Students head south for politics

The largest annual gathering of queer students from around the country is gearing up to return to Hobart from 9 to 13 July under the playful theme of Alphabet Soup.

Queer Collaborations’ 16-year history of student activism has travelled to cities and towns from all states, encouraging the sharing of knowledge between big campuses and small, according to conference co-convenor Brad Harvey.

Harvey said the 2007 conference was timed to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Tasmania – the last state to do so.

“While much has been achieved in relation to certain injustices in the community, QC is still of paramount importance because there’s still a long way to go,” he said.

Among the emerging queer community issues to be discussed this year are mental health and a federal relationships recognition scheme.

The theme of Alphabet Soup was chosen to be forward-looking.

“Rather than restrict or limit, we wanted to be playful and colourful and encompassing at the same time,” Harvey said.

Rather than just a political talkfest, Harvey said the organisers try to strike a balance with social engagement.

“I’m conscious that QC has a political role to play in the student movements. But at the same time it’s the culmination of queer students from around the country,’’ he said.

“We want to let students get to know each other and allow them to better operate on their own campuses. We’ve had people travel halfway across the country and meet people from their own campus that they didn’t know before.”

Registration is $110 for the week-long conference and lunches and $120 for dormitory accommodation, both traditionally paid by universities or student unions.

“With the onset of voluntary student unionism, we’re forecasting a downtrend in the number of people who attend. We could have expected about 200 delegates based on last year,” Harvey said.

Hayley Conway, queer officer for the National Union of Students, said financially disadvantaged students could no longer rely on union assistance to pay for QC.

“Student groups are still angry that Labor has ruled out overturning VSU legislation that cut services and political representation,” she said.

Conway said pro bono services to students being harassed or thrown out of home, as well as university queer spaces, were disappearing as unions cut back, merge or fold.

“Without those clubs and spaces there were few drug- and alcohol-free opportunities for queer students to meet others like themselves,” she said.

Registration for the conference is now open, with information packs at university campuses or from the QC website, www.qc.org.au.