BY EMMA KELLAWAY

The Monash Student Association (MSA) has been forced to address ongoing concerns surrounding controversial regulation changes, which prohibit students from campaigning on-campus in the upcoming student election. 

The Defend Democracy at Monash campaign has called for a public debate to be hosted on August 18 to allow the MSA to discuss the ban and give students a forum to raise their concerns.  

The ban prevents students from campaigning on Clayton campus - including all promotional material such as posters, pamphlets, clothing, QR codes, and banners - an online election format is being used instead. 

A petition created by the Defend Democracy at Monash group has demanded the MSA reverse the ban to ensure students can freely contest for elections and uphold democratic integrity.  

The petition has received more than 790 Monash student signatures and will be submitted at the next Monash Clayton Student Council meeting on August 19.

Once the petition is submitted, the MSA representatives will be constitutionally bound to call a student general meeting (SGM), where students are expected to vote on reversing the ban. 

Campaigners also penned an open letter for Monash staff, alumni, and cross-campus students to show their support. 

Defend Democracy at Monash campaign organiser Kelly Cvetkova said the ban marginalised small and newly-established party candidates. 

“These larger tickets can use their already existing social networks to campaign online, whereas the newer tickets don't have that ability,” Ms Cvetkova said. 

“If you’re on campus talking to a student you have every opportunity that a bigger ticket does to talk to people,” she said. 

MSA President Marni O’Connell said the new election format was adopted on the advice of the Monash Chief Medical Officer to protect students from the ongoing threat of COVID-19. 

“This measure is the only way to protect the health of the Monash community and ensure democratic elections will take place,” she said.

Ms O’Connell said advocating for in-person campaigning is denying the threat of spreading the more contagious COVID-19 delta variant. 

“It is unfortunate that the Monash Socialists are trying to politicise a public health issue for their own personal gain,” she said. 

Monash University Bachelor of Science and Arts student Shannon Sinclair said she was confused by the MSA’s reason behind the ban, as the campus would be closed if students' health and safety were at risk. 

“If COVID-19 is a significant risk, we simply won’t be on campus anyway, making these bans redundant,” Ms Sinclair said.

“Talking to someone about elections one-on-one, outside, is of no greater risk than being in classrooms of up to 200 students, which I have been in [recently],” she said. 

The 2021 MSA election period has commenced in the online format, with polling to commence on September 20 allowing students to vote through a unique link sent to their student email. 

Ms O’Connell said the MSA is committed to bringing back on-campus campaigning for future elections, when it is deemed safe to do so.