Intercol Sport Up-Date | Rawson Cup Soccer Win | Paul’s Topping the Rawson Table

Congratulations to the College’s Rawson Cup and Rosebowl Soccer teams on their outstanding performances on the field over the last few weeks. The Rawson team won three matches and drew one bringing the Soccer Trophy home for the sixth year in succession.

The result of the College’s Rosebowl Soccer team was an impressive undefeated, with two wins and three draws, leading to a second in the point scores behind St Andrew’s. The scores tell the story of the tough competition as all had close games with many draws.

Soccer Results

RAWSON CUP

Round 1:  St Paul’s def St John’s 3-0 | Round 2: St Paul’s drew Wesley 1-1 | Round 3: St Paul’s def St Andrew’s 3-1

St Paul’s 1st | St John’s 2nd | Wesley 3rd | St Andrew’s 4th

ROSEBOWL

Round 1: St Paul’s drew Wesley 1-1 | Round 2: St Paul’s def Sancta 3-0 | Round 3: St Paul’s drew St Andrew’s 1-1 | Round 4: St Paul’s def St John’s 2-1 | Round 5: St Paul’s def Women’s 1-0

St Andrew’s 1st | St Paul’s 2nd | Wesley 3rd | St John’s 4th | Women’s and Sancta eq 5th

Basketball

The Rosebowl Basketball teams were well matched especially the nail-biter between Paul’s and Women’s with us just one point ahead at the final buzzer. Andrew’s missed out again in the Rawson losing much needed points for the overall competition. We congratulate Wesley on its wins in both Rawson and Rosebowl. St Paul’s 2nd and 3rd gave us an edge on the points tally putting Paul’s at no. 1 in the 2024 Rawson Cup.   

Basketball Results

RAWSON CUP

Round 1: St Paul’s def St Andrew’s 64-49 | Round 2: St Paul’s def St John’s 53-51 | Round 3: Wesley def St Paul’s 66-45

Wesley 1st | St Paul’s 2nd | St John’s 3rd | St Andrew’s 4th

ROSEBOWL

Round 1: St Andrew’s def St Paul’s 34-25 | Round 2: St Paul’s def Sancta 68-43 | Round 3: St Paul’s def St John’s 49-21 | Round 4: St Paul’s def Women’s 48-47 | Round 5: Wesley def St Paul’s 61-39

Wesley 1st | St Andrew’s 2nd | St Paul’s 3rd | Women’s 4th | Sancta 5th | St John’s 6th

Current Intercol Sports point scores

RAWSON CUP

St Paul’s 17 | St Andrew’s 16 | Wesley 12 | St John’s 11

ROSEBOWL

St Andrw’s 47 | Wesley 34 | St Paul’s 25 | Women’s 18.5 | St John’s 17 | Sancta 8.5

Coming up: Tennis this week and next; Athletics on 16 October

200th Anniversary of the NSW Legislative Council

​​​The Legislative Council of NSW first met on 25 August 1824 as an advisory council of five members appointed by the Governor. Today it is a representative 42-member House of Review. ​Throughout its existence people associated with the College have been involved including four Paulines who have been its senior officer, the President, (fellow) Sir Alfred Stephen, (fellow) Sir Francis Suttor, (alumnus) Sir John Peden, and (alumnus) Ben Franklin. Ben is the incumbent President of the Legislative Council.

The NSW Act of 1823 was informed by an extensive inquiry into the NSW colony conducted by John Thomas Bigge. This British Act established the Legislative Council and the Supreme Court in NSW.

The 200 years of parliamentary democracy and the rule of law in NSW is celebrated in 2024. The colony’s first Legislative Council was Francis Forbes as Chief Justice, Frederick Goulburn as Colonial Secretary, William Stewart as Lieutenant Governor, John Oxley as Surveyor-General, and James Bowman as Principal Surgeon. The Council’s first members were appointed to advise the Governor, but ultimately had no real law- or decision-making power.

On 25 August 1824 with Governor Thomas Brisbane presiding, the Legislative Council held its inaugural meeting at what was then Government House (Sydney Museum today), just down the road from where the Council would make its permanent home at the Rum Hospital (now NSW Parliament House in Macquarie St).

The Currency Act 1824 was the first Act passed in NSW on 28 August 1824. The Act allows for transactions originally made in unofficial circulating currencies such as Spanish dollars (one of the imported currencies used in the early colony) and promisory notes to be payable in British pound sterling, which remained in circulation until 1966!

