Can't find what you're looking for?

As an aspiring international communications officer or television foreign correspondent there are three particular social media accounts which I highly regard and will continue to observe throughout my studies; US foreign correspondent for Nine Network Australia, Amelia Adams, The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and UK foreign correspondent for Seven Network Australia, Amy Parks. Amelia Adams Amelia Adams is the current US foreign correspondent for Nine Network Australia. Much like myself Adams has wanted to be a journalist from a young age, in an interview with Medianet she recalled her parents letting her stay up late one a week to watch 60 Minutes (Medianet, 2020). Adams regularly maintains two public social media accounts, Twitter and Instagram. Adams Twitter is evidently a professional based social media account with the majority of tweets reporting breaking international news or news stories relating to her current journalistic position. This is highlighted particularly through Adams last Twitter post which re-tweeted Ryan Lizza stating, ‘Mitch McConnel just said on Fox News that if Donald Trump is the GOP presidential nominee in 2020 that he will support him’ (Lizza,2021). Adams Instagram incorporates both her professional and personal lives. Post’s show Adams on work trips, reporting live, at international events in addition to spending time with her family and friends. The Instagram page in which she maintains exhibits her personal brand by highlighting her respective interests, hobbies and values being her family, profession and travel. Integrating her personal and professional life together on social media emphasises to the public that she is a real human with individual values, adversities and goals which helps people relate to her as a professional. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is an Australian government department with over 6000 staff across Australia and 121 different overseas posts. DFAT works tirelessly to ensure Australia is a safe, strong and prosperous country by providing foreign trade and development policy advice to the Government, in addition to working with other government agencies to guarantee Australia’s pursuit of its global, regional and bilateral interests are coordinated effectively (DFAT,2015). As social media increased in popularity, DFAT recognised the importance of maintaining social media profiles to increase effective communication with the public. In 2011 DFAT YouTube channel was established, followed by a Twitter account shortly after. In 2015 DFAT created a LinkedIn profile followed by a Facebook page and Blog in 2016 and an Instagram page in 2017. It is important to note that DFAT manages almost 100 different accounts from its Canberra headquarters that are specifically designed for different departments in addition to their main accounts just mentioned. DFAT’s many social media platforms are designed to enhance communication and reputation with government and non-government organisations, businesses, community groups and individual members of the public. Social media assists DFAT by recognising trending conversations and opinions which can service improved responsive policies, programs and services nationally and internationally. Additionally, social media increases communication with the public by sharing breaking and general international news, international policies and missions and international non-government organisation work. Social media increases and strengthens the relationship with both national and international publics as it highlights intentions and goals, showcases achievements and awards and adds a level of individuality, character and care into an incredibly large and at times, seemingly faceless, government department. Amy Parks Amy Parks is a foreign correspondent for Seven Network Australia based in the United Kingdom. Before her switch to Seven Network, Parks was the original host for Nine Network Australia’s late night quiz show, Quizmania. Unlike Adams, Parks only maintains one social media account – Twitter. Parks shares recent trending news stories, light-hearted videos and funny memes. After examining Parks’ Twitter, the conglomeration of professional posts and ‘safe for work’ memes accentuates Parks’ personality to the public. The expression of both her professional and personal views, much like Adams, helps the public to relate to their reporter on a more in depth and personal level. Using the social media cone maturity framework, evaluate their social media marketing strategy on two chosen social media platforms. At what maturity stage do you think your chosen people and companies are at and why? Twitter The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is categorised within the maturity stage according to the social media cone maturity framework. DFAT’s communications team manages hundreds of social media accounts and it can be difficult to define their Twitter accounts as initiation, diffusion or maturity. The @DFAT Twitter account was established on April 7, 2011. It is clear that this particular account is within the maturity stage. It follows an obvious social media strategy that is goal orientated and aligns with the department’s beliefs and priorities. The utilisation of external resources to monitor and understand their audience analytics and gather information regarding public interest and opinion is evident in addition to the application of content activities (Effing&Spil,2015). Journalists Amelia Adams and Amy Parks are categorised within the diffusion stage. There is no limited recognisable control and the initiation of basic polices are noticeable for both Twitter accounts. Both Adams and Parks’ accounts incorporate undeniable personal initiative and follow a loose plan which is set to enhance their relationship with the public. By choosing Twitter as their channel choice, they have identified a target audience however each post integrates experimentation resulting in the education and analysis of their target audiences’ personas (Effing&Spil,2015). Instagram Much like DFAT’S Twitter accounts there are a number of Instagram accounts which are managed by communication officers across the globe. These accounts range from the initiation stage to the diffusion stage through to maturity. @DFAT Instagram was founded in June 2017 and possess all the characteristic of a profile in maturity – a variety of resources, content activities, targeted campaigns and audience monitoring. The account is well managed and portrays clear ideologies which allows time for in depth activity planning and account monitoring. Adams’ Instagram account is categorised in the diffusion stage of the social media cone maturity framework, much like her Twitter account. There is an obvious theme which demonstrates the following of an initiated plan and a clear focus on particular campaigns, in Adams case her professional and personal lives, passions and principles. To portray these elements of her life via Instagram, Adams used polices and goals to ensure there was no deviation from her desired outcome. These combined aspects are evidence of Adam’s account being in the diffusion stage. What are the Key Performance Indicators that you use or you learned this week from the video presented by Carlos Gil? What reporting tools do you recommend to measure the ROI of Social Media Marketing? After running social media accounts for a local café, bar and studio in 2020, I was already aware of the importance of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). On every post made I would follow the impressions, engagements and views. To understand the audience and further analyse areas of improvement, weekly data would be assessed and added into an Excel spreadsheet. KPIs would include not only impressions, engagements and views but clicks, completion percentages, total followers, new followers, profile views and hashtags. By recording weekly data into spreadsheets I was able to notice trends, recognise target audiences and gain better insight to what our customer based wanted to see in their feeds. There is a number of reporting tools to measure the ROI of your social media marketing, Quu, Buffer, Brand24, Rival IQ and Later, just to name a few. Throughout the management of Two Before Ten’s social media account I used Buffer and Later to measure ROIs. These two particular applications are cost effective, easy to use and provide insightful statistics to measure ROIs. References Effing, R. and Spil, T., 2016. The social strategy cone: Towards a framework for evaluating social media strategies. International Journal of Information Management, 36(1), pp.1-8. Medianet. 2021. Journalist Spotlight: Amelia Adams, Senior US Correspondent, Nine News. [online] Available at: [Accessed March 2021]. Klang, M. and Nolin, J., 2011. Disciplining social media: An analysis of social media policies in 26 Swedish municipalities. First Monday,. Mergel, I. and Bretschneider, S., 2013. A Three-Stage Adoption Process for Social Media Use in Government. Public Administration Review, 73(3), pp.390-400. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 2021. Social Media. [online] Available at: [Accessed March 2021].

