GENERAL REPRESENTATIVES

Student Wellbeing

As a Gen Rep I will work to improve the wellbeing of students on campus. Whether it be Mental health, health or safety issues I will always advocate for students voices to be heard surrounding these issues and to make improvements to the campus that will positively effect the experiences of all students.

More Pets on Campus! 

I understand the immense impact that animal interactions can have on the overall wellbeing of university students, which is why I am dedicated to creating more ways to interact with cats and dogs on campus. The benefits of interactions with animals are countless, most importantly for university students animals can reduce stress, improve mental health, and help to foster a supportive community environment. With a large number of students living on campus and all on-campus residences not allowing students to have any pets, students lack access to these animals. This can be especially challenging for students who have had to say goodbye to dogs and cats at home to come to university, myself included, I understand the impact this can have on mental health and just overall happiness. I understand the importance of pets on our wellbeing, and I will help to offer students the opportunity to engage with animals but also create nurturing spaces that continue to a healthier and more connected campus community. 

Actionable Points: 

Establish regular pop-up events across campus that allow students to interact with cats and dogs to help enhance mental health and decrease stress levels of university students. 

• Engage with local animal welfare organizations and shelters, to facilitate pop-up engagements. 

• Create a student survey that allows students to nominate locations and times that they would most like the pop-ups. 

• Develop schedules that are published to ANUSA social media pages to ensure students are aware when pop-ups are occurring. 

• Work collaboratively with ANUSA executives, to ensure organization and funding support. 

Improve Campus Lighting! 

I will strive to create a campus environment where every student feels safe and secure, across campus and at all times. As a student living on campus I have made the trek from civic to daley rd many times and have always noticed an absence of lighting. Because of this I will work with the ANU to increase the number of lights across campus. Effective lighting not only enhances the visibility of pathways and campus facilities but also helps to provide a greater sense of safety and security for students across campus. Having effective lighting is especially prevalent for ANU considering the high proportion of students who live on campus, this often forces students to be walking around campus after dark. Many students currently do not feel safe in their home environment, which is unacceptable! The lack of lighting currently around campus is a failure of the university that I will work to fix. 

Actionable Points: 

Enhance safety and security across the ANU campus by increasing and optimizing outdoor lighting, to create a safer environment for students and ensure all members of the ANU community can navigate the campus with confidence, especially after dark. 

• Work with the university to conduct a comprehensive audit of the lighting across campus to identify areas that need new/increased lighting. In combination with a university wide survey, which allows students to nominate locations where they would like to see lighting introduced/increased. 

• Ensure that new lighting is installed, but also that existing lighting is upgraded where needed to ensure adequate illumination of pathways, building perimeters, and parking areas. 

• Work with the university to ensure that energy-efficient lighting solutions are chosen, to help improve the sustainability of the campus. 

• Work with ANU Security to implement a regular maintenance schedule to ensure all lighting fixtures are functioning correctly and are not obstructed. 

• Establish a reporting system for the campus community to report malfunctioning lights or suggest where new lights should be added. 

Bring Back Bubblers on Campus: 

Currently, there are not enough easily accessible bubbles across the ANU campus. When walking between classes, on an evening run or just enjoying the scenery of campus, students should have easy access to bubblers. Increasing the amount of bubblers on campus will promote hydration, improve environmental sustainability by limiting single-use-plastics and improve convenience for students.  

Actionable Points: 

Increase the number of drinking taps across the ANU campus to improve access to water, support environmental sustainability and enhance the convenience and health of students. 

• Work collaboratively with the ANU and students to conduct a comprehensive assessment to identify high traffic areas, existing gaps, and the locations where additional drinking taps are most needed. 

