August, 2026
Your Student Newspaper since 1931
“Talk about it”
In this issue: Update on rent, Uni-life, opinion pieces, a GAME page and MORE Everything Uni-Life
News
Your Opinions
Highlights:
Recap:
Included in this edition:
1.Suits, Scrubs, and Spanners, the annual law, med, and engineering party was a HUGE success... over 400 party goers, DJs all night, and a few... memorable... moments. 2.Unique Tassie Experiences continues to thrive and be a major program helping students get outside and make new friends 3.Togatus X HASS event; pizza consumed, drinks = drank, philosphical discussions were had, and most importantly... the Togatus Semester 1 Magazine was launched. The HASS society is the society to keep an eye out for (after you’ve kept up to date with Togatus)
1.The Department of Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) have started trialling a generative AI chatbot inside select classrooms across Tasmania, including some up in the North-West. 2.According to The Red Heart Movement, so far in 2026, 45 women and 19 children have been killed through murder, manslaughter, or neglect. 3. Rent in student accommodation has gone up 6% across the board.
1.One-Nation is apparently Australia’s gayest political party. What do students think? 2.Why we need to leave Neil the seal alone 3.Should STEM Students do Humanities? Short answer: yes. If you disagree you can join HASS debating! 4.The price of community is inconvenience. Community is important, so let’s get around it.
Togatus Editorial Team Ineka Leffler, Editor-in-Chief
Ella Vanderzwan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Acknowledgment of Country Togatus acknowledges the Palawa people of Lutruwita. Togatus operates and is physically distributed across lutrawita (Tasmania) and the Eora Nation (Sydney), 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,
Amalie Cox,
Gadigal and Wangal peoples.
Creative Director
Jasmine Jones, Digital Editor & Content and Copy Editor
Contents
Erin Coull, Content and Copy Editor
Writers
News 4-5
Opinions 8-10
Rent in Student Accom. 2027
Leave Neil the Seal Alone
DECYP Promotes AI in Classrooms
The Price of Community is Inconvenience
Violence Against Women
Should STEM Students Do Humanities?
Ebony Robson-Wells
Students Should Oppose the Construction of
Uni-Life 6-7
AI Data Centres in Tasmania
Ella Vanderzwan
Suits, Scrubs, and Spanners Erin Coull
Nick Cronin
Australia’s Gayest Political Party
Unique Tassie Experiences
The Forest Needs Vending Machines
The Creative Pod
An Elegy for The Hon. Rev. Prof. Michael
North-West Updates Elliot Davis
Tate AO
PowerPoint Night at John Fisher College Charlotte/ Fabian Hammond
Sustainability Bake-Off
Games Page 11
Erik West
Hazel Jennings
Nisha Tharpa
PS. For full references and sources used throughout this edition, please see our website. The opinions expressed herein are not those of the editors, the publishers, the University of Tasmania, or the Tasmanian University Student Association. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that the content and information included is as up-to-date and accurate as possible at the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken towards Togatus for any errors or omissions. If you have concerns or questions about anything that has been published, contact the Editor-In-Chief, Ineka Leffler, by email. Togatusmagazine@gmail.com
ANOTHER
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Editorial
INSTAGRAM: @togatus_
Thank you for all of the love and support we got after our last edition. The issues around housing and the TUSA Food Hub are not over, and probably will not be over for a long time. Since the release of the previous newspaper we’ve recieved so many messages on social media and in our emails of students telling their story, and saying thank you. It really showed us, and we hope it showed anyone reading, the importance of student journalism. There are real faces and people impacted by the decisions being made by the university, even when the university seems to forget about that.
Get stuck into this edition because we have even more variety... We also ask the long-awaited question every uni student asks at the start of semester: ‘what the hell is SSAF?’. Because, well.. we are proudly funded by students for students. As always, our inbox is always open, waiting for your writing or even just a story idea.
TIKTOK: @togatus_
FACEBOOK: Togatus
With love, Ineka Leffler and Ella Vanderzwan
WEBSITE: Togatus.com.au
Somehow in this issue we’ve managed to cram even more into it. A games page, opinion pieces, a horoscope, Uni Life. EMAIL:
Tog-Pops
Togatusmagazine@gmail.com
What do students think are the biggest issues affecting young people? “Femicide”
“lack of opportunity”
“cost of living” “boomers”
“cost of living”
“the enshittification and turning into a “Cost of Living” subscription service of their attention, fears, desire, and futures” “effects of classism”
“political unrest”
“screen-time”
“no/limited opportunity for work, be it full-time, guaranteed hours or something meaningful”
“rising conservatism” “inequality”
“Cost of living! it’s tough as [a] student without a job”
“not knowing what the Burnie student accom options are next year”
“Absolutely nothing to do from ages 13-18. “affordable housing, drug and alcohol Literally spend the whole time inside” pressure (including vapes), food insecurity, oppression “Woolies and Coles price gouging. “FINANCIAL BURDEN!!” chocolate is lowkey an INVESTMENT”
Horoscopes
Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19) Take things a little slower, enjoy looking at the leaves and frolicking around in nature. You live in Tasmania. Go frolick!
Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 22) You should really talk about the thing bothering you with someone you love... there are very few things in the world a yap can’t solve.
Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20) Enjoy a rare moment of peace for yourself. Take yourself out, ignore your assignment for a little longer... you have earned it.
Scorpio (Oct 23 - Nov 21) Scorpio... when it does eventually become your birthday you should go see ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ in cinemas November 20th.
Gemini (May 21 - Jun 20) Gemini... you really need to do your assignments, please stop doomscrolling. You’ll thank yourself for it later.
Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21) It’s a busy time of the year for you. Don’t feel guilty for taking time for yourself, you need to rest!
Cancer (Jun 21 - July 22) While things have been difficult lately, soon you will find yourself smooth-sailing. Just hang in there.
Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Try something new! Don’t let yourself stay in the box you’ve made for yourself. There’s a whole world out there.
Leo (Jul 23 - Aug 22) The start of a new era for you is a welcoming thing, let go of the things weighing you down. You will have an amazing year!
Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18) You should get really, really into a new hobby. It’ll lead you to unexpected places.
Virgo (Aug 23 - Sep 22) Your birthday is coming up soon! With your new age you will welcome new energy into your life and cut out the old.
Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20) The world is your oyster... or fish... or something. Take advantage of a new opportunity that’s about to present itself to you.
Rent Update: Better Than Everyone Thought it Would Be... is it Enough? Since the last newspaper the rent announcements for the UTAS Accomodation have been released, this is the update regarding that newspaper. All information provided here was received through an email sent to all students currently staying in Sandy Bay and in Hobart student accommodation. Rent has not gone up as much as we anticipated (Yay!), but whether or not this is affordable for students is another question. If you have a story to tell or information to share, please reach out. The Togatus contact details are on pages 2- 3. Please note that this information is relevant to those in the South.
Rent in the Hobart Apartments will increase by $22 a week. For a 50 week contract, this is an extra $1100 annually Rent in Hytten Hall will increase by $16. For a 50week contract, this is an extra $800 annually Rent in the University Apartments (Sandy Bay) will increase by $16 a week; for a 50-week contract, this is an extra $800 a year
What is Being Done? The Accommodation Equity Bursary of $1100 for each successful resident. Earlier announcements of the rental increases so there’s more time to plan. Expanding the SecondBite partnership for access to more free food. Increasing access to free food through events. At the Sandy Bay accomodations budget rooms are being established to ease cost of living pressures. Accommodation details have been sent earlier than in previous years to give additional time to explore accommodation options *this is not an exhaustive list.
The Sandy Bay accommodation will be introducing an additional 25 ‘budget rooms’ in Sandy Bay. Togatus does not know what these ‘budget rooms’ entail. We do know that they are “rooms with more unusual layouts, locations or outlooks”, and are available to current and returning students at the accommodation. Rent in Christ College and John Fisher College in Sandy Bay will increase by 6%. For a single room, this is now an additional $18 per week; for a 42-week contract this is an extra $756 annually.
So... What Even Is SSAF? There’s one question that haunts every student at the start of each semester. What is SSAF and why do I have to pay it? Are the several thousand dollars worth of student fees not enough for the university to run? The answer is… no… SSAF stands for ‘Student Services and Amenities Fees’; this is the money that goes to non-academic things around the university. This features all the things that make university fun! Such as the clubs and societies. SSAF also covers preventative services. Have you ever accessed the free counselling at the university? That was funded by SSAF. This year the university will recieve about six million dollars to allocate. TUSA (Tasmanian University Student Association) get 40% of this.
This roughly 2.3 million dollars is what funds most TUSA supported initiatives. This money is used to fund things like: TUSA Advocacy and Legal Services, Unique Tassie Experiences, TUSA Events, Student Council, and any club that gets funding from TUSA. All of these initatives are funded through SSAF. Togatus itself is funded through SSAF! We would not be able to print the newspaper you’re reading right now if we weren’t SSAF funded. The university gets the other 60% of the SSAF fees to divide up between things like sport and recreation programs, welcome events, resources to support students with disabilities and their learning, and more. SSAF, while annoying to pay and is definitely painful on the wallet at the start of every semester, is wildly important to fund all the things that make university more fun than just going to class.
