Togatus acknowledges the Palawa people of Lutruwita. Togatus is printed by Monotone Art Printers on Aboriginal land, and operates and is physically distributed across Lutruwita (Tasmania) and the Eora Nation, and digitally across Australia We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded We deeply acknowledge, with respect, the traditional owners of both of these lands, the Palawa, Gadigal and Wangal peoples
The past semester as EIC has been like Season 6, Episode 14 in Brooklyn 99 (where Amy’s severe FOMOW comes to light ) Learning to balance intensive bureaucratic email sessions and actual writing/journalism, whilst not going insane, has not been an easy feat, and I’m sure my parents and loyal fan (you know who you are) can testify to that Jumping into this role in my second year of uni is quite possibly the best decision I’ve ever made; getting to see so many students passionate about journalism, creative writing, and art is just the motivation I need to have faith in the world after my International Relations tutorials... But anyway, thank you to everyone who’s contributed, I love you toggies! To the Togatus team, I love you so much xoxoxo
This semester has been a chaotic one for me, from moving from Launceston two days after getting back from an international trip, to getting an opportunity to intern for Island Magazine through my degree, it's been amazing but incredibly busy Being a part of Togatus this semester has also been incredibly rewarding and something I am very proud of doing. I've gotten to talk to amazing artists such as CNA and Rā Bellatrix about the Hobart music scene I have also become more aware of all the good work happening in Tasmania to uphold journalism, the arts and writing culture. Not everyone checks their emails as often as I do and having patience (and accounting for people taking forever to get back to you!) is very important Getting to work for such an amazing organisation amongst such an incredible team has been amazing, and I'm looking forwards to an even busier semester two.
It has been a high-energy, fast-paced semester to remember. I’ve balanced my academic life, being a senior resident at my college and being the creative director for Togatus Honestly, it is the coolest thing ever to be able to say that I am a part of this team.
Fueled by late-night grinds and the joy of live gigs, this project served as a distraction from university life, but I have put so much love and passion into it A massive shout-out to the incredible writers who trusted me with their work. I really hope you enjoy diving into this edition as much as we enjoyed creating it Thank you for checking it out, and I'm so keen for sem 2!
BACHELOR OF ARTS ENGLISH & WRITING AND MEDIA & COMMS
I don’t think I’ve ever been so busy. This semester has taken every second of time I have but it’s such a blessing to be experiencing all the opportunities I prayed for I’m still counting down the days until graduation and getting a break from all the deadlines though. My role includes a lot more parameters than I had previously thought about. There is so much to consider in terms of legal risk and media law compliance, which came kind of naturally but is something I now notice I really do have to think about quite a bit.
BACHELOR OF ARTS, ENGLISH & POLITICS/INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
This semester has gone very slow and extremely fast and I love my degree more than ever but my motivation is all over the place and it's all overwhelming - but that's showbiz university baby! I have loved getting to read everyone's submissions as I edit. Seeing the diversity of topics and voices has made the process genuinely very exciting, and it is my pleasure to tweak the grammar and punctuation in your spectacular submissions. I've been learning the bounds of my powers of alteration and the balance of correcting a work while preserving the author's voice, and have only been occasionally confused by the rogue sentence scribbled at 3am. Keep them coming!
I’ve been taking life at a slightly slower pace this semester; I’ve made more time for important things like touching grass, making stupid art and pirating Nintendo 2DS Shrek games Reading and editing the submissions to Togatus has been one of those important things- your writing has been a joy to read because student media is special. It’s also pretty cool to hang out with the people who do the heavy lifting here- it takes very special, whip-smart, funny and hardworking people to get your work out there. I’ve learned a lot from them about how student media can help create a sense of community and reflection when life is isolating and busy So, send us more stuff!! In the meantime, go play Shrek Smash and Crash Racing. Or, if you’re not as cool as me and you don’t have pirated 2DS Shrek games, how about supporting some indie animation and catching up on The Amazing Digital Circus on YouTube? The finale drops in June!
President recap
Just like that, the semester has already flown by, we are already in week 12!! You have all made memories, had some fantastic nights (many with rough mornings, we've all seen you), numerous assignments - which we hope were submitted on time; and stressed for deadlines that you should have started on weeks ago (Tommy, I'm looking at you). We however try to balance out all of the academic stress at Christ College; we have our parties but also our mellow events We had our Toga and Neon parties which saw over 150 of you at each event, and a somehow convinced group of young lads to go nick some couches from other areas of the college. To the mellow PowerPoint night where Georgie talked about boats for most of it, pizza nights, Eid, a fresher camping trip, and boardgame activities We may have been beaten in the sports played already against the other residential colleges, but you can never break the Christ spirit - we're coming for you in soccer and volleyball At Christ we do it better!!
And we are back for another update, but this time to wrap up Sem 1, with a lot more eyebags and a million due assignments The crazy hasn’t stopped here at Jane since O week and I’m here to catchyou up!
Our Student Club has been busy at workmaking life at Jane as enjoyable as possible With intercollege sports (conveniently booked on your most hungover days, I guess you could say it’s a bonding experience), a range of activities (because who DOESN’T love lawn balls with Betty at 2 in the afternoon?) and all things culture like celebrating the new Lunar New Year by having a themed dinner with Asian cuisine and cultural dancers come in to perform As the freshers start to call this place home, we have truly seen them flourish, especially since the spreading of their wings during move in day, don’t worry mum and dad! On that note, lock in now, get those assignments done and your exams aced to be able to get some rest over the holidays, because you are SO not ready for Jane Sem 2
Janes activities rep, Zali, hosted the annual talent show, with everything from magic to singing, the crowd and judges were left impressed. The night was full of giggles, especially after settling some nerves at Cascade's happy hour prior to performing A highlight of the night was certainly the student club committees’ not-sosynchronised attempt at 'Get'cha Head in the Game' from High School Musical. After many great and not-so-great performances Judges declared the winning act as Matthew's jawdropping juggling, taking first place Safe to say, if Uni doesn't work out for some people, there's plenty of talent to pursue!
