From the Interim Headmaster

Dear Students, Parents and Carers

I felt the love! I felt the joy! What am I talking about? I am referring to the atmosphere, the feeling, the ‘vibe’ at the Northbridge Campus on Saturday.

At both Rugby and Football (soccer), the team spirit and the support from the crowd, i.e. the boys themselves, parents and Old Boys, demonstrated a wonderful School culture, fully invested in Shore and in support of one another.

Men are sometimes uncomfortable with talk of love. This is partly because we only have a simple word which covers a raft of positive emotions, and because the concept of love has been misappropriated and cannibalised by Hollywood. The sort of love I saw is what New Testament Greek called philadelphia, i.e. honourable, brotherly love, support for mates and support for team in this case. New Testament Greek actually had four words for love, and the other form that was visible on Saturday was agape, i.e. acts of service, or what we might call practical and visible support in the form of teamwork. Boys didn’t play for themselves; they played for the team, for the School and their pride in both. This is love in a very positive sense. Jesus himself said, “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:12-13, KJV). It was not quite a matter of life and death on the field on Saturday, even though some of the play was very robust!

This is the kind of mateship (as love is defined above) we celebrate on Anzac Day. It is not sloppy, but genuine and is a sign of strength. There is too little community left in society. It was former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who said there is no such thing as society, just an aggregation of individuals pursuing their own interests. I like to think she is wrong, as far as Shore is concerned. Great schools manifest strong communities which develop supportive friendships for life. Shore is a great school. Shore boys should never have any need for the innovation in British politics, a Minister for Loneliness.

The other love I was delighted to see was found in the support from boys themselves, parents and Old Boys for our currently hospitalised and seriously injured Head of Geography, Mr Nigel Scozzi. Love manifested in action was seen in the visible support, in attire, cheering and fundraising for Mr Scozzi.

The joy I saw was joy in playing and the outpouring of euphoria in wins by a number of teams but, most especially, the First XV. It was, as the saying is, ‘A long time between drinks,’ in terms of competition victories for our First XV. The boys were thrilled to get the win on Old Boys’ Day and can truly say, ‘We did it for Mr Scozzi!’.

Thank you very much to everyone who made Saturday such a success in every way. Love? Joy? Yes, in abundance! It is about the people. Shore is a great school!

Dr John Collier
Interim Headmaster

All Sports Lunch 2022

On Friday 29 July, members of the Shore Community came together at Doltone House to enjoy an afternoon of fellowship and celebration of all sports played at Shore.

The theme for the day was ‘Celebrating our Shore supporters’ – thanking those who cheer us on from the sidelines, drive us to matches, console us in defeat and celebrate with us in victory. Please see below this article to watch the video from the day. Look out for our very own Cheer Captains in it.

All Captains of our 18 sports were presented on stage and wished well for their season passed or continuing. Bijaan Utteridge addressed the crowd and thanked everyone for attending. He did an excellent job of raising awareness for ‘Cozzies for Scozzi’ the next day.

The day gave our Interim Headmaster a chance to introduce himself to a cross section of our community. Dr Collier spoke of the lessons learnt on the sporting field and how widely they are applied in one’s life after school.

A panel of great Shore men – Cam Girdlestone and Jonah O’Sullivan – were interviewed and Mr Ticehurst ran a series of games on the day with some great competition and rivalry in the room.

Over $100,000 was raised for Shore’s Bursary Programme and some of the funds were directed towards acquiring a second new 22-seater minibus.

If the provision of a bus or expansion of our Bursary Programme are areas you are passionate about and you have the means to assist, please contact Mr David Mason-Jones at the Shore Foundation for a confidential discussion by phone: (02) 9956 1179.

Mr David Mason-Jones
Executive Director, Shore Foundation

Please watch the All Sports Lunch Video.

Staff Spotlight

Christian Studies Department

The Christian Studies Department is ably led by Mr Ben Gibson, who commenced at Shore in January 2021.

Mr Gibson has a diverse professional background, commencing his career in the corporate world with a cadetship at KPMG. He completed a Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Secondary Education and worked with a wide range of clients from big multinationals to small start-ups and charities. Faith was a driving force in his life to leave the corporate world and enter church ministry.

Mr Gibson believes that two realities drive Christian Studies at Shore. The first is that the School was founded upon the belief that the Bible is God’s Word, through which Jesus invites us into repentance, faith and fullness of life. The second is an awareness that Shore draws students and families from a variety of religious and non-religious backgrounds, and that every student should be respected as a thinker and affirmed as an individual.

“We do not coerce or dictate, but we commend and invite. We hope to promote critical thinking, robust discussion and deep reflection as our students consider who they are, what they believe and the truths by which they will live their lives,” he says.

Mr Ben Gibson

Mr Gibson leads a dedicated and talented team which has a clear vision for the future. He feels that the diversity of the team is the most valuable contribution to students. He notes the fantastic addition of Mrs Mel Domingo joining the department as Master-Assisting, bringing a wealth of experience in Chaplaincy and curriculum design. He also expresses thankfulness for Reverend Anthony Benn and Mr Cameron Burke, and for the fresh perspectives of Mrs Simone Waters, Mr Ed Craig, and Mr Chris Nicholls, who have joined us this year and made valuable contributions to the team and the students.

“Due to the nature of the subject, the way that God has wired and worked in the life of each staff member shapes their perspective and operation as a Christian Studies teacher. Different staff connect with different students at different times, and I believe that God has provided us with a healthy balance and synergy between the members of the team.”

The Christian Studies Department is integral to everything we do at Shore and provides the platform for developing the hearts and minds of our students.

Top Image Credit (left to right): Rev. Anthony Benn, Mr Ben Gibson, Mrs Simone Waters, Mr Cameron Burke, Mr Ed Craig, Mrs Mel Domingo and Mrs Chris Nicholls.

