The Hon Diana Bryant declared the meeting closed at 6:38pm.

• Professor John Polesol is Co-Director of the Centre for Vocational and Educational Policy and Director of International Centre for www.graduatehouse.com.au

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Bush blossoms by Life Member, Mr Louis A Coutts

There is something quite innocent about the Australian bush in spring. Nowhere will you find a cherry blossom or the blossom of other trees that decorate our streets and which explode in colour come spring. The Australian bush is much more modest but no less abundant in its own blossoms which go unnoticed by most people. The bush is what is left of this country and is clinging precariously to its fragile existence. Not a lot of people visit the bush and that is the reason for the innocence of the Australian bush blossoms. They emerge, season after season, almost unnoticed. Not far from where I live in the city, the council has secured a little segment of bush land which is under restoration and preservation. It is visited by few people which suits me because I visit it most days for a few moments of meditation and I am rarely interrupted. I sit on a bench opposite a pond which is surrounded by native plants that, for the first few days of spring, are decorated by the most glorious colours. The late wattles are brilliantly yellow but there are so many native plants that are unknown to me and they are clothed at the moment in a range of delicate colours from blinding white to demure purple. The ducks lazily disturb the waters of the pond or rest on an island taking their midday siesta. Birds fly from the trees and splash into the water and then fly upwards with their prey. The bush is showing itself, unaware of its simple beauty and unnoticed by the casual passer-by. It is a panorama of virginal innocence that repeats itself year after year with few taking advantage of its beauty. Little by little the flowers fall like tears upon the unkempt earth, creating a brief mantle of colour. The wind then comes and does its work and my little meditation pond, with its ducks and the occasional seagull, awaits the summer to survive for yet another season when its blossoms will once again go unseen.

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Graduate Women Victoria Award Winners

Jessie Webb Bursary ($3,500) — Dannielle Mills, Monash University Phillipa McCall Scholarship ($7,000) — Sabrina Poon, The University of Melbourne

Congratulations to the following women who were recently awarded scholarships and bursaries by Graduate Women Victoria (GWV). GWV was founded in 1920 as an association of women graduates who were inspired by the foundation of the International Federation of University Women earlier in the same year.

PhD and Doctoral Degrees Bursaries in memory of Feminist Fathers ($4,000) — Areni Altun, Monash University — Catherine Brown, Monash University Judith Leedham Bursary ($4,000) — Cait Beddows, The University of Melbourne Nancy Mills Bursary ($4,000) — Hue Mai La, Monash University Madeleine Capicchiano Bursary ($4,000) — Tasnim Sammak, Monash University Judith Rodriguez Scholarship ($8,000) — Heather Cameron, Deakin University William and Elizabeth Fisher Scholarship ($8,000) — Stefani Vasil, RMIT University Yvonne Aitken Scholarship ($8,000) — Danielle Bayes, Swinburne University of Technology

The founders of the association shared a common goal of promoting understanding and friendship amongst university women of the world, irrespective of their race, nationality, religion or political opinions. They wished to encourage women to apply their knowledge and skills to the problems arising at all levels of public life and to encourage their participation in the solving of these problems.

Award Winners 2020 Indigenous Students Marilyn Godley Scholarship for an Indigenous undergraduate student ($5,000) — Valerie Brown, Federation University Fourth Year Honours in Arts/Humanities Taines Scholarship ($7,000) — Emily Palk, La Trobe University

Centennial Scholarships ($9,000) — Ingrid Dudink, Monash University — Elena Vella, The University of Melbourne

Education Masters Students WISENet Bursary ($3,500) — Katrina O’Brien, The University of Melbourne Doris Daniel Scholarship ($7,000) — Kate Spear, Deakin University

Special Awards ($1,000) were presented to 18 students Centenary Education Grants ($500) were presented to 39 students.

Masters Students SWAN Bursary ($3,500) — Chloe Waddell, Australian Catholic University Ethel Bage Bursary ($3,500) — Delaram Ansari, The University of Melbourne www.graduatehouse.com.au

https://gradwomenvic.org.au

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Graduate Women Victoria Award Winners We feature three of the GWV Award winners.