The NSW Constitution Act 1855 (UK) ushered in monumental changes, establishing a system of Responsible Government in NSW creating in 1856 two Houses—a directly elected Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council whose new primary role was, and sill is, a ‘House of Review’ to provide a check and balance on the Assembly. Changes from appointment to election of MLCs occurred later in the history of the NSW Parliament and on occasions the Council’s ongoing existence was brought into question (old Paulines Sir John Peden and Sir Norman Kater fought hard for the retention of the Council when it was under threat from the Lang government).1

The St Paul’s College Act was passed by the Legislative Council on 1 December 1854 after the £10,000 had been committed or given for the new college to be incorporated.

  1. https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/about/Pages/The-Story-of-the-Legislative-Council.aspx ↩︎

OLD PAULINES AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

The Hon Sir John Beverley Peden (1871-1946)

  • MLC 1917-46
  • President of the Legislative Council 1929-46
  • in College 1891-99, Vice-Warden 1892-99, Fellow 1901-1928
  • BA(Hons I) 1892, LLB(Hons I)(University Medal) 1898; assistant lecturer in Latin 1896; president of the Sydney University Union 1893-94 and again in 1910-11; president of the Undergraduates’ Association, editor of Hermes 1895.

Sir John was a barrister and became Challis professor of Law and Dean of the Faculty in 1910 until retirement in 1941; he was a Fellow of the Senate and active on many of its committees 1910-41; Chairman of the Professorial Board in 1925-33.

1921-31 Sir John served as sole royal commissioner on law reform in New South Wales; in 1913 he served on the Royal Commission to inquire into the constitution of a Greater Sydney; 1927-29 he chaired the Commonwealth Royal Commission on the Constitution.

The Hon Dr Sir Norman William Kater (1874-1965)

  • MLC 1923-55 (Progressive Party).
  • in College 1893-95
  • MB ChM 1898, he won the University Haswell prize 1893, Renwick scholarship 1894, and rowed for the University.

He was resident medical officer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in 1898, then worked his way to Britain as ship’s surgeon and worked in specialist hospitals in London. After his return to Australia in 1901 he practiced in Sydney and in 1902 abandoned medicine for agriculture. He was a member of the Boree Shire Council in 1906-11.

War Service:

  • Late in 1915 he went to Egypt to assist the Australian Red Cross commissioner;
  • He soon departed for France and joined the French Service de Santé Militaire, working near Toulouse. Returning to Australia in 1917 he joined the Australian Army Medical Corps;
  • He worked at the Military Hospital, Randwick, and, promoted captain and temporary major, from January 1918 to February 1919 as AAMC adjutant at Victoria Barracks;
  • For his active service in France he was appointed chevalier of the Légion d’honneur and awarded the Médaille de la Reconnaissance Française.

He served the Graziers’ Association of NSW as president 1922-24; in 1927-28 he was chairman of the Federal Pastoral Advisory Committee; he was appointed to the State Committee of the Commonwealth Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in 1929; president of the New South Wales Sheepbreeders’ Association 1940-44; from the 1920s Sir Norman had developed important business interests, including chairman of the Co-operative Wool and Produce Co. Ltd; a director of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. 1924-49; the Graziers’ Co-operative Shearing Co. Ltd (Grazcos) from 1919, Globe Worsted Mills Ltd from 1927, Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Co. from 1933 and a local director of the Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance Co. Ltd.

The Hon LtCol Harold Fletcher (“Bill”) White CMG DSO (1883-1970)

  • MLC 1932-34 (Country party)
  • in College 1903-04
  • Football Blue 1903

Grazier and soldier from Armidale.

Military service:

  • 1906 Bill joined the 6th Light Horse, Australian Military Forces;
  • April 1914 was promoted captain in the 5th Light Horse;
  • March 1916 he was appointed to the Australian Imperial Force as a captain in the 33rd Battalion;
  • Promoted major as officer commanding ‘D’ Company;
  • The 33rd Battalion fought at Armentières; 
  • Billwas wounded on 8 February 1917;
  • He was again in action at Messines, Belgium, on 6-10 June and was awarded the DSO. The citation spoke of ‘his utter disregard of personal danger, his indomitable will and his tireless energy’ during his ninety-six hours in the front line.
  • Having attended the officers’ school at Aldershot in 1918, Bill was promoted lieutenant-colonel and commanded the 36th Battalion until June;
  • Then the 35th for the rest of the war. He led the 35th in action south of the Somme in August at Mont St Quentin and in September in operations against the Hindenburg line;
  • Between 1917 and 1919 he was three times mentioned in dispatches, received the French Croix de Guerre and was appointed CMG. 

