All Fun and Games.

by Julia Hollingsworth | 3:21 pm 11/07/2010

The first SGM of the year took place last Thursday, with about 200 students showing up.

he first motions – accepting the audited accounts, and appointing auditors, solicitors, and reinstating Donna Jones as secretary – passed unanimously. Proposed Constitutional changes and amendments that set out the process for voting were passed with some dissent, as the legal implications of these motions is still unknown.

The most controversial issue of the meeting was OUSA President Harriet Geoghegan’s motion to rescind all past motions, and to bring SGMs online. Allegations that Geoghegan’s motion was targeting NORML have circulated, to which Geoghegan has replied, “they’re paranoid.” The motions on the chopping block had been divided into a number of categories, including “frivolous motions” (“that the skytower building be vulva-shaped”), motions that were no longer relevant, and “external issues” (“that this meeting direct OUSA to actively oppose any invasion of Iraq without United Nation support”). Geoghegan said there was little legitimacy in the motions the SGM passed if only one percent of students (the required quorum of an SGM) was backing it. Nevertheless, Geoghegan was happy to accept the legitimacy of such a vote if it passed her motion.

Numerous students spoke to the motion. James Gluck, who was fairly active throughout the meeting, claimed Geoghegam was attempting to “depoliticise OUSA”, at which point cries of “bullshit” sprung from the small ACT contingent. Gluck named a few of the “silly motions” that would be rescinded, that included opposition to neo-Nazi groups and support for gay and lesbian rights.

The undisputed champion of all things policy-related, Dan Stride, spoke passionately against the motion, saying that to throw out all old motions was to “throw the baby out with the bathwater.” 

Ultimately the motion was not passed, with 62 votes for the motion and 107 against. A distant voice, presumably Gluck’s, exclaimed: “Thank you, you’ve saved democracy.”

Another major motion was moved by Gluck, concerning “douche” ex-OUSA President Edwin Darlow. Gluck claimed that despite Darlow’s duty to represent student views at the University Council, he had “sold out” and voted for an increase in student fees, which was a “ridiculous breach of student representation.” Gluck said that as a result, Darlow’s life membership to OUSA should be revoked. A spiteful retort from Darlow via letter stated that “any criticism from Mr Gluck is generally a compliment,” and claimed that the accusation was absurd. An anonymous member of the crowd called out, “He’s even more obnoxious in print.” 

Passionate outbursts ensued, emphasising that letting Darlow “get away with it” was setting an awful precedent. However, Walker McMurdo equated the motion to a petty hissy fit, saying, “If you’re a childish dick, you should vote for the motion.” The voters took heed, with the general consensus being that while Darlow was unanimously hated, it would be too mean and petty to pass the motion. The motion was put to a vote, and failed by a simple majority.

The last motion of the meeting was put forward by Dan Stride and Imogen Roth, updating the Accommodation policy from its previous form “without throwing everything out.”

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