Twenty people have put their hand up for the Student Representative Council (SRC) Board at this year’s election, which will see board members appointed to a two-year term across 2027 and 2028.

Four seats are up for grabs on the nine-member board; five members were chosen last year and will be retained for 2027.   

Who is currently on the board?

The five continuing members on the board are all from the Revitalise team. These members are: Lana Browne, Daniel Connor, Archie Howgate, Olivia Walden and Connor Widdowson.

Of the four expiring members: two are from the Socialist Action team and two are independent.

Kyle Low and Kore Opie are the Socialist Action members whose terms are expiring. They are both seeking re-election to the board, again as part of the Socialist Action team.

Spencer Holzheimer is the current Independent Chairperson of the SRC Board. Spencer is also seeking re-election, this time as part of the newly formed Students Collective team.

Independent Mariska Simpson’s term is also expiring; Mariska is not among the candidates in 2026.

Who is running?

Within the twenty candidates at this year’s election, there are four student groups and a handful of independent candidates.

These student groups are:

• Revitalise
• SAFETY
• Socialist Action
• Students Collective

Revitalise

Revitalise are running another four candidates, hoping to extend their already-secured majority on the board for 2027.

Oscar Musgrove is a Bachelor of Law/Commerce student at Brisbane South (Nathan) and has promised to “bring in 5-day automatic extensions that everyone can use,” if elected.

This pledge is shared by fellow Revitalise member Diya Odedra, an Information Technology student at Nathan.

Gigi Bruno is a Bachelor of Laws/Environmental Science Student at the Brisbane South (Nathan) Campus.

Gigi has promised to “double the meal drops that go to each campus” as a cost-of-living measure if elected to the SRC Board.

Ahnaf Haque, a Bachelor of Aviation student at Brisbane South (Nathan), has the same campaign pledge.

But it’s not just those two policies that Revitalise are promising to implement if elected.

Speaking on behalf of the entire team, Oscar Musgrove promised to bring pints to the UniBar if elected. This is another UniBar focussed policy, after Revitalise extended UniBar hours and paid a portion of the Foxtel license as part of their policy this year.

“Another thing is we want to have a battle of the bands at the South Bank campus for all the music and arts students,” Oscar said.

“And again, we’d like to expand the free period products in university bathrooms and want to expand that to all bathrooms on campus in all three campuses, especially with the bathrooms near the sports fields for women.”

Speaking holistically, Mr Musgrove wants “campus life to be revitalised for students so that they can have a good social life as well as a good education.”

“Whether that’s helping a student out with their weekly grocery bill or making sure they have a good time down at the UniBar.”

The group has also spearheaded an SRC motion to advocate to the university for increased security and lighting on campus, pending a student survey on the issue.

SAFETY

The SAFETY ticket is running two candidates.

James Clouston is a Bachelor of Communications student at Nathan, and Harry McClure is a Bachelor of Policial Science & Law student at Nathan. They are promising to “spearhead a full security overhaul,” as a mechanism to make campus feel safer.

As part of James’s campaign, he has promised to “fix the inadequate and broken lighting around campus, push for cheaper parking, advocate for improved after-hours security, and makemSRC meetings open to the public and press,” as well as pushing for an increase in food relief and closer ties with charities, and to “lobby for TransLink to increase bus frequency to all campuses.”

SRC Board Meetings are open to public viewing; however details and advance notice is often hard to come across.

Mr Clouston has also promised that he would not advocate for SRC Board membership to be a paid position.

Harry McClure has promised to “advocate for more healthy and real food at the student pantry, to fix the lighting around the university to help students feel safer on campus, provide more events to support students with the cost of living, and advocate for real safety, support, and services,” calling current support offered by the SRC “unacceptable.”

Mr McClure has claimed that “instead of supporting students” the SRC has “opted for EXPENSIVE gyg, fitting the uni bar with televisions so THEY can watch the footy, and wasting time in SRC meetings to talk about their OWN organised protests.”

Summarising the group’s campaign, James Couston said they “want to change the atmosphere completely,” if elected.

“We will have done it in a year.

“We will have made this campus safe again, and we will have fixed the Johnson path in a minute.”

Fixing the Johnson Path is a reference to the faulty lights on the path, resulting in the path being completely dark at night.  

Socialist Action

The Socialist Action ticket is running four candidates. During their time on the SRC Board, they have been primarily focussed on advocating for Palestine, fighting “far-right” politics and were also involved in opposing course and staff cuts at Griffith University.  

Annelise Merison studies a Bachelor of Psychological Science/Criminology & Criminal Justice at Nathan.

Annelise is calling for “a revival of student and trade union activism in order to stand up against the far-right, sexism, racism, and all forms of oppression.”

Annelise believes that “sexist politics are on the rise and we should take seriously the threats against our rights like access to abortion,” and wants students to be “ready to fight back.”

Leon Batiste is a Bachelor of Psychological Science/ Master of Mental Health Practice student at Nathan.

Leon is advocating for “more student militancy and activism to combat the right-wing rise in politics both on and off campus.”

Kyle Low is a Bachelor of Art student at Nathan, and has served on the SRC Board for two years.

Kyle believes “we need an SRC which is willing to fight for students’ and staff’s rights, and for political questions that students care about.”

As part of the campaign, Kyle wants the SRC to “combat the root issues of the problems students face, including the cost-of-living crisis, the rampant far right, and the lack of funding to the university sector.”

Kore Opie is a Bachor of Languages and Linguistics student at Nathan, and has served on the SRC Board for two years.

Kore believes that “our university is run like a business that puts its own profits above the quality of our education,” and wants to “fight for a university that is about learning about the world and how to make it a better place, not a degree factory for the uni bosses to pad their pockets.”