Why did you choose this degree and this university? What attracted you to the degree and specialty? What influences led you to this point (e.g. family, friends, media?) What do you think you want to learn and achieve during your university life? The Bachelor of Communications and Media (Journalism) at the University of Canberra is a worldly relevant and diverse degree that grants extensive career opportunities as a journalism professional. Personal research executed before commencing studies at the University of Canberra showed clear commitment to both students and teachers to provide unsurpassed education and experience. In the later dates of the nineteenth century foreign correspondents became a recognisable profession due to the increased demand for US and European media outlets to cover overseas military and civilian developments (Karadjov, 2008). International relations haven’t always fascinated me, however after living in Jakarta, Indonesia for almost three years whilst my father was on a posting with DFAT, an attraction ignited. Throughout high school my ability to write and communicate with people grew quickly and became my best academic asset. The combination of personal experience, individual ability and professional interest in foreign correspondence that led to the enrolment of a journalism degree. With an increased interest in international affairs, foreign correspondent and international relation professionals motivated me. Reporters such as current US foreign correspondent for Nine Network Australia, Amelia Adams, long term foreign correspondent for National Public Radio and distinguished author, Anne Garrels and Australian Broadcasting Corporation journalist and TV presenter, Sally Sara all influenced me to peruse a career as a journalist. In addition, my father, Counsellor and Security Officer covering PNG and Federated States of Micronesia for The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has inspired me to take the paths that have led me to where I am today and continue to push me to reach my professional goals. Throughout the continuation of the Bachelor of Communication and Media, personal achievements and goals are continuously changing. Finishing the degree and transitioning into my desired field, international relations or foreign correspondence journalism, is the overall objective. Nevertheless, gaining experience, generating professional connections, attaining distinguished marks and creating an impressive professional portfolio are foundation goals to work towards throughout my studies. What industry, discipline, and/or type of career attracts you? What skills or attributes do you possess which you think are well suited to the career that interests you? Foreign correspondents have always been needed to inform us about current international affairs. Predating the digital era foreign correspondents were important sources to relay information regarding current wars, international politics, international economics and entertainment (Pedersen & Cronqvist, 2019). Foreign correspondence is a vital sector within the journalism field and does not come without its challenges. To this day, foreign correspondents travel to dangerous countries to obtain critical information to share with the public despite the possibility of imprisonment, torture and even death (Craig, 2016). The determination to uncover the truth despite the danger that may lay ahead, meet all kinds of people and see the world are all motivations to a career in foreign correspondence journalism or foreign affairs. Christina Lamb, British foreign correspondent shared in an interview with British Council that curiosity, determination and the ability to listen are major skills and qualities to possess as a foreign correspondent (Lamb,2019). My curiosity for travelling and foreign countries bloomed after my time living in Jakarta, Indonesia and travelling throughout Southeast Asia. This curiosity remains stronger than ever. Determination is something that I do not lack. The completion of Australian Army training combined with numerous sporting and schooling achievements throughout primary and high school years emphasises my determination and mental resilience. During studies at the University of Newcastle I achieved respectable marks in previous courses which incorporated many interviewing and investigative journalism components. This in addition to being a daughter, sister to two younger siblings and friend to many, I have had a plethora of practise listening to others and display an obvious strength in the area. The amalgamation of these attributes combined with my ability to effectively communicate through various means reiterates that a career in foreign affairs or foreign correspondents is not only personally desired but suited. What challenges do you think lie ahead? What method/s could you use to face those challenges? Theodore Roosevelt once said, nothing worth having comes easy (Roosevelt, 1910). Throughout my studies and professional journey, I undoubtably will encounter challenges. Stress and anxiety surrounding university education is indisputable. The pressure to deliver assessments on time whilst juggling jobs and other personal commitments can become overwhelming and makes time management a challenge for the best of us. Time management will continue into my journalism career among other challenges. Despite the rise in female journalists, the profession is still male dominated and structural sexism is still prevalent within the industry (Doden, Gerlach & Steinberg, 2020). Traveling internationally accumulates risk and as a foreign correspondent or international relations officer the likelihood of travelling to war torn countries is expected. Challenges that may arise in such travels are not only physical but psychological. In order to effectively manage time, it is important to methodise smart goal setting, prioritise, plan ahead and organise accordingly (Rampton,2018). These techniques are designed to reduce added stress and anxieties that accompany large workloads. Fighting sexism within any workplace is everyone’s responsibility. Partaking in workshops, being transparent with co-workers and supervisors about workplace behaviours and maintaining core values are methods to reduce workplace sexism. Finally, before travelling internationally, conducting thorough research is imperative to maintain individual safety and national security. References Bachelard, M. and Bateman, P., 2021. The Life of a Foreign Correspondent. [online] Australian Institute of International Affairs. Available at: [Accessed March 2021]. Craig, T., 2018. Journalists can face danger, hardships when reporting from overseas. [online] The Washington Post. Available at: [Accessed March 2021]. Doeden, A., Gerlach, G. and Steinberg, A., 2020. A [fe]male-dominated field: While more women continue to go into journalism, barriers still present. [online] The Badger Herald. Available at: [Accessed March 2021]. Karadjov, C., 2008. Romantic Dreams, Revisionist Nightmares. University of Florida. Lamb, C., 2019. What does it take to be a foreign correspondent? | British Council. [online] Britishcouncil.org. Available at: [Accessed March 2021]. Langfitt, F., 2019. The Challenges Of Being A Foreign Reporter In China. [online] NPR. Available at: [Accessed March 2021]. Mayer, C., 2018. Catherine Mayer: ‘I don’t know of one female journalist who hasn’t been discriminated against at work’. [online] The Guardian. Available at: [Accessed March 2021]. Pedersen, S. and Cronqvist, M., 2020. Foreign Correspondents in the Cold War. 26th ed. Taylor & Francis. Rampton, J., 2021. Manipulate Time With These Powerful 20 Time Management Tips. [online] Forbes. Available at: [Accessed March 2021]. Corporate Finance Institute. 