• Ensure that the drinking taps are designed to be accessible to all users and include features such as bottle-filling stations and easy-to-use mechanisms.

making support more accessible

 ANUSA to investigate the potential of providing a social worker at the BKSS

 ANUSA to run sessions to interested students to improve peer-to-peer support and referral,

including to all res halls during O Week in Semester 1

 Investigate providing all ANUSA staff to receive mental health first aid training (or other appropriate training) which includes understanding referral options for those struggling

o ANUSA legal service to particularly engage postgraduate & international students around the referral process and highlight confidentiality

 ANUSA to separate mental health services from the existing Medical Grant in order to recognise that students with mental ill health or illnesses face higher medical costs and hence require additional support, as well as the fact that a separate grant means more students may recognise, and thus access, the grant

o The new grant will be known as the ANUSA mental health grant, available to all students suffering from mental ill health or mental illness including:

 Free first session at ANU Psychology Clinic for ALL ANU students

 A $300 per semester grant for mental health-related medical expenses, including attending a GP to obtain a mental health treatment plan, medication costs or private psychology appointments (including for ADHD or other diagnoses that may impact a student’s mental health)

 ANUSA, in partnership with ANU Sport, will investigate subsidised ANU sport memberships for students who would benefit because of their mental health

 Better advertise support for students with beginning and completing EAP applications with a focus on advertising that EAPs are available to those who are struggling with their mental health

 ANUSA to launch the “It’s Ok to Say” campaign, with the aim of addressing the large proportion of mentally ill students who do not seek help

o Platforming lived experience advocates in on-campus events, especially in residential halls, to normalise verbalising concerns

o Increasing advertising of mental health support for students and the many avenues available (especially proposed hotline), including during times of peak need (such as exam period)

o This also includes engaging international students and postgraduate students, male* identifying, queer* identifying and BIPOC students

encouraging prevention

 ANUSA will expand the Less Stresstival into a week-long event including self-care activites on campus (e.g. dogs on campus), public messaging around mental health and support services and integrated res hall events, to occur around exam time

 Calling on the ANU to continue programs like the Get Up and Go (ANU Counselling) and maintaining free ANUSA classes at ANU Sport, advertised as a way to improve mental wellbeing

 Working with the ANU School of Psychology to develop a program for students that can be completed online or in-person to develop coping strategies and wellbeing-enhancing techniques in a university context, including peer sessions

 ANUSA to investigate the potential of providing a social worker at the BKSS

improving university services

 ANUSA calls on the ANU to:

o Adapt the existing 24/7 Crisis Support Line into a six-digit, memorable number to serve as both a 24/7 mental health support triage and crisis support service

o Reviewing the ANU’s integration of services including ANU Counselling, the ANU Psychology Clinic and external support such as headspace and private psychology providers to ensure continuity of care at a front-facing level

 Consider best practice from other universities, including Macquarie University

o Utilising the triage service to improve continuity of care

o Require annual mental health training, including on prescribing medication and referring to psychological services (e.g. mental health treatment plans), for GPs at the ANU Medical Centre

o Jointly fund, with ANUSA, a part-time, bulk-billing in person or telehealth psychiatrist at the ANU Medical Centre

o Investigate alternative methods of therapy beyond the existing six-session model, including:

 a model for single-session therapy to be ramped up during busy assessment or exam periods

 a model appropriate for those facing moderate, rather than low, levels of psychological distress, including additional sessions and more experienced counsellors with a deeper understanding of advanced clinical techniques

 this would also require an improvement of ANU Counselling’s intake process, potentially modelled after headspace intake procedures, to ensure more experienced and qualified staff assist students in more severe distress

o Open ANU Counselling or the ANU Psychology Clinic for late hours (after 5pm) at least one night per week

o Incorporate trauma and mental illness/ill-health into Respectful Relationships

Education

o Improve EAP accessibility by hiring additional staff at Access & Inclusion to reduce wait times, actively advertising that EAPs are available for students with mental ill-health/illness and increasing transparency about the EAP process (necessary documentation, student progress with application, potential wait times etc.)

o Improve EAP implementation by automatically sharing a student’s EAP provisions with course convenors, provided the student consents

o Make ECA (Extenuating Circumstance Applications) available for assessment tasks of all weightings

o Allow EAPs as documentation for ECAs

o Commits to a target of having wait times no greater than two weeks at ANU Counselling

 - Hiring additional staff to achieve this

 - Making approximate wait times available to monitor this commitment

o Has in place rapid response plans for times of severe psychological distress for the ANU community or sections of the community

o Accept ANU Psychology students at patients at the ANU Psychology Clinic under revised confidentiality and conflict of interest guidelines

res halls

 Work with IHC and res halls to develop a policy to deal with res hall specific issues, including eating disorders and suicide prevention

Introduction

• As a first year, I have witnessed a cohort of other young people enter a new environment which can be extremely challenging.