– Nate Keysers, Jane VP
President recap
So far, this semester has been great It’s been so fun being in the community and continuing to get to know everyone Some highlights of the semester so far have been the PowerPoint night, the “Under the Sea” themed buttery party (shout out to the crafty freshers who helped us make decorations!), and the first formal dinner of the year It’s always nice to see people dressed up, whether they a jellyfish suit. Additionally, since my last ad have welcomed 3 new committee members reps, Ronan and Annabelle, and our social rep Beth Congratulations on winning your elections! As this is likely one of the the last print issues before the end of semester, I’d would also like to thank our two international reps, Sasha and Martha, for all their work this semester It’s been a pleasure to have you two on the committee and we wish you all the best as you head back to the UK!
So far, this semester has been great It’s been so fun being in the community and continuing to get to know everyone. Some highlights of the semester so far have been the PowerPoint night, the “Under the Sea” themed buttery party (shout out to the crafty freshers who helped us make decorations!), and the first formal dinner of the year. It’s always nice to see people dressed up, whether they’re in a cocktail dress or a jellyfish suit Additionally, since my last address in Togatus, we have welcomed 3 new committee members our two new Fresher reps, Ronan and Annabelle, and our social rep Beth Congratulations on winning your elections! As this is likely one of the the last print issues before the end of semester, I’d would also like to thank our two international reps, Sasha and Martha, for all their work this semester It’s been a pleasure to have you two on the committee and we wish you all the best as you head back to the UK!
Our amazing community and wellbeing rep, Jasmine has been hosting occasional cooking lessons called “Teach a Man to Fish”. It teaches simple recipes that require as little utensils as possible to cook The idea being that we can equip our Freshers with simple, but important, life skills that can support them in their independence away from home.
Our amazing community and wellbeing rep., Jasmine has been hosting occasional cooking lessons called “Teach a Man to Fish” It teaches simple recipes that require as little utensils as possible to cook The idea being that we can equip our Freshers with simple, but important, life skills that can support them in their independence away from home
On a cold Saturday in Hobart, the sidelines at UTAS Rugby are anything but quiet There’s the sound of boots on wet grass, the echo of voices calling plays, and just as loudly, the steady chatter from the bench. Rugby at UTAS is not just about what happens on the field; it’s shaped by the people around it
The University of Tasmania Rugby Union Football Club is one of the university’s oldest sporting clubs. Established in 1933, it carries a long history built on a strong and enduring sense of community Across both the men’s and women’s teams, the club brings together a mix of students and locals, first-timers and seasoned veterans. We have seen some big changes recently, with plenty of new faces coming through and a fresh group of players getting involved, but at its core UTAS Rugby is the same as always It is the people who show up each week who define us, committed not only to the game, but to each other.
That Uni spirit is most visible in the quieter moments In tight contests or difficult losses, the sideline stays vocal, and teammates lift each other up. It’s a culture that extends beyond performance, where participation holds as much value as results, and where every player feels a part of something bigger than the game itself. Off the field, this spirit carries through just as strongly. Among the club’s long-standing traditions is the post-match “boat race”, a slightly chaotic, always entertaining ritual shared with the opposing team It captures what rugby in Tasmania does best: rivalries stay on the field, and off it, the culture remains welcoming, social, and grounded in mutual respect Across the state, rugby is known for its tight-knit and inclusive community, and the Uni side is no exception. That same openness is reflected in the club’s continued growth. Our developing junior program is introducing young players to the game, and at the senior level, it’s never too late to get involved Plenty of players start with no experience and quickly find their place, not just in a team, but in a broader community that extends well beyond training and match days
You’ll find UTAS Rugby down at the rugby oval on the Sandy Bay campus, with training at 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as games played each Saturday. Whether you’re keen to play or just want to come down and support, there’s always a spot for you, whether it’s on the field or on the sideline. At its core, UTAS Rugby isn’t defined by wins or losses, but by the people who show up each week, muddy, tired, and already looking forward to next Saturday
Come and see what we’re all about! Check
Tasmania has well and truly embraced the run club and coffee culture It sounds appealing, but for many, it can feel intimidating. The pressure to be “fit enough,” fast enough, or to keep up can stop people from showing up at all.
But that’s never been the point.
For Jorja, Indy and Chloe, RunClub479 wasn’t built on running, it was built on bringing people together. Indy, who is studying a Bachelor of Global Logistics and Maritime Management, and Chloe, a Nursing graduate, understand the reality of university life Packed schedules, balancing study and work, and the mental load that often comes with it. For many students, maintaining their workload, health and social life can feel overwhelming and often isolating.
“University can be a surprisingly lonely place, even when you ’ re surrounded by people.”
For the girls, running became something more than exercise It was a way to create structure in the week, clear their heads, and connect with others outside the pressure of classes and deadlines
And that’s exactly what they felt was missing.
“We noticed that students had plenty of spaces to study or socialise, but not many that combined movement with genuine community.”
RunClub479 came from a simple idea, creating a space that felt different from the typical fitness environment. Not performance-driven. Not intimidating. Just something easy to show up to and be part of.
“We wanted somewhere people could show up, move their bodies, and actually get to know each other, not just exchange pleasantries before heading back to their laptops.”
It wasn’t about building a run club. It was about creating something that just fit into people’s lives, social, flexible, and centred on connection. Something that tapped into the city’s movement and coffee culture, while still feeling accessible to everyone
ForJorja,theimpactofRunClub479goesfarbeyondtherunitself
“AsanHPEeducator,I’mpassionateabouthealthinthebroadestsense.Notjustphysical,butsocia emotional,andmental,”shesays.
“Universityisacriticalwindowforbuildinglifelonghabitsacrossallofthoseareas.Ifwecanconn studentstocommunityandmovementearly,we’regenuinelycontributingtobetterlong-termhe outcomes That’sexactlywhythismatters”
RunClub479isn’tjustaboutfitness,it’saboutcreatingaspacewherepeoplefeelcomfortablebeing themselves.
Andformanystudents,that’sexactlywhattheyfind.
