By Jack Cross
Tuesday saw the annual Guild Presidential Debate, with four of the five candidates participating: Nikhi Talluri on behalf of the incumbent SPARK group, Luke Alderslade for REVIVE, Danica Scott for the newly rebranded Social Justice, and Lachy Flavel for LIFT. AI Party’s Chloe Lazaroo did not participate.
The four candidates presented very different visions for the Guild.
Talluri appealed to SPARK’s record, promising to continue supporting students and building on the group’s legacy. She made references to several achievements from this year, including parking advocacy, universal submission times, and the newly-introduced $7 Tavern Lager – all familiar headlines from SPARK campaign material.
Alderslade spoke of REVIVE’s belief that the Guild was not living up to its potential, and emphasised the group’s goal of reform. He said he had witnessed “glimpses of how the Guild could be” during his time on Council, promising a new approach to Guild politics.
Scott emphasised Social Justice’s credentials as radical left-wing activists, speaking for much of the debate on the subject of Palestine and the group’s involvement in the Curtin protest. Scott promised a Guild that would focus on protest and activism, also touching on mounting student debt and the housing crisis.
Flavel said LIFT would “get the Guild back on track by getting back to basics”, envisioning a Guild that would focus on making students’ lives easier and revitalising campus culture by supporting clubs. Flavel criticised other groups for advertising massive lists of policies, claiming LIFT’s policies set more achievable goals.
You can watch the replay of the debate here.