A second ticket has officially entered the ANUSA election landscape, with Left Action for ANUSA and NUS launching a ticket comprised of a “coalition of activists and anti-capitalists at ANU.” The ticket currently features both SALT (Socialist Alternative) members and an independent anti-capitalist activist, and is planning to contest General Representative and NUS positions. The ticket will not contest executive positions. Interested students are invited to attend a ticket launch event advertised on their Facebook here to express interest in joining the ticket.
The ticket currently includes SALT members Nick Reich, Aveline Cayir and Louie Hanna, and independent Jamie Gray. Nick Reich ran unsuccessfully last year on the Climate Action for ANUSA ticket as a candidate for President.
The ticket emphasises an activist approach to the student union, stating “We’re running because we want ANUSA to embody the best traditions of radical student unionism: organising resistance…and fighting against every instance of injustice and inequality.” The ticket identifies what it describes as capitalist crises, including cost-of-living pressures, the “climate crisis” and “transphobic and racist politics.” On universities, Left Action identifies the “corporate university” as the cause for course cuts, increasing fees, and “privatising on-campus services.” The ticket also criticises student unions’ “exclusive focus on service provision,” continuing discourse over how ANUSA’s balances service provision through the BKSS and mutual aid pantry, with political activism.
The ticket emphasises their candidates’ experience with organising protests, citing their involvement in Housing Action, climate change, and anti-Posie Parker protests held on campus and at Parliament House this year. Left Action also highlighted the involvement of Aveline, a candidate for General Representative and NUS Delegate, in the recent interruption of incoming RBA Governor Michelle Bullock’s inaugural speeches. Jamie Gray, candidate for General Representative, is also a resident at Fenner Hall.
The ticket calls out “[s]tudent politicians [who] would much prefer an impressive title to put on their resume as they climb the corporate or political ladder than to actually organise a serious fightback that can win.” Left Action commits to utilising elected positions to “push” ANUSA and the NUS to “be activist institutions,” citing key issues as university divestment from fossil fuels, a reduction in cost-of-living pressures on campus, and better “quality of education” partnered with better staff conditions. The ticket also intends to “fight for genuine action on climate change,” oppose religious right-wing campaigns against “women’s and LGBTI rights”, support freedom of refugees, and stand “in solidarity with Palestine.” In all of these issues, Left Action cites the mobilising of students and organisation of students as key drivers of change.
Left Action concludes by emphasising its view that student unions “…must be actively oppositional to university management and the current Labor government,” while also supporting staff strikes. Overall, the ticket emphasises standing against oppression, and “fight[ing] back whenever our rights are under attack.”
The full list of candidates on this ticket can be seen below:
Nick Reich – General Representative and NUS Delegate
Aveline Cayir – General Representative and NUS Delegate
Louie Hanna – General Representative and NUS Delegate
Jamie Gray – General Representative
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