“Peoplecomefortherunandstayforthebelonging,”sheexplains “There’saccountability,routine, relief,andgenuinefriendship Forsome,it’stheonemomentintheirdaywheretheyhaveareal,u connection.”
Theimpactmayseemsmall,butit’smeaningful.
“We’vewatchedpeoplecomeinquietandleavelaughing.We’veseenconversationssparkmid-ru betweenpeoplewho’dnevermet Somehavetoldusit’stheoneconsistentthingintheirweek,a meanseverythingtous.”
Balancing university study with high-level sport takes discipline, resilience, and the right support. At the University of Tasmania, the Elite Sport Scholarship Program helps student-athletes pursue both academic and athletic success
Established in 1992, the program was designed to support students competing at a high level while completing their studies. Backed by the University of Tasmania Sports Scholarship Trust since 2002, it continues to provide meaningful, longterm support to student-athletes.
Open to both commencing and current undergraduate and postgraduate students, the scholarships recognise sporting achievement alongside a commitment to representing UTAS at UniSport Nationals and Championship events
Each recipient receives $2,000 in financial support and a 12-month Unigym membership. In 2026, ten scholarships have been awarded across several categories, reflecting the University’s commitment to supporting a diverse range of athletes These include scholarships for elite performers, emerging athletes, and those representing Indigenous and para-sport pathways
Elite Athlete Scholarship
Ava Curtis (Cricket)
Emerging Athlete Scholarships
Harley Wilkie (Hockey)
Noah Haas (Rowing)
Blake Doyle (Athletics)
Sophie Kruimink (Hockey)
Stella Pritchard (Hockey)
George Knight (Trail Running)
The UTAS Elite Sport Scholarship Program highlights the University’s commitment to supporting student success, recognising that elite sport and study can be balanced with the right support in place.
With financial assistance, access to facilities, and ongoing guidance, studentathletes are empowered to manage the demands of training and competition alongside their studies, allowing them to thrive both as elite athletes and in their academic pursuits
Indigenous Athlete Scholarships
Isaac Grundy (Netball)
Bonnie Talbot (Athletics)
Millie Baker (Basketball)
As the 2026 recipients continue their journeys, they contribute not only to the University’s sporting success but also to a culture that values ambition, balance, and excellence across all areas of student life
We kicked things off at Lake We kicked things off at Lake the alpine air and mirror-s the alpine air and mirror-s tone for the months ahead. tone for the months ahead. semester took us across so semester took us across so most memorable landscapes most memorable landscapes of Tarn Shelf, the exposed sl of Tarn Shelf, the exposed sl Mt Wellington and the strik Mt Wellington and the strik Cape Raoul. Cape Raoul.
As the weeks went on, the ch
As the weeks went on, the ch it. The Needles and Collins B it. The Needles and Collins B legs, while Mt Field’s Three F legs, while Mt Field’s Three F offered a gentle contrast t offered a gentle contrast t and waterfalls. Together, th and waterfalls. Together, th captured what makes ventur captured what makes ventur rewarding part of universi rewarding part of universi step beyond the routine, tak step beyond the routine, tak challenges, and experience challenges, and experience places in the good company places in the good company Bushwalking club. Bushwalking club. T U B C : S u m m e r R T U B C : S u m m e r R T U B C : S u m m e r R
It’sbeenabusyandrewardingstarttotheyear,andwe’rereallyproudofwhat we’vebeenabletobuildsofar.WekickedthingsoffwithOrientationDay,where wehadanincredibleresponse—nearly90newmemberssignedup. Thesupportwereceivedherehasbeenhuge,notjustforgrowingour community,butalsoinhelpingusgeneratefundsthatgodirectlytowards supportingourcharityinitiativesthroughouttheyear.Beyondthat,we’ve focusedoncreatingeventsthatbringpeopletogetherwhilegivingback.Our quiznightwasahighlight,raisingnearly$500forcharity,andwefollowedthat upwithmorethan$300forthebakesaleforInternationalWomen’sDay, continuingoureffortstosupportmeaningfulcausesthroughstudent-led initiatives.
We’vealsobeeninvolvedinrunning OrientationDayactivitiesforfirstyearmedicalstudents,helpingthem settleinandfeelpartofthewider universitycommunityfromthegetgo.
Overall,it’sbeenasemesterdefined bystrongturnout,meaningfulimpact, andalotofcollaboration.We’re excitedtokeepbuildingonthis momentumfortherestoftheyear.
Howdy guys, gals, and non‑binary pals, It’s us again, your elected (and independent) TUSAleaders!Alot of Student Council work happens quietly and we know that can make it feel invisible. Today’s about lifting the curtain a little on some wins we ’ ve been working on this semester. But rememberwe’re always just an email or message away, so please sing out anytime you come across trouble.
“Students as Partners”
Asignificant portion of our advocacy takes place within university governance.We’ve continued fighting for strong and independent student representation at University Council right through to faculties, alongside ongoingwork on ‘Students as Partners’. This is a decade-long, structural project ensuringwe as a student body are not merely ‘consulted’, but genuinely involved in decisions that shape our education and experience, as equal partners. Similarly, we ’ ve been shaping the new ‘graduate outcomes’ framework, minimum standards for our teaching and research, investments policies as well as appeals processes. We’ve also continued to raise concerns about the Student Services andAmenities Fee (SSAF).While students rightly oversee and scrutinise TUSA’s own budgeting, there remains a serious lack of transparency around how SSAF funds, including how they are actually spent once allocated. Student money should be in student hands, with genuine control, relevance, and accountability, to ensure the best delivery foryou.
We all knowwhat a pain transport and parking in this cost of living crisis’ disproportionate impact on regional and remote students, and have improved the win we delivered foryou last year in free Hobart Metro, to expanding the UniHopper hours, and getting more free parking in some locations (we’re coming foryou next, Inveresk management).We’ve continued advocating for regional students, especially regarding fuel’s impact on access to quality education: for the first time in a decade, the National Union of Students’ Regional Officer is here at UTAS too.We’ve also established a Rozelle run club called ‘Pace Mates’, and are running “Vent Tents” online and in person nearyou to hearyour complaints – but you can raise vents in our e-Tent (onlineVent Tent) 24/7! We’ve recruited our new Equity Committee, working to ensure TUSAcontinues to have strong, structured and representative governance, to keep delivering support services, fun shit, and a strong student voice and leadership team.We have the proportionately the most diverse cohort and work on average more outside of study than any other university across the country.We also know food insecurity is higher here than anywhere else, hence our commitment to the Food Hub among many other initiatives and supports.
