The National Union of Students’ National Conference (NatCon) kicked off a few hours ago in Geelong.
To the left is a list of delegates. Each rectangle represents a person. There are 126 people and 2097 votes among them.
The size of the rectangle shows how many votes that person has. They have different numbers of votes depending on the size of the university they represent. You can hover over the rectangles to see more details.
Most people are aligned with a faction. That’s what the colours are. The two biggest factions are Student Unity (Labor Right) and NLS (Labor Left). There are also the Liberals and Socialist Alternative.
There are also the independents, like the ones who won the student elections this year at Melbourne. That’s partly why the University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU) recently decided to cut about $40,000 from the NUS.
If you’re part of a faction, it usually means you have to vote with that faction. When it comes to voting, the leaders of the factions shout (for example) “Student Unity up!” and everybody in that faction has to put up their hand to vote accordingly.
There is no filming allowed at the conference.
There is a lot of screaming, swearing and verbal abuse. Sometimes people get into fights.
For now, you can read more about it over at Honi.
For corrections or tip-offs on any of the above, feel free to email me.
Predictions
President will go to someone from NLS, probably Sophie Johnston from UNSW or Abby Stapleton from Monash.
General Secretary will go to someone from Student Unity, specifically Nathan Croft from La Trobe.
Education will go to someone from Socialist Alternative, maybe Eleanor Morley.
Welfare will go to someone from Student Unity, probably Jill Molloy from ANU.
Women’s will go to NLS. Either Jocelyn Dracakis from UNSW or Abby Stapleton from Monash if she doesn’t get president.
Queer will go to Socialist Alternative.
Small & Regional — Student Unity.
Ethnocultural — Student Unity.
International — Student Unity; someone from Deakin.
Environment — Student Unity.
Lots of state branches — all but maybe one or two — will go to Student Unity.