• Mental health has been a particular concern which impacts student’s social life and ability to manage academics. 

• Seeking help is challenging, and many students find it overwhelming to deal with administration and health services when trying to access the resources they need. In my experience, ANUSA is not regarded as a supportive body that students can access for practical help. 

• If elected as a general representative, I will commit to improving ANUSA’s ability to provide support networks for students. 

I support uplifting minority voices at ANU. 

• As an autistic person, I have a unique understanding of the issues that neurodivergent students face. I will focus on amplifying this perspective in the education system which has continually lacked awareness and understanding. I value honest, direct communication and will stand up for student issues. I am also a member of the LGBTQ+ community. ANU should be a welcoming and accepting space for all. 

If elected as a general representative, I will commit to three main policies:

1# ANUSA to have improved wellbeing support networks

Finding mental health support can be difficult for students, and navigating administration and professional contacts without support can be daunting. Students should feel that ANUSA provides for and protects students while they navigate reaching out for help. Student issues deserve to be heard with a focus on harm reduction. 

I intend to:

1. Improve non-administrative support contacts so students feel comfortable 

2. Improve the current ANUSA wellbeing platforms to be more accessible

2# ANUSA to become a more accessible academic support for course failures and extenuating circumstances

• Students should not feel isolated when having to contact administration for academic issues. 

• I support the following actions:

1. ANUSA being more accessible to review emails, assist in writing statements, and respond to staff while navigating academic issues 

2. ANUSA providing templates and guides on how to contact administration

3. ANUSA representatives being available to support specific academic issues

4. I will also advocate for

-------Removing hurdle exams

-------Standardised submission times 

-------Examination and Assignment grace periods 

-------A grace period on wattle during submission times

#3 ANUSA to prioritise social inclusion

• ANU has a diverse student population with many different viewpoints. I believe that ANUSA should be empathic towards all circumstances and that no one should feel overpowered or misunderstood. 

• There is a limited engagement with ANUSA, and it should not only be students involved in politics that have a say in key issues. As students, we are all members of ANUSA. ANUSA should equally involve the whole student population. 

• I am proud to represent change to work towards rectifying the current issues with ANUSA and to provide a new perspective. 

1. Push the university to deliver on commitments in the ANU sustainability report 2023 and expand on them, including;

o   Developing and delivering a circular economy strategy and moving towards limiting single use plastics on campus.

o   Working with the uni to implement the organic food waste project across campus.

o   Implementing prizes for colleges with the least energy and water use. 

o   Pushing for the socially responsible investment (SRI) policy to change the following wording, instead setting ambitious targets and leading the sector: ‘achieve a significant reduction in the overall carbon intensity of the investment portfolio relative to industry benchmarks’.

2. Investigate having same day appointments or telehealth capacity, in order to increase accessibility of medical certificates when needed through the ANU health center.

3. Work with the ANU women’s department to advocate for respectful relationships education to be more holistic about where sexism comes from, more intersectional, and at least annual, in person, and compulsory for all students at ANU.

4. Implement respectful relationships training for teaching staff with discussions of how to approach potentially harmful content in a way that limits harm.

5. Work towards getting nap pods and comfier furniture in Marie Reay.

Introduction + Acknowledgements

This policy is shaped by my experiences as a student at ANU, particularly from living on campus and paying high rent while feeling the lack of adequate services and amenities that reflect this cost. Conversations with fellow residents have further highlighted that the quality of facilities and services on campus falls short of the expectations for what we are paying. For many of us, university life is not just about academics—it’s about the experience of living and thriving on campus. We deserve an environment that supports our academic and personal growth, especially when we're making significant financial contributions to the university.

Policy Overview

If elected as a General Representative for the ANU Student Association, I will focus on improving campus living conditions for students in three key ways:

1. Push for better amenities that match the high rent students pay, including but not limited to improved communal spaces, study areas, and recreational facilities.

2. Advocate for increased access to essential services such as mental health support, medical facilities, and security services to ensure students feel safe and supported.