Volunteers Required

Educational Services

The Educational Services Department are seeking volunteers to read or write/scribe for exams throughout the year. No experience is necessary. Volunteers do not need to commit for a whole exam block. Any time you are able to give will be greatly appreciated by the boys. 

If you, or someone else you know, would like to assist, please send an email to Ms Susan Aoyama at saoyama@shore.nsw.edu.au outlining your availability. 

If you have any questions, please contact either Ms Susan Aoyama (Educational Services Assistant) or Mrs Deborah Oates (Head of Educational Services). Thank you.

American Tea – Save the Date!

Please get in touch!

Mrs Rita Yates, American Tea Convenor 2022 |

Ms Candace Rutka, Assistant American Tea Convenor 2022
spaamericantea@shore.nsw.edu.au

American Tea – Silent Auction

Contribute to our Auction!

Online auction will be open for bidding on Friday 2 September

At Shore, we have annually hosted an American Tea which includes a Silent Auction to raise funds supporting the education of the Shore boys and girls providing them with equipment, bursaries, and improved facilities.

The Shore Parents’ Association are now kindly requesting products or services to be donated for the Silent Auction. These may include items such as:

• Gourmet hampers
• Jewellery
• Holiday houses
• Season theatre tickets
• Sports coaching
• Professional photography sessions
• A boat ride on Sydney harbour
• Wardrobe makeovers
• Sport Driving School
• Interior design workshops
• Remedial massage or acupuncture
• Swimming lessons
• Architectural consultations

To contribute to our online auction, or if you have any suggestions, please contact Mrs Liz Currie on mobile 0412 487 404 or email americanteaauction@shore.nsw.edu.au

Shore Community Fellowship and Prayer Dinner

This will be a special evening for members of the School community to come together to reflect and rejoice in the School’s Christian purpose and to pray for the School community.

We would love to host people from all parts of the Shore Community – Old Boys, staff, parents (current and past) – everyone is welcome.

The evening will be an opportunity to share a casual meal, meet one another, hear from various members of the school community regarding the Christian ministries that are happening, and to pray for the School as well as our wider world. 

Date: Thursday 1 September   7.00pm – 9.00pm
Venue: Shore Dining Hall
A casual dinner will be provided (Boarding meal)
Dress code:  Smart Casual

RSVP – Mrs Marg Sproule (Executive Assistant to the Chaplain) msproule@shore.nsw.edu.au

Parking available in the Bishopsgate Car Park (Entry via Hunter Cres).

Boarders Weekly Chapel Service

Sunday 7 August

Chaplain’s Chat

It is probably fair to say that many of us love a good redemption story. Perhaps in life this is the type of story where someone hits rock bottom or makes some errors of judgement in their life and they seemingly lose much, only for them to return in some successful way. I suspect we are intrigued by these stories because in many ways we can relate to them. We all know of those times when we have made mistakes. And yet, when we respond in a particular way, perhaps make amends and see change, this can be a good thing.

The Bible reminds us of the great redemption story for us all. In Chapel this week, we were reminded how Adam and Eve disobeyed God and His ways. The consequences for them were indeed dire. Adam and Eve were a pattern of what was to come for all of us. We often just think of ourselves in our words and our actions, rather than others, with many consequences that so often affect our relationships and our lives. It is often true with how we relate to God. But despite what we have done, the Bible’s great redemption story is that God sent Jesus so that we can be in a loving relationship with him. This is the same Jesus who is described as the one “In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:14). This indeed is a good redemption story.

Rev. Anthony Benn
School Chaplain

CRU Update

Have you ever felt that someone has spoken with such authority, that it was impossible to ignore them? Would you take this voice seriously?

Last Friday at CRU, Mr Phillip Greenwood began with a game followed by a song of worship before we dived into the study of Mark 1:21-28. Mr Gibson spoke on the passage, which described the miracle where Jesus drove out an impure spirit from a man. The initial observation, which Mr Gibson indicated as a surprise, is that the impure spirit knew who Jesus was and feared that Jesus had come to destroy him (v24). Jesus ordered the spirit to come out of the man (v25) and it did. This miracle is incredible, as was noted by the crowds Jesus was teaching. Jesus demonstrated authority with the power of His words, but Mr Gibson also explained how the miracles demonstrate that we should listen to Jesus’ teaching. Verse 27 outlines the amazement at Jesus’ authority and His power.

As a result of this, Mr Gibson posed the question, “What voices are we listening to?” This passage indicates that we should listen to Jesus and as was shared, using John 4:13-14 as an example, Jesus’ voice provides truth and security while earthly things will make you thirst for more. We should also consider which parts of God’s Word might be most relevant and helpful at the current time. We hope to see more boys as we look forward to continuing the exploration of Mark’s Gospel next week.

InterCRU

On Friday afternoon, a group of around 15 boys made the train trip to Roseville College for InterCRU with the other CRU groups from the schools on the North Shore. It was a great opportunity to meet new people and make friends, and we heard Tim speak on 1 Corinthians 1:4-17 regarding unity in the church. Tim talked about how, as the church and God’s people, we have received God’s grace and He has blessed us. God has also provided us with spiritual gifts and will keep us firm until the very end when Jesus returns to judge. We also heard about how the church should be united in purpose without quarrels.

Following the talk, we heard the testimony of Jess from Roseville College, who described her walk towards Jesus. We also heard from Kieran Old about CrossTrain, a CRU Camp which happened in the holidays, and we prayed for our schools and CRU groups. It was a wonderfully encouraging time.