DECYP Promotes AI in Classrooms Ebony Robson-Wells
The Department for Children and Young People (DECYP) have started trialling a generative AI chatbot inside select classrooms across Tasmania. The bot works similarly to how Microsoft’s Copilot operates, but is meant to have less chance to generate inappropriate content, or adopt biases against marginalised communities. Despite collaborating on the document outlining the use of generative AI in classrooms, DECYP will claim no responsibility for any misuse of AI. That falls onto schools, principals, and teachers. Meaning if the DECYP chatbot, created by people at DECYP, supplied to schools by DECYP, generates a response that is potentially harmful, the school will accept responsibility. And this very well may happen, with DECYP acknowledging in the ‘Australian Framework for Artificial Intelligence in Schools’ that despite risk management practices, its chatbot is still capable of generating harmful content. Students are being encouraged to use the bot for classroom inquiries and assignment editing. Educators are also being encouraged to adopt AI into their teaching arsenal, but many are worried it will only cause a heavier workload to be placed upon teachers’ shoulders. Hellyer College in the state’s North-West is one of the schools where the chatbot is being trialled. A group of students have already rallied together to protest, creating a petition that has surmounted over 250 signatures. The students have concerns over AI’s impact on brain development, critical thinking skills, the environment, and what it means for their futures. The chatbot is still in its trialling phase, and, if enough negative feedback is provided, it may not go ahead with further implementation across DECYP’s jurisdiction. But the opposite is also a possibility: if the trial receives positive feedback on its effect within classrooms, it may be put into practice within thousands of classrooms across Australia. What effect will this have on current and future students and educators? How will Australia’s education system continue to adapt to the ever-evolving AI landscape? Only time will tell.
Every 5 Days a Woman Is Killed by Someone She Was Close To Ella Vanderzwan
According to The Red Heart Movement, so far in 2026, 45 women and 19 children have been killed by murder, manslaughter or neglect. There are no official nationalised statistics tracking this number, so it could be higher. This is a disgustingly high number of women who were killed by (predominantly) men who are supposed to love them. During the 2024–2025 financial year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that family and domestic violence (FDV) related offences rose by 8 per cent. 78% of reported offenders were men. These statistics could be because of a more open culture of reporting, but they could also be because more people are living through family domestic violence and intimate partner violence. First Nations women are even more at risk. According to a recent study, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 34 times more likely to be hospitalised from family violence, and they are 11 times more likely to be killed because of a violent assault. Furthermore, about 90% of violence against First Nation women is not reported at all. It is important to recognise that these disproportionately high statistics are a direct result of colonisation and the continued disadvantage that Aboriginal communities face as an effect of dispossession, disenfranchisement and the destruction of Aboriginal cultures. The rise of femicide, seen particularly in the Western world, has been partially attributed to the rise of the ‘manosphere’, an area of the internet openly promoting misogyny and reaffirming ideas of violence against women. The most famous manosphere “influencer” is Andrew Tate, who is currently facing legal charges from multiple different countries that include: rape, actual bodily harm and human trafficking. Universities also have a role to play in this. In 2021, the National Student Safety Survey found that since starting university one in twenty students have been sexually assaulted. To combat this, the ‘Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education’ has been introduced, a strategy that UTAS’s own ‘Gender-Based Violence Action Plan 2025-2026’ follows. More needs to be done federally to protect women who are living through domestic violence. A woman killed every five days is far too high. While the government has consistently put money into combatting family and domestic violence in an effort to drive it down, the departments put in charge of this are often disjointed, limited to 5 year plans and do not have the level of care or funding needed in order to truly change this. Too many women are stuck in environments they can’t get out of – environments where they might financially rely on their partner, or for a multitude of complicated reasons they are not able to simply leave. Violence against women is a cultural, political and economic issue and not enough is being done to address it both in schools and from a financial support level. While the government does more and gives more and more money to try and prevent domestic violence, the proportion of it going up seems to be higher and higher. More needs to be done in terms of preventative measures that address the root cause of why family violence happens, and for more significant legal repercussions for those who are accused and charged with violence against women.
UNI- LIFE SUITS, SCRUBS, & SPANNERS On Friday the 24th of July, Engineering, Law and Medicine students set aside their usual differences and their wildly different schedules, to come together for Suits Scrubs Spanners, the annual social mixer co-hosted by TUES, TULS and TUMSS. The dress brief was simple: suits for the aspiring lawyers scrubs for the doctors, and hi-vis for the engineers, who were happy to finally wear their everyday attire to something classified as a party. The event proved hugely popular. 400 tickets sold out well ahead of the night, and demand was so high that a handful of ticketless attendees were caught attempting to climb the venue railings to get in, which security sensibly put a stop to. Those who entered by the usual means were treated to a great night. DJs Summer Alexander and Mwaura Kimani kept the dance floor busy from start to finish, and the crowd proved that the three faculties get along well over a good set. Taco Taco were also on hand providing delicious Mexican food for the evening, and Red Bull kept the energy high with a generous supply of free drinks. By all accounts, Suits Scrubs Spanners 2026 was a great success, and a reminder of how much these cross-club events add to student life. Planning is already turning to next year, with a bigger venue, shorter queues and fewer railing-related incidents. Benjamin North, President of the Tasmanian University Engineering Society.