3. Ensure greater transparency from ANU management about how our rent is being used, advocating for fairer rent prices that correspond with the services and quality of life students receive on campus.

These policy points are aimed at ensuring a balance between what students are paying and the quality of their living experience. We deserve better access to resources, more functional living spaces, and greater accountability from those managing our residences.

Policy Point 1: Improved Amenities

It is clear that students are paying high rents, but the quality of amenities has not been upgraded to reflect this. This includes basic needs like laundry facilities, kitchens, and communal areas, all of which are often outdated or insufficient. My policy will focus on:

• Pushing for upgrading outdated facilities, particularly kitchens, laundries, and common areas, to improve functionality and convenience.

• Advocating for the expansion of study spaces within residences to cater to the growing number of students using these areas for group work or quiet study.

• Advocating for more recreational spaces and better maintenance of existing ones to enhance student well-being and community building.

Policy Point 2: Access to Services

Living on campus should mean access to crucial services, and yet, many students face long wait times for mental health support, inadequate medical facilities, and inconsistent security services. My policy aims to address these concerns by:

• Lobbying for increased staffing in mental health services to reduce wait times and ensure students receive timely care.

• Pushing for 24/7 security presence in all residences to ensure safety, particularly at night.

• Advocating for better access to medical services, including after-hours care and emergency resources on campus.

Policy Point 3: Transparency and Fairness in Rent

The high rent we pay must be justified by the quality of services we receive. Many students feel that rent prices are rising without a corresponding improvement in living conditions. My policy will focus on:

• Demanding transparency from ANU management regarding how student rent is allocated and used.

• Working towards a fairer rent structure that considers the financial burden on students while ensuring that the quality of life and access to services on campus are prioritized.

• Engaging with the ANU Residential Experience Division to ensure that any future rent increases are matched with meaningful improvements in student services and amenities.

Action Items as a General Representative

• Actively work with the Residential Experience Division to push for better amenities and services on campus.

• Engage in dialogue with ANU management and the broader student body to demand greater transparency in how rent is utilized.

• Collaborate with other student representatives and halls to ensure that student needs are prioritized when it comes to budgeting for living facilities.

• Advocate for the formation of a working group focused on residence improvement to ensure ongoing student involvement and feedback.

• Use ANUSA, other representatives, and the resources of the organisation as the peak voice for students as a vehicle to achieve this change through motions and movements

By focusing on these priorities, I am committed to making tangible improvements to the living experiences of all students on campus.

If I am elected as a general representative at ANU, I will aim to ensure that all students feel safe, welcome and heard on campus by:

1. Encouraging a larger number of regional students at ANU ensuring that all regional students feel welcome and connected to a support body on campus. Proportionately, ANU has one of the largest percentages of students from cities such as Sydney and Melbourne compared to any other university in Australia. From my experience, this meant that I found it difficult to break into those circles and find people who I relate to based on our rural upbringings. To change this I will: 

• Collaborate with the regional student group on campus and with the marketing board at ANU to advertise ANU to more regional schools so that students are aware of the university; and 

• Create a college based buddy system so that once regional students arrive on campus they have a network of connections, making the transition smoother into ANU. 

2. Work in collaboration with the Change VP Candidate to provide pill testing kits in the BKSS.  The ACT is incredibly progressive in drug laws, which I believe enables a safer environment to form around drug taking and buying. On campus drugs are obviously a relevant topic. By providing pill testing kits on campus, ANU will become a much safer place for ALL students. This is a change that needs to happen. 

3. I’m a member of the ANU Refugee Action Campaign on campus, fighting against the treatment of refugees in Australia. Everyone’s right to asylum, to feel safe in a place and call it home is a fundamental human right, and will be upheld by me if you elect me as General Representative. 

• The ANU Refugee Action Campaign will put forward a motion at the next General Meeting so that ANUSA can endorse the group on campus, and allow for a larger promotion for the club and Refugee rights on campus. 

Introduction

The proposed policy is informed by both experiences close to me and my peers, alongside ANU sexual assault and harrassment reports such as the 2022 National Student Survey (NSSS) which sheds light on of the reality of the threat of sexual assault and sexual harrassment (SASH)  for ANU students, especially those living in residential halls. 