This semester has seen continued advocacy for Muslim prayer spaces, pushing for facilities that are accessible, respectful, and genuinely usable across campuses; they’re currently totally inadequate. Our ReconciliationAction Plan has launched, as a first step towards meaningful systemic and cultural change in the waywe connect with and empower ourAboriginal students and staff.We were also proud to have organised the largest student and staff contingent on record at the 2026 Pride Parade.We continue fighting foryou.There’s still a lot of work ahead, but this semester has laid important groundwork, and is another step forward in TUSA’s 127 year journey. Student Council isn’t ineffective.We’re just often in meetings, pushing the dial of student experience for you.
We’re always here to help.
Ciao f
Jack, Molly, Kashif, Solomon, Jeppe, Henry, Kayla, Liv and Oli, Your 2026 TUSA Student Council
accessible. Consultation should not come after decisions have already been made. It should be built into the process from the beginning.
The impact of this issue extends beyond inconvenience. The lack of adequate Muslim prayer facilities affects student wellbeing, belonging, and retention. There have been many international students who left UTAS after joining because they felt that this basic necessity was not being properly supported. For students living far from home, the absence of a suitable prayer space can deepen feelings of isolation and exclusion. This is why the issue must be taken seriously.
This means listening before decisions are made. It means recognising that a generic multifaith room cannot automatically replace a properly designed Muslim prayer space. It means ensuring that spaces are accessible, safe, appropriately designed, and suitable for all students, including female students and students with disabilities.
If UTAS is serious about inclusion, then the needs of Muslim students must be treated with respect and urgency. Inclusion must be visible in policies, but also in buildings, rooms, and everyday student experience.
This is a chance for UTAS to do better. More importantly, it is a chance to show Muslim students that they are recognised, supported, and truly included in the life of the university.
Providing adequate Muslim prayer facilities is not a special favour. It is a basic part of supporting a diverse student body as UTAS promises and portrays. It is about ensuring that Muslim students can study, work, and participate in university life without having to compromise a core part of their identity and faith.
This statement is jointly endorsed by: TUSA State Council (SC)
TUSA Equity Committee (EC)
Tasmania University Union Muslim Society (TUUMS)
UTAS has an opportunity to respond with care and leadership. Greater transparency around the future of the Sandy Bay prayer facility along with the dedicated space in Forest building is urgently needed. So is a clear commitment to developing current and future prayer spaces in genuine consultation with Muslim students.
CNA is an experimental folk artist from Nipaluna/Hobart, making music that combines the folky and familiar with the bizarre and avant-garde. CNA is singer/songwriter Sienna Stewart, whose intimate and complex songwriting takes Nick Drake’s comforting acoustic warmth, mixes it with Elliott Smith’s vulnerable introspection, and covers it in Neutral Milk Hotel’s absurd and agitated psychedelic universe CNA’s songs are a patchwork of meaningful moments, fluctuating fixations and unsettled strangeness, that catch in your heart where you least expect it. Togatus editorial team members Ella Vanderzwan and Amalie Cox got the chance to sit down with CNA to ask about the Hobart music scene, what makes being an artist today hard and what song CNA would perform on Triple J's 'Like a Version'.
What is the hardest part about being an independent musician right now?
What is the hardest part about being an independent musician right now?
I think it’s the late stage capitalism of it all, I think that’s the hardest part of being a person in the world, in Australia at least. It’s pretty hard to put your full self into making art if you’re like twenty million hours a week just to still not be able to afford rent or food. If you do manage to get past that and be able to make some art, the venues also can’t afford rent or food and so they can’t afford to pay you well, at best, or at worst, they shut down all together. With the music industry and the internet eating itself alive from the inside out because of insidious companies prioritising massive wealth over doing actual art, it can be pretty impossible to overcome and still make stuff. It’s such a luxury to have the capacity to make art in this day and age when it should be more like a human right. Humans just make art by default and it’s kind of crushing the way that society makes it so if you get to make art you’re super privileged when it should be… everyone gets to make art because that’s how you express yourself and that’s what makes life worth living. If you take that away from people, which it’s currently getting taken away from everyone it’s a pretty crushing quality of life for every single human goes down.
I think if capitalism is the destruction of art, I think that is a call to action… do art, make art and make it badly and make it with your friends and don’t pay money to do it. You can do it out of anything, you can buy a jumper from the op shop and sew it into a pillow. You can do one word poetry, but the only way to survive is to do creativity, do it away from a paywall and do it with your friends and family. Because if you don’t make art you’re isolated, and if you’re isolated there’s no easy way out.
Hannah Eddleston
“Ihavethreesisters.”
ThesearethewordsIfindmyselfworkingintomostconversationswithsomeoneI’vejustmet. IfI’mfeelingcomfortablewiththatperson,theymayevengetmoreinformation.“We’revery closeinage,there’sonlyfouryearsbetweentheyoungestandtheoldest.”Andifthispersonis lucky(ornot,dependingonwhethertheywerewantingtohearmylifestory)they’llgetthe finalpiece:“Ihavetwooldersisters,andthenmytwinandIarethetwoyoungest.”Nowthat’s thetrifecta.
Whatkindofpersonfeelstheneedtopaintapictureoftheirfamilytoapersonthey’vejust met,whoprobablycan’trememberthisseeminglyquietgirl’snameanyway?Or,frommy perspective,howdoyougofrombeingknownasoneoffour,tobeingknownasone…by yourself?