Judith Rodriguez Scholarship: Heather Cameron, Deakin University Heatherâ€™s working background in education and healthcare spans over 30 years in New Zealand and Australia, and she continues to work in the oncology field as a service development manager in the Barwon South Western Integrated Cancer Service (BSWRICS). She is passionate about equitable access to cancer care, and in particular works to ensure that people living in remote and regional areas of the state, have opportunities to engage in optimal healthcare provision.

Heather Cameron is currently a PhD Candidate in the School of Communication and Creative Arts at Deakin University. Her thesis is entitled Cancer Poetry: Responding to loss through autopathography and elegy, and she is supervised by Professor David McCooey. This creative arts thesis includes an exegesis which discusses the way in which poets with cancer, or poets as carers of loved ones with cancer, have elegised the considerable losses they have experienced, due to the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The main work in the thesis is a creative artefact of 80-100 poems written by Heather, about her experiences as both a cancer survivor and a healthcare professional in the fields of oncology and palliative care. Her PhD research builds on previous work which has included a research Masters of Applied Science (La Trobe University) in which she explored the dominant themes in bereavement narratives and considered whether they were aligned with current grief theory and practice.

www.graduatehouse.com.au

Heather hopes to continue her research postdoctorate, into how poetry provides solace for those who are grieving the losses associated with cancer, cancer survivorship, and death, dying and bereavement. Her dream is to live by the sea and write poetry, with the help of her cats and occasional visits from friends and family.

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Philippa McCall Scholarship: Sabrina Poon, The University of Melbourne that my curious mind and perseverance would make this path extremely rewarding.

As a migrant who was raised by my singlemother suffering from chronic schizophrenia, life has never been easy. However, I was fortunate to have two passionate and knowledgeable science teachers who helped shaped my career choices in high school.

Following my Bachelors, I mustered the courage to contact microbiota-related research groups. This led me to my current masterâ€™s project looking at the microbiota and developmental enteric neurophysiology. I thoroughly enjoyed not only the research, but also the interactions within and beyond the laboratory, including experts of the field at conferences.

My general science and biology teacher introduced me to the world of microbiota. I remember being absolutely intrigued by his passion and his stories of how faecal transplants can modulate host physiology. My year 10 chemistry teacher dedicated 14 years of his life to studying genetics as a postdoctoral researcher. His classes were intellectually stimulating, which prompted me to read about science beyond the scope. This was perhaps the first sign of my interest in scientific research, which he recognised. With my outstanding performance in class, he encouraged me to pursue research. However, he did warn me of the arduous journey ahead. Regardless, I knew

My current experience as a student researcher has cemented my desire of continuing the academic research path. I hope to further current understanding of microbiota and host health and inspire next generation students the same way my teachers and supervisors did. A career in research is going to be challenging, however, an easy life offers no potential for growth. I hope and am determined that my story and research will inspire and improve the health of future generations. 23

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Doris Daniel Scholarship: Kate Spear, Deakin University The aims of my research will be to analyse these programs to see if they are meeting the complex needs of these learners and to also analyse the policies that are put in place which directly affect the young women and their families. Despite there being government legislation in place to ensure that young pregnant and parenting students can maintain their right to access education, most students in this situation find that many schools cannot or will not cater for their needs, and sometimes overtly or covertly encourage them to leave school altogether. Further research that I would like to consider in the future will ideally gather data on the educational benefits for the children of the younger mothers who attended these specialised programs, with the aim of influencing longer term thinking when it comes to policy development and the funding of these programs.

I am currently studying a Masters of Applied Learning and Teaching with Deakin University. I have a background in the creative arts and have been a vocational education trainer before making the move to study my Masters. The course has an applied learning focus and encourages us to think beyond a traditional transmissive approach to teaching. There is a strong emphasis on experiential and applied learning pedagogies which can be used in traditional school settings or alternative learning environments. We are also specifically trained in creating innovative and engaging Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) programs for students undertaking the VCAL in secondary schools or in an alternative setting. I am undertaking half of my Masters as a major research pathway and my research focus is on specialised learning programs such as the Young Mums VCAL which enables young pregnant and parenting women aged between 15 and 21 to gain their final years of schooling in a safe and supportive environment where they can bring their babies and gain their education at the same time. www.graduatehouse.com.au

Once graduated, my career goals are to work in community learning centres that provide flexible learning options for young people who for whatever reasons have become disengaged from the mainstream. 24

GRADUATE HOUSE NEWS

Calm Be with You

Megumi Miki started her Calm in Chaos series on 20th March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic started to impact all of us in Australia and around the world.

