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2024 was a hectic year for the UQ Union. While we cannot include everything that happened last year, here is a timeline of some noteworthy events.
UQ Gaza Solidarity Encampment
On the 29th of April, the UQ Gaza Solidarity Encampment was established, joining a global solidarity movement that started at Columbia University in the United States. The main goal of the UQ encampment was to force UQ to sever ties with weapon manufacturers, including BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Thales, and Boeing Defensive, and called for the closure of the Boeing Centre.
The encampment was started by Students for Palestine (Socialist Alternatives). Muslim Students for Palestine, along with other left-wing organisations, also participated in it. The encampment disbanded soon after the historic UQ Union General Meeting.
Queer Fest
On Tuesday 30th of April, The UQU Queer Collective held the most significant event in its recent history: Queer Fest. Queer Fest was a market festival held on the Great Court. It featured four hours of live music by independent queer artists and had approximately 45 different stalls run by independent queer artists and queer community groups. The event was MC’d by Pandora’s Box Muncher, an international queer student and Drag Thing.
Queer Fest intended to create an event that platformed and uplifted queer creators and independent businesses to showcase their works and allow community groups to connect with the campus queer community.
The event was a massive success, with stallholders and attendees giving overwhelmingly positive feedback.
Student General Meeting
On the 29th of May 2024, more than 1500 students turned up to cast their vote in the historic student general meeting (SGM), which asked three vital questions:
- Should UQ sever ties with companies that supply the Israeli Defence Force?
- Should UQ shut down the Boeing Centre?
- Should UQ financially divest from Israel?
A powerful majority of students inside and outside the meeting venue voted ‘Yes’ to all three questions. The impact of the SGM extended outside the meeting, with UQ Muslim Students for Palestine and UQU entering negotiations. This resulted in UQ making several commitments, including transparency with companies that supply to the Isreal Defence Force (IDF), and committing to double the number of Refugee and Humanitarian scholarships offered, with a focus being placed on those affected by the genocide in Gaza.
2024 Union Election
During October, the annual UQ Union Elections were held. The campaign trail was quieter this year, with only three groups actively campaigning for the two weeks: Reform, Left Action for Gaza (Socialist Alternative) and Together for executive. Muslim Students for Palestine and Global Mates also campaigned for council under the Reform coalition.
Despite being a smaller election than previous years, the stakes were still just as high as the three groups fighting for who would control the union in 2025. For the executive ballot, Reform took over 60% of votes, securing its place in charge of the union for another year.
Global Mates left the other candidates in the dust for the council ballot, receiving 1214 votes and securing eight seats on the council. Reform came second, receiving 656 votes and securing four seats on the council. Left Action for Gaza and Together both secured three seats, Muslim Students for Palestine securing two, while Taco Tuesday, Conservatives, and Drain the Swamp got one seat each.
Written By El Bancroft
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