Later this year Australians will vote in a historic referendum on whether we should entrench an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament in our Constitution.

This is one of the most important votes in our nation’s recent history.

As part of its distinct national mission and remit, ANU is committed to helping all Australians understand and engage with the complex issues shaping our nation today. ANU is also dedicated to promoting debate and discussions around a reconciled, just, equitable and respectful Australia. This includes a proposed Voice to Parliament.

Read the Vice-Chancellor's article on the Voice to Parliament

Watch last week’s ANU Dialogue on the Voice

Read Responding to Common Concerns about an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

From unpacking the misinformation around the Voice referendum to exploring the genius marketing for the new Barbie movie, the ANU Reporter website showcases the best insights and stories from our amazing community.

The new site, which launched late last year, recently picked up GOLD at the 2023 Melbourne Design Awards. It was also shortlisted for an International Design Award and received an Honourable Mention in its category.

Got some free time? 

Check out our latest Reporter stories:

Why we’re living in a Barbie world

Admit it! You’ve caught Barbie fever. How could you not?   

Since launching in 1959, Mattel’s iconic doll has become less of a toy and more of a pop culture icon. The new movie, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, is another milestone in Barbie’s rich history and has been positioned as the must-see film of the year.  

The hype surrounding the movie has indeed led to a collective case of mass Barbie-mania. 

The Voice is surrounded in misinformation. Here’s what you need to know.

There has been a checkered history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ attempts to establish a national Voice and have meaningful engagement with governments and bureaucrats on matters that affect us.

We are now on the cusp of substantial and substantive change, in a political and community environment that is conducive to consider and support such change.

"Informed allies will play a crucial role in dispelling disinformation about the Voice and supporting this change for a better future", says Professor Tom Calma AO (pictured).

Events & activities

9 - 16 August

Celebrate Latin American culture at its finest as the Latin American Film Festival returns to the ANU Film Group with 15 films screening over two uninterrupted weeks in August and September.

All screenings are FREE to attend and open to the public – no membership or registration is required. Sessions will commence at 7.30 pm, with the exception of Sunday screenings which start at 6pm. All films will be screened in their original language with English subtitles.

Proudly presented by the Latin American Embassies in Australia with the support of the ANU Latin American Students' Association.

Find out more

Thursday 10 August, 3-4pm

Are you an ANU academic thinking of becoming a consultant and want to learn how to improve your proposals, prepare budgets and more?

This information session for ANU staff provides an introduction to what is involved in becoming a consultant, how to professionally run personal consultancies under the University's Paid Outside Work Policy, and how ANU Enterprise can support you.

Reserve a spot

Monday 14 August, 6-7pm

Lea Ypi will be in conversation with the Allan Behm on her award-winning book Free. Coming of Age at the End of History, exploring the meaning of freedom - personal, collective, political - from an extraordinary new voice.

Register now

Tuesday 15 August, 1-2pm

Join us for a talk by Dr Elly Kent and Dr Caroline Turner about their new book, Living Art: Indonesian Artists Engage Politics, Society and History. The launch will be chaired by Assoc. Prof. Chaitanya Sambrani.

Living Art: Indonesian Artists Engage Politics, Society and History is inspired by the conviction of so many of Indonesia’s Independence-era artists that there is continuing interaction between art and everyday life. 

Register now

16 - 20 August

The Canberra Writers Festival is back for another year from Wednesday 16 August through to Sunday 20 August, with Artistic Director, Beejay Silcox at the helm.

As is the Canberra Writers Festival tradition, the driving theme is ‘Power Politics Passion’. It is a theme that begs big questions: What do we value? Whose stories are heard? How do we reckon with the past and imagine the future? It is our hope that CWF will provide a space to explore these questions, and to celebrate the heft and craft of Australian storytellers — a joyful collision of art-makers, big thinkers, big dreamers and readers.

Check out the 2023 Program

Keep scrolling for your chance to win tickets.

Thursday 17 August, 5-6pm

The 2023 Defence Strategic Review placed deterrence and the ability to deploy Australian military forces forward of the continent as key elements of Australia’s defence strategy. In their report published by the Army Research Centre, Dr Andrew Carr and Prof Stephan Frühling examine the role of land forces for signalling deterrence commitments, and draw lessons from historical experience for Australia and the Australian Army.

Join us for the launch remarks by the Chief of Army, Lt Gen Simon Stuart, followed by Q&A with the authors.

Register now

Thursday 17 August, 5-7pm

Join Alexander Rosenberg for a fascinating lecture and demonstration of his interdisciplinary practice in glass.

Register now

Message from the Chief People Officer, Kate Witenden - Enterprise Bargaining Update

Last week we advised you that we are in a strong position to work through the outstanding matters in regards to our Enterprise Agreement with all the bargaining parties. We are confident we can do this in the coming weeks. 

Over the course of bargaining, the University has been dedicated and passionate about working with our staff to make ANU one of the best places to work in the country, where staff feel supported, respected and valued. We want to lead the way for the rest of the sector. In this spirit, I want to share some of the key enhancements to the Enterprise Agreement that have been negotiated between parties.  Please read this summary document, prepared by the ANU Bargaining team, for further details.

