Opinion

It’s no secret that Australia is in the midst of a housing crisis. With every passing day we’re one step closer to Jane Austen’s Georgian England, where you can only get a house through marriage or inheritance. Negative gearing and a capital gains tax concession for property investors are increasing demand, while planning restrictions, unsustainable immigration and government mismanagement is flatlining supply. A perfect storm. The effect of this housing quagmire impacts young people the most, locking them out of the housing market.   Naturally, this issue is becoming political. Max Chandler-Mather, the housing spokesperson for the Greens and one

Students across the country are set to see the education system turned on its head in the coming future. The release of the Australian University Accords comes as a 12-month long review of the university system to create a fairer and more equitable higher education system. The Honourable Jason Clare, Minister for Education says “The Accords will help to drive this change. It will help us build a better and fairer education system where no one is held back, and no one is left behind.” And to give credit where credit is due, I agree. However, as one of Monash’s

What is the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower? The ‘Sunflower’  is a global symbol for non-visible disabilities. The Sunflower is a way for people with hidden disabilities to let those around them know that they might need extra help, understanding, or just more time. Hidden disabilities come in many different forms. Some of our wearers live with chronic pain, Tourette’s, ADHD, and a lot of other conditions that aren’t immediately visible. Individuals can become Sunflower supporters by undergoing training about hidden disabilities and the Sunflower – this is done via a business joining the initiative.    How Did the Sunflower Come to

CW: Ableism  Embracing yourself has never been a great skill of mine. Less than a year ago, I was unsure if I should run for the position of MSA Disabilities & Carers Office Bearer because the thought referring to myself as disabled to a whole lot of people made me uncomfortable for reasons that I could not quite pinpoint.  The more I thought about it, the more I came to the conclusion that maybe it has got something to do with how my interactions in the world have changed since I have become disabled. It is a challenge to embrace

CW: COVID-19, Ableism  For most people, classes returning back to in-person was a huge relief. For me it meant a whole lot of stress.  In 2022, I completed my first year of my law degree and the second year of my arts degree online. This was not my first choice and was definitely not how I had pictured doing uni, but with COVID-19 numbers still very high and my immune system being compromised, my doctors advised that it would not be safe for me to attend in-person classes. This was not a decision that was made lightly and I would

What better way to welcome the academic year than with what is possibly the most nerve-wracking film about post-grad anxiety to date?  Shiva Baby (2020) is a comedy film that takes place at a shiva, a Jewish week-long mourning ritual for immediate relatives of the deceased, and follows Danielle (Rachel Sennot), a college senior, who, like many college seniors, is met with a barrage of questions about what their post-grad plans look like at every family gathering. It’s a time that dictates the climax of a young person’s life with decisions that will, supposedly, pave the path towards the rest

Disclaimer, this piece talks about the Monash Socialists and may elicit memories of traumatic experiences  Many young left-leaning students view the Socialist Alternative (or the Monash Socialists, as they call themselves) as a potential answer to global inequality and systemic class problems in capitalist societies. This view may stem from their encounters with the group and its tactics at weekly Pro-Palestine rallies held since the October 7th Attacks, or perhaps at a 'School Students for Climate Justice' strike. At first glance, this perspective is understandable. As someone who was once sympathetic to the group, I shared views similar to these.

*Disclaimer: I need to emphasise that this is my own story and experiences. I don’t want to see this used to campaign against the rights and lives of trans and non-binary people. Trans and non-binary rights are human rights; the right to self-expression, to self-creation, and most importantly, the right to personal safety. I grew up in an extremely conservative Christian household. My family was heavily involved with the Church that was attached to the school I attended for 16 years. Every part of my life was bathed in the blood of Christ and his doctrine, from my baptism at

Georgie McColm is President of Radio Monash. Why You Should Get Involved in Radio Monash This Year! Radio Monash, aka Radmon, is one of the coolest places you can be on campus. Starting all the way back in 1972, we have a long history of providing students with awesome opportunities to get into creative media. Whilst we may have radio in the name, Radio Monash is a lot more than just radio!   So What is Radio Monash, and What Do We Do? Radio Monash is an independent radio station that is run for students, by students. We are the

This piece and artwork were first published in Lot's Wife Edition 5, 2021.  By Allyssa Gardner, Monash Students for Climate Justice Member In recent months, extreme weather events have ripped through the Northern Hemisphere. The United States, Canada and Siberia have seen deadly heat waves and subsequent wildfires. Turkey and Greece are the latest nations to join this list. There were also fatal floods in Germany and China, while landslides took lives in Bangladesh and India, and Iran is suffering a severe drought.  All over the world people are dying from extreme weather events that are exacerbated by climate change.

The opinions expressed in the piece are not necessarily representative of the Lot’s Wife committee. Austin is on the editorial board and was subject to the same impartial editing procedures as any other author. Austin is an ordinary member of the Victorian Greens. Amid this month’s ongoing pandemic, battles for racial justice, and the release of Indian Matchmaking on Netflix, you would be forgiven for missing the following tweet: “If it was up to Deb, QLD would be FLOODED with Victorians”. Big and bold wording, strong borders rhetoric, comparing a group of human beings to a natural disaster… I know

Words by Alison Zhu Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of Lot’s Wife   In 2019, the United Nations recommended increasing our minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 years of age. However, at the time of writing, the federal age of criminal responsibility is still ten and in Tasmania and the ACT, seven and eight respectively. The debate surrounding age of criminal responsibility is tied up in murky questions concerning how much autonomy is required to hold a child responsible for their crimes, the problems with the doli incapax (“incapable of evil”) presumption, and the discrepancies between how children are viewed in a criminal versus medical law context.