Megumi helps organisations challenge the status quo, exceed their goals and keep learning by unlocking potential in the culture, leadership and individuals.

Calm in Chaos is a virtual learning group which intends to “spread calm (rather than the virus or panic)”. In each session, Megumi creates space to step back, access calm and resourcefulness and learn from various guests. Topics have ranged from communication in anxious times, gratitude, optimism, job searching, financial uncertainty, mental health, relaxation/ meditation, systems thinking, building networks with LinkedIn, productivity, managing transitions, dealing with uncertainty, conflict/ difficult conversations on Zoom and accessing happiness and high performance and more. The sessions and recordings are set up as ‘pay if you can and found it valuable’. Everyone is welcome to watch and join the sessions for free if you cannot pay, given current circumstances.

Give yourself the time to pause, step back and access your inner calm and creativity. For more information and to register for upcoming Calm in Chaos sessions and to view past recordings, visit https://www.quietlypowerful.com.au/calmin-chaos/. We hope to feature a story on Megumi in a forthcoming issue of The Graduate Union Newsletter to learn more about her graduate pathway and Calm in Chaos. *** Megumi also started the Quietly Powerful movement (https://www.quietlypowerful. com.au/) and has published a book on Quietly Powerful (https://www.quietlypowerful.com.au/ book/).

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September 2020 Monthly Luncheon Phillipa Challis OAM

‘I love coming in here – it’s always good for a laugh’ and I did lots of business while I laughed with them!”) and in the corporate sector in Geelong, then moved to Geelong, where she now lives (her OAM is “for service to the community of Geelong”) and from where she travelled the world. In 1984, Phillipa started her own business, PPS – Phillipa’s Promotional Services, which dealt with promotions and public relations, “and in those days, secretarial support which became special events, hence the MCing (Master of Ceremonies)”. She then became a public speaker and her most requested topic then, as it is now, was “Your Number One Asset is You”. A dean at The University of Adelaide, many years ago, introduced her as “Phillipa Challis … Phillipa has a degree from the University of Life and she has a PhD in people and her speciality is laughter”.

It’s always a good time to have a laugh, so laughter it was at the September Monthly Luncheon on Wednesday, 2nd September with our guest speaker, Phillipa Challis, CEO of Live Life Laughing, also known as The Laughter Lady. Phillipa first spoke at Graduate House in 2011 and was warmly received, so she was invited back for a second time, as we could all do with a good laugh! This was an online only event due to the continuing pandemic and Stage 4 restrictions in Melbourne, but Phillipa had all attendees warming up their homes and offices and filling it with laughter.

In 1995, she realised “there was an opportunity to take it to the community”, to spread the word about the benefits of laughter to improve people’s lives, resilience, productivity and wellbeing. “There are many people that don’t have laughter in their life.” She took laughter seriously enough – “I thought there’d be benefit in people knowing more about it” – to take it to the level of being trained and becoming a certified professional laughter practitioner, a laughter yoga teacher, a laughter yoga leader and, now, a laughter yoga master.

Phillipa’s story with laughter started with her growing up in Fairfield, Melbourne in a home “filled with laughter”. The eldest of three girls, Phillipa had a large extended family – her father was one of 12 children and her mother one of 10 – so there was “lots of people there and lots of laughter”. When she left school and started work, she said, “I was blessed. I always picked good executives to work for, which meant they had a balance in their work life, and because of that, again, lots of laughter.”

In 2002, she started her company, Live Life Laughing and her job title is Laughter Practitioner and Trainer. Phillipa has never been busier than during the current pandemic, doing lots of one-on-one consultations and speaking to people in organisations to talk about laughter, and to share some laughter with them. “It’s so important during this episode that we’re living through.”