Ifinditincrediblyhardtointroducemyselfwithoutmentioningmysisters.Becausebeingone offourdaughtersisafundamentalpartofmyidentity.Iwasbornintoapre-prepared, messy,beautiful,flawed,perfectsetoffour.Meandmysistersarecloseinage,have (generally)alwaysgottenalongwell,andlookquite(read:very)alike.
I’veseenpeoplecommentonthestrangephenomenonthatisgrowingupasatwin.Frombeing knownas“oneofthetwins”tohearing“ohmygosh,you’reatwin?!”AndIfeelthat, absolutely.Meandmytwinsistervergeonco-dependent,butthere’sadeeperlayerthereas well.BecauseI’vegrownupasanEddlestongirl.Onepartofasolidgroup.I’vebeenknownas theyoungersister.Ineverquestionedit,wasneverupsetbyit.ThisisjustwhoIam.
WhenIgottoYear11,Iwasswimminginamuchbiggersocialseaandfoundmyselfwitha prettyevensplitofteacherswhohadtaughtmyoldersisters,andteacherswhodidn’tknow anythingaboutthem.Theymayhaveheardmysurname(bothmyparentsareteachers,and hey,it’sTasmania),buttheydidn’tknowmysisters.Itwasslightlydisconcerting.Oneofmy teachersonlyworkedoutIhadatwinhalfwaythroughtheyearwhenshesawustogether.I kindofrelishedtheindependence,butasmallpartofmefeltunmoored.It’snotthatIdon’t knowwhoIamwithoutmysisters,butthatwithoutsomeoneknowingaboutmysisters,they can’ttrulyknowme.
Irealisedthisfullyinmyfirstyearatuni,asIwasintroducingmyselftopeoplewhohad nevermetmebefore,whodidn’tknowanythingaboutmyfamily.WhenIwastentatively makingfriendsandtryingtolearnaboutthemandtellthemaboutmyself.Inthisprocessof sharingstories,IfoundIsimplyhadtooutlinetheshapeofmyfamily,tolistmysisters’ namesandages.Withoutpeopleknowingaboutthem,theycan’tpossiblyunderstandhowI havebecomewhoIam.(Alsotohelpthemunderstand99%ofthestoriesItell,becauseitgets tiringjustsaying“myeldestsistersaidsuch-and-such”and“mysecondsisterdidso-and-so” whenIcouldjustrefertothembyname.)
Withoutmysisters,IknowIwouldbeaverydifferentperson.Theyaremythreebestfriends, andwe’recloseinawayIamgratefulforeveryday.Wehaven’talwaysgottenalong–by anystretchoftheimagination–butevenifI’m“notspeakingtothem,”they’restillthefirst peopleI’dcallifIhadgoodnewstoshare,orifIwasupsetandneededsupport.
Ourlittlesetoffourlooksdifferentnowthanhowitlookedbackwhenwedranksun-warmed wateroutofplasticteacupswhilesittingaroundatableclothlaidoutontheveranda.Itlooks differentnowcomparedtotheyearswhenwe’dputonmusicalsforourparentsinthesummer holidays.ItlooksdifferentnowthanhowitdidbackwhenI’dsitbehindmyoldersisterinthe Taragoandreachforwardtopullherhairwhenshesaidsomethingthatannoyedme.Itlooks differentnowthanthewayitlookedwhenwe’ddebatewhichDVDtorewatch,orwhenwe wouldarguewithMumabouthowweshouldbeallowedtowatchthenextsegmentofMy KitchenRulesandyes,wepromisewe’llgotobedinthenextadbreak.Itlooksdifferent,but it’smuchthesame.We’veallgrownup,andwe’vegrownuptogether.
MynameisHannah,andIhavethreesisters.
Ella Vanderzwan
yesterday, one about the Hobart CBD and one about what we’re doing about homelessness. Then I had a talk today with two of our staff who do our international relations work
There’s lots of meetings and a diverse range of meetings. In those meetings you want to be an advocate for the city and what you want to see for the city. There’s a lot of communication and a good mayor needs to be communicating, I do traditional media, I do social media. There’s also the role of chairing [council] meetings and having connections with other elected members.
Togatus: One thing that the Hobart City Council is working on right now is the Inner City Housing Supply Incentive which is aiming to have 25+ dwellings per hectare in the CBD. Do you have a rough estimate of how many applications have come through this incentive?
CR Reynolds: In terms of dwellings per hectare you’ll probably find the CBD isn’t great because people aren’t living in the CBD, but some of central Hobart is much higher than the Tasmanian average in terms of dwellings per hectare because of smaller heritage cottages and some apartments. But that doesn’t mean Central Hobart is affordable.
& Ineka Leffler
to control rents. I’m not a believer that lots more supply will fix rent. Rent regulation is a state government responsibility unfortunately, local government in Australia isn’t in housing at all. In Europe local governments have houses and buildings, but that’s with state governments in Australia.
Togatus: What do you find the most exciting about the CBD having more housing in the future?
CR Reynolds: CBDs that have a lot of different things happening, people living in them, people working in them, people going out in them are just really exciting places to be. The city of Hobart has so many good things going for it. It’s a compact city, even if you do live in the CBD it’s not that far to get out into nature. There’s so many benefits for bringing vibrancy to the city and making it more convenient for people to get around. And ensuring there’s people who can take advantage of all the amazing things we have in the city!
Togatus: One last question, do you have a favourite pub in Hobart?
CR Reynolds: That’s a tough one for me... because I live in South Hobart I always really love Cascade Brewery. If I have a visitor to Hobart I take them there because it has a beer garden that is so beautiful and iconic.
Ineka Leffler
It doesn’t take a bachelor's degree or spot on the editorial team here at Togatus to realise Tasmanian state politics hosts a range of fundamental problems; a rapidly deteriorating financial state, a shrinking cohort of young people, and an integrity commission without the funding.
Points of interest like the Macquarie Point Stadium and the state of our University, are tainted in controversy and confusion. They are issues concerning young people, and yet I don’t think anyone can gauge a clear consensus among young people on support for these projects. The tension exposes the lack of reporting, criticism, and evaluation within our state’s politics
That’s why I spoke to Kristie Johnston, an MP in my electorate, Clark, who has built her platform around strengthening integrity and transparency in the Tasmanian Parliament by highlighting systemic flaws and loopholes within the system. I wanted to hear her perspective on these issues, before providing my own take
“There is a real void of wellinformed decision making.”