2019. Time Management - List of Top Tips for Managing Time Effectively. [online] Available at: [Accessed March 2021]. Weaver, D. and Willnat, L., 2012. The global journalist in the 21st century. Taylor & Francis Group.

Professional Social Media vs Personal Social Media Social media is another world, many of us spend hundreds of hours a month scrolling, posting, chatting, liking and watching. When social media first surfaced it was used as a personal platform to connect with others across the globe. Now it is used equally by people and companies as a professional platform. Heidi Cohen, marketing professional, founder of Actionable Marketing Guide and author describes personal social media as a way to engage with family and friends, regardless of location. With the seemingly endless amounts of social networks, contacting friends and family overseas, interstate and even down the street is instantaneous, straight ford and affordable. Once social media first hit screens in 1997, personal usage increased consistently and noticeably peaked in the 2013. Reports from Social Media News documented 3 billion active Australian users in 2013, with the majority maintaining multiple accounts on a variety of networks. According to Jessica Milner, Traffic Lab SEO and account manager, companies began to capitalise social media to advertise and market their products and services in 2009. YouTube began allowing advertisements in seven different formats in January 2009 and by October 2009 paid advertisements were receiving over one billion views per day. As companies tracked social medias popularity, business accounts blossomed allowing professionals, companies and cooperation’s to advertise, communicate and educate social media users. In 2014 Instagram launched business accounts which incorporated a dashboard interface for analysing impressions, reach and frequency related to ad campaigns and individual ads. By 2018 Google received 61,000 search queries a month regarding influencer marketing. In 2020, Nick G from Review 42 reported that more than 50 million small businesses use Facebook Pages to connect with customers and 90% of marketers increased the exposure of their business through social media marketing with 75% reporting increased traffic. Considering this information, it is clear that professional social media and personal social media is vastly different. Although they both share certain characteristics such as messaging, media sharing and status updates, professional social media is about targeting an audience to promote, advertise, educate and communicate with current customers and reach new ones. Can social media be an effective marketing platform for your chosen profession? Why or why not. Is social media currently being used by the industry you are planning to be working in? As an aspiring international relations communications officer or a foreign correspondent, social media is an effective communication and marketing tool for a number of reasons. Firstly, social media is an applicable tool to relay important announcements regarding international issues, travel bans, international disasters and political matters. Government departments such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) already utilise social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Important announcements are shared via these social networks as well as marketing their departments current achievements, educating the public on national and international matters as well as advertising job opportunities. Much like DFAT and ASIO, Australian news channels such as Seven Network, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Nine Network and Network Ten use social media accounts effectively. Until February 18, 2021, Australian News corporations utilised Facebook heavily to relay breaking news stories to thousands of Australians as well as local, interstate and national news. However due to Facebook banning the sharing of any Australian news, after recent legislation changes, many corporations will only utilise other social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. The discussed professions, departments and corporations market their roles, achievements, employees and opportunities which demonstrates their values, ethics and morals to the public. This type of marketing through social media furthers their support network and helps improve their communication with the public. References Used: Cohen, H., 2021. Social Media: Professional VS Personal - Heidi Cohen. [online] Actionable Marketing Guide. Available at: [Accessed February 2021]. Esposito, E., 2021. Professional vs Personal Social Media Profiles. [online] Shaun Nestor. Available at: [Accessed February 2021]. G, N., 2021. Latest Social Media Marketing Statistics in 2020 [Updated]. [online] Review42. Available at: [Accessed February 2021]. Hitch, G., 2021. Facebook has 'refriended' Australia, government says, as platform reverses ban on local news sites. [online] ABC.NET. Available at: [Accessed February 2021]. Jackson, N., 2021. Infographic: The History of Video Advertising on YouTube. [online] The Atlantic. Available at: [Accessed February 2021]. Kemp, S., 2021. Global Digital & Social Media Stats: 2015. [online] Social Media Today. Available at: [Accessed February 2021]. Khaimova, S., 2021. A Brief History of How Instagram’s Business Features Have Evolved. [online] Perfect Search Media. Available at: [Accessed February 2021]. Milner, J., 2021. The History of Social Media Marketing. [online] SEO Traffic Lab. Available at: [Accessed February 2021]. Montgomery, E., 2021. The Evolution of Social Media for Business. [online] Three Girls Media. Available at: [Accessed February 2021]. Ramshaw, A., 2021. Social Media Statistics for Australia (Updated December 2020) - Genroe. [online] B2B Marketing. Available at: [Accessed February 2021]. Undercover Recruiter, G., 2021. Personal vs. Professional Social Networks. [online] Undercover Recruiter. Available at: [Accessed February 2021].