She married, moved out of Melbourne, lived in Anglesea for 10 years, worked in retail there (“I did particularly well, because everyone said, www.graduatehouse.com.au

Phillipa took the attendees through a series of breathing, smiling and laughing exercises 26

REVIEW

(including the silent laugh – smiling and laughing without making any noise): with lots of clapping, arm waving, imaginary hand washing, making an imaginary milkshake and drinking it (vanilla and dark chocolate were the two flavours chosen), doing a “mental floss” with an imaginary piece of dental floss passed through the ears!, the “lion laugh” – holding your hands up as claws, and then trying to touch your chin with your tongue while laughing, the “telephone laugh” – holding an imaginary phone to your ear, and then pretending you are laughing at something you are hearing on the call.

and studies undertaken around the globe show that a hearty laugh for one minute is equivalent to ten minutes on a rowing machine (and a lot more fun!), she said. In Norman Cousins’ book, Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient: Reflections on Healing and Regeneration, he tells of the variety of activities to ease the pain of his ankylosing spondylitis (an inflammatory disease that, over time, can cause some of the small bones in your spine to fuse). He found that if he could have 10 minutes of hearty laughter, then it would give him two hours of pain-free sleep. “Don’t watch the news before you go to bed … what you need to do is watch a good old movie, TV show or comedy”. Phillipa encourages everyone to have a laugh every day. “Most people don’t laugh enough. If you can do that, the benefits for yourself are a healthy environment, which is what we’re looking for, whether at work or at home. What laughter does is that it energises people, makes you more alert, elevates your wellness and you can achieve more. “In business it increases productivity amazingly. Ultimately, what people want in business – and I guess that’s why I’m in high demand during the pandemic to run a Zoom laughter session for remote workers currently working in isolation – is it connects everyone in the business or organisation. Hearty laughter, happy people, healthy profits: and that to me, can be for the individual as well”.

Phillipa Challis OAM, The Laughter Lady (top row, third from the left), making Members and friends laugh at the September Monthly Luncheon via Zoom.

Laughter helps you in a physical and psychological way. While laughing, nobody thinks about “the chores you’ve got to do, the aching parts of your body, things like that. That’s what laughter does. It puts you right in the moment.” Your internal organs get a workout – physical, psychological – releasing different neurotransmitters and hormones that help you. “You get a dose of laughter. A dose of dopamine … if you release the dopamine, it’s going to be a real motivator for you.” Laughter also releases endorphins – “the happy hormone” – one of the numerous scientific tests

The Monthly Luncheon address was well received by her online attendees, who all participated and laughed along and forgot all their woes for the hour. Laughter is free and healthy for you, Phillipa reminded everyone and closed by saying, “May you all live life laughing!”

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SPECIAL ONLINE ONLY EVENT Laureate Professor Peter Doherty AC FRIDAY, 2 ND OCTOBER 2020

9:25am LOG-ON FOR 9:30 am START

A vaccine – is it possible? And by when? Graduate House is pleased to announce a special event featuring Laureate Professor Peter Doherty AC, winner of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. This will be a unique opportunity to meet this world-renowned scientist and scholar and hear his views on the development of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, the likelihood of success and when this vaccine might become available. His 20-minute overview will be followed by an audience Q&A. Peter Doherty shared (with colleague RM Zinkernagel) the 1996 Nobel Medicine Prize for discovering the Nature of the Cellular Immune Defense. Based at The University of Melbourne, he continues to be involved in research directed at understanding and preventing the severe consequences of influenza virus infection. In addition, he goes in to bat for evidence-based reality, relating to areas as diverse as childhood vaccination, global hunger, environmental degradation and anthropogenic climate change. In an effort to communicate more broadly, he has written for popular magazine and news formats, helped start the (now global) academic blog The Conversation, engages via broadcast and social media, and has published six “lay” books on science and the scientific life.

COST $10 for Members $15 for non-members Telephone (03) 9347 3428 Email admingh@graduatehouse.com.au Online Booking https://www.graduatehouse.com.au/coming-events/ a-vaccine-is-it-possible-and-by-when/

Please join us at Graduate House via Zoom for this very special event.