 “I think our SRC should be an activist body that fights against attacks on students,” Kore’s candidate statement read.

“Whether it’s from the university attacking the quality of our education or the far-right’s disgusting racism.

“We need an SRC that will stand up for students.”

This is a different strategy to that of the other student political groups; they are fighting a campaign on broader-issues as opposed to student-specific issues.

The entire Socialist Action team also pointed to their past involvement in various student and external movements, including:

• The Students Strike(s) against Pauline Hanson
• The march for Palestine rallies in Brisbane
• Student referendum for Palestine
• The ‘no cuts’ campaign, fighting against University course and staff cuts
• Rallies in support of trans rights
• Rallies in support of abortion rights

Students Collective

The Students Collective is a self-described coalition of politically left students at Griffith. They are running four candidates in this election.

Nargis Afzally is a Bachelor of Law(Hons)/ Political Science and International Relations student at Nathan, who is “deeply devoted to issues surrounding climate change, feminism and gender inequality, human rights internationally and domestically, and health and social welfare.”

Some initiatives Nargis wants to bring in include “campus food sharing schemes inspired by ‘Too Good to Go’ to tackle food waste and cost of living for uni students,” launching “’Green Impact’ sustainability challenges for students and student clubs to participate in to improve campus litter/waste mitigation,” and “a ‘Free Pool’ network for textbooks and other education essentials to supply students struggling or in need of materials.”

Isa Bowen is a Political Science and International Relations student at the Nathan Campus. They want to use their platform to “advocate for social justice beyond workshop rooms or lecture halls.” Isa wants to fight for “more elected student representatives and less appointed representatives.” They also want to appoint a “dedicated creative arts representative for the Academic Committee,” and to increase clubs funding. They want the SRC to “take a strong and resolute stand on Palestinian political expression and the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement across Australia,” and, to “stand up on trans justice here in Queensland by ensuring the SRC takes practical policy measures that enhance student wellbeing such as Gender-based healthcare bursaries.”

Sebastian Ward-Chadwick is a Bachelor of Communication and Journalism/Bachelor of Government and International Relations student at the Nathan Campus. Sebastian believes that “student politics has a terrible reputation.”

“I want to build trust and establish proper working relationships so the SRC can get to do its actual job: delivering outcomes for students,” he said.

He believes that “now is an important time for the SRC to be active.”

“We’ve seen the state government attempting to silence the mostly student-led Palestine movement with restrictions on free speech.

“We’ve seen the independence of the UQ student union under threat.

“And we’ve seen rising fascism and anti-democratic movements all over the world, including in this country.”

He wants to see “greater transparency for the SRC, an investigation into the quality of student accommodation, and more funding for clubs and the student pantry.”

Spencer Holzheimer is a Bachelor of Political Science and International Relations at Nathan.

Spencer pointed to his record having “supported protests on key social issues like Palestine and gender equality,” worked “to establish a conflict of interest process for student representatives,” built “clear frameworks on how to fight for students,” and “took the fight to the university every single time by taking positions on internal university committees to hold them accountable at their own meetings.”

Spencer’s goal is to “deliver gender-based healthcare bursaries,” and “increased funding for clubs,” establish “an independent investigation into the quality of student accommodation across all campuses,” fight for “more elected student representatives on decision-making bodies inside the university,” and to create “a permanent strategy to deliver transparency across our community by establishing a clear ‘Right to know’ doctrine.”

Independent Candidate

There are six independent candidates at this year’s election.

Fereshta Rezaie is a Nursing student at Logan. Fereshta wants to “help ensure that students from all backgrounds feel heard, supported and included in our university community.” Fereshta has an interest in tackling issues around “student wellbeing, cost-of-living pressures, academic support and creating greater awareness of the services available to students.”

Meillyn-Knala Maher is a Social Work (Honours) student at Logan. Meillyn-Knala has “strong interests in advocacy, social justice and First Nations issues,” with a particular passion on “ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are meaningfully represented and that the diversity and complexity of First Nations experiences are recognised and respected.” With some experience in leadership and governance roles, Maher wants to “bring my experience to student advocacy by listening to students, identifying the issues that matter and working towards practical, meaningful outcomes.”

Ajay Alcos is a Bachelor of Business student at Nathan. Ajay has declared that his mission is to “get a dedicated karaoke machine for Nathan and South Bank,” and will “do whatever it takes to get a machine and enable students at our campuses to build their confidence and hone their singing abilities!”

Gee Im is a Visual Arts student at the South Bank campus. Gee’s goal as an SRC Board member is to “keep improving food support programs” at Griffith.

Haylee Ramsden is a Psychological Science at Nathan, who believes they “would excel in this role because I have a passion for learning.

Zac Graham Bourne is a Business/Commerce student at Nathan, who has vowed to “provide help when and wherever needed.”

When does voting occur?

Voting takes place over week 10, and is open online from Monday 21 September at 9am to Friday 25 September at 5pm. Students can select up to four candidates to vote for.

For students unsure on who they are going to vote for, the Griffith Journal will be hosting an election-style debate with thirteen of the twenty candidates. This debate will be held at the Nathan Campus UniBar on Wednesday 23 September, from 3pm to 6pm. It will also be shown online.

The candidates confirmed to debate are:

• Oscar Musgrove (Revitalise)
• Ahnaf Haque (Revitalise)
• Diya Odedra (Revitalise)
• Gigi Bruno (Revitalise)
• Ajay Alcos
• James Clouston (SAFETY)
• Harry McClure (SAFETY)
• Isa Bowen (Students Collective)
• Nargis Afzally (Students Collective)
• Sebastian Ward-Chadwick (Students Collective)
• Spencer Holzheimer (Students Collective)
• Kyle Low (Socialist Action)
• Annelise Merison (Socialist Action)