Eloisa Belmar Osborn

TRANSPARENCY AND PROCESSES

SSAF POLICY
In 2026, ANUSA’s funding agreement is up for negotiation with the university. We currently receive 55% of the student services and amenities fee, known as SSAF. This is student money, and I firmly believe it belongs in student hands. I will advocate for an increase in the union’s funding, while also acknowledging that the university currently uses SSAF money to fund other student services. We deserve more of our student money in student hands. While the university-run services are vital, elected students are best placed to know what students need, and we need to be able to fund this.

I will also advocate to increase the length of the funding deal from 3 years to 5. ANUSA needs security in its finances so that it is in the best position to provide the services that students need.

SEEF REFORM
SEEF is funding that many groups at ANU apply for including clubs, residents committees and IB. Currently, many groups of students are missing out because they don’t know this money exists, or they don’t know what a good application looks like. We need public, clear guidelines about how decisions to award SEEF are made because the use of student money has to be transparent, and students deserve the best chance possible to receive grants.

EXPAND COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OF SERVICES ANUSA HAS- GRANTS
ANUSA needs to do better at getting the information out about what grants we already offer. Too many students don’t know about the support that exists, and are struggling without help because they don’t know it’s available. I’ll work with residents committees to get this information out to on campus communities, and I’ll use the ANUSA social media pages to do a spotlight and each grant and subsidy that is offered. I’ll also create a feedback mechanism for these processes so students can tell ANUSA if these programs are working for them, and can share their ideas of where more is needed.

SERVICES

EXPAND PREP AND UNION PANTRY
This year the PrEP subsidy and Union Pantry programs have been on a trial basis. PrEP is a medication to reduce people’s risk of contracting HIV, and it has been a super popular program. This is an important subsidy that helps lots of students, and it should be extended into next year and the future.
The same can be said of the Union pantry- this is something ANUSA has been working on for years, and it is vitally important in a cost of living crisis because it helps make sure students aren’t feeling like they have to skip meals as a cost-cutting measure. The pantry should be around for years to come, and I will always protect it and expand it to help as many students as possible.

FREE PERIOD PRODUCTS
I will work with the Women’s Department, the Queer Department and Leila Clarke, our Welfare Officer candidate to make sure that every bathroom on campus has free period products. The cost of these products in the current economic climate is a massive challenge for many people. No one deserves to be uncomfortable or feel like they shouldn’t be at uni because of their period, and it should never be an added financial stress.

EMERGENCY FLIGHTS GRANTS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
It’s hard enough for international students to be living on the other side of the world from their families. They should never be put in a position where they have to choose between everyday living expenses and being able to go home, particularly for emergencies. International flights are expensive; if elected I would introduce a grant to make sure international students experiencing financial hardship are supported so they can get home when they need to.

ADVOCACY

ADULT AGE, ADULT WAGE
Your student association should be advocating for issues that matter to you. Right now, too many students are being unfairly paid at work simply because of their age. This is not right, and if elected I will support the Unions ACT campaign to end this unfair system that short changes young people just because they’re young. I’ll work on education pieces throughout the year so that people know their rights at work, because there are far too many stories of people being underpaid and mistreated.

SURVIVOR HUB
I will work with the relevant departments and Leila Clarke our Welfare Officer candidate to advocate for a new space on campus: a survivor hub for every student who has experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment or domestic and family violence (SA/SH and DFV). This will be a space where students can feel safe and be empowered; there will be space for quiet reflection, for creating community, and for learning about what supports exist and what rights they have. Survivors must be centred in our responses to SASH and DFV, and it is ANUSA’s role to advocate for better policy to prevent and respond to these horrific behaviours, but also to provide support and information for people to be able to move forward.