Due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, this Special Event will be online only. To book, see online booking link above, or email/phone us to gain the Zoom link. We recommend that you connect 5 minutes before the event to ensure you are able to view the presentation and that, for question time, your speakers and microphone work properly. www.graduatehouse.com.au

Monthly luncheon WEDNESDAY, 7 TH OCTOBER 2020

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Online Only Event

12:25 pm LOG-ON FOR 12:30 pm START

Population Mental Health: challenges and opportunities Associate Professor Nicola Reavley is a Principal Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at The University of Melbourne. Her research focuses on the following key areas: • Interventions to improve population mental health and mental health literacy, including mental health in young people and workplace mental health; • Population monitoring to assess population mental health, mental health literacy, stigma and discrimination; and

Cost $ 10 Members $ 15 non-members Telephone (03) 9347 3428 Email admingh@graduatehouse.com.au Book Online https://www.graduatehouse.com.au/coming-events/monthly-luncheon-with-nicola-reavley/

• Adolescent and young adult health, particularly in the area of mental health and resilience.

Due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, the Monthly Luncheon will be online only. To book, see online booking link above, or email/phone us to gain the Zoom link. We recommend that you connect 5 minutes before the event to ensure you are able to view the presentation and that, for question time, your speakers and microphone work properly. 29

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SPECIAL ONLINE ONLY EVENT Victor Perton TUESDAY, 20 TH OCTOBER 2020

12:25pm LOG-ON FOR 12:30 pm START

Optimism – your super power – the why and the how Victor Perton asks people what makes them optimistic. Victor is Chief Optimism Officer at the Melbourne-based Centre for Optimism. Formed one year ago as the offspring of The Australian Leadership Project, the Centre’s members are drawn from 56 countries. Victor’s underpinning beliefs are “The leader looks like the person in your mirror” and “All good leadership is infectiously optimistic”. He is the author of Optimism: The How and Why and The Case for Optimism: The Optimist’s Voices; and editor and founder of The Australian Leadership Project. Victor’s life experience includes stints as Commissioner to the Americas, 18 years as a parliamentarian, practice as a barrister, mediator, arbitrator, businessman and board service. He was a Senior Engagement Adviser to the Australian G20 presidency focused on the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meetings, and the Brisbane G20 Leaders Summit described by the Prime Minister as “the most important gathering Australia has ever hosted”.

Cost $ 10 Members $ 15 non-members Telephone (03) 9347 3428 Email admingh@graduatehouse.com.au Book Online https://www.graduatehouse.com.au/coming-events/optimism-your-super-power-thewhy-and-the-how/

The evidence for the health impact of optimism is now so strong, Professor Laura Kubzansky, Harvard’s’ Lee Kum Kee Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences, said in September “Optimism is a health asset and a potential target for public health interventions.”

FIRST NATIONS

WOMENJEKA Indigenous banana cultivation dates back over 2,000 years

Findings dispel the view that Australia’s first peoples were ‘only hunter gatherers’

“Our research shows the ancestors of the Goemulgal people of Mabuyag were engaged in complex and diverse cultivation and horticultural practices in the western Torres Strait at least 2,000 years ago. “So rather than being a barrier, the Torres Strait was more of a bridge or a filter of cultural and horticultural practices going both north and south. “The type of banana we found on Mabuyag appeared much earlier on New Guinea, which was a centre of banana domestication.”

Terraced banana cultivation site at Wagadagam, Mabuyag Island, Australia. Image credit: ANU

The team also found stone flake tools with plant residues along their cutting surfaces.

Australian National University (ANU) archaeologists have found the earliest evidence of Indigenous communities cultivating bananas more than 2,000 years ago.

“What we’re seeing here is an Indo-Pacific horticultural tradition based primarily on things like yams, taro and banana and important fat and protein elements in the form of fish, dugong and turtle, these people had a very high-quality diet,” Mr Williams said.

The evidence of cultivation and plant management dates back 2,145 years and was found at Wagadagam on the tiny island of Mabuyag in the western Torres Strait.