Unique Tassie Experiences (UTE) TUSA’s Unique Tassie Experiences Program (fondly known as UTE) gives UTAS students the chance to get out and explore Tasmania, whether that's kayaking around the Hobart waterfront, heading out on a coastal adventure, cultural experience tours, or visiting some of the state's most iconic destinations. The experiences are organised by TUSA and heavily subsidised, making it easier for students to get off campus and explore Tasmania, by creating time and space for students to come up for air!
For many students, UTE has become one of the best ways to meet new people and make the most of their time at university. "I moved to Tasmania for uni and didn't really know where to start exploring," said a recent UTE Participant.
UTE isn't just for students studying on one campus. The program runs across Southern, Northern and North-West Tasmania, as well as for UTAS students studying in NSW. For online and distance students who can't always attend in person, TUSA has even developed the popular UTE Signature Box, bringing a taste of Tasmania directly to their door.
TUSA General Manager Shauna-Lee Ward said the program was created to help students experience Tasmania while creating connections with fellow students.
"UTE made it easy. I've seen places I probably wouldn't have visited on my own, and I've met some really great people!"
"Some of the best university memories happen outside the lecture theatre. UTE gives students the chance to try something different, have a bit of fun, and discover what makes Tasmania such a unique place to live and study." While the destinations are a big drawcard, many students say the best part is the people they meet along the way. "I signed up because the trip looked fun, but I ended up making some new friends as well," said another student
UTE on Bruny Island^
Whether you're new to Tasmania or have lived here your whole life, UTE is a chance to get off campus, try something new and meet people you might otherwise never cross paths with. After all, some of the best uni memories happen well away from the lecture theatre.
UTE at HollyBank^
CLUB SPOTLIGHT: THE CREATIVE POD
What’s Happened on the North West Kayla Fajrianto, Cradle Coast Campus President
Based on the Inveresk Campus
Over the past couple of months at The Creative Pod, we hosted our mural week and, in collaboration with the PostGraduate Society, our annual Art Prize. Our mural week was filled with many creative endeavours that surrounded Cedar Butcher's creative direction in painting a mural in the bike shed at The UTAS Inveresk campus. The mural is inspired by the energy of the Kanamaluka that is situated on the border of the UTAS campus. To celebrate the artwork, local community, and environment, The Creative Pod hosted a Mural Week full of celebratory events. This included mural painting sessions, where members of the community were encouraged to paint under guidance of local artists, Katie Barron and Cedar Butcher. We also celebrated the opening of the bike shed mural with catering, polaroid pictures and Kate Rigby's beautiful music. This creative energy flowed into our annual art prize exhibition with the Postgraduate Society. This was our largest event ever with 44 artworks installed in the Workshop’s Lantern Gallery. This made for a lively opening night that included a celebration of community, as art prizes were announced, food was shared, games were played and a roaring send off from a local experimental rock band, Hippopotamus Lobotomist, invigorated attendee’s spirits. These events make us proud at The Creative Pod, as we consistently strive to pair a celebration of the arts with our local UTAS and Launceston community.
Semester 1 at the Cradle Coast campus has been as warm and as colourful as life on the North West Coast! During the sunny first few months of the year, we had the pleasure of hosting Market Day in the courtyard where we were introduced to the clubs and societies for our North West students, as well as other partners that can help make student life that bit easier!
Alongside TUSA, the residential and UTAS teams have been running events that make for an increasingly vibrant space at Cradle Coast. Behind the scenes, we’re excited to continue to work into Semester 2 to provide you with workshops, more vent tents and pop ups, community events, and Davina’s ‘Warmth and Soul’ free lunches on Wednesdays.
Our newest TUSA team addition Robyn, has been working amazingly hard to run pop ups and help with vent tents throughout the first semester and into the second. Our Food Hub has also been hustling and bustling, with Cathy and Davina continuing to provide freshly grown produce and cheap pantry items for our students.
With the North West’s growing cohort, accommodation, space, and learning quality has been an especially important concern that we will continue to advocate for into the future. It has been so special to be on the North West, and I look forward to seeing how the connection and Cradle Coast community grow and flourish!
Sustainability BAKE-OFF! Jade Irvine
We came together to celebrate several University of Tasmania milestones including being the first STARS Platinum rated university in Australasia, a new Stewardship for Sustainability strategy as well as being rated #1 in Climate Action for five years in a row. Thank you to all our incredibly creative bakers and to our speakers who shared their reflections on how they practice stewardship in their roles at UTAS. There was a great buzz at The Forest, and it felt amazing to celebrate sustainability with good company and many cakes!