After the war he returned to his very successful agricultural pursuits. He was a councillor for the Guyra shire in 1911-29, vice-president of the Northern New State Movement in 1922 and a supporter of the Country Party. Like many ex-officers, he showed alarm at post-war political trends and took part in the Old Guard movement. He had no time for the New Guard. In September 1932 he was nominated to the Legislative Council; he did not like politicians, did not speak in the House and retired in April 1934 when the council was reconstituted. He was a Council-member of the University of New England in 1954.

The Hon Dr Peter Robert Phelps (b 1968)

  • MLC 2011-19 (Liberal Party)
  • in College 1990-93
  • BA(Hons) 1990, PhD (1997). Contributed to Mummers and was a tutor in history.

Peter’s political career included membership of standing and other committees; Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters 2017-19; Government Whip in the Legislative Council 2015-16. He was a member of the State Executive of the Liberal Party 2003-60; State Council 1996-1998 and 2003-2011.

Peter is an author and contributes to the community as a member of the Board of the State Records Authority of New South Wales since 2013; is an active member of various community associations.

The Hon Benjamin Cameron (“Ben”) Franklin (b. 1972)

  • MLC since 2015 (Nationals)
  • President of the Legislative Council since 2023
  • in College 1990-1996
  • BA (1994). College Debating.

Ben’s political career has included Minister for Tourism 2022-23; Minister for Aboriginal Affairs 2021-23; Minister for Regional Youth 2021-23 and Minister for the Arts 2021-23; Parliamentary Secretary for Energy and the Arts in 2021; Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy and Northern NSW 2017-19; member of a number of select and other committees.

Today Ben is leading the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the NSW Legislative Council.

FELLOWS OF COUNCIL AND THE NSW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

[Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) | Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)]

Captain (later Rear Admiral) Phillip Parker King FRS RN (1791-1856),

  • MLC 1829, 1839, 1850-51
  • Fellow 1855-56

Phillip was an internationally acclaimed hydrographer and explorer of Australian and Patagonian coasts 1817-22.

James Macarthur (1798-1867)

  • MLC 1838-1843, 1848-1856, 1866-67
  • Fellow 1855-59,

Agriculturist, member of the first Senate of the University; Colonial Treasurer 1856.

Sir Charles Cowper KCMG (1807-75)

  • MLC 1843-50, 1860
  • Fellow 1862-67
  • MLA 1856-59, 1861-70;
  • Premier of NSW 1856, 1857-59, 1861-63, 1865-67 and 1869-70;
  • 1860 appointed Chief Secretary of NSW.

Pastoralist; 1851 president of the Australasian League for the Abolition of Transportation;

James Mitchell (1792-1869)

  • MLC 1855-1856
  • Fellow 1855-69

Physician and industrialist; trustee of the Australian Museum 1853-69; generous benefactor to St Paul’s College, to which he was elected a senior fellow in 1857; associated with the Australian Subscription Library, now the Public Library of New South Wales, as a committeeman 1832-53 and vice-president and president 1856-69.

Sir Alfred Stephen GCMG CB PC (1802-94)

  • MLC 1856-58, 1875-90
  • President of the Legislative Council 1856-57
  • Fellow and Chairman of Council 1855-70
  • Lieutenant Governor of NSW 1872-91
  • Administrator of NSW in 1872.

Chief Justice of NSW 1844-73; judge, philanthropist, social reformer; inaugural president of the Legislative Council; Earlier he was was made solicitor-general of Van Diemen’s Land in 1825 and then crown solicitor. He was also President of the Board of Trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales 1874-89.

Note: Sir Alfred was a significant player in the founding of the University of Sydney and, despite the opposition of the then Church of England Bishop of NSW, Rt Rev’d William Broughton, Sir Alfred succeeded in having legislation passed for the establishment and endowment of colleges within the University. The act was the Saint Paul’s College Act (1854) (Private Act), now repealed and replaced by the current Act of 2018. We credit Sir Alfred as a ‘founding father’ of St Paul’s being its first Chairman of Council and prior to this the chair of the committee to establish and endow an Anglican residential university college in Sydney.