“Food is an important part of Indigenous culture and identity and this research shows the age and time depth of these practices. I hope it will spark interest in these food traditions and might move people back towards them.”

The site comprised a series of retaining walls associated with gardening activities along with a network of stone arrangements, shell arrangements, rock art and a mound of dugong bones.

Mr Williams said the charcoal found at the site indicated burning for gardening activities. Excavated charcoal provided dates for the finds through radiocarbon dating.

Soils from the site showed definitive evidence for intensive banana cultivation in the form of starch granules, banana plant microfossils and charcoal.

Co-researcher Dr Duncan Wright said the Torres Strait region was a place where local innovations took place.

Lead researcher, Kambri-Ngunnawal scholar Robert Williams, says the findings help dispel the view that Australia’s first peoples were “only hunter gatherers”.

“The age of the banana propagation is also very significant. It’s not something we expect to see in continental Australia and this is the earliest well dated evidence for plant management in Torres Strait,” Dr Wright said.

“The Torres Strait has historically been seen as a separating line between Indigenous groups who practised agriculture in New Guinea but who in Australia were hunter gatherers,” Mr Williams said.

“At the time I thought it was odd to see cultivation in a landscape otherwise set aside for 31

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FIRST NATIONS

Lead researcher, Robert Williams. Image credit: ANU

ritual activities. Now we know why, the retaining walls were part of a much older phase of activity at Wagadagam.”

He did his Masters in Archaeology at ANU and is currently a third year PhD candidate in the Department of Archaeology at Sydney University.

As a descendant of the Kambri-Ngunnawal peoples, Mr Williams said he was mindful of how his research could affect a First Nations’ community.

“This paper is led by a First Australian author. It’s another big achievement for Robert, whom I suspect will play an important role in the discipline of archaeology,” Dr Wright said.

“Historically, culture has been appropriated by non-Indigenous archaeologists and anthropologists, so it was really important for me to make a connection with the people in this community and ensure they understood the research really belongs to them.

“His work makes a statement that goes beyond academia, representing a much-needed shift for the discipline where research into First Nations’ communities is led by First Nations’ peoples.”

“I hope this work is something the community can be really proud about. It demonstrates through clear evidence the diversity and complexity of early horticulture in the western Torres Strait.”

***

We acknowledge that the research took place on country belonging to the Goemulgal. This article was first published on the Australian National University website on 12th August 2020.

Mr Williams is the lead author on the research, Multidisciplinary evidence for early banana (Musa cvs.) cultivation on Mabuyag Island, Torres Strait, published in Nature, Ecology and Evolution. www.graduatehouse.com.au

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

ASX150 companies need to improve their reporting on progress on SDGs SDG Goals

The researchers assessed the corporate sustainability reports of the ASX150 to determine how they measure and disclose “their awareness of, commitment to and progress towards the sustainable development goals year-on-year”. “Businesses play a critical role in Australia’s progress towards sustainable development through the implementation of responsible business operations, developing innovative business models, making investments in sustainable technology and much more,” Professor Nava Subramaniam, lead author and Deputy Dean of Research and Innovation at RMIT’s School of Accounting, Information Systems and Supply Chain, said in a statement. The new report found that while more top listed Australian companies outlined a commitment to these goals between 2018 and 2019, only a few revealed measurable performance targets related to them. There were also very few companies providing context on changes put in place to address the goals. The number of companies disclosing their SDGs improved from 37 per cent in 2018 to 48 per cent in 2019. There was also an increase in the number of businesses revealing how they prioritised some of these goals, up from 25 per cent in 2018 to 45 per cent in 2019. But only a few companies link their business goals with SDGs, which makes it hard to identify how much progress is being made.

The joint report by RMIT and UNAA about ASX150 companies and SDGs.

Many of the ASX150 – the top 150 publicly listed companies in Australia – have committed their organisations to the United Nations’ (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, it is difficult to measure their progress, according to a report by researchers from RMIT and the United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA). This is the second report completed as part of the collaboration between RMIT and the UNAA.

Professor Subramaniam highlighted that not having standardised guidelines when reporting on these sustainability goals makes it hard to keep Australian companies accountable.