RESULTS: Best Homemade Representation of One or More of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Cheryl Wickham (Farm Scene) Most Creative Design For the SDGs Shiloh Quillan & Raegan Hall (Underwater Themed) Penni Castellana (From the Backyard to the Table: Plant-Based Lemon and Thyme Cake with Rhubarb Jam) Most Delicious Looking Bake-Off Entry Debbie Hindle (Mienna Jewel Beetle - Threatened Species) Most Memorable Bake-Off Entry Erin Green (Neil the Seal and Traffic Cone Cupcakes) People's Choice Award Patrick Foley Donoghue (Icebergs Ahead - Climate Action)
PowerPoint night at John Fisher College
TOGATUS X HASS EVENT
Erin Coull does a recap
One of John Fisher’s most beloved traditions, PowerPoint night shines a light on residents’ hot takes, niche obsessions and weird lore. The latest presentations include an infodump about glioblastomas, the music of Bo Daddy Harris and a selection of off-colour quotes recorded over the year from an apartment which will remain unnamed. PJ, a Christ College guest star, delivered the crowd favourite – a review of Melbourne’s best and worst train stations. “This took me less than an hour, an hour ago,” said PJ, and it’s true that pressure makes diamonds because the crowd went wild as Belgrave Station (famously featuring The Belgrave Wizard, who is still alive) came in on top, and the evil escalator of Parliament Station rightfully landed it at the bottom of the leaderboard. Fisher PowerPoint night will return in September.
Thank you to everyone who came to our event in Week 1 this Semester, to officially LAUNCH our SEMESTER 1 MAGAZINE! Teaming up with the brand new HASS (Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences) society was a blast!! Pizzas got demolished, drinks were definitely consumed, magazines were read, and sunglasses were worn (wow, maybe you should check out our Instagram and TikTok @Togatus_ so you know what we’re talking about)!! Anyway, this is just the beginning... stay tuned, Toggies and thank you for celebrating!!!
OPINIONS
The Poem He Wrote: An Australia’s gayest political party: I’ve never felt so Elegy for The Hon. Rev. Prof. Michael Tate AO represented Erin Coull shares her opinion
On Wednesday, Liberal-turned-One-Nation MP Barnaby Joyce stepped up as one of our nation’s most courageous LGBTQIA+ allies. When the ABC dug up some homophobic hot-takes by new One Nation candidate Parminder Singh, Barnaby mounted a takedown of Singh’s logic - he’s come a long way since his days as an anti-gay marriage campaigner. In an interview posted to social media, Singh took a stand against same-sex marriage, calling gay people “worse than animals” because “animal[s] don’t think much but they are better thinker[s] than us.” When asked by the ABC whether he supported Singh’s candidature for One Nation, Barnaby responded “I don’t concur with his views.” Barnaby, who has a seasoned farming background, also pointed out that same sex animals do, in fact, bump uglies. All the time. “I think we’re one of the gayest parties in Australia,” Barnaby continued. While he abstained from the 2017 vote to legalise marriage, he is now a bastion of solidarity with the marginalised. It’s heartwarming that he can see love for what it is, especially in light of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s newfound relationship with Gina Rinehart, following her several doomed romances with male suitors over the years. Pauline’s relationship with Australia’s richest woman has been blossoming, and coincidently, One Nation has been killing it in the polls, but this is clearly a friendship transcending trivial things like politics. Gina and Pauline’s close friendship was forged during their holiday in Thailand last January and their getaway to Florida together in December. Spending quality time together was clearly a higher priority than the 96 votes she missed during her eight days’ absence from the Senate during the trip.
While a healthy work-life balance matters to everyone, dining with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago for the Conservative Political Action Conference isn’t everyone’s idea of a relaxing girls’ trip. It just goes to show that this iconic pair isn’t trying to fit in – they are showing us the beauty and power of being our true selves. In April, Gina’s true self was on display as she gifted a $1 million plane to One Nation. Overjoyed, Pauline called the plane “sexy”, excited that she would be able to “visit more regional towns across the country more often.” Amid her busy senate life, we’re so happy that Pauline will be able to travel to wherever Gina might be, whether it’s her thousands of hectares of farmland in Queensland and Victoria, her dozen cattle stations across the outback, or to cheer on the job cuts at Roy Hill Mine. The mine is operated by Hancock Prospecting, which Gina inherited from her father. It happens to be Australia’s largest privately owned company. Good for her. As the spotlight shone brighter on their newfound friendship, these close friends were spotted poolside at the Grand Hotel San Pietro, a luxury resort in Sicily. They were there to attend the Dolce & Gabbana fashion show, with Pauline later revealing that Gina had paid for her tickets to the show as well as her flights. We’re excited to see where Pauline and Gina go from here, but it’s disappointing to see so many lazy tabloid outlets hating on these besties. Some are suggesting that Gina cares more about Pauline’s political capital than her company. Some are going as far as saying that Gina Rinehart has “‘bought’ One Nation”. We hope Gina and Pauline can ignore the haters, but readers may be left wondering: where does this relationship go from here? See the links to sources on our website.