Robert Ebenezer Johnson (1812-66)

  • MLC 1856-61
  • Fellow 1855-66

Solicitor; another of our ‘founding fathers’ in 1853 he was joint secretary and treasurer of the St Paul’s College Building Committee with Sir Alfred Stephen; a member of the Benevolent Society Committee.

James Norton (1824-1906),

  • MLC 1856-61
  • Fellow 1869-1906

Solicitor; alderman of Double Bay from 1873; trustee of the Australian Museum in 1874-1906; trustee of Hyde, Phillip and Cook Parks from 1878 and chairman in 1894-1904; trustee of the Free Public Library from 1878, he was its chairman in 1890-1906; from 1879 a trustee of the Zoological Station, Watson’s Bay; in 1884 he became postmaster-general; a founder of the Linnean Society of New South Wales in 1875.

Charles Kemp (1813-64)

  • MLC 1861-64
  • Fellow 1855-1864
  • MLA 1860

Journalist and businessman; proprietor of The Sydney Morning Herald 1841-53; inaugural Railway Commissioner 1855-56.

Another of our ‘funding fathers’ he helped to found St Paul’s with Sir Alfred Stephen. From 1852, as a trustee of the estate of Thomas Moore who had left a substantial legacy to the Anglican Church for the education of young men for the ministry, he was a party to the foundation in 1855 of Moore Theological College; 1860-64 he was active in raising funds for building St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney. 

George Henry Cox (1824-1901)

  • MLC 1863-1901
  • Fellow 1886-1901
  • MLA 1856-58

Pastoralist and sheepbreeder; in 1860 was the first mayor of Cudgegong the first rural municipality in NSW. 

Charles Campbell (1810-88)

  • MLC 1870-88
  • Fellow 1864-78

Pastoralist at Duntroon, barrister; builder of the Church of St John the Baptist Canberra; Chancellor of the Diocese of Goulburn.

Philip Gidley King (1817-1904)

  • MLC 1880-1904
  • Fellow 1870-73

Pastoralist, marine surveyor; in 1876-80 he was first mayor of Tamworth; trustee of the Australian Museum 1881-1904; member of the Aborigines Protection Board 1883-1904.

Henry Cary Dangar (1830-1917)

  • MLC 1883-1917
  • Fellow 1865-67

Pastoralist; a silent partner in Dangar Brothers, Dangar Gilchrist and Co. and other companies; Commodore of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron; foundation member of the National Rifle Association of New South Wales 1860; honorary secretary 1866-68, vice president 1870-77, trustee 1877-1909; Commissioner Melbourne International Exhibition 1880, Melbourne Centennial Exhibition 1888; Director of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital; Trustee Art Gallery of NSW 1876-87; Council for New South Wales Academy of Art. Founder member, trustee of the Union Club, president 1901-08.

Note: Henry Dangar donated the College cloisters which were erected in 1864.

Sir Alexander Stuart KCMG (1824-86)

  • MLC 1885-86
  • Fellow 1873-1886
  • MLA 1874-79, 1880-85
  • Premier of NSW 1883-85
  • Colonial Treasurer 1876-77

Businessman; 1852 joined Bank of New South Wales as assistant secretary, assistant inspector 1853; Secretary and inspector 1854; partner in R. Towns & Co. 1855, senior partner on Towns’ death in 1873; director of the Bank of New South Wales 1855-61, 1867-76, 1877-79, president in 1861; sometime Chairman Australian General Assurance Company; director of Waratah Coal Co; took up extensive mining leases in Illawarra district in 1870s; from late 1870s chairman and proprietor Coal Cliff Coal Co. and a director of the Trust and Agency Co. of Australia; 1880s director of the National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Limited; the Bowenfels Coal Mining and Copper Smelting Company and the Sydney Exchange Co. 1882-86; local director of the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company; in 1860s invested extensively and unprofitably in properties in Queensland through R. Towns & Co; had real estate on North Shore, Sydney; owned two steamships built 1879; Commissioner for New South Wales at International Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1876; Executive Commissioner for New South Wales at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition 1886; represented Sydney on Provincial Synod1874-83 and on General Synod from 1876; member of St Andrew’s Cathedral Chapter from 1868, trustee Church lands, and of Moore Theological College; a founder of the Church of England Defence Association.

Septimus Alfred Stephen (1842-1901)

  • MLC 1887-1900
  • Fellow 1885-1900
  • MLA 1882-87

Solicitor and pastoralist; from 1888 invested heavily in cattle stations in Queensland, and lost heavily in drought in 1890s, owned a half share in Elizabeth Farm, owned other property in or near Sydney; life member of Royal Society of New South Wales from 1879; fellow of Royal Colonial Institute from 1888; president of Hospital for Sick Children; director of Sydney Hospital from 1894-95.

