Edition 4 of Lot’s Wife is out now. We would like to thank all those who contributed to this edition through written and visual contributions.
This edition will be published online only and can be viewed here.
EDITORS NOTE
Welcome to Semester 2 at Monash University Clayton. We hope that this semester brings you all more certainty in the wake of the recent lockdowns which consumed our holidays, resulted in cancelled trips, and meant working from home for most of us. Nevertheless, we still have some faith that the upcoming 12 weeks will involve some normalcy as many of us experienced in Semester 1.
Since our last editors note, a majority of the Australian population has been subjected to lockdowns, with Victoria now recording over 170 days under stay-at-home orders. It seems as if we jinxed the enviable position of Australia in our previous message to you all when we called upon everyone to look outwards to the wider world. Even though vaccine rates continue to increase and we can finally see an end to this crisis, albeit distant, we need to remember that we live in unprecedented circumstances and that changes to how we work or study could happen at a moment’s notice.
In this edition, we continue to celebrate the creative talent of many of our writers along with exploring important issues facing us all. This includes insight into Australia’s vaccine rollout, climate change, gender equality, and our economy. We live in both dire and exciting times with unprecedented changes at local and international levels. We call upon you all to use your voice and give your opinion on new challenges we face. Pen and paper, or now Word document and keyboard, is crucial in initiating a constructive dialogue on the future we will build for ourselves and future generations.
Not everything is doom and gloom and there are a few sweet points to distract us from the pandemic. The Olympics have now commenced, serving as the first major international sporting event since the onset of COVID-19. However, this coming together of athletes from all corners of the world hasn’t been without its own controversy, with doubts over whether it was appropriate to utilise valuable resources and risk the safety of millions in holding this event. While this is arguable, especially since the Olympics in recent years have been blown out of proportion financially, the event provides an opportunity for countries to engage with each other and use sports as a forum to resolve impasses. This is needed during the COVID-19 era more than any other time in modern history.
Locally, there are various ways you can all have some enjoyment on campus. With the return of semester and the hopeful exit from another lockdown brings the return of student events, with the MSA and student clubs spending a lot of time and effort to make something fun for you all. If you didn’t in Semester 1, ensure you expose yourself to on-campus activities in Semester 2 if you can. We now know what it is like not to have these festivities so don’t miss the opportunity to immerse yourselves in fun with your fellow students.
Before signing off, we find it necessary to address the vaccination rollout and media coverage of COVID-19. While not all journalists and commentators are guilty of this, we warn against the fear-mongering and moral panic created by the media. This includes public appearances by our leaders in which they pit themselves against each other, flaring tensions and incensing the general public. This does no good and only serves to embed more disdain in an already anxious public. As we strive to develop herd immunity through the vaccine rollout, we encourage you to seek the proper medical advice prior to getting vaccinated.
Coming to a close, we cannot reiterate enough our desire for the end of 2021 to bring about more positive change. We need to get past the issues of COVID-19 and bring some stability to all our lives.