UTAS Forest Campus Needs Vending Machines Jayden Whittaker Bowerman suggests
For a university that claims to care about student wellbeing, the lack of vending machines at the UTAS Forest campus is difficult to understand. The Forest is the only UTAS campus without vending machines or a café, leaving students and staff without access to basic refreshments. Students and Professors spend hours in classes and more in study sessions, yet there is nowhere to buy a bottle of water or even a simple snack. This is not just inconvenient; it is unfair and, in some cases, potentially dangerous.
It is also unreasonable to expect students to leave campus whenever they need a snack or drink. Sometimes there are only ten (10) minutes between classes, which is not enough time to leave, buy something, and return. Students should not have to choose between missing class and sitting through it hungry or dehydrated. This is especially unfair to students who are already struggling financially and cannot afford the expensive café meals nearby.
One of the biggest concerns is students with medical conditions such as diabetes. Blood sugar levels can drop unexpectedly, and when they do, students may need immediate access to food or sugary drinks. While students are encouraged to carry emergency supplies, food can be forgotten or run out. A vending machine would provide an important safety net in these situations.
There may also be a contract preventing UTAS from installing vending machines, or a café, at The Forest. If that is the case, why was such a contract signed? Why commit to an arrangement that limits basic student services when UTAS did not even need to move or expand campuses? Students should not have to deal with the consequences of decisions they had no say in.
A common response is to bring your own food, but this is not realistic for everyone. There are well over 1,000 students at The Forest and only one shared kitchen available to students, meaning there is limited fridge space to store food. Students with long commutes, back-to-back classes, or long study days cannot always carry enough food. Bringing food should be an option, not the only solution.
Forest students deserve the same standard of facilities as every other UTAS student. Vending machines are not a luxury. They are a basic service that would improve student safety, wellbeing, and everyday life on campus. If every other UTAS campus can provide them, The Forest should not be the exception.
Nick Cronin remembers
Recently, we fared a pillar of our Tasmanian community well. The Hon. Rev. Prof. Michael Tate AO had many different lives – academic; Senator and Minister; Ambassador; and priest – but, always serving his people, and his God. I first met Fr Tate when I moved to Hobart for university and lived at Jane Franklin Hall. On my second day in Hobart, I attended Sunday mass at St Francis Xavier’s Church in South Hobart – what would become my regular parish during my time in Hobart – and Fr Tate welcomed me with open arms and heart. Bonding quickly over our shared interests in politics and theology, we shared a lunch in March, which Fr Tate affectionately labelled as the ‘Breaking of the Lenten Fast’. This was the beginning of a close friendship with an incredible mentor. Fr Tate studied law at UTAS in the 1960s, but tragedy struck when he was involved in a car accident, and spent several months convalescing in hospital. It was during this time that Fr Tate doubled down on his legal studies, read the bible, and gained his first insight into a possible call to serve God as a priest. After graduating with First Class Honours in Law, he went to the University of Oxford, where he read for a Master of Arts in Theology – the first Catholic layman to do so since the Protestant Reformation some 450 years earlier. An idealistic student, Fr Tate was troubled by the mandatory conscription prescribed by the Government for the Vietnam War, and joined the Australian Labor Party to fight the policy. Fr Tate was elected a Labor Senator for Tasmania in 1977 and served, among other ministries, as Minister for Justice under the Hawke and Keating Governments. After retiring from politics in 1993, Fr Tate was appointed Ambassador to the Hague, and to the Holy See. It was during the mid-90s that Fr Tate read The Cave of the Making by poet W. H. Auden – the line “God may reduce you on Judgment Day to tears of shame, reciting by heart the poems you could have written, had your life been good” struck a chord deep within him, and Fr Tate finally decided to answer God’s call to serve Him as a priest. Fr Tate always said of his reluctance to answer God’s call that he feared crying tears of shame on his deathbed for lack of courage. Fr Tate can take comfort now in the fact that he served God – and served Him well – for 80 years (and 26 years His priest) leaving no stone unturned; no poem unwritten. Now, he dwells with the Lord in His kingdom. To me, Fr Tate was a quasi-grandfather, always offering useful pastoral counsel - sometimes when I didn’t ask for it, but needed it. I will always remember his final instruction to me at our last meeting some six weeks ago – simple, yet profound – “Nick, keep the faith”. Fr Tate had an immense belief and trust in; and love of God – one which we can and should all strive for. In an uncertain and tumultuous world, keeping the faith is paramount. Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand, Tatey – I miss you dearly.
Why Students Should Oppose the Construction of AI Data Centres in Tasmania OPINION by Elliot Davis and Charlotte/Fabian Hammond Artificial Intelligence is a controversial, now-pervasive technology, the risks of which are poorly understood; now, it’s setting up on Tasmania’s doorstep.
The Situation: A Singaporean-Australian data centre company called Firmus Technologies is the creator of Project Southgate. The project has begun with the construction of the St Leonards data centre in Launceston, and aims to build data centres nationwide with sites in many major Australian cities. The entire nationwide project is expected to cost $73.3 billion. The St Leonards location is already under construction and projected to be operational by early 2027. This location alone will require 104 megawatts of power via a three-year contract with Aurora and Hydro Tasmania, but Firmus also plans to build another two data centres in Northern Tasmania (Bell Bay and Wesley Vale) with development applications already submitted. These three data centres in northern Tasmania combined will require 400 megawatts of power, which is more than the total demand for all Tasmanian households, and represents about 20% of the state's total energy use. Additionally, the development application for the Bell Bay site shows that Firmus requested 19.2 million litres of water per year from TasWater, equivalent to the yearly water consumption of 110 households. Firmus claims that the noise emitted from the St Leonards site will only be around the volume of a whisper, but other residences nearby data centres report pervasive noise pollution, frequent headaches, and nausea. This data centre will be running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week whilst providing only around 50 jobs, since each shift will only consist of 10 workers with a maximum of 30 workers on site at any time. This is an enormous amount of money to be spending on a technology that will offer little to the local community and may actively harm it. But who exactly are Firmus? Firmus Technologies was founded by Oliver Curtis, Tim Rosenfield and Johnathon Levee in 2019. Firmus began as a cryptocurrency mining company before redirecting into the data centre industry. Notably, Oliver Curtis, the largest shareholder of the company, served a year in prison at age 22 when he was convicted of insider trading resulting in a net profit of $1.5 million. If we allow Firmus to build these data centres without pushback, other companies will follow suit; Australian mining company Greenwing is investigating the potential of reopening the Que River Mine to host a data centre, draining more of our resources and poisoning more of our water.
Why Does It Matter? ‘Artificial Intelligence’ is a misleading name for algorithms which are fed large swathes of data (often without the original creator’s permission), identify patterns, and can then give an output consisting of a mix-and-matched predictive version of all their training material. The proliferation of generative models in the current zeitgeist has raised a number of concerns about the risks AI may have for its users. Along with spreading misinformation and reinforcing harmful stereotypes, researchers describe an effect dubbed ‘cognitive offloading’, where a user becomes dependent on the technology. This has been cause for alarm in learning environments, as students who used AI to study were found to achieve worse grades than their peers. Furthermore, generative AI lacks the regulation and rigorous safety testing that would prevent people from using it to harm themselves or others, and has been associated with increasing incidences of “AI psychosis”, where vulnerable users develop severe mental health issues as a result of their interactions with AI. This would be unacceptable as it is, but OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, one of the most influential AI figureheads, has emphasised in both public and private correspondence an intent to expand operations with no regard for the environmental or social consequences. We as students must stand against the growing threat to our learning and, ultimately, to our future.
What to do now? Keep educating other members of the public about the situation Attend local meetings and forums about the data centres Contact local politicians about your concerns Demand transparency from Firmus Technologies about water consumption and power use. Attend local actions such as protests or school strikes Please note this article was written in July.
OR listen to our LIVE webstream at edgeradio.org.au
SOMETHING TO KNOW: TUSA Birth Control Subsidy The TUSA Birth Control Subsidy is designed to support enrolled students at UTAS who need financial support towards their birth control/contraception prescriptions, regardless of which pharmacy they choose to purchase from. Successful applicants will be provided with a reimbursement on the cost of their contraceptive prescription expenses, up to the value of $100 per calendar year.
Eligibility Criteria The student must be an enrolled UTAS student; Have purchased an eligible birth control/contraception prescription in the past 3 weeks; The student is experiencing financial pressure that affects their ability to manage the cost of contraception. The contraception is intended for the student’s personal use and relates to their reproductive health. The claim must relate to contraception prescription expenses. Please note: Purchases of condoms and menstrual products are not eligible. TUSA provides free condoms and menstrual products at most events and at TUSA offices, and those items are not covered by this program. An Intrauterine Device (IUD) is also covered under this program. Any costs associated with obtaining the prescription or insertion will not be covered; this subsidy only provides support for the prescription itself. Visit https://tusa.org.au/birth-control-subsidy/ to apply and find more information
Let's agree to leave Neil the Seal the hell alone. Hazel Jennings
Neil the seal is a Tassie icon; from RACT ads to your mum's Facebook reels, to news articles and TikTok live streams, we've all seen him, our cheeky elephant seal with a specific dislike of traffic cones and council workers with sticks. In the past month a number of articles from the ABC, SBS, The Conversation, news.com.au, Seven News, and even the dreaded Pulse Tasmania all discussed Neil’s cost to the local community; and to be honest, it's staggering.
Nisha Thapa
If you were to ask me to describe community I’d say it’s giving the neighbours salt when they’ve run out, it’s watering someone’s plants if they’re going away, it’s picking up and dropping off a friend to the airport – people don’t drive their friends to the airport anymore! They don’t drive to work together anymore!