Sir Francis Bathurst Suttor (1839-1915)

  • MLC 1900-1915,
  • President of the Legislative Council 1903-15
  • Fellow 1886-87
  • MLA 1875-87, 1891-94 and 1898-1900
  • Held Justice, Public Instruction and postmaster-General ministries on numerous occasions.

Pastoralist in Bathurst and Wellington; vice-president of the Sheepbreeders Association, president 1903-15; president of the Stockowners’ Association of New South Wales; trustee National Art Gallery of New South Wales 1899-1915, vice president 1915; trustee of the Australia Museum; director of Sydney Hospital 1904-14; president of council Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children; president of Royal Life Saving Society, Sydney Patron of Australia literature.

[further research to follow on Fellows of the College post-1900]

Sources: Australian Dictionary of Biography online: https://adb.anu.edu.au/; Parliament of NSW website: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Pages/home.aspx; Wikipedia; Alan Atkinson Hearts and Minds: St Paul’s College, Sydney University, 1816-2016, 2017; original documents and images, St Paul’s College Archives.

Dragon, Drinking and Legend in the Waddy Centre

The combined forces of St Paul’s College Choir and the Muffat Collective produced two fabulous nights of early opera in the Waddy Centre on 9 and 10 August 2024. This subversive political allegory of the 1730s is somewhat in-step with the critical thinking and divergent student views on the political landscape of today but set to the glorious music of John Frederick Lampe (1703-51) with libretto by Henry Carey (1687-1743). The plot comes from medieval legend about a dragon (government overreach), a drunken knight (the common man) and two maidens (rivals for love), and is typical of the extravagant Italian Baroque operas that dominated London theatres in the 1720s and 30s.

Even more special for the College—this was the opera’s Australian premiere!

Under the direction of Jack Stephens, the College’s Director of Music, the Muffat Collective conveyed enthralling interpretation of the period music and the choir, as the chorus, beautifully supported the delightful soloists Ariana Ricci, Molly Ryan, Elian Wilson and guest artist Peter Coleman-Wright AO. The audience was treated to an exuberant and entertaining show. This production has maintained the very high standard for music at St Paul’s which is reflected weekly during semester in the work of the Chapel Choir at evensong (5.15 pm Tuesdays), which is open to the public, with the Pauline community much encouraged to attend.

The Waddy Centre, although only a few months old, is building a profile as a centre of excellence for the performing arts for students and professionals. In the week following the opera the Sydney Eisteddfod held its Kawai Senior Piano Scholarship, Woodwind Concerto Competition and NSW Doctors Orchestra Instrumental Scholarship final in the centre.

The College community acknowledges the efforts and achievements of the cast and crew:

Adam Masters | Anthony Abouhamad | Anton Baba | Ariana Ricci | Elias Wilson | Jack Stephens | James Tarbotton | Lampe | Matthew Greco | Molly Ryan | Peter Coleman-Wright | Pippa Macmillan | Rafael Font | The Choir of St Paul’s College | The Muffat Collective

For the review in ClassicOn click here

Rosebowl Rowers’ Victory Dinner

To re-start the Intercol sports campaign we celebrated the Rosebowl Rowing win with a very historic victory dinner. In 1867 St Paul’s rowed against University in the very first Sydney University sporting competition and on 9 April 2024 we came full circle with the first ever win by a St Paul’s all-women crew in the Intercol Regatta. For the first time a Rosebowl Competition trophy has landed at St Paul’s.

At the April regatta Paul’s took out the Rawson, Rosebowl and Mixed VIII events. Many thanks to the rowing teams, the coaches and the amazing support of the College community, and congratulations to all St Paul’s College crews on their great victories.    

The Union’s Boomalakka Bash Success

After months of planning the St Paul’s College Union held a very successful reunion event on
Friday 26 July at the College. The Hall was themed in College colours for a three-course dinner with paired wines and the JRC was heaving to the dance music of The John Field Band. The night sky was lit up with fireworks to celebrate the 10, 20, 30 and 40 year reunions all combining to make this 2024 event one of the most spectacular Union events in memory.

A huge thanks to Simon Ford for coordinating the event, the Union Committee and College staff for their support, and to all those who were able to attend this fabulous event. The Union has plans for the next big bash in April 2025.