To begin my first semester living on campus at ANU, my peers and I were required to complete the Respectful Relationships Unit, a short online course introducing ‘new students at ANU to core concepts about consent and respectful relationships’ alongside a seminar session covering relevant issues. The course was relatively informative, yet I found that most of my peers had found ways to quickly skip through the videos and information without actually watching them, completing the course in order to begin their studies at ANU. An evident lack of preventative methods such as education regarding sexual assault is apparent, whereby a non-engaging online course and lecture on consent at the beginning of the academic year is not enough to address the NSSS 2022 findings that 26.1% of ANU respondents had reported being sexually harrassed, with 12.3% of all respondents further reporting being sexually assaulted during their time at university, triple the national average for Australian higher education institutions. 

Moreover, in my individual experience, I find myself surrounded by survivors of SASH within months of moving to live on campus. Many do not report these incidents and seek minimal support. Whilst we have many resources to support those suffering the lived experiences of SASH, the ANU must place greater emphasis upon the importance of preventative methods and intersectional education to stop sexual assault from occuring in the first place. Education should additionally aid friends and peers to support survivors who confide in them. Although the Rights, Relationships and Respect module is to be updated in 2025 by way of altering and expanding it, the ANU must also prioritise consistent education throughout the school year, so as not be a tick-the-box unit completed once at the beginning of first year.

Policy Overview

To begin my policy overview, I identify three main issues with current ANU student education on SASH that I aim to address:

1. The lack of consistent SASH education

2. Students do not engage with the SASH resources

3. Students often do not believe such education is relevant to them, and there is a lack of clarity in understanding various definitions and types of SASH.

To both increase student understanding of SASH as relevant to them and challenge underlying issues, if elected as General Representative I would propose the following actions:

1. Finding new ways to interactively engage the student body so that education is not monotonous or a chore. This would include implementing actions such as:

   1. Partnering with existing organisations to have engaging speakers on campus giving public seminars

   2. Having pop up stalls based regularly on campus with free food and fun activities which students can stop by to grab food and join a Kahoot game, or spin an informative wheel etc. (Food for Thought!)

2. Refreshing consent education annually, rather than simply running a one-off tick-a-box module for first-year students

3. Targeting residential college engagement in SASH education. This would be led by Rescomms or SRs, to allow for peer-to-peer engagement run by respected student leaders of the ANU community. This would also be an effective way to teach students about the various ways in which they can support survivors who confide in them, both to know to what extent they should support their friends and what is beyond the scope of their role as a friend (i.e. teaching peers to know when further professional support is necessary– this could extend to general mental health issues as well) 

4. Advocating and providing consistent education on SASH through methods such as handing out flyers and informative posters around campus 

In conjunction with the policy of Change, if elected, I would also aim to make ANUSA more accessible and easily understood for students such as myself who have had no prior involvement in student politics. 

I am committed to having and continuing conversations with students who express interest or curiosity in ANUSA ongoings, and actively destigmatising the process of involving oneself in student politics. This may be done through methods such as:

1. Holding information booths at various colleges 

2. Making myself available to relay and advocate for any student suggestions to Change through FAQ’s and questionnaires and

3. Encouraging and empowering students to engage with ANUSA to access their services, reach out to their representatives if they need anything/ have any questions or to get involved themselves

Rural and Regional Outreach + Inclusion 

• ANUSA to lobby an expansion of the travelling open days to more northern areas such as the Central, Mid-North and Northern Coasts of NSW 

• Increased advertisement of niche degrees offered by ANU, to rural and regional students in these areas ( Political Science, International Security Studies etc ) 

  • In this expansion, representatives should also be students who are from rural and regional areas, who can provide efficient advice and answer the appropriate questions asked by rural and regional high school students 

• An increase in the ANU Rural and Regional Equity Scholarship amount (TBD) 

  • OR

•  Increase the amount on offer to 5 (TBD?)

