BREAKING GOSS: The USU Has (Finally) Taken A Stance Against The Ramsay Centre

By Pulp Goss

We know, you’re tired. SRC elections ended yesterday, and it feels sinful to be working on the Sacred Hack Day Of Rest.

But it’s been almost a year since the issue was raised by 2018 SRC Education Officer Lara Sonnenschein in an October board meeting, and the 2019 USU Board have finally found the time to inform themselves about the Ramsay Centre. Last year’s anti-Ramsay motion was quashed before it could even come to a vote, with former President Lilliana Tai telling Honi that:

“I think for a lot of people […] they don’t want to put themselves in a position where they’re publicly voting on something which in a few weeks or a few months’ time, would change their minds on,”  

The motion was moved by first year board director Nick Forbutt, and seconded by Honorary treasurer Maya Eswaran. Eswaran attempted to move a similar motion in 2018. 

Forbutt spoke to the motion by saying:

“This has been a long time coming, and I’m glad to be bringing it to board today...it’s come up as Michael Spence re-opened negotiations last week”

Resistance to the motion came from Vice President Lachlan Finch and senate appointed director Maree Leech, who spoke to the fact that “alongside some right wing leaders on the board, there are also some high profile left wing leaders on the board” and asked for amendments to the motion where it said that the Ramsay Centre was “the Ramsay Centre itself is not a neutral institution, with known right-wing leaders on its Board”. An amendment to change this to “Further, the Ramsay Centre has known political figures on its board.” was carried.

The motion passed 8-1, with Lachlan Finch voting against and Cady Brown and Jane Drummond abstaining. 

More tea to follow.