St Paul’s People are Part of the Success – Sydney Uni now 18th globally

Across the board members of the Pauline community are contributing to the success of the University’s great run of world rankings.  The University of Sydney has secured its highest ever ranking overall and continues to be rated as a top 20 global university in the 2025 QS World University Rankings.

The impressive result was due to the University’s strong performance in sustainability, academic reputation, employer reputation, citations to research papers and its international research network.

There are a good number of Paulines amongst the University’s staff and it is the staff who have been given much of the credit in this round of world ranking assessments for ‘excellence in teaching’ and the research community addressing pressing global challenges. Paulines who are current senior members of the staff include

  • Deputy Chancellor Richard Freudenstein;
  • Challis Chair of International Law and Elected Senate Fellow, Prof Ben Saul who is also a United Nations Special Rapporteur;
  • Professor of History, Prof Julia Horne who is a Fellow of the College;
  • Chief Operating Officer of the United States Studies Centre, Edward Palmisano;
  • Dr Lukas Opacic who teaches constitutional law at Sydney Law School; and
  • Dr David Martinez-Martin who is one of the longest-standing members of Graduate House, a physicist and Deputy Director of Sydney Microscopy and Microanalysis, co-chair of the sensors and diagnostics cluster of the Nanohealth Network and Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Sydney.

A great example of the contribution current Paulines make is Pat Campbell (MD III) former Middle Prefect. Pat has been admitted to the Oxford Medical Elective, a programme similar to an exchange, where each year 50 students are selected to study and live at Oxford for one term. It is a highly competitive opportunity, with only a limited number coming from Australia. Pat will be on placement at the John Radcliffe Hospital in the Nuffield Department of Surgery, spending time in operating theatres, outpatient clinics, and on the wards.

For further reading about academic merit see this article about GH PhD student Ines Wen (PhD I) CLICK HERE.

For more on the University’s ranking CLICKHERE

International Research Award for Graduate House PhD Student

Invitation to participate in research

Ines Wen is one of only five scholars world-wide to be chosen for an international research award from the International Association for Chinese Management Research (IACMR) based within the University of Cambridge Press. IACMR is an academic organization that serves scholars, students and businesses promoting organization and management research. The association has over 14,000 registered contacts from almost 100 countries and its mission has an emphasis on ethics, rigor, relevance, and impact in the Chinese context. The objectives of active idea exchanges, closer cooperation and collaboration, and advancement of excellent scholarship, define its appeal to international scholars.

[Pictured above (credit – Linda Zhang): Ines presents one of the Chinese and culture tutorials at Graduate House.]

The Kwok Leung Memorial Dissertation Fund was created to commemorate the life and work of Professor Kwok Leung and to continue his mission of supporting young scholars. This fund is intended to assist PhD students who need financial support to collect data for their dissertations. It is open to all doctoral students conducting research in Chinese Management.

The five 2024 winners come from Zhejiang University, City University of Hong Kong, University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, and Ines from The University of Sydney.

Ines is enrolled in the USYD Business School and her thesis is How Disruption Catalyses the Innovation Process in Chinese State-Owned Enterprises in Global Contexts. She credited the Graduate House Dean’s academic writing instruction gained during Dr Antone Martinho-Truswell’s Academic Writing Seminar at the end of Semester 1 for gaining recognition for her dissertation. After the seminar she amended her thesis proposal and this resulted in her selection for the award. Ines states:

Most literature regards disruption as a negative complexity in organizations, but I consider it in another way, and contend that disruption can be a source of innovation or a catalyst to drive innovation. My chosen case is the second largest hotel chain worldwide, which has experienced a number of disruptions in the past century leading to subsequent innovations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company established its Global Innovation Centre and initiated several new activities. My research focuses on the innovation process from ideation and development to implementation and commercialization.

In an online format I will invite friends to share their journey from researchers to business entrepreneurs. All Paulines are welcome to join. (Those interested in participating should contact Richard Morgan, Director of Community engagement at the College).

‘The Great Wave of Kanagawa’ (1831) is used by Ines to illustrate how disruption triggers innovation using the metaphors contained in the image for management and organisational structures.

Morgan O’Neill – Producer/Director/Actor

If you have seen NCIS: Sydney on TV Channel 10 you may not know that its producer/director is Pauline Morgan O’Neill. Morgan was at Paul’s 1992-95 and Senior Student in 1994. He contributed widely to music, debating, Mummers, social rugby and JDDs while at College and was chair of the Intercol Committee. He went on to become a professional musician, singing jazz and playing saxophone, a showrunner, writer and director. He graduated from University of Sydney and National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1998.

