Words by Stasi Kapetanos
Former Adelaide University Union President (2019) and current Student Representative Council President (2020–) Oscar Ong has, in a stroke of political genius, shown his hand by plagiarising significant portions of his regular SRC President’s address in this year’s very first edition of On Dit. Oscar sneakily passed off the words and experiences from a regular State of the Union AUU President’s address from Issue One of On Dit 2017 (coincidentally enough this was my last year of high school) made by fellow former AUU President and also former fellow Progress leader, Brodie Scott, as his own. On Dit does not have an academic dishonesty policy, and thus this flashing red Turnitin score is an absolute power move on Oscar’s behalf.
It’s well established knowledge that high up and successful student politicians tend to have their fair share of enemies, both real and imaginary, and Oscar is no exception. In plagiarising the work of a former Progress hero and Adelaide University Union board warrior, Oscar has proven not only how to deal with us pesky media when we ask for comment about literally anything but also flipped the middle finger up at meddlesome students who may dare to expect some minimal level of respect and decency from their elected representatives. This while graciously paying respect to the wise words of Mr Scott whose 2017 State of the Union address to students was so outstanding it got a second chance to shine in the spotlight in 2021, four years later.
In politics, particularly student politics, there is one principle that every true Machiavellian mastermind must adhere to — never cede an inch! When anything embarrassing ever comes up make meetings in-camera (private confidential sessions); when On Dit ask their silly questions close the meeting before they get the chance; when the Women’s Collective ask for affiliation block them and start your own; when it’s time to alter the constitution give everyone (who’s not in your pocket) five minutes notice at 10:55pm; whenever it’s time for a visit to the other campuses make sure not to tell any political opponents lest they gain support for their hard work and challenge your near monopoly; and, most importantly, when asked to provide a regular address to students, just re-use something your political forefather left behind.
Hats off to Oscar, our dear leader, for showing us all how it’s done. In the world of stupol, nice, apolitical gestures and working constructively with others is meaningless. Make sure to assert dominance and let everyone know you don’t care about them at every turn! As if straight from the pages of George Orwell’s 1984, Oscar has wisely learned all the right lessons and figured out how to employ doublespeak by claiming to be apolitical and yet politicising everything. Ah yes, the true hallmarks of a great leader and future politician.
I cannot wait to vote for Oscar again for his 25th term in student politics this year before I graduate and I bet you can’t either.
Read On Dit Issues one of both 2021 and 2017 to see this epic power move for yourself and see some more of our work online below.
I’d like to thank former SRC International Student Officer and current On Dit International Student’s Reporter (Laura) Ngoc Lan Tran for bringing this story to our attention.
On Dit 