News Archive

The students who wrote the PROSH paper are taking part in cultural sensitivity training, after a column purportedly written by an Indigenous person caused offence and distress.

Guild President Cam Barnes said he was committed to doing everything possible to ensure that future PROSH papers met appropriate community standards.

"I have apologised unreservedly for the article and for the lack of scrutiny of the publication," he said. "It is a real shame that something in such poor taste detracts from the core efforts of the event, which is to raise money for local charities and good causes."

One of the charities, Indigenous Communities Education and Awareness foundation, refused to accept the money raised for it by the sale of The Over Exaggeration last month.

The other charities, The Song Room, Miracle Babies and Uni Camp for Teens have accepted the Guild's donations.

A bomb hoax early on PROSH day meant that the total raised was significantly lower than expected.

About 6.30am, a young man, believed to a student from another university, told a UWA Wilsons Security guard that there was a bomb in the Guild Village.

Just two days after the Boston bombing, security and the police took the threat seriously and evacuated the Guild Village for an hour while they searched for the bomb.

Almost half of the papers and collection tins had to be left behind and I some areas there was a notable absence of students on the streets during the morning rush hour.

"We raised around $100,000." Cam said. "Last year we made just over $140,000 so that was a bad start to the day."

The cultural sensitivity training will be run with the help of the School of Indigenous Studies and will be made compulsory for future editorial teams.

Cam said the Guild would also be working closely with the School and the WA Student Aboriginal Corporation to institute new policies, procedures and initiatives to promote cultural awareness at UWA.