His contribution to the entertainment industry in Australia and the US includes: television roles in Home and Away, All Saints, Water Rats and Sea Patrol; motion picture credits in Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles, Joanne Lees: Murder in the Outback, Supernova, Little Oberon and the 2012 Netflix movie, The Factory, which he also directed; he directed the ABC TV Show Les Norton and most recently worked as a producer on Nine Network’s The Block.

He has recently produced and directed NCIS: Sydney which is showing currently on Channel 10 and streaming on 10Play.

His slick crime caper Solo is the first film produced by Project Greenlight Australia.

He is the winner of the first Project Greenlight Australia and continues to write scripts. Morgan says: “Filmmaking is such a collaborative effort, you have to test ideas, use the synergy of the group. And lastly, know that not winning is not losing. I’ve written so many plays that have been rejected. I know how difficult it is writing a screenplay.”

Congratulations to Morgan O’Neill who is generating great mass entertainment with careful research and well written scripts and engaging some of the best actors and emerging talent in Australia.

Pic credit: Wikipedia

Mummers Milestone

‘Mummers’ began in June 1948, a group formed by the then Warden, Revd Dr Felix Arnott, which included women from the Women’s College for the first time in student productions of the College. Prior to that all Paul’s revues and dramatic productions had casts from only the men of St Paul’s (see Alan Atkinson, Hearts and Minds 2017, pp.291 ff).

Some 76 years later Mummers produced the first performance in the newly opened theatre in the Waddy Performance Centre on 17, 18 and 19 May. This was not the first performance of Pauline-only cast and crew. Since 2023 the Mummers cast has been, the men and women of the undergraduate College community. Mummers have a five-year-old rival which is the Imprearios of Graduate House who have performed an annual play in the Refectory since 2019.

In May we found ourselves in the Waddy Theatre for the very first ticketed production. ‘Black Comedy’ by Peter Shaffer (1926-2016) follows the chaos that ensues when a power outage strikes during a dinner party, plunging the characters into hilarious misunderstandings and farcical situations. This play uses the power of clever British humour of the period and was premiered at the National Theatre in Chichester in July 1965, so these days it might be considered a period piece!

The three Mummers’ performances were very well patronised and in terms of recent productions for Mummers these shows were a triumph. The new theatre space was used to great advantage and the crew had at their fingertips all the advantages of the programmable state-of-the-art lighting and audio systems.

Director and President of Mummers Max Philips stated in the Director’s Notes: “Programming the opening play for this venue proved challenging, as one always wants a memorable debut number, or to start as they mean to go on. After the serious yet poignant ‘Twelve Angry Jurors’ last semester, I felt Mummers needed to return to its roots for this grand opening; a one-act comedy being a slight twist on a contemporary classic.”

The cast and crew certainly achieved that, greatly helped along by the crisp comic writing of Shaffer, with their attention to detail and a lot of rehearsing which resulted in tight comedic dialogue and their use of English and German accents gave a real sense of the play’s origins.

The play is written to be staged under a reversed lighting scheme: the play opens on a darkened stage – indeed in the Waddy the audience sat in complete darkness which added a sense of foreboding – “is there a problem with the lighting!” A few minutes into the action there is a ‘short circuit’, and the stage is illuminated to reveal the characters in a ‘blackout’. On the few occasions when matches, lighters, or torches are lit, the lights grow dimmer.

Max goes on to state: “In the context of our society and Coll. S. Paul, it recognises the eras of Mummers, now entering its 76th year, and acknowledges the scores of alumni and Old Paulines, who have trodden the boards with this society and have contributed immensely to the fabric of its rich historical tapestry.”