Daniel Becker
9TY4

Achieving a Balance Right for Young People

I often hear in the media that there is no such thing as a ‘work life balance’. I do not agree. Of course, someone’s ‘work life balance’ will be very different to the next person, but being busy is a choice. Perhaps, we should refer to it as ‘work life choice’ instead. Our young people, just like the adults in their lives have become extraordinarily busy. Being busy is in some ways the lifestyle choice of the modern world. But what happens when children are so busy, that they forget what it’s like to enjoy the freedom of childhood? Or they are so busy that their mental health suffers as a result?

As adults, we need to monitor the ‘work life balance’ of our young people and set up structures and environments where they can have down time, enjoy time spent with their families and extended families here at Shore, and just enjoy their youth. Young people need to play and children learn mostly through play-based learning, especially the social and emotional learning skills needed to thrive.

A good way to monitor our children’s schedules is to have a long think about the expectations we have of our children. Are we as parents setting up way too many ‘busy activities’ for our children? One way of monitoring and creating balance for young people is to complete an audit of their weeks’ activities. When we actually sit down and make a list of everything our children do in a week, there should be evidence that they actually want to be involved in these activities. A conversation should be had around how they are travelling with their busy schedules. Always checking in to ask, ‘Is it necessary?’

Sometimes parents set up structured activities for their children in the fear that they will miss out if they are not doing something every day of the week. Young people also choose to be busy and love being engaged in several activities at once. However, children are still learning the essential skills of physical and mental resilience and a gentle reminder about prioritising time for wellbeing is very important.

Another good way to look at balance in a child’s life is to see if there is still time for grandparents, book reading, walking the dog, building a cubby, going to youth group, participating in Scouts or drawing a picture, riding a bike, cooking, completing homework and study, eating with the family, sleeping at least nine hours a night or even just blobbing on the couch.

Each child is different, but there needs to be a balance in the lives of our young people, so that they can breathe, and be still and silent. As parents, we can help our children to recognise that being busy is not necessarily productive and that finding a balance is the first step to being a responsible and happy adult.

To learn about building resilience in young people, please visit the following link to the Resilience edition of SchoolTV.

Ms Rowena Dudgeon
Deputy Head, Pastoral Care

GPS Debating Round 1

St Joseph’s College

Last Friday, the GPS Debating Competition kicked off in exciting fashion. Locking horns with St Joseph’s College, on topics about Science and Society, the Shore debaters affirmed well in all debates, taking home eight wins across twelve matchups. The 7A, 7B and 7C teams swept their Joeys counterparts on the topic, “Students from Kindergarten to Year 10 should never use personal laptops or tablets in the classroom” with the 7Ds unlucky to go down in the ISDDC. Wins for the 8A and 8B teams on banning artificial intelligence were backed up by an 8C win in their ISDDC debate on contact sport to deliver a clean sweep in the age group and complete a promising start to the season in the Junior years.

The Year 9 and Year 10 debates, on artificial intelligence and the merits of using patient satisfaction surveys to determine doctors’ salaries respectively, saw both A teams win and both B teams lose. The 10As had a strong prep, despite being down a man, which set them up with a strong case and several counterarguments, pre-emptively formulated to rebut St Joseph’s arguments. At first, Max Kim set up the case, systematically proving impactful and likely benefits to the quality of doctors and the progression of the medical industry. Daniel Kang also provided excellent rebuttal to counter Joeys’ first speaker and whipped Max’s key points before Michael Kwak brought the team home in 3^rd, strategically weighing the debate proving why Shore should win. The adjudicator agreed and Shore’s strong performance was rewarded with a well-deserved victory.

Despite being unable to meet our St Joseph’s opponents in person, the Opens debates were held on Zoom, a handy remnant of the COVID era. Teams clashed on the topic, “Pharmaceutical companies should be held liable for widespread misuse of their drugs”. The debates centred around which stakeholders should be held responsible for drug misuses and whether it was right for pharmaceutical companies to be held liable. The Thirds were left feeling robbed after the adjudicator awarded their debate to St Joseph’s despite their valiant effort. Their pain was avenged by the Seconds who, with a myriad of examples from Blake Fite, successfully defended their model from the opposition’s attacks to emerge victorious.

In the Firsts, after a rollercoaster ISDA season with four consecutive losses and three consecutive wins, we were hoping to get our season off to a strong start. Will Defina opened strongly, executing the plan of attack formulated in the prep room by laying out an effective punishment mechanism and the reasons why pharmaceutical companies should be held liable. At Second, I held the team line against the onslaught of St Joseph’s rebuttal, taking on claims about doctors being more responsible for misuse, before a rampaging Tim Barrett stressed that tackling pharmaceutical companies would have the most significant impact to ending the suffering of prescription drug addicts. We stuck to our guns and effectively executed the plan; but they were the wrong guns and it was the wrong plan. Without a moral linchpin, the adjudicator believed the oppositions practical harms would outweigh any benefit.

Next week, the debaters are back at Shore, tackling topics on sport against Riverview and they will attempt to emulate the First XV, who also tackled Riverview in sport, to secure another strong set of results.

Mesake Taulawakeiaho
Captain of Debating

Top Image Credit: Year 9A team after their win

Rifle Club Report

Last Saturday, Shore held its annual Old Boy and Parent-Son Full Bore competitions. Both competitions are a huge event on the shooting calendar, occurring after the GPS Competition. The conditions were fantastic with mild winds and warm, sunny weather.

The Old Boy Competition is a day when shooting Old Boys can return to Hornsby Rifle Range and compete against the current team. Rifle shooting has the longest history of GPS sports dating back to 1885, and one of Shore’s most successful Winter Sport records. Therefore, the current team had a lot to compete with.

We saw the return of many great shooters – some of which had only graduated last year, part of the premier GPS team of 2020/21, while some graduated 40 years ago. Plenty of banter was had between generations of rifle shooters. The competition was very close – with our current team holding their own to the older boys. However, the Old Boys came out victorious – winning by one point 199-17 to 200-20.