^That’s what Johnston said about the stadium The debacle around t-
he stadium surrounds confusion on its cost and its planning. The major parties have claimed the stadium is a generational investment that encourages and supports young people’s lives in Tasmania, whilst being a catalyst for economic growth
The facts are that 59% of Tasmanians oppose the stadium (EMRS, 2025). The 2025 Gruen report suggested the stadium is not economically justifiable for future generations, and the money allocated would be more appropriately spent in our education and healthcare sectors. There is no clear price tag on the stadium, with the expected cost only increasing. Finally,iIts planned location has been found to be incongruent with the spatial context and underlying planning principles (Tasmanian Planning Commission). Despite these findings, the stadium continues to go ahead.
Johnston says the gap, between research and opinion, and government decision making, is driven primarily by the government’s prioritisation of business deals and the power of the gambling companies that run the AFL.
She suggests that if the government was serious about the stadium being about sport and unifying communities they would take gambling out of the equation. Instead, they have voted against banning gambling advertising and
sponsorship in state-owned venues – implying that the motives of the stadium do not line up with Tasmanians' needs The initial agreement in 2023 between the government and the AFL saw no cabinet advice or approval from the treasury, which she says further reflects the lack of transparency and accountability around decision making at the executive level of government.
“The government, for whatever reason, decided to abort its responsibilities to the Tasmanian people, and [instead] responded to what the afl wanted”
After hearing from Johnston, personally on balance the whole stadium debacle surely highlights a broader issue- it isn’t just a disagreement over a project basis; it exposes the lack of ethical standards around decision making in this state. The persistence of the proposal despite conflicting evidence, public concerns, and budgetary collapse, suggests our political culture is one where economic interests outweigh community consensus; and the fact that we’ve allowed the major parties to be analogous in terms of policy has further blurred the lines of real scrutiny and relative and representative decision-making. Therefore, the shamble that is the stadium is not incidental, but rather a product of a political system that fails to tick any box in regards to clarity, transparency, and accountability. Surely if this was a generational investment for
Tasmanians, they would put it towards our schools and hospitals.. But I guess watching someone kick a ball is pretty generational stuff
Being the only university in the state, our university is undoubtedly in the headlines quite frequently, and for good reason. UTAS plays a uniquely critical role in meeting educational needs and therefore needs to be assessed with greater nuance than any other university in the country.
What’s currently raising concerns is the process of the UTAS move: (Failing) attempts to fund the STEM project , the selling of Sandy Bay land, and the creation of the Forest, have all raised concerns around the growing corporatisation of our university The process has uncovered a fundamental lack of transparency internally, which mustn’t be swept under the rug
The above bill was passed in April this year, and allowed the University to sell off significant land in Sandy Bay in an attempt to partially fund the STEM project; a $500 million project aimed at revitalising STEM in Sandy Bay. Johnston broke the process down before it became legislation.
1 2024: the state government committed to a land protection bill that would protect the entire sandy bay campus from being sold off.
ning decision made without all the planning advice”; noting the lack of a planning model, a non-existent business model to demonstrate the value of land, and the predication of federal government funding which was never made certain.
3.April 2026: the bill was passed, despite concerns raised by independents including Meg Webb who suggested significant loopholes and uncertainties in the bill.
In regards to this process, Johnston made the following comments:
“There were too many ifs and buts around the proposition to actually make it stack up in terms of the stated intent of the university…..Which leads me really sceptical about if it seems so far stretched to get to that stated intended, what’s the actual genuine intent Is it merely just a property development opportunity?”
“My particular concern is that the university has taken its eye off the ball when it comes to education and has been focussed on property development to the detriment of what we need in this state… a strong educational institution"
Now, if you’re a close friend of mine you’d probably be well aware about my thoughts on the university move. I think it signals a shift away from campus culture towards a model of education that is largely transactional and corporatised; the Forest itself looks great, but is designed like an office cubicle, making you feel like a real cog in the machine when you studystripping the heart out of the university experience for students.
ty in the country turning into some sort of corporate Plymouth. Universities across the country have long been underfunded which has forced them into this commercialisation
There is no excuse for a lack of transparency, hidden figures, and hidden intentions Throughout my tenure as Editor-in-Chief, attempting to find information about this entire process has felt like cos-playing as Adele Ferguson. Frankly, from starting projects without the funding or planning to complete them, the disregard of community sentiment, to lobbying the state government- the University should have been met with more scrutiny, hurdles, and criticism, but it feels like they’ve been able to shut it all up. In my opinion, the university should have respected the Hobart City Council vote against the move in 2022, rethought the entirety of the plan after realising they’d likely never get federal government funding, and most importantly, consulted their student population before consulting their accounting and management team But alas – time will tell if the move is really imperative for students.
It only takes half a brain to realise the fatal flaws and similarities between these seemingly clandestine projects; that there is a dangerous discrepancy between fact, opinion, and subsequentlyaction But I guess time will only tell
2 October 2025: the bill was amended to allow the selling of upper churchill avenue; Johnston says this was “a plan- 41
However, it would be wrong of me to suggest ours is the only universi-
Jasmine Jones, UTAS Student English & International Relations
Rawson, Creative Director
It’s no secret that writers’ festivals in Australia have had a tough few years. While conflicts over free speech, and discussing Palestine in particular, have grabbed the most headlines, festivals have also been cancelled because of climate change-driven extreme weather events. It’s a terrifying time to start a new writers’ festival! But festivals are also necessary Even if we were to just consider the state of writers’ bank balances, more festivals are a good thing. Almost no Australian writers make a living from book sales – most cobble together an income through freelance writing (drying up thanks to AI), teaching (drying up as fewer students enrol in arts), public appearances (see writers festivals, above) and other work (in communications, copywriting and marketing, all drying up thanks to AI)
A writers’ festival appearance means a few more hundred bucks, and Island Readers & Writers Festival is ensuring we pay the rates recommended by the Australian Society of Authors, and paying superannuation as well. But writers’ festivals also matter because these are places where new ways of living get imagined, where ideas can burst into flower and where readers find books that could change their life (or at least their weekend). At a pretty bleak time, joy like this matters
The Australian literary ecosystem is vulnerable Quite apart from the existential threat of A I (which this little essay can’t deal with!), this year has seen a pattern of cancellations of festivals and books Most recent has been the decision by the University of Queensland Press to pull the publication of Indigenous author Jazz Money’s children’s book Bila, A River Cycle because past statements made her illustrator Matt Chun were found to breach the University’s policy on antiSemitism I study British literature from the first half of the twentieth century, a century in which horror and progress often went hand in hand. Politics was divisive and writers took sides. Literature was censored, more often for reasons of obscenity that wouldn’t make today’s readers bat an eyelid. Bila’s cancellation is different – to manage UQP’s reputation by association with Chun, rather than because Bila itself is offensive.
