Results of SRC President and Honi Soit Elections Provisionally Declared
Pulp reports.
The SRC Electoral Officer has confirmed the provisional election of Swapnik Sanagavarapu as next year’s SRC President and Bloom for Honi as the next editors of Honi Soit.
After the Close of Nominations yesterday, their nominations were unopposed, meaning they are automatically elected. The elections for the SRC Councillors and NUS delegates will occur from 29 September to 1 September.
Swapnik, who sits on the Council’s General Executive and convened the Autonomous Collective Against Racism last year, was preselected by Grassroots and Switch for the role, and received support from the other left-wing and international student factions. He was planning to run on a progressive platform which emphasized the need to oppose austerity from the Government and University.
He told Pulp: “I'm extremely honoured to be provisionally elected as the President of the 93rd SRC.”
Despite a difficult year for students and staff, he remained optimistic, promising, “I will spend my tenure standing up for the rights of students and trying to invent a future in which education is accessible, equitable and universal.”
He identified strengthening the SRC’s services and advocating for social, economic, and educational justice as his priorities for the year ahead. His policies include formalising the SRC’s foodbank and mutual aid services and “Expanding the fledgling SRC Informs program, which will provide seminars informing students about their rights.”
He added that “The SRC is vital as an institution that can advocate for students, fight for their rights and hold the powerful accountable”, indicating his support for causes like free tertiary education, the BLM movement and the fight for divestment from fossil fuels. He also promised to “Fight for the dignity of International Students, by lobbying for more generous VISA conditions, better access to hardship funds and continuing the campaign for concession opal cards.”
Swapnik will succeed Liam Donohoe as President, marking the second consecutive year of a Grassroots presidency.
Bloom for Honi consists of Deaundre Espejo, Vivienne Guo, Marlow Hurst, Jeffrey Khoo, Juliette Marchant, Shania O’Brien, Claire Ollivain, Max Shanahan, Will Solomon, and Alice Trenoweth-Creswell.
Bloom told Pulp: “We’re all buzzing for the year ahead of us! Thank you to our managers Max Vishney and Christian Holman; though our time together was brief, we have valued your commitment and input, and wish you the best of luck in future endeavours. Our condolences to our non-existent opponents, we couldn’t have done this without you. We’re keen to meet our writers, seek out new voices, and continue the long, radical history of Honi Soit.”