Additionally, the Parent-Son Shooting was also held. This offered current shooter’s parents an opportunity to fire a detail, with their son coaching them. Lots of laughs were had, as parents realized the weight and kickback of shooting. It also offered plenty of friendly competition, as families competed against each other. Congratulations to Russel for winning the Parent-Son Competition. Special mention to Jasper Liew in Year 8 who top scored for the day with 40-6. Amazing score for a Junior member and a good sign for seasons to come.

Old Boys’ Parent-Son day signified the end of the 2022 Shore Full Bore Rifle Shooting season. Next weekend sees the Small Bore Rifle Shooting Parent-Son Competition and a close of that season.

Thank you for the amazing memories.

Alec Carter
Rifle Shooting Captain

Top Image Credit: Past and present Captains, from left: Alec Carter (22), Matt Wylie (09), Angus Langsford (21), Ben Scouller (14), Scott Skidmore (13), Richard Burnell (72), Lachlan Perry (15), Adam Beale (17).

AFL Report

ISC AFL Round 9 – Friday 29 July and Saturday 30 July

Note: For a student to make the Highlights, they need to have kicked three (3) or more goals.
Summary: 2 Wins, 1 Loss.
Undefeated Teams: Senior Div 2

All Sports Lunch 2022

It feels like we are just getting into the groove of things, but we are already into Round 9, the second last round of the season. With a washout the week before, it was great to see a dry week and blue skies on Saturday.

During the week, the School had their annual All Sports Lunch that was held at Doltone House. All Captains from each Sport were invited, and it was great to see Alex Wyborn leading the way for AFL. It was a great event and a worthy cause to raise money for the Shore Bursary Programme.

Senior Team Report

The weekend started off with the Senior team playing a Friday night fixture against Waverley College at Wagener Oval. With a bunch of boys catching the chartered bus to the ground, we were primed for a strong hit-out. Unfortunately, for the second time this season, Waverley failed to field the minimum number of players, causing them to automatically forfeit the match.

To make the most of the night, we gave them six of our players each quarter to play 16-a-side match. It ended up being a competitive run around and the team worked on a few things to get ready for their final round clash against Newington. With the team securing the win, they remain undefeated, leading Newington by just four points (one win) providing an exciting last round. We went into the last round knowing that if we beat Newington we would secure the Champions honours, if we lose, we would end up Co-Premiers with Newington.

The battle of the Senior team Golden Boot is coming down to the final match. ‘Money Bags’, Thomas Marshall, was leading James Collier by two goals after eight rounds. Unfortunately, Thomas had to rule himself as unavailable for the Friday clash due to debating commitments. This gave James Collier the opportunity to take full advantage of this, and that he did. He kicked three goals for the night to move his tally to 13 as Thomas remains on 12. We can look forward to a great battle up front next week.

Intermediate Team Report

The Intermediate team played in the afternoon against a Knox Grammar School side we demolished first time around 122-0. This time, our boys decided to lift even more and were eager to keep Knox on the duck egg. After the first half the coaches swapped players position, and this led to the team conceding not only their first point but a goal as well. Mr Separovich was not impressed! The win keeps Shore in second place, just one win behind Trinity College .

Before the match, Henry Marshall was leading Mitchell Dettman by two goals for the Intermediate Golden Boot. Unfortunately, Henry was unavailable, giving Mitchell the chance to take full advantage. He managed to kick nine goals to move his tally to 22 for the season and seven clear of Henry. He now takes the overall AFL Golden Boot lead, moving four clear of Thomas Hamilton from the Junior Team.

Junior Team Report

On Saturday morning, the Junior boys had a top of the table clash with Waverley College. With Waverley sitting on top and Shore just the one win behind them, we were keen to make amends from our previous clash, where we lost to them in the dying stages of the match. The win would have levelled us with Waverley going into the final round. It was a hard-fought contest with both teams equal after the first quarter. However, Waverley’s size and strength proved too much for our boys and we could never convert our chances with too many drop balls. The score line does not do the match justice, with Waverley managing to kick a couple of goals per quarter. This gives Waverley an unassailable lead for the premiership going into the final round.

Our goal is to beat Cranbrook next week and lock in second place, which will be a successful season and one to be proud of. With the difficulty of kicking goals last Saturday, Thomas Hamilton remains as the Junior Golden Boot leader on 16 goals, with Henry Trueman five goals behind him on 11.

Wrap Up

For the first time, ISC AFL Opens Division 1 are playing a Finals Competition. Last Saturday was the Semi-Final with Riverview beating Cranbrook by more than 100 points and Newington and Knox fought out for the other spot. They were all tied up at full-time with Newington coming out as the eventual winners by one point. The first Grand Final will be between Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview versus Newington under lights at Kogarah. Next week is our final round. Let’s hope we can finish the season well by having all three teams finishing in the top two, most notably, the Senior team coming out as Champions. Good luck and enjoy the final game! To read an in-depth report of the scores, please access this week’s edition of the Roberts-Thompson Report here or on the Lampada AFL page.

Mr G. Tesoriero
MIC, AFL

Shore Golf Report

Saturday 30 July – 2BBB and Individual Stableford

A sparkling day on the course produced some sparkling results. None more aglitter than Ollie Arnold who managed to put everything together and carve out a stunning 46 points, 10 under his handicap. Needless to say, he won the day, but there were quite a few other respectable scores for the team as the course dried out and became a little more playable. Although, things also got easier for the rest of the field so there were a couple of agonising near misses in terms of winning a prize. With a little more practice on the putting green, hopefully there will be more reward in the coming weeks.

Mr R. J. Ward
MIC, Golf

Holtermann Columns – Student Journalism

The True Impact of the Global Energy Crisis

How the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is impacting more than just oil

W. H. R. Johnston

Despite the lack of progress in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the depleting Russian soldier morale, and the united stance against Russia by many countries, the Kremlin seems unwilling to budge, and have in turn created a global energy crisis. 

Although many factors have contributed to the supply shortage of oil in recent years, most notably COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has drastically inflated the issue, resulting in the exponential increase in oil prices around the world. 

Europe’s pre-invasion reliance on Russian oil was substantial, with many countries importing more than 35% of their oil from Russia. However, since the invasion of Ukraine, restrictive policies on Russian exports have been adopted by the European Union, and in the sixth package of sanctions, a partial oil embargo has been put in place which is set to ban all crude oil and petroleum imports from Russia by January 2023.  

Obviously, this supply shock has had major price implications throughout the world, with petrol prices rising approximately 30% in Australia over the past 6 months. However, now that governments and consumers have been given time to adjust to these new circumstances and adapt, it is expected that through the second half of the year, there will be a downward trend in petrol price, with significant drops already occurring in the UK, yet it is not completely clear how much of the price reduction will be passed on to the consumer from the large oil companies who are currently making record profits as a result of this price hike.  

Additionally, the energy crisis has impacted many other sectors through its altercation of aggregate consumer spending and, subsequently, is largely responsible, with a number of other factors, for the significantly increased cost of living. This resulted in many countries experiencing extremely high inflation, with a 5.1% increase in the CPI, price rises have become evident in all consumer activity, be it in grocery shopping, entertainment, or even public transport. With high inflation being prevalent in many national economies, there is a great chance that recession could soon follow, with many countries including the United States, Canada, the UK, Germany, Japan, South Korea and even Australia expected to experience recession by mid-next year. 

Therefore, despite the gradual recovery from the energy crisis that looks to be on the cards for the next 6-12 months, its impacts on the rest of the economy will surely be felt by the everyday consumer for quite some time due to the increased cost of living and expected decrease in economic activity. 

A ‘Peaceful’ Alternative

How and when do sanctions work

M. D. Kwak

IT’S OFTEN EASY to be swept up in the delusional grandeur of Western power or the cries for non-violent diplomatic pressure and believe that negative sanctions are sufficient when they are clearly not. In the international sphere, sanctions are an alternative to armed intervention or war but their success is not always guaranteed.

Targeting a nation’s economy might seem intuitive when attempting to hurt them and force them to give in to pressure – especially in cases for corrupt and wealthy dictatorships or one-party states. However, for some reason, US sanctions didn’t work in Iran, international sanctions continue to prove ineffective in deterring North Korea’s nuclear program and more recently, sanctions on Russian oligarchs and economy have done little to halt Putin’s war campaigns in Ukraine.

In all of these cases, negative sanctions tangibly affected the standard of living in these countries, damaged their economies and successfully provided a sizable economic and social incentive to give in to scrutiny and demands from the West. However, in all cases, sanctions have been widely ineffective. For a more nuanced view of sanctions, one must consider all the circumstances at hand apart from the simplistic and often faulty economic calculus and incentives at play. Just because a country is slightly economically affected doesn’t warrant a change in behaviour. 

That isn’t to say sanctions have a marginal benefit or can’t be very successful – it just takes a certain number of factors. To illustrate a few of the influences at hand that determine whether a sanction is successful or not, one can compare sanctions against South Africa in its Apartheid and current sanctions against North Korea.

In the case of South Africa, the countries sanctioning it were often seen as allies – actors like the USA and Great Britain. Whereas in North Korea, the same nations sanctioning it are explicitly seen as enemies and threats – built up with propaganda and historical narratives. This softens the psychological impact of attempting to isolate these countries – you can’t isolate a hermit state that has probably expected and put up with Western sanctions for years. The same can’t be said for South Africa and that time.

Furthermore, in South Africa there was domestic opposition in the form of Nelson Mandela that could pressure the state internally whilst in North Korea, there is little to none. As much as sanctions are about international pressure, they are very good for empowering domestic actors to force change and use sanctions as way of politically ousting the weakened regime. Private businesses have a lot of autonomy and can do things like capital flight, investment changes and lobbying of government to change policy. Sanctions mean that they are the ones suffering most, and South Africa’s private firms, at the time, did a lot of pressuring. However, in North Korea, the state usually owns all of the enterprise and sanctions end up benefiting them in many cases. Sanctions turn the state into the only source for vital goods like food and oil. Sanctions of Iran made its military very rich as they were the only ones with technology. Sanctions might make the poorest citizens suffer but not the rich state business.

International sanctions on North Korea also end up inflating the ideological narratives of Juche – of self-reliance and isolation from Western intervention. However, a vital differentiator between the success and failure of a sanction is how universal and airtight it is. Sanctions on South Africa were comprehensive and unified which targeted the state’s reliance on the international supply chain for things like oil and flows of credit and assets to do business. However, North Korea has been able to employ backdoors by exporting to African dictatorships or trading with China at its border. This has allowed for its economy to survive – and its oligarchy to continue to repress and spend money on what they want. 

Sanctions can definitely make it harder on a targeted country. In many cases, it’s psychologically damaging and makes it harder for the nation to pay for military and nuclear programs and acquire items for it. It also denies access to key goods and inspires local resistance. Crucially, however, sanctions are by no means, a golden bullet. They can even backfire occasionally and all relevant circumstances need to be manipulated in order for any chance of success and actualisation of change.

Has KD Been Ring Chasing?

A look into potential trade locations

F. A. Loxton

FOLLOWING A HUGELY DRAMATIC NBA PLAYOFFS which saw the Brooklyn Nets get swept by the Boston Celtics, sports analysts are saying Kevin Durant “can’t win a ring without a super team,” after he requested a trade from Brooklyn. Furthermore, with his preferred trade destinations being number one seeds the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat, is KD just searching for another championship in the later end of his career?