There are 17 SDGs that Australia, along with 192 other member states of the UN, agreed to under the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These outline how we can create a more sustainable and equitable world, with goals including gender equality, ending poverty, climate action, quality education and reduced inequalities.

“There are a number of reporting frameworks and guidelines including the GRI standards (Global Reporting Initiative [GRI] is an independent international organisation that has pioneered sustainability reporting since 1997) that companies can adopt for sustainability reporting,” 33

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

that Australia still has a way to go when it comes to reporting on sustainability compared to companies in Europe.

she said. “However, the voluntary nature of reporting and the lack of a systematic approach to linking business goals with the SDGs results in little to no consistency in SDG prioritisation and reporting across the board.

While 48 per cent of ASX150 companies mention SDGs, 75 per cent of European companies report on their sustainability metrics.

“This report is a valuable resource for investors, regulators, managers and other stakeholders to understand how Australian businesses are embedding the SDGs into their organisations.

“With financial investment becoming increasingly linked to sustainability, it’s not just about our community anymore, it’s also smart business,” he said. Professor Subramaniam added that because SDG reporting by Australian businesses is in its infancy, now is a good time to agree on a framework and what best practice looks like, where everyone is accountable to the same standards. The report also highlighted the increasing disclosure requirements relating to risks associated with human rights, gender inequality, climate change and more faced by Australian companies. These requirements have been brought about by regulatory developments and initiatives such as Australia’s Modern Slavery Act 2018 and the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climaterelated Financial Disclosure (TCFD). Many of these issues overlap with the SDGs and require Australian businesses to invest in reliable and effective sustainability reporting systems. *** Read the full report: https://bit.ly/2QArDQW

ASX150 companies on SDG reporting for 2018 and 2019. Source: SDG Measurement and Disclosure 2.0: A study of ASX150 companies.

“It also highlights the need for disclosing such information and provides insight into how businesses can better engage with the goals they identify as priorities for them.” The UNAA (NSW) Director of Strategic Partnerships, Ben Woltmann, said in a statement www.graduatehouse.com.au

INNOVATION

How eWater Systems is making a splash By James Dunn

charged anolyte solution, is highly microbicidal and is used as a sanitiser. The other, produced from the negatively charged catholyte solution, consists mainly of sodium hydroxide, making it a form of pure liquid soap. This gives it detergent and degreasing properties, making it a versatile general purpose cleaning agent.

Victoria’s first COVID lockdown, in March, was bad enough for the hospitality industry; but the second was infinitely worse. After 10 weeks of restrictions, Victorians were finally allowed to wine and dine – only 20 at a time – at hundreds of venues from 1st June. Five weeks later, stage three restrictions were reimposed for six weeks in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire in a bid to slow a rapid spread of coronavirus; and cafes, restaurants and pubs within the restricted zones were forced to return to takeaway only. Then, on 2nd August, stage four restrictions came into effect, slowing that trade to a trickle.

“They are ‘organic’ products that have mostly been used in the high-end hospitality industry, for applications around food,” said Gregory. “They are used to kill bacteria and get rid of pesticides, which are toxic, to clean and sanitise cutlery and cutting boards, for kitchen and waitstaff to wash their hands, and to refill spray bottles for washing down surfaces.”

It hit the industry hard, as venues, suppliers and caterers were ramping up activity to get business back up and running when the second lockdown slammed down.

Gregory said it’s the influence of the MasterChef generation. “Really from the time we started the business, in 2007, the high-end hospitality industry has been our biggest market. It’s that whole ‘paddock-to-plate’ philosophy, where it’s important to know the provenance of everything on the plate, so that everything that’s gone into the dish is the best produce it can be,” Gregory said.

For Phil Gregory and his team at Melbournebased biotech company eWater Systems, the pain of their restaurant and bar customers flowed straight through.

“Those top chefs and restaurateurs spend so much time and take so much care getting the best ingredients they can find, they find it completely natural to use eWater, because the alternative is to use a synthetic chemical in the same kitchen, for cleaning and sanitising. Why would they do that, if they spend so much time and effort getting the best ingredients?” But COVID cut deeply into that industry overnight – so eWater Systems had to think fast. eWater systems provides sanitised water for restaurants.