Any questions or feedback, please contact ea.comments@anu.edu.au.

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Decommissioning of CloudStor Service

AARNet has recently announced that it will no longer support its CloudStor service, which will be decommissioned on 15 December 2023. ITS has been working with AARNET to devise an approach to ensure staff can migrate their data off Cloudstor.

While AARNET will be shutting down the service come 15 December 2023, it is our intention to transition the University’s Cloudstor environment to a read only state from 28 August 2023. This will mean from that date, ANU users will not be able to upload new content to the platform for consumption by other parties.

If you have a collection or data set in Cloudstor we encourage you to take the time to move your data as a matter of urgency. You can learn about tools and approaches to do this by visiting our site:

Read more about the decommissioning of CloudStor Service

Applications closing soon: Indigenous Professional Staff Grants Program (IPSGP)

Under the IPSGP there will be two grants per year of up to $50,000 each ($100,000 in total per year).

Grants will be for Colleges, Schools, Service Divisions or other ANU Business Units for initiatives that support employment outcomes for Indigenous professional staff at ANU.  Successful areas are required to match the grant with an equal funding commitment.

Initiatives could include:

- Salary subsidy for an ongoing identified position

- Subsidy for engaging an Indigenous Trainee under the ANU Indigenous Trainee Program

- Salary subsidy for a temporary secondment for existing ANU Indigenous staff member

- Specialist Indigenous Recruitment Services through external firms.

Applications closing on Friday 11 August at 5pm 

Apply now

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Participants wanted: Predictors of safe driving in older adults

Scientists at ANU are conducting research examining the cognitive processes associated with safe driving in older adults, and you are invited to participate.

Participation involves completing computer-based visual and cognitive tasks for about two hours (including rest breaks).

The research will take place in the Psychology Building (Building #39).

As a token of appreciation for their time, participants will be provided with $30.

In order to participate you need to:

• Be 60 years of age or older

• Have normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses OK)

• Be free from any medical condition affecting your cognition

• Currently hold a valid driver's license and be actively driving

To organise a time, please email PhD candidate David Denniston or phone on 0448 908 533.

The ethical aspects of this research have been approved by the ANU Human Research ethics Committee (protocol number: 2022/714)

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EOI: Winter Institute - 'The Universal in Crisis'

The ANU Australian Studies Institute is calling for expressions of interest from ANU PhD candidates and ANU early career researchers for the 2023 Winter Institute: 'The Universal in Crisis', held at The New Institute in Hamburg, Germany.

The Winter Institute is an annual collaboration between ANU, New York University, the University of Tokyo and the University of Bonn. The Institute involves a 3-day seminar program on an interdisciplinary theme. The program involves keynote lectures, faculty papers and graduate student presentations including facilitate cross-disciplinary questioning. The Institute also includes social and networking events for delegates.

Application Deadline: Midnight (AEST) Sunday 20 August.

Find out more

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Business planning and project management - Training opportunity for staff

Does your role involve coordinating business planning or project management?

Planning and Service Performance are offering training in StrategyDotZero's Portfolio, Program and Project Management (P3M) software to interested staff on Monday 14 August.

Contact us at planning@anu.edu.au if you would like to attend.

Read more about the StrategyDotZero Platform 

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Book Giveaway - Shakespeare’s First Folio: from London to Australia, and many points in between

Saturday 12 August, 4-5pm

Join the ANU Centre for Early Modern Studies, in partnership with the National Library of Australia, for a special lecture from Professor Emma Smith, the world's leading Shakespeare scholar from the University of Oxford. In this illustrated talk, Professor Smith delves into the significance of Shakespeare's First Folio, exploring its creation through the collaboration between theatre and print worlds, and its impact on readers, collectors, and actors over the last 400 years, including its influence in Australia since 1885.

We have a special book giveaway for this lecture, you can win a copy of Emma's book, Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers, and have it signed at the event.

Two copies of Emma’s book are up for grabs for On Campus readers. Follow the instructions in the entry form to go into the draw and you could be one of the lucky winners!

Competition closes at noon AEDT on Thursday 10 August. Terms and conditions apply.

Register for the event

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Ticket Giveaway - Canberra Writers Festival – Body Politics Panel 

Saturday 19 August, 2.30-3.30pm

Fearless writers Eloise Grills and Kris Kneen delve into the cultural significance of the fat body, celebrating beautifully unruly narratives that challenge conventions. This event promises a captivating dialogue on body positivity and identity. Don't miss out on this thought-provoking session moderated by acclaimed writer and tsunami scientist, Kaya Wilson.

Six tickets are up for grabs for ANU staff. Follow the instructions in the entry form to go into the draw and you could be one of the lucky winners! 

Competition closes at noon AEDT on Thursday 10 August. Terms and conditions apply.  

Register for the event

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice: A Dialogue

Wednesday 2 August

Hosted by ANU at Llewellyn Hall, this special livestreamed event connected students and the general public from across Australia for an in-depth dialogue, covering diverse perspectives regarding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum.