April Chesher

My name is April Chesher, I’m a Politics/International Relations student living at the wonderful Burton and Garran Hall, and I am so excited to be running for the position of General Representative in the upcoming 2025 ANUSA elections. I want to deliver an ANU campus that is lively, fun, and safe for everyone.

I understand what it’s like to walk through campus to the Barry Drive bus stop on dark winter mornings and have made the lightless trek back from Civic after a night out. The lack of lighting currently around campus is a dangerous failure of the university that I will work to fix.

Furthermore, I will dedicate myself, mind, body, and soul, to establishing a 24/7 Kebab shop on campus. Whether you’re coming home from a huge night out or grinding away at Marie Reay until dawn, ANU students DESERVE the option to access delicious food ON CAMPUS past 9:00 PM.

You deserve a fun, safe, and student-friendly ANU, and I want to make that happen.

Improve Campus Lighting!

I understand what it’s like to walk through campus to the Barry Drive bus stop on dark winter mornings and have made the lightless trek from civic back home to B&G after a night out. The lack of lighting on the ANU campus is dangerous and shameful. Effective lighting not only enhances the visibility of pathways and campus facilities but also helps to provide a greater sense of safety and security for students across campus. The high proportion of on campus students, such as myself, makes campus lighting an even more prevalent issue at ANU. Feeling unsafe on campus in the dark is something my friends and I talk about a lot, and I know we are not alone. Many ANU students do not feel safe in their home environment, which is unacceptable! The lack of lighting currently around campus is a failure of the university that I will work to fix.

Actionable Points:
Enhance safety and security across the ANU campus by increasing and optimising outdoor lighting, to create a safer environment for students and ensure all members of the ANU community can navigate the campus with confidence, especially after dark.

• Create and distribute a university wide survey that allows students to identify locations where they would like to see improved lighting.
• Work with the University to ensure that new lighting is installed and that existing lighting is upgraded poorly lit areas identified by students to ensure adequate illumination of pathways, building perimeters, and parking areas.
• Work with ANU Security to implement a regular maintenance schedule to ensure all lighting fixtures are functioning correctly and are not obstructed.
• Establish a reporting system for the campus community to report malfunctioning lights or suggest where new lights should be added.

24/7 Kabab Shop:

ANU students live busy lives, whether it’s pulling an all-nighter, getting home late from work or after a big night out. It is shameful that our access to affordable and delish food on campus does not meet the needs of students. This is a practical solution to an obvious problem. Students deserve access to good food, at all hours, on campus.
Actionable Points:

• Conduct a campus-wide survey to assess the needs and wants of students. This survey will include ideal locations, dietary needs, when students would be most likely to use the venue, and price considerations.
• Engage with Kebaba (existing on campus Kebab venue) to assess the feasibility of becoming 24/7. Then also assess how they might consider extending opening hours.
• Consult with other businesses on campus to assess the feasibility of their venues increasing their opening hours.