“We had to respond quickly, our cashflow was down dramatically, but we were fortunate in that we didn’t, like a lot of other businesses, have to start making something we hadn’t made before,” Gregory said.

eWater Systems supplies electrolysis units that take a solution of tap water and high-grade salt (sodium chloride) and pass it through an electrolyser, producing two oppositely charged solutions with altered physical and chemical properties. One, produced from the positively

“What played into our hands, really, was that all of a sudden, stuff that was really uncool – hygiene 35

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INNOVATION

eWater Systems also had to pivot on its pricing. “We were selling at full price but we realised that was making it difficult for a lot of people who were cashflow-challenged,” he said. “We made a batch of units and started renting them, so it was a daily cost, an operating expense rather than a capital cost. That’s been a good move, it has attracted people who otherwise wouldn’t have been involved. People don’t necessarily want to make a big capital commitment in an uncertain environment – it makes it simpler.”

and cleaning – became a conversation stopper. People in offices suddenly wanted to clean the doorknobs, computer keyboards, mice, the lift buttons and so on. Our product was perfect for that: all we had to do was get into that market, of indoor environments generally, not just in food.”

Gregory said the pivot has been “very successful” – with revenue back to about the same, with a very strong forward trajectory. “What we have lost in hospitality we have made up in other areas.” Small and medium business spokesperson at Westpac, Lisa Livis, said it’s the kind of story she’s hearing a lot. “Almost half of our SME (small and medium enterprise) customers have had to change the way they operate, and what they offer, to keep the business going. And 35 per cent of our business owners have told us that some of the changes that they have implemented will now become permanent.”

eWater systems hand sanitiser is available to retail customers.

Initially, eWater Systems approached businesses such as David Jones and GPT, and quickly realised that their product was even better suited to commercial buildings than it thought.

***

“There is a whole movement towards a ‘wellness’ environment in buildings, that is driving tenants and owners to think about our system. They know that tenants and their employees want better and safer work environments, and more sustainable business practices,” Gregory said.

This article was first published in The Australian on 18th August 2020

“The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) has a star-rating system for the internal environment, and owners and tenants know that there’s not much point having a 6-star build quality if what’s inside the building is crappy. We are a product of choice for people who want a safe, clean, non-toxic internal environment. It will be a growing market for us, even when hospitality comes back.” www.graduatehouse.com.au

COVID SAFE AT GRADUATE HOUSE

Open and Safe at Graduate House

Graduate House is the ideal place to live – we are clean, safe and take care of you.

Our food is prepared and served with your safety in mind (Class 2 registration, Melbourne City Council).

We have increased deep cleaning and sanitisation of all surfaces.

We adhere strictly to the 2 metres physical distancing rules.

We have online ordering and cashless transactions for all purchases.

Contactless hand sanitisers are positioned conveniently throughout Graduate House.

GU Face Mask - New Colours in stock! Reusable and Durable

E SAL00

Available for purchase at Graduate House Reception and online at www.graduatehouse.com.au/product/face-masks

Made with three layers of breathable fabric.

15. h* eac

Outerside layer — stout durable 100% drill cotton fabric with a strong diagonal bias in the weave. Internal layer — unwoven fabric, 100% breathable filter. Innerside layer — the inside fabric is a strong and sturdy 100% cotton fabric. Additional pocket to insert another filter for added protection. Fits snugly but comfortably. Secured with elastic bands around the ears. Easy to hand wash and dry overnight. *Postage not included

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COVID SAFE AT GRADUATE HOUSE

Room Types, Prices and Features • Single room private bathrooms • Double room private bathrooms • Stella Langford large/medium apartments • Double rooms with separate lounge and private bathrooms • Barkly Place and Barry Street apartments

• 7 breakfasts, 7 dinners delivered to rooms during lockdown • Bed linen • Weekly housekeeping • Wifi • Utilities (electricity, gas, water) included in rent • Short term accommodation – one night, a few weeks • Long term accommodation – months, semesters, years

www.graduatehouse.com.au

ABN 55610 664 963 / IARN A0023234B