AUSA Election Candidate Interviews: Queer Rights Officer

Craccum interviews Phi Zhang on his campaign for Queer Rights Officer

Note: All candidates running for this role were contacted for an interview. Quinny Vim did not respond.

Question 1. How would you describe yourself in 5 words?

Statistician; enjoys thinking and writing.

Question 2. Which of your ideas/initiatives are you most excited to implement next year? 

Well, I can't say my campaign is very exciting. My aim is to see the community connections we've set up during my time at this university be sustainable in the years to come. I'm very much here to do admin work, and make admin work easier to do. On that note, I'm planning to invite the Rainbow clubs to get our planning and budgets done together at the beginning of 2027! It'll make my life much easier, whether I'm continuing as the QRO or a club exec.

For you guys as students, that hopefully means more regular and better-run events, advertised to you better. Events like my fellow candidate Quinny's ideas, actually. Quinny arrived from the States recently, and is bringing a lot of fresh perspectives and ideas from faer similar work at faer last university in Connecticut. We've never held something like a student drag show before, or done a properly visible Trans Day of Visibility celebration - so that'll actually be exciting, unlike my... budget planning...? event!

We've been running a joint campaign - please consider voting for faer too, if you want those ideas brought to life more directly :)

Question 3. Queerspace is located in the quad, which is being demolished, meaning that Queerspace is going to be relocated. How would you make the new location welcoming and a safe space?

It'll be nice to relocate to a newer and less haunted-feeling building! That would go a long way towards making it more welcoming.

Some things depend on what facilities the University can provide, and what we're able to do by ourselves, but the Queer Student Council has discussed what the new Queerspace should look like before. Our current QRO, Artie, surveyed students and brought our wants and needs to a consultation with the University. So we all know we need things like plenty of comfortable furniture suitable for studying, instead of suspiciously brown couches, and I'd personally like to get some colourful cushions and rugs for comfort. 

Despite the current Queerspace's flaws, all the art displayed - all the things we've made - is how it feels like a "space for us". I want to make sure the art gets transferred safely, and that there are opportunities to decorate more. We'll put up the pride flags as always, so people know we think they belong. And I'm a big fan of the whiteboard where people can draw what they want. But it's really full all the time, so I might ask for a second one for our space next year, if I'm not elected - or go buy it myself, if I am.

Question 4. Are there any specific topics or issues that you would like to advocate for next year?

I've been on the Queer Student Council (QSC) and worked closely with the other Rainbow clubs and Artie, over the past couple of years, and there's a couple of things we've been trying to do. Hopefully we can make some progress, as things change hands among university staff as well. Transgender students are among our most vulnerable, but it can be hard for them to access the necessary medical care to live safely in their bodies. So we've been trying to get the uni to set up a transition fund, and trying to ask University Health and Counselling services to do hormone therapy initiation.

But I also want to encourage the next generation to bring up new issues. It sometimes feels like it's the same few of us doing the same things - which is one reason we've been concerned about whether our community work is sustainable long-term. So, whichever of me or Quinny wins, we'll be opening up the QSC to general student body members! Please consider coming along, if you have anything queer-equity-related for us to work on or advocate for.

Question 5. Why should students care about AUSA elections?

You may or may not care who these people are - I can't name every single member of the AUSA executive either - but they do make decisions which affect you. They make things happen on the campus where you're studying too. The money and influence they have could be used for something good, or it could be thrown into the void. Maybe things would be the same, whether one candidate or another is voted in. But wouldn't it be nice if things were different, and the people on the executive were interested in making your life better in some way?

Question 6. If you win this election, you will be a part of the team that decides Craccum’s budget for next year. Would you increase Craccum’s funding in 2027 to at least $120k? (Yes/No). If you were in the executive this year, why was the budget decreased to the lowest it’s ever been in recent years?

I don't have enough context to comment, but a student magazine does important work, and I wish you all the best. I hope you're able to get the funding you need.