The Fall of Fortress Flinders: Student Elections
Photography by Lachlan White.
REPORTED BY LACHLAN WHITE.
IN SHORT:
FIRE-UP won in a landslide victory marking the end of the Activate stronghold of student council.
FIRE-UP won 17 out of 20 student council seats and 4 out of the 6 NUS delegates.
“What was thought to be impossible, has just become reality”
someone said to me on the night of the student election while downing a beer in my hand, those words echoed within me even until the next day.
Fortress Flinders, a phrase often used to describe Activate's firm grip on the student council, this election has brought that to an end. This coming year's student council marks the first time in over a decade that a non-Activate majority governs.It is said that Activate has dominated Flinders student council for the past 16 years, and previously the next biggest challenger in previous elections was UNITE. Not only that the 2024 student council marks the first time in over a decade that a non-Activate majority governs. This election has broken even pre-covid levels of votes, a huge achievement for voter participation with the recent elections having dropping voting numbers.
This was the first year FIRE-UP ticket ran in student council elections, a merger of UNITE and Grassroots. There were 3 Factions that contested this election; Activate, FIRE-UP, and Left Action; with some independent candidates contesting the positions of Student President, Postgraduate Students Officer, International Students Officer and Queer Officer.
The Who’s Who?
You may be asking what factions are and who are they? Factions are pretty much the student political parties, this year, 3 ran, compared to 4 last year. Presidential candidates are Jana (FIRE-UP), Jess Williams (Activate), and Ankit Rao (Independent).
FIRE-UP
FIRE-UP is a new faction on campus which is a merged ticket of last election’s ticket of UNITE, and Grassroots.
FIRE-UP ran on some ambitious policies, key ones being creating an International Student Collective (now International Student Network), expanding free Period Products across to more campuses, accessible doors for the disability space, advocating for better parking at Tonsley and working to end student poverty.
Left Action
Left Action is the radical Trotskyist faction on campus, with key issues running on fights for free education, and leading grassroot campaigns against bigotry, racism, and homophobia.
ACTIVATE
Activate ran on a platform of inclusive accessibility educational practices to be implemented university-wide, improved consistent awareness campaigns, and the cost of living crisis grants and sustainable and affordable food options on campus.
The election was undoubtedly a resounding victory for FIRE-UP, who have captured a majority of the Student Council seats, NUS delegates and the student media Empire Times. FIRE-UP swept the office-bearing positions, winning 13 out of the available 14 positions, with elected unopposed for the position of Person of Colour Officer, going to FIRE-UP candidate Jessica Williams, and the position of First Nation Students Officer had no candidates, leaving the position vacant.
When asked regarding the vacant position, Student President-elect Jana commented
“it is disappointing that no ticket ran a student for the role. It will be one of the first actions we take to start the vacancy process and begin taking in nominations. I think that this is indicative of the lack of representation of First Nation students within our community, and we want to work with whoever ends up getting the role on recreating a First Nation Students collective”.
STUDENT COUNCIL COMPOSITION
Results of seats
Colour scheme: FIRE-UP (Orange), Activate (Purple), Left Action (Black), Vacant (Grey). Diagram made with parliamentdiagram.toolforge.org
(number of members shown w/ changes from pre-election composition)
17 to FIRE-UP (+14*)
1 to Activate (-15)
1 to Left-Action (0)
1 VACANT - First Nation Students Officer
UNAFFILIATED: 0 (0)
*I have counted last year’s seats of Grassroots and UNITE to FIRE-UP as some of last year’s UNITE and Grassroots candidates ran this year with FIRE-UP.
Key players
Jana (FIRE-UP) - The World-Changer
Jana is the first international student as student president, the main man in council and the leader of FIRE-UP.
Nathaniel Winter (FIRE-UP) - The Promise-keeper
Nathaniel is the General Secretary, the whip on council, minute taker, keeping student council running smoothly, and the man keeping track of their promises are delivered.
Ben Grillett (FIRE-UP) - The Campaigner
Ben is the Education Officer, the bargainer between the factions, and the architect and organiser of campaigns and operations.
Denzel (Left Action) - Comrade Councilor
Denzel is the key player in the role of council as the only Left Action member sitting on the 2024 student council, a trotskyist that hopes to bring the radical history of student activism back to Flinders.
Alex Priest (Activate) - the Sole Survivor
Alex is the only Activate member sitting on the 2024 student council, it will be interesting to see what motions they put up. I wasn't able to reach Alex for comment.
NUS COMPOSITION
RESULTS OF THE DELEGATES
Colour scheme: FIRE-UP (Orange), Activate (Purple), Left Action (Black). Diagram made with parliamentdiagram.toolforge.org
(number of members shown w/ changes from pre-election composition)
FIRE-UP: 4 (+3*)
ACTIVATE: 1 (-3)
LEFT ACTION: 1 (0)
UNAFFILIATED: 0 (0)
*I have counted last year’s seats of Grassroots and UNITE to FIRE-UP as some of last year’s UNITE and Grassroots candidates ran this year with FIRE-UP.
Also up for grabs in this election were six delegates from Flinders University to the National Union of Students (NUS). For those not familiar, the NUS is the peak representative and advocacy body for Australian post-secondary students. I often simplify it to non-student politics nerds too; National Union of Students (NUS) is the national student council, being a significant national body to lobby politicians and organise campaigns for students and their issues; while FUSA student council is local based being campus and university mostly issues.
Final Thoughts
FIRE-UP: A+
For a first election of this faction, they swept the student council with 17 spots (plus most likely an extra with the vacant spot), and took the majority of NUS Delegates.
Left Action: B
They didn’t lose or gain any positions on student council or NUS. So not much to say.
Activate: F
The election was a huge upset for Activate, their biggest ever in recent history. Resulting in the collapse of the so-called Fortress Flinders, and now holding only one out of the twenty seats on the student council and 1 delegate to NUS; however they almost took FIRE-UP’s final elected delegate in the NUS race, and surprising their vote for president increased from last year’s number so I can’t give them a F-.
CORRECTIONS: Misspelling of Ben Grillett, and the position of First Nation Students Officer.
EDITORIAL DISCLAIMER: This article was written after the student election, and the vacancy position of First Nation Students Officer has been filled. Education Officer, Ben Grillett has left FIRE-UP as currently sits as an independent. This article offers insights into the recent Student Council elections, authored by a student who ran under the "FIRE-UP" ticket. Given the author's direct involvement in the election, their perspective may carry inherent biases. Our publication aims to uphold journalistic integrity and transparency, presenting this piece as a firsthand account while acknowledging its subjective viewpoint. We encourage readers to consider this context, ensuring a balanced understanding of the events discussed.
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REPORTED BY LACHLAN WHITE.
A crushing landslide for FIRE-UP, maintaining its hold on student council. The fortress isn’t burnt as the flame is still going, it sees a second term.