To be clear, this decision isn’t outright censorship. Publishers have the right to publish what they like, and to not publish works that don’t fit with their ethos UQP’s location in Queensland pressurises their legal risk in relation to that state’s new hate speech laws. But in this instance the book was already in production (5000 physical copies exist and will now be ‘recycled’), and so far as anyone can tell, the book itself doesn’t violate those laws (Chun’s comments were made in a post on Substack). It occurred, seemingly, without due process, under pressure from lobbying Instances like this have a bad effect on literature in this country – a chilling of political debate, a narrowing of voices to dominant or status quo views. It means that the scope of what is cancellable is unstable and potentially expanding, increasing thepossibility of it happening again Freedom of expression and diversity in publishing are privileges hard, and recently, won We need to protect these and to strengthen the norms and conditions under which writers work and readers encounter dissenting views (Take this as my plea to go buy a book by a living, breathing Australian writer.) As the writer Donna Tartt has said, ‘To write a novel, as to read a novel, is to experience the astonishment of inhabiting another personality, another life.’ Writers do the hard work of helping us to live, temporarily, as though we were someone else, with the result that we should be able to better imagine how someone might disagreewith us. We shouldn’t throw away this gift
We all, already know: That unfortunate events Wreak havoc, arbitrarily, On all creatures, great and small
We all, already know :That nature can be both beautiful and cruel Both creator and destroyer, In measures, both measurable and immeasurable.
We all, already know: That the bad will do the unjust To the good and the blameless For their own ends.
We all, already know: We do not need to be persuaded. Of all this and more, We do not need to be persuaded!
You should already know: We do not need to see the terrible Over and over and over again, In ever increasing detail, To CAPTCHA that we’re human
You should already know that: We do not need to feast on this For breakfast, dinner and tea, With bitesize snacks in between, To demonstrate our humanity and compassion.
It’s not that I do not care, it’s more that I’m losing faith; Faith that you tell me these things
You should already know that We do not need to witness As many different types Of human suffering in a week as possible To make us healthy
You should already know that: Traumas are not like vegetables That need to be consumed repetitively, And in diverse hues, To get into our systems.
You should already know that: Empathy is not the latest fitness pursuit,
To be pushed beyond the limits of human endurance, With your endless news cycles until, Like overtrained athletes, we have none left for life.
To help me become a better citizen.
Instead, it seems as though, like an aggressor bombarding its enemy, You find new ways to invade me
It has gone past time to recall you to your mission: To remind you that your intentions were once noble, To persuade you that we still need you and your eloquence, To help us find words, Words that would help, and spread hope in hard times
That wrench twisting your insides, Until it claws its way through, Those teeth digging to your chest, Eating you from the inside out.
Prickles on your skin, And sweat beading your brow, As it climbs through your throat, Begging to be free. Guilt.
How long can you hold it back?
Before you’re forced upon your knees.
There’s a hollowness inside, Untouched by warmth or light, The emptiness of something whole, Before it’s shattered in the wind, Like glass raindrops from the sky. Guilt.
No matter how warm the Sun, How determined you are, That shattered glass, Will never fill that gap again.
Their love shines brighter than the Sun, Their touch heals some of the deepest scars. And yet,
There’s no warmth to give back, No healing touch, No love. Guilt.
There is a want, A desire. A wish. And a hope.
But no matter how hard you try, Those broken pieces, May never be whole again. Maybe one day those sands of time, Will forge a new, Will fill this darkness. Guilt.
The words tremble and break, Guilt crawls out to be free, Screaming as you succumb, Knees bloody on the floor.
“Forgive me”
“I’m broken”
“And may never heal”
You hear that there is beauty in the death of things That, you believe There is beauty in the bones in the earth and in flowers wilting. That is death that breeds life, that breeds death, that breeds life again. That’s what makes it beautiful. But between the rapping of your pencil against paper in a ramshackle (such a good word) apartment, you wonder if there is beauty in the death of a kingdom. Is the crashing of an economy a beautiful thing? You suppose that the flower doesn’t think that its death is beautiful It just dies Your pencil scrapes long strokes across the paper that a tree died to make. You will make that death beautiful, if you can. Art is supposed to be controversial. You peer through rain soaked glass – the sun is cracking through the clouds now, its light refracting through the raindrops. Your hands are cold (always are), and it's hard work to put lead to paper with shaking fingers. Art is controversial, you tell yourself You have to, because your heart is too heavy to do anything that matters That is a lie, of course, because art has always will always matter the most. But you don’t have the strength to be a politician, or to chain yourself to a tree You can’t even make it to many protests anymore The world has heavied you.
