The Language of the Law-
A Communication Student’s Impression of Law School

Here is the scene:

A group of first-year law students sit on the second floor of GP and wait to be taught how to communicate properly whilst practising law. We are a varied bunch; a few dazed eighteen-year-olds fresh from highschool and still wondering what a ‘newcat’ is and where they can purchase one, a few mature-age students eager to learn the intricacies of the online phenomenon that is ‘blackboard’ and a few jaded post-grads and change-over students who, like myself, try to master the inward eye roll to demonstrate their superiority. We sit in a neat ‘u’ shape and stare each other down like insecure playground bullies.

Last week was rough. No two ways about it. Not only did I have to survive a Valentines Day in the presence of delusional girls who think that meat-head footballer really cares about them, but I had to endure the thing that any self-respecting bachelor fears most: the wedding singles table.

Ah, the singles table, home of the perceived modern day social lepers. To make things worse, my sister, who happened to be the bride, wouldn’t allow me to bring anyone with whom I wasn’t in a “serious, committed relationship.”

I am an Australian man. I have been ever since I turned 18, when I went to the pub and poisoned my liver with my mates, sang 80s rock songs, had an up-and-under and got kicked out of another pub at 2:30 am. I was wearing jeans, a polo shirt, and I drank beer.

But on the question of “What does it mean to be an Australian man”, I didn’t know what to write.

Do I say it’s a requirement of manhood in this Great Southern Land that one must consume his body weight in fermented hops and malt?

It would be fair to describe Christophe Fauviau as a fanatical tennis dad. In an effort to gain the upper hand for his two children, Fauviau resorted to the unorthodox and rarely used method of drugging their tennis opponents with Temesta. An anti-depressant, Temesta causes extreme drowsiness. Unfortunately for one of his son’s opponents, Alexandre Lagardere, this proved fatal. Lagardere crashed his car and died after a tennis match.

Over the university break I attended the Students of Sustainability conference in Brisbane which focuses on social justice and the environment. There I was informed on many issues. I discovered that the land which I was standing on was stolen from its traditional owners, the Turrbal people. I learnt about the past and continued genocide of the Aboriginal people, about the new push for an expansion of nuclear industries in Australia, about the urgency for us to act on climate change, about the growing exports of coal from Newcastle and Queensland further locking us into climate disaster and the struggles of palm plantation workers in Indonesia who earn only $1-3 for a full days work.

Some people might be sick of hearing about VSU (voluntary student unionism), others might not care, but I know a lot of people are still confused about what VSU is and what is means for us here at our uni. So this article is to get you up to speed on it all.

The Cecil Synopsis - The Measure of a Man

Dolly Magazine made me the man I am today.

“You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.”

DVD, 2006

Newcastle harbour is an area divided between industry and environmental conservation.  Known for being the world’s largest coal exporter, it also exhibits large tracks of nature reserves, State significant SEPP 14 wetlands as well as the internationally recognised RAMSAR wetlands.  These contradicting land uses are located within meters of each other and as contemporary society continues to push for economic growth and industrial expansion, the Hunter Estuary Wetlands and Newcastle coastal areas are being put under more and more stress.  Many people are beginning to question whether the short sighted, unsustainable coal industry should be pushed at the expense of the long-term ecological integrity of the Hunter River Estuary.

Interview by Noah Cross. 

For Big City Exile, every new day brings another moderate success. From meeting their lead singer at a drunken, debauched Newcastle party, the band have quickly endeared themselves to their local listeners. In April, the five-piece spread their wings to prestigious venues throughout Sydney and Melbourne (The Metro Theatre, The Annandale, The Hopetoun, The Esplanade, The Rob Roy) on their Whirlwind Romance tour. 

Women in Engineering UTS celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2006

The engineering profession in Australia has traditionally attracted few women. Currently women represent around 6 per cent of practising professional engineers and 15 per cent of enrolments in engineering degree courses nationally.