Social medias' first recognizable platform, Six Degrees was created in 1997. Over the past two decades, social media has skyrocketed. Now there are well over 100 different social media platforms with over 3 billion users. Despite the plethora of choices available in 2021, I however only utilise 3 social media platforms: Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. The photo and video sharing network Instagram created by Stanford University graduate Kevin Systrom and was launched in 2010 after only taking 8 weeks to develop. Within two years Instagram was bought by Facebook for $1 billion U.S dollars. In 2020 Instagram was crowned the fifth most used social media platform worldwide. Facebook. The king of social media. Facebook was founded in 2004 by Harvard students Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. Facebook quickly became the dominating social media platform with more than one billion users by 2012. Facebook remains the largest platform in 2021 with over three billion users. Instagram and Facebook share similar characteristics. The ability to post photos and videos, share thought and check into locations such as Parliament House, Two Before Ten Café or Canberra City Centre. Instagram and Facebook also host messaging applications, enabling users to connect to their friends and loved ones across the globe. Posting photos, videos and communicating with others is available through LinkedIn however, LinkedIn is a professional based website where you showcase your skills, personality, awards, education and achievements. LinkedIn is now used by corporations worldwide to evaluate and understand new job applicants, current and previous employees. In 2003 LinkedIn was launched. This makes LinkedIn one of the oldest social networks, older than YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. In 2015 there were 315 million global users. When co-founder Reid Hoffman finished developing the social network, he aforementioned that LinkedIn would connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful. Since the launch, LinkedIn has grown steadily with 2015 statistics showing the creation of two new users accounts per second resulting in more than one million new users each week. In a report written by Dave Chaffley in Smart Insights, the average social media user spends an average of two and a half hours per day across eight to ten different social networks. According to my iPhone screen time data, on average I spend 29 minutes per day between my 3 chosen social media platforms. My current average screen time and social media use is exponentially lower than the overall average, however, throughout the COVID lock down my social media use increased tenfold. WARC conducted studies throughout the Asia Pacific during and after initial lockdowns regarding social media. WARC found that the majority of 18–24-year-olds of Gen Z said that the interaction with family and friend’s social media sanctions was beneficial to their mental health and general wellbeing. Considering these facts, it’s no surprise that the Australian peoples' social media usage increased by over 30% throughout isolation. According to the social presence theory, different platforms are categorised dependent on the interaction type permissible. The higher the communicational intimacy the more users attracted, the higher social presence the larger social influence. Taking into account social presence, media richness, self-presentation and self-disclosure according to Kaplan and Haenlein, I personally use social networks rich with social presence and media. What is a Personal Brand? Understanding what you can do, how you can do it and why it works are three crucial questions we must ask ourselves before marketing our personal brand. Jeff Fenster, founder and CEO of Everbowl capitalised on social media and discovered a number of ways to increase his businesses marketing affordably and effectively. Fenster says that your business wants to be ‘a a buzz’. What is a buzz? I’m glad you asked. A buzz is a business, person, charity or city (pretty much anything) that draws in positive attention and/or interest. Creating a buzz does not start on the internet with a cute dog/food pic posted with a caption cheesier than a roll of brie. Creating a buzz starts within the company. By treating your employees and co-workers well, their appreciation and gratitude will reflect in their work. Treating your team in a negative way will have the opposite effect and their unhappiness will reflect throughout their work, ultimately creating unhappy, unsatisfied customers. In the LinkedIn course, Creating a Buzz, Jeff Fenster highlighted three particular techniques I would use to highlight my personal brand; Promote hiring, using opportunities to create content and hosting community events. I would mainly utilise these three tools as they are affordable, achievable and beneficial to my personal brand as it provides me with the opportunity to be authentic with my customers. Social media is a whole other world to ours. It's infinite and we have only recently started to explore the opportunities and possibilities it has to offer. For individuals, businesses, charities and corporations, social media is the number one tool to use in order to communicate with others and promote their strong personal brand. Below is a list of information I found important from Mr Jeff Fenster’s LinkedIn lesson: To create a buzz, you need a strong personal brand: - Do not sound commercial - Strong personal brands help you connect with customers - Authentic mission statement which is consistent - Be authentic - When people can relate to - For every 10 pieces of content you post, 9 must not be product or service endorsement - Seed products and services into posts - Use personal brand as an opportunity to connect with other media outlets Let your employees show/do their talent Lose ego – give credit where credit is due Media loves community events – get seen and its free exposure/advertisement. Share directly to the media. Be the content. Use the press – the wire connects you with the media. Social media allows customers to shotgun the ride with your company. Capture as much content on a daily basis as possible. Share it all – consistent sharing creates a story that something is always happening. Tag people who have large reaches. Keep sharing – get in front of people. TAG. Social media is amazing to keep the buzz going. Podcasts good for buzz. Nominate yourself for awards. Share the nomination and/or wins. Sources used: https://interestingengineering.com/a-chronological-history-of-social-media https://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/new-global-social-media-research/ https://www.bandt.com.au/aussies-spent-30-more-time-on-social-media-during-the-pandemic/ https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/news/the-two-sides-of-social-media-during-covid-19/44219 https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/102615/story-instagram-rise-1-photo0sharing-app.asp#:~:text=Instagram%20is%20a%20photo%20and,app%20was%20launched%20on%20Oct. https://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/new-global-social-media-research/ https://influencermarketinghub.com/social-media-sites/ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Facebook https://thelinkedinman.com/history-linkedin/#:~:text=LinkedIn%20started%20out%20in%20the,the%20New%20York%20stock%20exchange. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Classification-of-Social-Media-by-Social-Presence-Media-Richness-and_tbl1_327530673