Amongst all this backlash however, the Brooklyn Nets GMs have been bidding to get their money’s worth. The Minnesota Timberwolves were their first target, offering Kevin Durant in exchange for Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and 4 first round picks. The Timberwolves willingly declined, and for good reason. But with both a player in search of a ring and a front office in search of a future, where are some of the possible locations KD could go next season?

1. Toronto Raptors – Nets Receive: Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes, 2 1st-Round Picks. Raptors Receive: Kevin Durant. Whilst it’s unlikely the Nets would accept the trade currently, they might find it’s their best offer with reigning ROTY Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam just 28 years old. The deal would secure a strong future for the franchise – and with KD already 35, it may be their best option.
2. Memphis Grizzlies – Nets Receive: Jaren Jackson Jr, Dillon Brooks, Ziaire Williams and 2 first-round picks. Grizzlies Receive: Kevin Durant. With this trade the Grizzlies would form the deadly duo of Ja Morant and KD making them immediate contenders next season. However, good young talent may not be enough for the Nets GMs as the trade would not completely secure the franchise for future seasons.
3. Miami Heat – Net Receive: Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and 3 first-round picks. Heat Receive: Kevin Durant. Similar to the raptors trade, KD to the Heat would allow the Nets to gain a young star in Herro and a proven top centre in Bam Adebayo. Miami was also one of Durant’s preferred locations, pairing him up with Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry – which would in turn make them favourites for the championship.

With a tough star to please, it’s no wonder the Nets GMs are asking for what seems like half a team for the 35 year old. And with key trade piece Deandre Ayton doubtful about resigning with the Suns, it’s unlikely Durant is set for a future in a big three at Phoenix. However, all will unfold; it is a key season for Kevin Durant and his legacy – some say he has something to prove.

Crashto

Reasons behind recent trends in cryptocurrency

Braden Dent

TO ALL THOSE WHO have holdings in or may have been watching the state of crypto, you will know that over the past few months, most cryptocurrencies have seen some of their worst decreasing trends in history. This has scared many investors, emphasised the extreme volatility that coincides with cryptocurrency, and ultimately created an unpredictable market where buying and selling may both be viable options. 

Whilst we have witnessed cryptocurrencies crashing in the past, we have never seen it occur on such a large scale. The first major cryptocurrency crash was in December of 2017 when many coins (e.g., Bitcoin & Ethereum) saw 50% decreases in their value over a 5-month period. Whereas now, throughout the past 6 months, these same popular coins have undergone decreases ranging from 70-80%. So, what are the reasons behind these negative trends? 

The predominant reasons revolve around the gradually increasing interest rates and fears of inflation, which are subsequently discouraging people from choosing to invest in risky assets such as cryptocurrencies. This has been mirrored through the stock market where big technology companies around the world have been experiencing poor trends as of late. Interest rates were close to an all-time low towards the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, which encouraged consumer spending and borrowing. In turn, this led to many people choosing to invest, creating a market that was firing on all cylinders and turning a blind eye to the possibility of a crash. Now that we are seeing rising interest rates around the world, people are re-assessing how they choose to spend their money, and this is incentivising people to escape risky investments such as cryptocurrencies or avoid investing in them all together so that they can remain financially stable. It is for this lack of demand that many coins such as Bitcoin are experiencing dramatic decreases in value.

Whilst many people may view crashing markets as a clear sign to liquidate all investments and “get out”, others may see it as an opportunity to invest in assets which are undervalued when looked at from a long-term perspective. As stated by billionaire investment analyst Ken Fisher, “Time in the market beats timing in the market”.  Meaning that choosing to invest long-term is far more beneficial than trying to pick the exact moment when you believe that a stock or other form of investment is going to be at its optimal buying price. While this may be true, in this day and age, having a long-term outlook is not an option for some people as they have short-term financial commitments that they need to cover.  

Although there are many long-term investors who seem unphased by the recent global conditions (inflation and interest rates) that have been affecting cryptocurrency, they have still lost over half of their original investments and due to the unforeseeable nature of the market, the worst may be yet to come.

Premiership Hopes

Shore AFL’s chance at the Premiership

J. A. T. Collier

SINCE THE START OF THE SEASON, the men of the Shore AFL team have been working hard to get to the pointy end of the season. After a rocky start to the season in a trial match against Riverview, the boys have put in the effort and are positioned on top of the ladder with 2 games left to play. Shore is sitting in a good position as of now, and the next few games are crucial for the team.

To begin with, Shore are on top of the table right now, with high hopes that the premiership will be coming to Shore in 2 weeks. In competition games, with some triumphant wins against strong teams, Shore has not yet lost a match. However, with 2 games left of the season, anything could happen. After a gruelling 3 day camp throughout the holidays, where boys were put through numerous kicking and running drills to get back to match fitness, the team has high hopes for this weekend’s clash. This means for the massive game ahead of the team on Saturday, the team is hoping for another big win to consolidate their position on the ladder going into the final game. For this to happen though, many things need to fall into place.

For example, Tom Marshall needs to continue his goal scoring streak with the help of the key midfielders Alex Wyborn, Jasper Hogarth Scott and Cooper Gregory to feed the ball inside 50 to him from the centre square. Joslin Barnes needs to continue his dominant form as ruckman and all the backs such as Billy Fennessy need to play exceptionally hard to prevent any goals scored by the opposition. The boys all need to work together and get the job done because if the boys win this weekend, the premiership would have a good chance of coming home to Shore.

So as the weekend dawns upon us now, I wish all the boys in various sporting teams good luck in their matches, however a big good luck to the fine men of the Shore AFL team as they go into battle and attempt to bring back the premiership to Shore where it belongs. GO SHORE.

