Lot's Wife

Infobox Newspaper
name = Lot's Wife


caption =
type = Student newspaper
format =
foundation =
ceased publication =
price =
owners = Monash Student Association
publisher =
editor = Various
chiefeditor =
assoceditor =
staff =
language =
political =
circulation = 5000
headquarters = Monash University
oclc =
ISSN =
website = http://www.msa.monash.edu.au/lotswife/main/index.html

Lot’s Wife is the student newspaper of Monash University's Clayton campus. It is produced by students, for students and operates as part of the Monash Student Association.

History

Lot’s Wife began when a collection of Monash (Clayton) students stormed the office of the Monash student newspaper of the time, Chaos, in reaction to the sexist and derogatory material Chaos routinely published. Throughout the 1960s, Lot’s Wife remained at the forefront of student media.

Lot’s Wife gained its name from the Biblical passage in which Lot and his wife fled Sodom. Lot and his wife were spared from God’s wrath at Sodom on the premise that if they left behind the destruction that befell their town without looking back, they would be spared. Once they had escaped, Lot’s Wife looked back. As a consequence she turned into a pillar of salt for disobeying God’s orders.

The message of never looking back has been enshrined in Lot’s Wife since its inception and continues to be reflected in each edition of the publication. Many of Lot’s Wife’s contributors have achieved considerable notoriety in later life.

This tradition of progressive journalism within Lot's Wife has recently been challenged by an article written by the Liberal staffer for Andrew Robb, Con Helas. Helas, a Monash Arts/Law student claimed in print that multiculturalism is 'the single greatest threat to civilisation'. [Helas, Con. 'A Conservative Speaks up' in "Lot's Wife", Edition 4, 2007. p. 7. Also available at [http://www.msa.monash.edu.au/lotswife/main/edition%204.pdf] ] In the previous edition of Lot's Wife, the editors called out for conservative articles to be submitted following accusations against them of left wing bias. Helas' article was leaked to "Crikey" and "mX" (which received front page coverage) and as a result, Helas is no longer employed by Robb. [Conduit, Dara & Snell, Naomi, 'Editorial' in "Lot's Wife", Edition 4, 2006 p. 3. Also available at [http://www.msa.monash.edu.au/lotswife/main/edition%204.pdf] ]

Notable contributors

Lot’s Wife is put together through a collaborative effort by students from the Monash Clayton Campus. Some past editors and contributors to Lot’s Wife include:

Julian Burnside

Julian Burnside is a QC who has worked on many prominent human rights cases. He continues to fight alongside many human rights campaigns.

Peter Steedman

Peter Steedman has been a journalist, an editor, a federal MP (for the ALP) and political activist. After relocating to Britain in the 1960s, Peter was involved in a campaign which saw Piccadilly Circus saved from redevelopment.

Antony Loewenstein

Antony Lowenstein is a young Jewish journalist who wrote the controversial book My Israel Question which was launched in 2006. The book extensively discusses affairs in the Middle East and is critical of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.

Nick Economou

Nick Economou is an experienced media commentator on Australian politics and frequently provides commentary for the ABC. Nick is also a Senior Lecturer at Monash University and head of the Politics department.

Russell Skelton

Russell Skelton is an award winning journalist and foreign correspondent. He currently works for The Age.

Jon Faine

Jon Faine is a radio presenter whose probing debate has seen him create a distinguished and successful career with the ABC. Formerly, Faine was on the council for Amnesty International, the Council of Civil Liberties and the Community Health Centre board.

Rachel Griffiths

Rachel Griffiths is a famous actress best known for the part she played as Rhonda in Muriel’s Wedding. Rachel received an incredible amount of media publicity when she protested topless with a “Need, not greed” sign at the opening night of Melbourne’s Crown Casino.

Michael Leunig

Michael Leunig is an artist, cartoonist, poet and philosopher. His work is commonly printed in The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald. He provides left-wing commentary on political, cultural and emotional life.

Peter Costello

Peter Costello is a former Federal Treasurer of Australia, and instrumental in the passing of 2005 VSU legislation. In the 1970s, Peter Costello wrote articles defending Compulsory Student Unionism while he was a member of the Social Democratic Students Association of Victoria, an affiliate of the Victorian Branch of Australian Young Labor.

Josh Kinal

Josh Kinal wrote for Rolling Stone and Inpress as a music and arts critic and journalist. He has appeared as a presenter on 3RRR and Triple J. He co-hosts the weekly podcast [http://www.boxcutters.net Boxcutters] and appeared on Radio National as a TV critic.

Kelly Griffin

Kelly Griffin rose to unprecedented success and was editor of national magainze "Burst" within a year of leaving Monash University.

*Mark Taft
*Remy Davison
*Darryl Dellora
*Simon Marginson
*Stephanie Bunbury
*Emily Howie

Recent editors

* 2009: Gabriel Garcia, Sean Gleeson and Keshia Jacotine
* 2008: Emily Laidlaw and Lisa Ritchie
* 2007: Dara Conduit and Naomi Snell
* 2006: Inna Tsyrlin, Mattias Mazza and Hayley Maher
* 2005: Meg O’Brien, Megan King and Craig Benjamin
* 2004: Daniel Wilson, Peter Varley, John-Luis Moretti
* 2003: George Kirby, Lisa Pham, Sarah O’Brien and Jeremy King
* 2002: Aamer Rahman, Catherine Leslie and Jessie MacNeil Brown
* 2001: Alyssa Grant, James Raynes and Gordon Oldham
* 2000: Anthony 'Slatts' Slattery and Sandra Ronnenfeldt
* 1999: Claire Hammond, Asha Holmes and Ozan Ibrisim
* 1998: Dan Celm, Michelle Davies and Chris King
* 1997: Emily Howie, Antony Loewenstein and Harriet Shing
* 1996: Anna Dollman, Josh Kinal, Melanie McGrath, and Ben Richards
* 1995: Symon Ruebens, Julia Shtepa and Cassie Wavish
* 1994: David Cody, Llawela Forrest and Leanne Paton
* 1993: Edwina Hanlon, Mark Jeanes and Selena Papps

Notes

References

* [http://www.msa.monash.edu.au/lotswife/main/about.html http://www.msa.monash.edu.au/lotswife/main/about.html]

External links

* [http://www.msa.monash.edu.au/lotswife/main/index.html Lot's Wife Homepage]
* [http://www.msa.monash.edu.au/ Monash Student Association Homepage]