Fluorescent lights burned my teary eyes. The white sheets beneath my naked body stiff like paper. I shook, uncontrollably but I could not move. The sounds of the hospital rang through my ears. Morphine and anesthetic filled my body which felt more like a shell than a body at all. An empty, cold, shell. I drifted into a drug-induced sleep. When I woke, time was indefinite. I slid my hand between my legs and silky blood congealed between my fingers. This was his only remanence now. Dark, warm blood. As I sobered, the emptiness somehow grew inside me like cancer. I recounted a conversation I had with my mother as a child, ‘Baby, one day a man will take everything you are. Then you will understand me.’ Her cigarette burning between her fingers. Her breath heavy with wine. Whispering, ‘I understand’ I buried my head into the stale pillow and drifted back into a medicinal sleep. When I woke again two doctors stood like soldiers at the end of the bed. Their faces as sterile as the room. “Mrs Domican, how are you feeling?” His eyes studied the chart clutched between his hands. Weakly I propped myself onto my elbow and stared vacantly at the two men. My shaking hand found my throat as I tried to speak. “Your throat is very bruised Mrs Domican, it is reasonable that you may have trouble speaking for the next few days.” The Doctors eyes now meeting mine. “Your injuries are quite extensive, four of your ribs are broken, as is your left clavicle. Your nose was broken and there is major bruising to your sternum and neck. The MRI of your brain showed no damage or bleeding thankfully. However, we regret to inform you that we were unable to save the baby.” Even though I knew I had lost him, the words burnt my ears like hot iron. My heart pulsed ferociously, and tears swelled in my eyes. I breathed sharply and swallowed hard hoping it would prevent the tears from falling. “We will be back for rounds in a few hours. If you need more pain relief or have any questions in the meantime, the nurses will be able to help you.” He placed the chart back over the end of the bed and headed towards the door. My eyes locked with those of the voiceless doctor. He gave me a quick, detached nod and followed his college. The room was pressing in around me and the only thing I could hear was my heartbeat. Light and fast like footsteps fleeing into silence. I curled into a foetal position and cried myself back to sleep. “Mrs Domican?” A sweet voice woke me from terrible nightmares. My eyes adjusted to the harsh lighting of the room. Next to the bed stood a tall, voluminous woman with beautiful long blonde hair. Her hand on mine felt warm and comforting. Reaching behind her she pulled a chair over to the bed and nestled in. Her brown eyes kind, like melted chocolate. “My name is Rosalie; I am one of the hospitals registered Psychologists.” My brows creased quickly in confusion. “In light of the accident and the loss of your baby Mrs Domican, your doctor and Met Pol think it would be best that we keep you in our mental health ward for your own protection.” My body retracted from hers. Her Welsh accent was thick, “I know this must be a lot to process, I want you to know that I am only here to help. You don’t need to go through this on your own. Is there anything you need or is there anyone I can call?” I shook my head quickly, my eyes staring at her cold and lifeless. The only person I would want her to call was dead. The truth cruel and unforgiving. “Mrs Domican” her hand searched for mine, “I cannot imagine what you are feeling, the loss of not only your husband but your unborn baby as well is unimaginable.” She paused, her eyes encouraging me to say something. Moving her chair away from the bed slightly, she stood up, somewhat disappointed in me or herself. “The accident you have experienced was incredibly traumatic, but I want you to know that I am here when you are ready to speak, the hospital has my number. I hope you are able to get some rest Mrs Domican. The nurses will escort you to the mental health ward within the next few days and I will see you then.” I tried to smile, I appreciated her efforts but the emptiness within froze my face, like a cold stone statue. We are all different. Accept and be proud of who you are rather than wishing you were more like someone else. Good mental health for all. I read and reread the words on the poster, over and over and over again trying to drown out the words of the patients in group therapy. “I’m sad, I don’t like the way I look” “My parents didn’t love me enough” “I use alcohol, so I don’t have to feel” The emptiness that consumed me had turned into a red, burning rage. I didn’t belong here. “Mrs Domican, would you like to share today?” The group leader asked, almost condescendingly. I shook my head sluggishly, eyes fixated on the poster. The group continued to discuss their feelings as if it would pull the sadness from their bodies and disperse into thin air. Time moved slowly like a snail edging up a wall. “Thank you all for sharing today and remember life is a direction, not a destination.” The group leader smiled largely, baring her yellow crooked teeth. Returning to my room, I was stopped by a young nurse. Her face bright, kind and youthful. “Mrs Domican, you have mail today.” She smiled sympathetically and her small hand touched my shoulder ever so slightly. I liked Evangeline. She didn’t press me to speak like the other nurses and she bled this aura that was pure and ingenuous. I followed her to the nurse’s station and was handed a crisp white envelope reading, Nieve Domican in beautiful cursive writing. Clutching the envelope tightly in my