Labor continues to hold a lead in the final opinion polls of the federal election campaign. The Newspoll published this morning gives the ALP a 51.5 – 48.5 lead on a two-party preferred basis. Labor’s primary vote is steady at 37 per cent, with the Coalition narrowly ahead at 38 per cent. But the final Ipsos poll suggests the swing to Labor may not be uniform. The ALP is in line to make significant gains in Queensland, but less so in New South Wales. This is why there are certain seats to look out for in understanding which side has…
Author: Patrick Bell
They came for the voting, but stayed for the food at polling booths around the seat of Cunningham today. The seat centres on Wollongong and the suburbs to the north, and has never been won by the Liberal Party. Labor’s Sharon Bird MP is expected to win the seat once more, but the competition hopes to chip away at her margin. In the meantime, voters were happy to enjoy a democracy sausage or a lamington to pass the time. Jake Lapham has the story.
For a long time, libraries have been considered cornerstones of civil society. They’re places you turn to for both information and leisure. Yet many people still perceive libraries to have stayed the same for decades, when in fact, they’ve changed almost more than any other social institution. Are they still relevant to the twenty-first century? Patrick Bell explores.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and her government have recorded a victory in the final opinion poll before today’s state election, but a hung parliament remains likely. The Newspoll released today shows the Liberal and National parties leading Labor 51-49 on a two-party preferred basis. Ms. Berejiklian has also increased her lead as Preferred Premier over Opposition Leader Michael Daley, 43-35. The Coalition have faced voter backlash on issues such as stadium demolitions, fish kills, and the Light Rail construction blowout over the course of the campaign. But Labor has not emerged well from the final week, after Mr. Daley stumbled on a key policy…
The President of the Wollongong Undergraduate Students’ Association has unexpectedly quit the role, prompting a scramble to fill the position. Timothy Piert, the man who was elected President upon the disqualification of the two other candidates, has left the organisation he ran for less than six months. Education Officer Isabelle Liddy has confirmed she will be a candidate for the position when nominations to fill the casual vacancy open in the next fortnight. “The students democratically voted for Save Our Union to win, and I received a very big democratic mandate from the students as well, so we thought it…
LGBTI people are reminding the community that bullying and harassment of people with diverse genders and sexualities has not disappeared. It comes as Wollongong hosts the world premiere of Lost Boys, a new play exploring past incidents of homophobic violence, including former WIN TV newsreader Ross Warren. Content Warning: this audio piece contains strong language. Convenor of the UOW Young Greens, Joshua Bell, said whilst physical violence towards LGBTI people is less common than before, the community still faces other forms of harassment, such as refused entry to certain venues. “I know that’s happened a few times to trans and…
Prominent antique dealer Barry Becarevic has gifted items from his personal connection to a UOW exhibition. The Panizzi Gallery of the UOW Library is playing host to ‘Recollections of Exploration and Voyage’ until the end of June. UOW Library Archives Manager Grant White said the exhibition reflects the high value of travel around the turn of the century. “They almost always brought something new back with them so it’s hardly surprising that written accounts by these explorers were keenly awaited by a fascinated public,” Mr. White said.
Connecticut has become the twelfth American state to declare it will give its Electoral College votes in a Presidential election to whoever wins the popular vote. State legislators have voted to join the push to circumvent the Electoral College, amid dissatisfaction with the system after the 2016 Presidential election. Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy said the Electoral College gave disproportionate power to states with smaller populations. “The National Popular Vote compact will ensure an equal vote for every American citizen, regardless of which state they happen to live in” Gov. Malloy said. The move means a combined total of 172 Electoral…
University of Wollongong researchers have uncovered data that sheds new light on the best ways to organise classes in schools. The study of student performance in the British A-Level exams has found improving the quality of a student’s peers can have a positive impact on their results. Dr Silvia Mendolia, a senior lecturer in Economics at UOW, said this was especially true for lower-ability students. “If we have all weak students grouped together, they are likely to be penalised and suffer quite a bit from this grouping,” she said. The implication of the research is that streaming students according to…
In the wake of the Australian cricket scandal in South Africa, there are different views on whether the practice of ball tampering is prevalent in cricket’s amateur ranks. Members of the Illawarra cricket community have also voiced frustration that the incident has tarnished the reputation of their sport. First Grade Captain of the University of Wollongong Cricket Club, Mitch Calder, said that the professionalisation of cricket has increased the incentive to cheat, but added that it was a major problem in the lower levels of the game. “Generally I think at a local level there’s a lot less at stake, there’s…