A New Low in Leaflets

This SRC was chaired by Margaret Underwood as Caroline Massof was still in a state of shock over some obscene election posters which had been stuck up around the University in the early hours of Wednesday morning. This poster attempted to discredit her in a vile and disgusting manner.

The Returning Officer (Kelvin Ratnam) reported the appearance of these posters, saying that they were "the most disgusting posters he had seen in the five elections that he had conducted at VUWSA." He added that if he found out who had produced these "dastardly posters" he would "personally get stuck into them."

Because of the seriousness of this matter, the meeting went on to discuss the posters straight away. Two motions were put, both moved by Virginia Adams and Jono Clark:

That VUWSA condemns the use of sexist, pornographic and red-baiting election tactics witnessed today on campus, seeing them as both exploiting women and lesbians and a totally unacceptable smear on the election process and That if the people who produced these leaflets are discovered that the SRC recommends to the University Disciplinary Committee that they be expelled from the University.

The two motions met with a great round of applause as they were read out.

In speaking to the motion, Jono Clark said "when I arrived at University this morning and saw the leaflets my first reaction was to go around and tear them all down. But then I stopped, sat down and thought about it. Then I got up and ripped down all the posters I could find." After the applause had died down he called on the people who produced the posters to come forward and defend themselves, or at least apologise.

There was some dispute about the wording of the first motion. Election tactics seemed to imply to some that the candidates in the election, or their associates, were involved. Several speakers disputed this. Lindy Cassidy argued that the intention of the posters was clearly to disuade people from voting for Caroline and as such were an election tactic, even though she was sure that none of the candidates were in any way involved. She added that it was deplorable that anyone would stoop to such smear tactics. Rire Scotney said that she thought the posters were an abuse of the democratic process and were "fuckin' disgusting."

Kelvin Ratnam spoke just before the vote, saying that he thought passing these two motions would serve as a deterrent to others to employ similar tactics in future election. The first motion was then put and carried with only one dissenting voice.

The second motion met with little opposition, although one speaker felt that it was a very extreme step to contemplate, one which could ruin a person's whole life. Virginia Adams replied to this saying that the effects of these sort of leaflets were not far different, and that we have a responsibility to protect members of the Association from this type of attack. Kelvin Ratnam suggested that Caroline should make a formal complaint to him, as Returning Officer, saying that until she does there is little he can do. He also added that he thought there was the basis for a police complaint. The motion was put and carried decisively.

Next on the agenda, as they have been for the last several SRCs, were the elections of VUWSA Treasurer and an Overseas Student Officer. Running true to past form there were no applicants for either position, and so they remain unfilled.