cold, bluish hands I headed to the hospital gardens. The overwhelming smell of lavender filled my nostrils, sweetly suffocating. Peonies covered the grounds like spattered paint against a green canvas. A charming swing seat stood delicately in the far corner of the gardens, covered in pink rambling rose. Settling into the swing, I closed my eyes, soaking up the warmth of the afternoon sun. Dearest Nieve, I hope you are surviving your time at Nightingale Hospital. I wish that circumstances allowed me to come and visit. I want to tell you everything is okay, but I know that for you, it is not. I miss David more than I thought possible and I can only imagine how much his death saddens you. Affairs are proceeding again as per usual. After the accident, we were slightly stagnant. The product was hard to move under police investigation. David’s death has caused ripples in business relationships – Nieve, I have found the man responsible. It has taken me longer than I would like to admit but I now would like to put the ramifications in your hands, if you’re willing to bear them. If you do not wish to oversee the consequences, of course, I will handle the matters as necessary. I sincerely hope that your discharge comes soon. In the meantime, I will continue to communicate with you through letter. If there is anything you need, just say the word. My loyalty is forever to you and David – god rest his soul. Best wishes, Thomas Crawford.

The Australian public has seen a rise in the number of females joining the Australian Defence Force (ADF) within the past decade. In 2008, women represented 10 per cent of the Australian military. In 2018, the percentage of women employed by The Australian Defence Force was recorded at 17 per cent. Due to the rise in female involvement within the ADF, public concerns regarding gender equality in the military have escalated. Media coverage of gender-related scandals occurring in the ADF gives weight to the gender inequality accusations and concerns. One of the most publicly broadcast defence scandals in the past decade was the secret filming of a young female cadet officer at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) in 2011. A female cadet officer, known only as Kate, allegedly agreed to a casual sexual encounter with peer cadet, Daniel MacDonald. Kate was unaware of the fact that MacDonald was recording their sexual encounter live via Skype which was being broadcast to a group of ADFA male cadets. Kate approached the Australian media in April 2011 with the hopes to seek justice and equality for women in the armed forces. Days after sharing her story with the nation, Kate stated, “Other people started coming forward with their stories. This is a lot bigger than just me!” The 2011 ADFA sex scandal sparked a review conducted by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner. It was recommended to increase gender targets and harshen punishments for leaders who fail to crack down on abuse and sexual harassment. In 2012, Kate stated in an interview with the Sunday Morning Herald, “Considering the current culture within the Defence, I think we still have a really long way to go before I would feel confident in being able to say, ‘Yes, it’s a good career choice for females.” Seven years later, there is undeniable evidence that the ADF is implementing strategies to reduce gender dependant treatment, promote equality and diminish sexual abuse and/or harassment. Policy on Equity and Diversity is one such strategy the ADF has administered in order to maintain gender equality. Every ADF member is required to familiarise and understand the policy on equity and diversity and uphold appropriate behaviours accordingly. The ADF additionally implemented strict fraternisation rules within all military training establishments. The Department of Defence states, ‘The ADF is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination, harassment, sexual offences and other unacceptable sexual behaviour’. The ban on all trainee fraternisation is enforced to reduce sexual assaults and maintain an environment free from harassment and discrimination. The ‘no frat’ rule further protects members’ capabilities as sexual relationships can affect an individual’s performance in the workplace, lower morale and undermine the operational capability of a unit. Based on recent trends, the participation of females within the ADF has increased by almost four per cent in the past twelve months. The consistent increase of female defence members allows for the assumption that the strategies which have been applied since the 2011 ADFA sex scandal are positive and constructive. Gender dependant treatment within the ADF has seen a recent considerable improvement, however, gender inequality still lingers. Luke Graham, a reporter for Quillette recently highlighted the remains of toxic masculinity within the ADF. Despite repeated attempts by senior military officers to employ gender equality, ongoing investigations of officers and non-commissioned officers (NCO) have exposed ‘anti-female behaviours. Such behaviours have brought the ADF nothing but disrepute and have let down the Australian public. Furthermore, the conduction of these behaviours has disrespected those whose past service won the respect of the Australian nation. After conducting an interview with a female Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) member, indications of toxic masculinity within the ADF are verified. This member expressed concerns about the constant sexualisation of women, particularly by higher-ranking defence members. Throughout the interview, member F1 revealed two occasions where she was singled out based on her gender. Member F1 attended a renowned military exercise, Talisman Sabre in 2017. Member F1 was performing a hamstring stretch after finishing a personal fitness session. She was abruptly approached by her male chain of command and was spoken firmly with regarding the length of her gym shorts which he deemed inappropriate. “I was wearing an average length pair of running shorts, the ones with built-in underwear. Most people wouldn’t think that what I was wearing was inappropriate however my chain of command implied that they were provocative, especially when exercising certain stretches.” This automated sexualisation of women which is prominent within the defence force is driving a wedge between male and female members, thus resulting in a discriminative culture. Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick states that “ADF women strongly believe that when they are singled out it makes it harder for them to fit in.” Member F1 expressed similar beliefs. “When I was on deployment, there were only a handful of other females. I was spending a lot of time with the males in my unit. There was a group of us that would sit and eat lunch together in the cafeteria on a daily basis. Only a few weeks into my deployment I was confronted by my chain of command and was requested to speak with my commanding officer. When I saw my CO, I was told that I was spending too much time with male colleagues and that my behaviours were regarded as inappropriate and borderline promiscuous,” she stated. Member F1 continued to articulate the psychological implications these allegations had on her. “I shut down completely. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, just spending time with the people I worked with in publicly open spaces. It wasn’t like I was going behind closed doors with a number of male members.” These behavioural accusations caused member F1 significant psychological impairment, lowering her morale and work capability. “A few weeks after my initial conversation with the CO, I was called in again. He expressed concerns for my wellbeing as my social withdrawals and general demeanour were noticeable. ”I felt as if I was in backed into a corner. I was accused of being inappropriate when I was spending time with my workmates then I was being criticized for lack of social interaction.” Member F1’s deployment experience reiterates the statement made by Elizabeth Broderick, “ADF women strongly believe that when they are singled out it makes it harder for them to fit in. Highly resistant to any initiative being directed solely at them, ADF women view identical – not differential – treatment as the path to delivering equality.” Elizabeth Broderick stated in an interview with reporter Luke Graham that, “Motivations behind ADF women striving for identical treatment to their male counterparts is to avoid the backlash that inevitably trails unidentical treatment perceived as ‘preferential’." Despite identical treatment of both men and women within the ADF being preferred, it is not practised. With the Department of Defence’s 2023 target of increasing female participation by 25 per cent for the Navy and Airforce and 15 per cent for the Army, we are seeing an increase in preferential treatment of women. Defence Force Recruitment has employed female-only incentives in order to achieve the 2023 quota. Such incentives include the choice of where to work, when to enlist, shorter initial periods of service and the creation of preparation courses. Defence recruiting has gone as far as closing combat roles to male candidates in order to ‘fast track’ female participation. These recruiting strategies are employing gender-related issues for current serving members. My own experience within the Defence Force is evidence that certain strategies which are employed to maintain gender equality are having the opposite effect. On the 7th of January 2018, I enlisted into the Australian Army to serve in the armoured cavalry corp. The time between my initial recruitment appointment and the day which I was offered a position within the Army was a mere six weeks. Unbeknown to me this was an incredibly rapid employment process. Throughout my time at recruits and initial employment training, I learnt that the majority of my male counterparts had been waiting upwards of 16 months for an available position. This development caused noticeable gender dependant treatment, specifically at the school of armoured in Puckapunyal. The majority of the corporals at SOARMD viewed females as less capable and implied that females in the corps were a liability. This impression of females within the corps instigated the need for me to prove myself as a soldier regardless of my high achievements during recruits. To be categorised as unworthy due to my gender, despite consistently passing all-male fitness standards, felt like a huge slap in the face. Cumulative comments from higher ranks reiterated the anti-female culture which existed within SOARMD. “I used to love my job, going outfield, but you females have taken all the fun out of it. We used to hang off the turrets with our pants down and take a shit in the middle of a field. Now we can’t do anything like that. We used to say whatever the fuck we wanted to, but no, now we have to be ‘careful’ so we don’t offend any of you” (SOMARD CPL, Australian Army, 2018). This loosely paraphrased comment was voiced by a school of armoured corporal to a small group of trainees, myself included. I was the only female in the room. The discussion continued and my level of comfortability diminished. Being a female in a unit that held such strong ‘anti-female beliefs certainly lowered my morale and general wellbeing. The directives to prioritise female candidates over males and close off specific jobs to males entirely is fuelling ‘anti-female cultures within the Army and other Defence services. In 2018 a female member from the Australian Army reported that just six months into her ADF employment there was a serious sex scandal within her unit. “A group of trainees went out one weekend when an alleged rape occurred. The female trainee returned to base and confided in another trainee who reported the incident to our CO. The female trainee was sent to the hospital and underwent both psychological and physical medical assessments. The male was spoken with briefly on the Monday and was not contacted again for the remainder of the week. The female trainee spoke with police on multiple occasions, I am unsure of whether they spoke with the male trainee involved. A few weeks after the initial allegations, the female trainee was relocated. The conclusion was that the sexual intercourse was in fact consensual and that both trainees were under the influence of alcohol. The female trainee was in a heightened emotional state due to the troubles she was having in her marriage. We weren’t meant to know anything. I was only aware of all of this as I was friends with a trainee who was caught up in the debacle.” Member F2 expressed feelings of resentment towards the ADF after the incident. “There was nothing positive about the way the whole thing was handled. We were instructed not to discuss the situation. The female trainee was immediately isolated. The male trainee remained in his room in close proximity to other female trainees. The unit could have handled the situation a lot better. I understand that it’s a delicate situation but the response of the unit did not coincide with gender-equal treatment.” “I believe there is a subconscious sexist culture within