Black Comedy, 17-19 May, the Waddy Performance Centre, St Paul’s College

Director: Max Philips

Cast

BRINDSLEY MILLER – a young sculptor, mid-twenties, intelligent and attractive, but nervous and uncertain of himself: Felix Power

CAROL MELKETT – Brindsley’s fiancée. A young debutante; very pretty, very spoiled, very silly. Her sound that is an unmistakable, terrifying debutante quack: Charlotte Hocking

MISS FURNIVAL – a middle-aged lady. Prissy and refined. Clad in the blouse and sack shirt of her gentility, her hair in a bun, she reveals only the repressed gestures of the middle-class spinster — until alcohol undoes her: Annika Johnson

COLONEL MELKETT – Carol’s commanding father. Brisk, barky, yet given to sudden vocal calms which suggest a deep alarming instability. It is not only the constant darkness which gives him his look of wide-eyed submission: Jack Rowe

HAROLD GORRINGE – the bachelor owner of an antique-china shop, and Brindsley’s neighbour, Harold comes from the North of England. His friendship is highly conditional and possessive: sooner or later, payment for it will be asked. A specialist in emotional blackmail, he can become hysterical when slighted, or (as inevitably happens) rejected. He is older than Brindsley by several years: Sam McCredie

SCHUPPANZIGH – a German refugee, chubby, cultivated, and effervescent. He is an entirely happy man, delighted to be in England, even if it means being employed full time by the London Electricity Board: Ryan Bond

CLEA – Brindsley’s ex-mistress. Mid-twenties; dazzling, emotional, bright, and mischievous. The challenge to her is to create a dramatic situation out of the darkness is ultimately irresistible: Freya Carmody

GEORG SAMBERGER – an elderly millionaire art collector, easily identifiable as such. Like Schuppanzigh, he is German: Will Nicholas

Stage Manager: Ben Varela

Associate Producer: Helen Jordan

Set Designers: Ria Alva, Heidi Best, Greta Bourne, Anoushka Cayzer

Costume Designers, Hair and Make-Up: Georgia Blattman, Olivia McMillan, Ines Trehane, Sophie Wright

Lighting and Sound: Ben Johnston, Alex Mudri, Milly O’Connell,

Props and Backstage: Aidan Cheung, Hamish Ierino, Grace Morrow, Tahlia Sorgiovanni, Sophie Wright

Usher: Jack Lockhart

Marketing and Promo: Heidi Best

Photographers: William Chang, Matilda Johnson, Luka Vujanovic

Cultural Diversity is a Real Feast in Graduate House

At the Graduate House Mid-Winter Feast on 14 June our post graduate community celebrated the end of Semester 1 and the 5th year of Graduate House. Towards the end of the dinner something quite different happened in the 165-year-old Blacket Hall. One of our leavers, Linda Zhang (MEd(Psych)) performed a traditional fan dance in Chinese Qipao dress to the great delight of the students, alumni, staff and guests attending.

Linda explains the tradition below.

The Chinese dance drama ‘Confucius’ is a large-scale work that expresses the philosophical and emotional journey of Confucius’s life through modern dance. The drama uses Confucius’s life as a narrative thread, exploring his philosophical thoughts, political ideals, and personal emotional world through dance and music. A distinctive feature of this drama is its integration of traditional and modern dance elements, using modern dance techniques to interpret traditional cultural themes, giving the work both depth and a contemporary feel.

Regarding the ‘Letter Dance’, this is a symbolic dance within the drama. In this scene, the dancers depict the exchange of letters between Confucius and his students and friends. These letters convey not only knowledge and wisdom but also emotions and longing. Through dance, the performers use body language to express the deep affection in the letters, as well as Confucius’s passion for educating his disciples and his pursuit of ideals.

In the dance, performers often use graceful and powerful movements, combined with visual effects and music on stage, to transform this non-verbal communication into an emotional experience that the audience can perceive. The floating letters symbolize the transmission of thoughts and the flow of culture. The entire dance not only portrays Confucius as an educator but also reflects his inner world and endless pursuit of knowledge.

This creative form of dance expression is an attempt by Chinese modern dance drama to explore traditional cultural themes. It reinterprets the life and thoughts of Confucius through the language of modern dance, making it more accessible to the aesthetic and feelings of modern audiences.

Originally performed by male dancers, this piece of the dance drama was adapted by Linda, who replaced the letters with fans, incorporating elements of traditional Chinese fan dance. The Chinese fan dance, has a rich history that dates back over 2,000 years. Originating during the Han Dynasty from 206 BC, it was initially performed in imperial courts and later became popular among common people. In China, fans are not only practical tools for cooling but also cultural artifacts that represent Chinese aesthetics and artistic expression. This innovative performance showcased the grace and strength of Chinese female dancers. 

What Linda wanted to express through her dance was to bring more cultural diversity to St. Paul’s. She also gave a Chinese folding fan to everyone attending to show her thanks and bid farewell after her year in Graduate House. Linda is a graduate of Macquarie University in Accounting and has completed a MEd in Educational Psychology at Sydney University.