• The creation of tailored orientation programs and sessions to address the particular challenges rural and regional students face such as moving long distances, financial advice and transitioning into a new social group 

• The implementation of a specific and planned mentorship program that is targeted at rural and regional students where first years are paired with older students from similar regions/backgrounds 

• Include natural disaster relief in ANU Counselling training + assistance for students impacted by natural disasters ( particularly in their rural or regional areas ) 

Security Improvements

• An increase in the presence of security along University Ave + around parts of Daley Road on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights  

• Improved training of security to recognise threats and anti-social behaviour - not just stand yapping / on their phones 

• Increased training relating to assistance for intoxicated / students impaired by substance 

• Improved first aid equipment eg. vomit bags in the cars ( so they can actually help intoxicated students without worrying about protecting the cars interior! )   

SASH On Campus Training 

• Reform the training modules for students to be more enforceable ( so people can’t just check in and leave ) 

• Provide multiple available training sessions to make it more accessible for working/travelling students 

Safety and Sensitivity 

• The establishment of mandatory content warnings for particular topics especially within Law and Humanities Courses 

  • Provided at the beginning of a lecture/tutorial 

  • Students be provided a chance to leave or disengage with the content 

Disability Accessibility Enhancements 

• Ensure that accessibility fixtures (lifts, ramps, bathrooms) are always up to maintenance are hygienic, and are not left broken for long periods

• Ensure that all emergency plans effectively are up to date and consider the procedures and needs of students with disabilities, to ensure their safety 

• The implementation of a feedback system where students are able to report accessibility issues and suggest improvements 

• Ensure the accessibility of campus events by ensuring there is accessible seating and the appropriate devices for those hearing impaired 

• The implementation of assistive communication devices and systems in academic systems ( speech-to-text, text-to-speech etc ) for students with communicative or neurodiverse conditions 

• The creation of awareness and sensitivity training for staff and security within the University to generate a better understanding and awareness of the needs of students with disabilities 

Cost of Living Assistance / Relief 

• A significantly reduced parking rate for students living on AND off campus

• Priority hiring for on-campus student jobs for those coming from financial hardship/ who are financially independent

• Increased collaboration with surrounding businesses to create discounts for students 

1. Better support from ANUSA for the welfare of low SES students on campus

Introduction/Problem: As a student who knows what it's like to rely on centrelink payments to afford rent and not always be able to afford groceries, I feel ANUSA has an underutilized capacity to (a) understand the hidden and excessive mental burdens which are placed on low SES students and (b) connect with residential halls to provide more awareness of what assistance is available to students whose financial situation is creating or worsening struggles with their mental and/or academic health. There are many additional and unseen responsibilities that low SES students have to consider on a daily basis in order to navigate their expenses and time on campus, and I feel that many choose not to reach out for help when they need it because they are unaware of what help is available. These factors can isolate students and place great strains on their academic performance and mental health. 

Action Items:
Aims: To better understand the needs of low SES students

-A survey looking into how many students who identify as low-SES also struggle with mental health, feel that dealing with their financial burdens has affected their studies, or that there is/isn’t sufficient support available to them. 

Aims: To increase the visibility of programs which benefit low SES students & to increase conversations around assistance for low SES students and destigmatize reaching out for financial help when it's needed

-More promotion of ANUSA’s existing programs within and outside halls, for instance the ANUSA Grocery Voucher Program, or the ANUSA assistance grant for short term unexpected hardship. Perhaps connecting with RMs or CSOs to present the help available to students or flyers, posters etc.

2. Environmental care - improving the placement of bins on campus to discourage littering

   
   To figure out where the hotspots for waste are would maybe require some sort of distance mapping between the existing bins and data collection of littering on campus, but I have particularly noticed around the Hancock library and on the Kambri lawn, an unfortunate number of plastic waste left behind which I believe could be prevented by placing more bins in accessible locations. 

Action Items:
-An audit of littering on campus

-A survey on how people feel about the quantity or location of bins on campus

While current Safety and Wellbeing services do admirable work, there's a gap when it comes to referring students to the appropriate support systems. Currently, students are often referred to ANU counselors, but for survivors of trauma, this might not always be the best fit, especially when social workers are handling these cases instead of specialised counselors. If elected, I will endeavor to:

• Introduce external organisations like the Survivor Hub to run regular meet-up sessions. These sessions would give survivors the space to understand their options, feel empowered in their healing journey, and connect with a supportive community.