J U S T I C E

Reconsidering justice and our obsession for it

J. Y. Gao

HUMAN BEINGS ARE RATIONAL AND INTELLIGENT BEINGS. Embedded in our behaviour and psychology is a concept that served us well in our days of wooden clubs and mud paint, but is perhaps something that needs to be reconsidered in this time of increasing unrest. Of course, I refer to the concept of justice. I have, in the past year, grown steadily in my recognition of the extent to which the achievement and sustaining of justice underlies all of our actions. Indeed, this is an unexpectedly recent find; it was not three months ago that I first announced in words and thought in concrete definitions that most of my passions and arguments, as well as my life goals, are all based around the concept of justice. And perhaps more interestingly, this idea of justice seems to have permeated through the actions of society; the current affairs I witness – especially in regards to police discrimination, the rise in feminism, cancel culture, woke culture – are all conflicts that originate from this very foundational concept of justice. And I assume this feeling of unease and restlessness nags away at your chest too when you are convinced you have been unfairly done by. May I go a step further and picture the rage I hear bubbling in your heart when you discover that whatever has been done to you can not be repaid?

Some artists of our current culture (and during periods in the past), have profited immensely from crafting themselves or their work as a channel through which your build up of unease can be released. Now, whenever I think about ‘payback’, or more precisely, revenge, I think of my main man: the egotistical but brilliant filmmaker, Quentin Tarantino.  Tarantino has, on numerous occasions, justified the gruesome violence he has so often showcased in multiple instances in each film as cathartic – and any Quentin lover would know that IT IS. When an oppressed and unfortunate character that is so lovable and charismatic (a character like Django), restores balance to a movie whose entire plot prior to that point had been dedicated towards tipping the balance the other way, there is a ‘feel good’ feeling that you FEEL, subconsciously, like a brick has been lifted off your chest. 

When justice is framed in cinema in such a way, especially when talking about Quentin, where good and bad in terms of who the audience empathises with is so very distinct (and persuasive), it is easy to ignore some crucial factors – before letting the justice rejuvenate your belief of good in the world. One of the main factors that is ignored is that justice is, alas, an arbitrary construct of mind and human behaviour. Perhaps spiritually, it is dictated by a higher power but as far as the physical world is concerned, our system of justice is relatively customised and personal. Ultimately it comes down to a difference in personal values, which could be in turn influenced by your past, your friends and family, and the societal context you submerge yourself in. In order to know if, when and how much to pay back a wrongdoing, an individual must quantify to some mental scale the ‘unacceptableness’ of the action, and calculate the appropriate output. Of course, this means that because of the infinite amount of possible data points and criteria points each action may have, and because of the diversity of people’s belief systems, this quantified value stays extremely inconsistent with whatever population sect you pick. 

Let me share some wisdom from our favourite playwright, Big Will. King Lear is a complex play about many things for many reasons. But one of the ‘literary readings’ that we can take is the story of the Prodigal son in King Lear. At the start of the play, Lear depends on fair tests – his understanding of justice – to determine how much his daughters love him. His quantified version of values that he thinks represent what he truly looks for in character is human, to say the least. Through a series of story beats, we find a Lear that is destroyed and at the bottom of his character arc. Tragically, Lear’s resurgence is too little too late, and as he holds the daughter who truly loved him from the start in a tight embrace, he finds strength and clarity in the mercy and forgiveness his daughter demonstrated. 

Let’s leave some things ‘un-measured’ and ‘un-quantified’. For if your brother “was lost and is found,” that’s all we need to celebrate.

Economic Division

Contemplating the pitfalls of Australia’s divided system

J. A. McCreery

AS AUSTRALIA STRUGGLES to grapple with the increasing cost of living and rising inflation, incoherent policy making becomes ever more prominent. Although these failings stem from extraneous factors, such as the war in Ukraine and existing supply chain pressures,  Australia’s divided economic control and an inability for policy makers to coordinate their efforts magnifies the issue. 

Monetary and fiscal policy are the two main forms of economic intervention utilized by regulating authorities to combat inflation, promote sustainable growth and reach full employment.

• Monetary policy: the control of the quantity of money available in an economy and the channels by which new money is supplied.

• Fiscal policy: the use of government spending and taxation to influence the economy.

In the Australian system, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is responsible for monetary policy. The RBA is an independent central bank, headed by an appointed Governor, and has the freedom to make unfettered decisions. This system was created through the Reserve Bank Act of 1959 in order to maintain public confidence in the nation’s central bank and promote a non-political managing body. In contrast, fiscal policy is directly controlled by the government and, as such, can be swayed by political allegiances.

The prime example of this divided system is the contradicting response to recent economic strains. 

The RBA, in an effort to reduce inflation, increased interest rates (4/4), for the first time in more than 11 years, moving rates from 0.1% to 0.35% and later to 1.35% (5/7) with even more rate hikes expected. These higher interest rates lower spending in the economy as businesses and individuals are less willing or able to access funds at the increased price. Consequently, consumer spending decreases, money supply tightens and demand for good drops. Less demand equates to lower prices, thus, inflation rates fall. The level of business investment, a significant contributor to growth, also falls and places downward pressure on inflation. 

In spite of such efforts, the newly installed Labor government plans to enact a 45 billion dollar fiscal package, to be invested in technology, manufacturing, power infrastructure and home building. Such spending decidedly works against RBA initiatives, demand for goods will inevitably rise as money floods the system thus promoting an inflationary environment. Shadow treasurer Angus Tayor outlined its effect, claiming Labor’s spending would “fuel higher inflation and higher interest rates.” 

Such a split in policy inevitably reduces the efficacy of either side’s decision, as monetary and fiscal policy are most effective when used in tandem. If macroeconomic goals were to harmonize, stability could be reached with far lesser fluctuation throughout the economy. 