J U L I A W O O D S
Cynicism is a crime, so your friends tell you. You mustn’t give up –not you But it’s hard to stay strong when art is controversy now Because here you sit, by a window, on a couch, with a notebook, and cold hands, when your laptop is only a few feet away on the kitchen table You could pull out the blender – type ‘tree’ – and watch as a hundred other people’s joy is chopped up and stitched back together again – such a pretty picture. Because why would you bother putting in the work when you could just have it NOW. The answer is, of course, because the work is worth doing Because the work is the art, not the product. Sometimes it feels like no one gets that anymore. Just give it an hour, and you’ve drawn the tree. You’ve not finished it It’s sort of messy, and you aren’t that good with a pencil You place your sketchbook back on the shelf –satisfied. Now you’re going to go and write something. Maybe something with a lot of em-dashes Then you’ll listen to music And watch something And read And write And create Because that, you tell yourself, is all that you can do. And that isn’t so bad. There is beauty in the death of things, because there is art in the act of dying There is no art (obviously) in the death of art Art dies when we stop caring that it could Go draw a tree J U L I A W O O D S
Charlie sped down the gravel road, humming along to Ed Sheeran's newest pop single that blared through the speakers. Beside him sat Daisy, bleary-eyed, her hand resting lazily on his thigh. The car was a rental, a zippy red Corolla the couple had lovingly nicknamed Ferrari. Every five hundred metres, a side road would appear, each leading towards a less-than-idyllic cottage. Their gardens were decorated with yard sale finds and the rusting remains of “fixer-uppers”. It felt like they were in the very heart of the bush, even though they were forty-five minutes out of Hobart. Surrounded by towering limbs, the bush pressed in on them like thebooby-trappedwallsofanIndianaJonesfilm.CharliesqueezedDaisy'shand.
“Five more minutes,” he said with a wink. The corners of his mouth lifted—then fell just as quickly. The car swerved as someone darted across the road. The beams jutted from side to side as something, or someone, was dragged underneath. The tyres screeched, sliding across the gravel as Charlie jammed his foot on the brake. He glanced at Daisy. She sat rigid, eyes straight ahead, until the car had completely come to a stop and the engine let out a tired groan. The couple stayed like that silent, frozen while Ed Sheeran reached the chorus of I’m in love with the shape of you. They stared at the dark road ahead, at the two lone beams illuminatingitscrateredsurface.
“What do we do?” Charlie said weakly, switching off the chipper tune, leaving only the low hum of the engine.
“Is that… what I think it was?” Daisy probed. Charlie didn't meet her eyes, only breathed heavily, resting backinhisseat.
“Charlie,”Daisysaid,hervoicerisinganoctave.
“Daisy,” he replied with all the tenderness he could muster as he rose from his seat and stepped out into thecoolnightair.
“What are you doing?” Daisy called after him, clasping the grab handle, bracing herself as she stepped into the biting night air. All around her was the sound of crickets, of the wind and rustling gums, broken up bythecroakoffrogsfromtheoverflowinggutter.
She moved closer now in the harsh light of the car's beams. Charlie stood a few feet away from her at the rearendofthecar,peeringatthemangledbody,whichwassmearedacrosstheroadlikejam.
“Is…itdead?”Daisybreathed,reachingforCharlie.
“I don’t know… don’t think so. Its chest is moving a bit,” he replied. The two stood there, staring down at their victim's broken body. People say nature is peaceful. But in that moment, it was as if the bush were screamingatthem.Thewordssimplytangledinthetrees,lostbetweentherustlingleaves,butitwasthere bitingattheircollarsandpullingattheirhair.
“Ithinkweshouldgo,”Daisysaid,leadingCharliebacktowardsthecar.
“Itwasn'tanybody'sfault,”Charliesaid,turningthekeyintheignition.
“They don't call Tasmania the roadkill capital for nothing… that's just how it is here,” Daisy replied, squeezing his hand, letting out a weak laugh as she switched on the radio. Charlie moved the gearshift, setting the car to drive, and put his foot hard on the accelerator. They plummeted into the night, Daisy’s handgrippingCharlie’sthigh,theirvoicesrisingwiththeblaringmusicastheytriedtoblockoutthebush’s cries.
Ah-ha! The bar!
This marvellous place with motley crew.
I enter its maw with youthful awe. A dazzling sight amidst lonesome night.
Hoist the kook, they’re true blue!
Ills, begone!
Boredom’s a bummer, why should you bother?
Have a drink and share a clink. Your feet are anchored, now flip that tankard!
Hoist the kook, they’re true blue!
Barkeep, another!
I still feel something. I still feel that sting.
M-my arm’s just aching, ignore that shaking.
Don’t get a fright - I’m just uptight!
Hoist the kook, they’re true blue!
Hoy…o-one moreee!
Oh hush, what’s the rush?
I-Iiii still want more. Don’t be so sore. You’re such a bane, don’t be a painnn…!
Hoist the kook, they’re true blue!
Alright, hehe!
The band’s live, a-and I-hic! I’m alive! Alive and frEE and… ALIVE!
I want to dance. I want to sing. My troubles flee, NOW I AM FREE.
Hoist the kook, they’re true blue!
Let’s dance. HOWAY! Let’s dance!
H-head in the…clouds, feet on the ground.
Screami-hic! A-and stomping that sting away… I di-iiid it! So fuzzy… I forgot… I forgot!
Hoist the kook, they’re true blue!
Baar-keeeep…hic!
One more please!
One morTHUD.
that accessing trans healthcare is especially easy. After discovering his gender identity as a trans man gender trans at age fourteen, Noah sought to access testosterone. To start the process, he was required testosterone. required to see a therapist and acquire a letter of to a and a letter recommendation before commencing treatment. before commencing treatment.
this pushback against
this against
crime will continue. crime
“I called seventeen different practitioners before “I finding a specialist who was willing to refer me.” a who was willing to refer me ”
Noah waited an entire year for his first an his appointment and has been on HRT ever since. He is now awaiting his top surgery, which was originally now awaiting surgery, originally scheduled for July 17th, 2025. scheduled for July 17th, 2025.
“If people are openly transphobic always be people opposing them. opposing them Minnesota, I haven’t faced any I despite it being a very Christian area.” despite it being a very Christian ar
Despite the anti-trans rhetoric Trump and his administration continue Trump c Minnesota is holding strong. is strong surrounded by red, Noah has every red, e continue to fight for its people and continue to fight its a healthcare, opposing the status quo. healthcare, opposing the status qu
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