the ADF, what truly goes on inside of the defence force is not reported on,” stated a male RAAF member in his fourth year of service. After conducting an interview with member M1, preferential treatment is a trending commonality that has been deeply embedded within the ADF. Member M1 specified, “When deployed overseas, female employees were allocated single rooms however male employees were assigned large share rooms.” Such treatment deprives Defence culture of maintaining gender equality as it unconsciously encourages resentment between male and female service members. “Women are spoken to differently in terms of discipline. Discipline and punishments for servicewomen who step out of line are noticeably ‘softer’ in comparison to the discipline and punishments servicemen receive.” This treatment indifference may seem insignificant however it continues to support the maintenance of gender inequality and preserves the divide between men and women. Member M1 further stated, “Females appear to be promoting a lot faster than males. It also seems as if they are favoured for exercises, deployments and courses.” A current serving female from the Australian army spoke with me regarding gender dependant behaviours within her unit. Member F3 said that “In hopes to maintain/improve gender equality the army has really been focusing on ‘females in the army’, but to be honest I just feel as if they are putting an unnecessary spotlight on females in the army.” Thus, barring further weight to Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick’s statement that “ADF women strongly believe that when they are singled out it makes it harder for them to fit in.” A RAAF junior non-commissioned officer (JNCO) reported his frustrations about recent preferential treatment and gender dependant behaviours. “There have been changes made within my mustering regarding members’ fitness standards. We originally had specialised fitness assessments and standards that were considerably harder than the rest of the Airforce. To make things easier for females joining my mustering they dropped our specialised fitness assessments and lowered the standard to the same as the rest of the Airforce.” Member M2 concluded the interview by stating, “It shouldn’t matter what gender a person is or identifies by. The ADF should be employing the best person for that job. Fitness standards should be dependent on the mustering or corps expectations and type of work rather than being dependant on a member’s gender. At the end of the day, the ADF’s primary capability is warfighting, not abiding to the current social gender conflict.” ‘These discussed issues pose a large enough threat to the ADF’s workplace equity and reputation. Advice from social activists and interest groups with a very limited understanding of the ADF further complicate the road to gender equality. The new priority in the Australian Defence Force is gender diversity encouraged by activists. This initiative is potentially at the expense of the ADF’s warfighting capabilities. The trending belief between professionals and serving members is that yes, there is the preferential treatment being given to women. Yes, there is a subconscious sexist culture that breeds the automated sexualisation of women. And yes, treatment within the ADF is dependent on your gender. With the increase of public criticism from activists complaining about the ADF’s domination by straight white men, the ADF employed The Defence Gender Equality Action Plan in order to promote gender equality and respect. Gender inequality within the ADF is a serious issue that should be closely monitored, however; the Department of Defence’s primary target should always remain the protection of the country and the preservation of Australia’s national security.

Introductions have always been hard for me, where the heck do I start? My name is Zoe and I am studying a bachelor of communications and media, majoring in journalism. I began studying my degree at the University of Newcastle and transferred to UC in 2020. I was born in the late ’90s so much like my Millennial and Gen Z counterparts’ social media has been a major part of my life. With the emergence of ‘the big three’ - Facebook in 2005, Twitter in 2006 and Instagram in 2010 - almost two centuries of our lives have been filled with social media. As a teen I was glued to my mobile, addicted to checking Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Tumblr (bet you haven’t thought about that one in a while). Although I was an avid social media user throughout high school, adulthood has been quite the contrary. These days I’ll only scroll through Facebook mundanely waiting for an appointment or public transport and once in a blue moon I will share a post – generally a video of a dog. Instagram is the only social media platform I regularly use and interact with these days and even then, I am only a light user compared to most. Although my personal use of social media is limited, in 2020 I was employed by Two Before Ten to run the social media accounts for their various cafes, The Bolt Bar and Illeso studio. This role consisted of creating content including video, photo and text, product and event marketing, as well as managing and maintaining communications between suppliers and buyers. The platforms I used were predominantly Facebook and Instagram. These are two of the largest social media platforms in the world and are used by 'the everyday man' as well as businesses and corporations. Facebook and Instagram not only allow you to advertise and share your company’s products and activities but it also allows you to communicate directly to customers which done effectively, enhances your customer relationship. Social media marketing is undoubtedly the best way for small businesses to advertise. It’s accessible, affordable and effective. This is because social media is an infinitely large platform hosted by the internet offering individuals bountiful amounts of information and interactions. Due to social media's extensive worldwide reach businesses, individuals, conglomerates and press are able to advertise, inform, persuade and communicate to over 3.6 billion people daily. Social media platforms are extensive with hundreds of sites that are relatively uncensored, which attracts all demographics across the globe. The ease of attaining a social media account assists in harbouring a variety of people from children to adults, educated to uneducated, religious or atheist. The possibilities on social media are seemingly endless whether you are an individual, business or working within the media.