Clearly, there is a lot to consider about the benefits and failures of the Australian economic managerial process. Is there value in independent RBA control? Would holistic government authority better reflect the will of the people? Is the existing division beneficial for achieving primary economic goals?

Such questions are often avoided as governments work to justify existing systems, but politicians and economists must confront them to ensure the enduring wellbeing of the Australian economy and, in turn, its people.

Oliver Johnston

D. B. Mautner & J. Y. Gao

Remembering a friend – D. B. Mautner

HOW DO YOU REMEMBER A FRIEND? A good friend. A beautiful human being. Someone, who you looked up to and assumed he’ll be your friend forever, surely, definitively – –
But then, from one day to the next, a tragic accident takes that life away?

I still cannot comprehend it. I mean, my heart cannot understand that I will not see Oliver again. I have to admit that there’s still somehow a tiny hope in my head that it might all be a nightmare from which I will wake up eventually.

Oliver was an Eldershaw boy. When I started at Eldershaw in year 7, he was one of the first “senior” boys I met. I was so impressed by how fun he was; he made school life seem so easy. I was introduced to Oli, by my friend and Oli’s younger brother Will, who is equally kind, funny, and amazing.

Every time Oli saw me in the Eldershaw locker room, he came up to me, put his reassuring hand on my shoulder and asked in his gentle, considerate, and slightly cheeky tone: “What’s up? Are you good?” usually followed by the sage advice of “Don’t work too hard.” Being new in the school, his shoulder pat meant the world to me. It invited me to talk; I felt understood, not judged; I received kind-hearted, smart, and sometimes hilarious answers to my little issues, that seemed big at the time and trivial now.

Oli also instilled in me a passion for Cadets. Oli loved Cadets and was engaged as CSM of Band and SGT for Independent Company. He raved about his experiences at Cadet camps, the fun adventures and activities, and the camaraderie. How could I not become an enthusiastic cadet myself? I am so grateful for it and all the experiences it offered.

Other snippets float around in my mind. A trip to Nelsons Bay; Oliver sang in the car to the silliest tunes, with gusto and smiles up to his ears. Quad biking in the dunes; Oli exuberant in his happiness, sense of freedom, and joy of life. Being hungry at midnight, we heated up apple pie, but regrettably our lack of cooking skills let us forget the crucial detail of setting a timer for the oven. When it finally dawned on us, the pie had turned to a black brick and the smell was … oh what’s a synonym for “really awful”?

I don’t want to pretend that writing about you, Oli, isn’t hard. In fact, it’s harder than I thought. I can’t see clearly the letters I write, my heart feels so very heavy. I am trying to remember the many many funny sides of you. I want to celebrate your beautiful sense of humour, your warmth, and your generosity. I want to learn from you how you always thought first of others and took an interest in the wellbeing of those around you. And I want to hold on to something; preserve reflections that so suddenly turned from delightful or silly anecdotes to most precious memories.

Just a few months ago, you came back to school as an Old Boy for a House meeting. You were full of stories from your university studies. Chemistry was your favourite subject and you had done so exceptionally well in your exams. You spoke with so much enthusiasm. I can’t wait to take that chemistry course myself. I joked that soon we’ll have lunch together at uni. I thought nothing of the remark. However, now it lingers in my head. It’s like a wish that seemed so simple, yet suddenly unattainable.

But there’s always a place reserved for you in my heart. I know you’ll guide me through that chemistry course with your kind voice and vibrant smile. And I will always feel your reassuring hand on my shoulder.

Thank you, Oli!

In Loving Memory – J. Y. Gao

IN LOVING MEMORY OF OLIVER JOHNSTON, I WRITE THIS ARTICLE; I shall recount some of my fondest memories of him, and in doing so, bring light to the characteristics that made him so treasured, amicable, and unique. 

Our families were lucky enough to go on a joint trip together to China. On this trip, my mum would always point out to me how my brother was being left out of our conversations and I would always dismiss the point, make a small gesture to include him, then pick up the conversation where we left off. Of course, Oli didn’t understand Chinese, and so was most likely unaware of this side conversation we were having. But being the kind-hearted, observant person that he is, Oli removes himself from our conversation and becomes Jordan’s main interlocutor for the rest of the trip. As I listened in to their conversations over the course of the following days, I was amazed to hear the breadth of their discourse; in a brief period of time, Oli had managed to immerse my then 7-year old brother into topics as sophisticated as string theory, with my brother interjecting simplified recounts of my poor explanation of quarks. This is just one example of Oli’s innate generosity and kindness.

Amazingly, whilst voluntarily taking care of my brother, I remember discussing with him his future plans of making a drift quad bike, the possibility of a joint partnership in the commercialising of quantum computers using my dad’s factory, and recounts of Russian and German involvement in WW2, amongst a range of others. Of course, during our long walks on footpaths through various Chinese towns and cities, the most memorable of our experience together, for me at least, is humming to Dschinghis Khan’s Moskau just because. The two brothers had the song memorised in German, I had only time to memorise the pattern of the chorus and verse. But nevertheless, if you had seen us on the streets of Shanghai in winter of 2019, we would have been singing this song, acapella or with accompaniment. The point was made ever more poignant with Oli’s Russian fur hat which he proudly wore to all establishments. 

Oli’s love for the world, his friends, and his family was felt by all. His passion for science and music, amongst many other hobbies and interests, was admired by everyone close enough to hear. His faith echoes into the heavens; and his love for life vibrates under our feet. The world is a dimmer place without him. Goodbye for now.

If you need any support, please contact:

1. the School Counselling Service at shorecounsellors@shore.nsw.edu.au or
2. Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800 or https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/what-big-thing-called-grief
3. headspace: 1800 650 890 or https://headspace.org.au/explore-topics/for-young-people/grief-and-loss