  • The Survivor Hub’s services would naturally assist students living in residential halls who may not feel safe or supported in their current living environments. These students require an external community where they can feel safe and understood, without ties to the residential hall environment.

Campus safety is a top priority, and effective lighting plays a crucial role in creating a secure environment for all students. Numerous students have discussed areas on campus where lighting is inadequate or ineffective. If elected, I propose to address these concerns by:

• Collaborating with the Disabilities Students Association and the Women’s Department to conduct an ANU Light Walk around campus to identify specific spots with poor lighting, using the findings from the campus walk to advocate for improved lighting solutions. 

While there has been progress in addressing mistreatment of survivors at ANU, a significant level of distrust remains, particularly within residential halls. Survivors often feel misheard or unsupported when disclosing incidents in a residential hall environment. If elected, I will strive to:

• Promote collaboration with The ANUSA president and the Interhall Council of Presidents (IHC) to foster community-based responses to improve safety and support across campus and within residential halls. 

• Promote walking groups not only to, but also from events as a community-based safety measure. 

• Ensure that CSOs, Heads of Halls, SRs, and Residential Wellbeing Coordinators are fully trained to guide students through formal disclosure processes. They should be equipped to inform students about the steps needed to access the ANU disclosure tool and avoid leaving disclosures confined to a single, informal conversation.

ANU currently faces one of the highest rates of sexual assault and harassment (SASH) incidents among Australian universities despite the Rights, Respectful Relationships (RRR) unit being the best-funded consent education program in the country. Given the severity of the issue at ANU, the university’s duty of care is significantly higher, and the current approach to consent education requires immediate reform to better address this problem. If elected:

• I will work with the ANU Women’s Department to push for a reform of the language and content of the RRR consent training to eliminate terms like “sexual project,” which fosters a sense of entitlement over sexual experiences and an undertone that expects students to have had sex.

Many students at ANU are unaware of the seriousness and prevalence of sexual assault and harassment (SASH) on campus. There is a need to foster an ongoing dialogue and transparency regarding sexual assault and harassment (SASH) on campus. If elected, 

• I will work towards the creation of a yearly SASH report. This report, produced in collaboration with the ANU Women’s Department, would provide critical data and insights on SASH incidents, university responses, and progress toward improving campus safety.

Access to appropriate healthcare is critical for all students, especially for women who may be uncomfortable with the current gender imbalance among general practitioners at ANU Health. At present, ANU Health has only one female general practitioner (GP), and she only sees her regular patients. While female nurse practitioners are available, the imbalance between male and female GPs has left many female students feeling unsupported. 

• If elected, I will work to push the Australian National University (ANU) to increase the number of female general practitioners at ANU Health. This will ensure that female students, especially those impacted by SASH, have greater access to trauma-informed, gender-sensitive medical care. 

ANU security plays a crucial role in maintaining campus safety, yet many students do not feel fully comfortable interacting with security personnel. While there is a general perception of safety, security staff often lack the necessary training to effectively handle sensitive situations, particularly when they are the first point of contact for disclosures related to mental health or sexual assault and harassment (SASH). If elected I will promote:

• Mandatory Mental health and first disclosure training for security personnel, to ensure that they are equipped to provide immediate support to students in distress, enhancing overall campus safety and fostering greater trust in ANU Security.

The government’s recent announcement of an independent National Student Ombudsman is a promising step toward safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of students in higher education. This follows significant advocacy work from the National Union of Students (NUS) and recommendations from the Universities Accord. However, it’s essential that this new body operates with students, not institutions, as its primary focus. If elected,

•  I will work on the NUS to ensure that the Ombudsman’s processes are trauma-informed and survivor-centered. It is vital that students feel safe and supported when raising complaints, and that their voices are heard. The system must be designed to work for students, not protect universities from scrutiny.

The National Union of Students (NUS) has made significant progress in driving reforms to address sexual assault and sexual harassment (SASH) across Australian universities. If elected,

• I will work closely with the NUS Women's Department to continue advancing SASH reforms at the federal level. This collaboration will focus on ensuring that universities not only adopt the necessary recommendations but also implement them effectively, with transparent reporting and accountability.