According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, in the last two years he has cost us $45,674. No one can deny that's not a lot of money, but where's it all going? While some of this cost goes towards damages, the vast majority is for staffing, and a LOT of it.
Growing up has unfortunately also coincided with the loss of community, and as I settle myself into adulthood it’s something I notice all around me, especially at Uni.
Why? Because people will not leave him the hell alone. Seals are not domesticated animals, and he's expected to grow, so please stop wheeling your baby stroller up to him so your three-year-old can have a look. You need to say a minimum of twenty metres away. Listen, we all know he’s cute, but what is not cute is the risk to his health and safety if he hurts someone. So let him rest, and if you do stumble upon him, don't share his location – use common sense.
Should STEM Students Do Humanities? Erik West
Some students would prefer to spend their time focusing, rather than on frivolities. This is seen as especially true for students in STEM fields, or especially those fields such as medicine. Many of these students don’t have time to pursue fields just because they might be interested in them, and many don’t even find humanities fields that interesting. Why would they waste valuable time and expensive credit hours on humanities when they don’t even study that, when they never wanted to and never meant to? Humanity needs STEM fields, there’s absolutely no argument to be had about that. We need scientists, engineers, medical workers. So why would we want to distract the students studying in those fields from their important work? Besides, students shouldn’t be forced to do anything, let alone study outside of their field. Free choice is important. Humanities classes can have a tendency to encourage a certain amount of ideological conformity, and we shouldn’t force that on students from completely unrelated fields. Others disagree with all these arguments. Some people think humanities education is vital for all, especially for students outside of humanities fields. What use is a lawyer with no understanding of political philosophy? What use is a doctor with no training in ethics? A scientist with no concept of the differences between cultures? All of those things are things the humanities teach you, things only the humanities can teach you.
The Price of Community is a Little Inconvenience.
Beyond that, requiring electives in different fields drives students to gain a broad base of knowledge, rather than specialising too early. What if a student who has only taken science and maths classes now wants to be an author, or a historian? They’d have to start over from the very beginning. Keeping knowledge broad keeps options open. Also, many say that humanities classes are what teaches students how to think, not just facts and figures. This is as important for doctors, scientists, and other STEM students as it is for humanities students. All these fields need people who can think on their feet. Have an opinion on this? Come join the HASS Society for Debating!
When we were kids, it was so easy to make friends and build a community – there was class, after school activities, you’d talk about your favourite shows with someone and instantly become best friends. But now, there is a real growing social distance between everyone. My first year of uni I noticed it even more. For me that first year was isolation, loneliness, hours spent studying by myself and recognising the same faces in classes but never really feeling connected to the people I saw on a day-to-day basis. I think the rise of adjectives like “cringey” are a real factor; everyone is too scared to be seen as embarrassing or cringey or different for doing anything. So, we all stay within our own bubbles. Through TikTok (with all of its good and bad) and social media these fears only amplify. Anyone can go viral, for good and bad things, so many people share their private thoughts that then get absorbed into the social consciousness. It takes one person to start a trend about “things that feels embarrassing to do in public” until everyone gets social paralysis. Biggest of all however I think is the rise of individualism. The idea that “you don’t owe anyone anything” is incredibly damaging to building a real community. Because you do owe everyone everything actually. Human beings would not exist without each other. People owe each other decency, kindness and respect. I think it’s important to acknowledge that the people yearn for community. Run clubs are constantly popping up around us, book clubs, movie clubs. But community is more than just people, it is work. The saying that “everyone wants a village but no one wants to be a villager” is incredibly true. You cannot have the benefits without some sacrifice. The first step is recognising that we are human and humans yearn for connection. The second step is putting aside the notion that you as an individual don’t owe anyone anything. Only then can we start to build true communities with real connection.
COMMUNITY NEIL NEWS
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HUMANITIES TOGATUS TASMANIA WORMS FIRMUS SSAF CHATBOT VENDING RINEHART
Tasmanians Against AI Artificial Intelligence is a controversial, now-pervasive
Who exactly are Firmus?
technology, the risks of which are poorly understood,
Firmus Technologies was founded by
and now, it’s setting up on Tasmania’s doorstep.
Oliver Curtis, Tim Rosenfield and Johnathon Levee in 2019. Firmus began as a cryptocurrency mining company before redirecting into the data centre industry. Notably, Oliver Curtis, the largest shareholder of the company, served a year in prison at age 22 when he was convicted of insider trading resulting in a net profit of $1.5 million. 8
“TALK ABOUT IT” We as students must stand against the growing threat to our learning and, ultimately, to our future.
What do we do now? Keep educating other members of the public about the situation Attend local meetings and forums about the data centres Contact local politicians about your concerns Demand transparency from Firmus Technologies about water consumption and power use. Attend local actions such as protests or school strikes @circa_lutruwita
By Elliot Davis and Charlotte/Fabian Hammond