The cost-of-living crisis is the single biggest challenge facing students right now — and it’s forcing too many to choose between paying rent, buying food, or staying in education. Illuminate has always fought to put affordability front and centre, and in 2025, we’re ready to go further. We’ll slash prices on campus, fight for cheaper housing and transport, and make sure no student goes hungry. Our goal is simple: your education should be about learning, not surviving.

PAST ILLUMINATE WINS | Launched $5 Student Saver Meals, the only uni in WA to do this | Brought down the prices of ready-to-go drinks in Cafes | Increased student discounts from 5% to 10% | Made Guild Membership Free | Prevented Parking Fee Increases | Free Cereal in Student Kitchen | More Free Food Giveaways Every Year ... and more ...

BUILDING ON OUR PAST WINS AN ILLUMINATE GUILD WILL:

• Expand the $5 lunch program across campus and launch a Student Saver menu at all Guild outlets.

• Make Tav Happy Hour two hours long.

• Introduce a printing grant program through G-Mart.

• Refill milk in the student kitchen multiple times daily.

• Host weekly free-food events on campus.

• Start a lab coat and equipment hire service to cut course costs.

• Increase Guild outlet discounts for members.

• Launch a coffee loyalty program so your caffeine habit costs less.

• Expand the Guild Food Pantry program.

• Reviewing all pricing at Guild outlets.

• Advocate for free parking.

• Advocate for free Curtin Stadium gym memberships.

• Host regular pop-up thrift stores.

• Transform Guild Cafe Central into a cheap food hub.

• Provide study supply subsidies through G-Mart for students in need.

• Expand the free breakfast program out of the student kitchen.

• Create an online cost-of-living hub.

• Advocate to freeze rent in both on-campus and off-campus student housing.

Transport shouldn’t be a barrier to getting to class, but right now, it is. Whether you drive, ride, or take the bus, students are being punished with overpriced parking, patchy public transport, and unsafe travel options at night. Illuminate believes every student deserves affordable, safe, and reliable ways to get to campus. That means cheaper and fairer parking for those who have to drive, and better public and active transport for everyone. We’ll fight to make sure no student misses class because they can’t afford to get there.

PAST ILLUMINATE WINS | Froze the price of parking | Introduced Food For Fines | Got the Uni to open more overflow parking bays | Advocating to Govt to make student fares for part time students ...and more...

BUILDING ON OUR PAST WINS AN ILLUMINATE GUILD WILL:

• Advocate to make parking FREE for students all year round

• Advocate for a new multi-storey campus carpark so everyone can get a bay

• Abolish CellOPark

• Increase the Wilson Parking subsidy for Murray St students

• Advocate for more ACROD parking bays close to classes for students with disabilities.

• Advocate for safe express buses operating all day and late at night, so students can travel securely at any hour.

• Push for express bus services to Curtin Bentley and Murray Street to cut travel times.

• Support light rail to Curtin to improve long-term public transport links.

• Push to expand discounted Transperth fares to part-time students.

• Advocate for a campus bike-share program to make active transport more accessible.

• Improve bike and pedestrian infrastructure around campus for safe, sustainable travel.

• Name campus car parks for easier navigation.

Curtin students deserve more than the bare minimum. We deserve a university that puts learning before profit, listens to its students, and delivers education that is accessible, high-quality, and fair. Illuminate will fight to make Curtin a place where you can focus on your studies without battling broken systems, outdated resources, or corporate priorities. From live, well-delivered lectures to modern libraries, real academic support, and smaller class sizes, we’re committed to an education system that works for every student: whether you’re on campus, online, local, international, undergraduate, or postgraduate.

PAST ILLUMINATE WINS | Secured the return of second tuition free weeks | Stopped compulsory trimesters | Prevented abolishment of in-person learning | Reduced first-day late penalties from 10% to 5% | Self certification for extensions | Made closed captions available for every lecture...and much more...

BUILDING ON OUR PAST WINS AN ILLUMINATE GUILD WILL:

• Push for a 11:59pm universal assessment submission time

• Defend and expand self certification extensions

• Ensure meaningful feedback is provided on every assessment before the next one is due!

• Push to improve Curtin’s wifi.

• Fix Curtin Connect by placing Student Services Officers in every school.

• Introduce card-only access for library levels 5 and 6 to keep study spaces safe and available for Curtin students.

• Fight to allow extensions for group projects

• Launch a “Report Outdated Content” program so obsolete course material is replaced quickly.

• Allow digital exam notes and lab sheets for greater accessibility and flexibility in assessments.

• Replace invasive online invigilation tools with better, privacy-respecting systems.

• Expand UniPASS to all core units so every student has access to peer-led learning support.

• Push for smaller class sizes to improve learning quality and engagement.

• Publish a guide for regional students with relocation tips, resources, and financial advice.

• Expand the First Year Survival Guide, including online resources, so new students hit the ground running.

• Launch a comprehensive unit handbook to give students all the information they need before enrolling.

• Introduce a printing grant program through G-Mart for students who can’t afford essential study materials.

• Launch a peer mentoring program pairing new students with experienced peers for guidance and support.

• Open more library levels later into the night for flexible study hours.

• Make group study rooms with whiteboards in the library bookable 24/7.

• Increase study spaces across all campuses to meet growing demand.

• Add more private study rooms for quiet, focused work.

• Upgrade and expand study areas with more power points and sensory-friendly spaces.

• Secure a larger lecture space at the Murray Street campus to expand in-person learning opportunities.

• Ban the use of AI in coursework and marking to protect academic integrity.

• Push for academics to hold paid office hours so students get the support they need

• Fight for accurate lecture captions

• Ban pre-recorded lectures as sole delivery

• Defend Curtin from any merger — especially with UWA — to protect jobs, services, and our identity.

Clubs are the heartbeat of campus life, the spaces where students find their people, build skills, and create the culture that makes Curtin more than just a place to study. Illuminate believes that every club, from the smallest niche society to the largest campus-wide group, deserves the funding, space, and support to thrive. Under our leadership, the Guild will supercharge club life, cut the red tape, and make it easier than ever to run events, grow membership, and leave a mark on campus.

PAST ILLUMINATE WINS |Built the new Clubs Hub | Increased club funding | Introduced two free club vouchers | Introduced a second clubs officer | Ran the biggest O-Days of all time | Reduced Price of BBQ packs | Supported a record number of clubs and club events

BUILDING ON OUR PAST WINS AN ILLUMINATE GUILD WILL:

• Increase grants for clubs and launch new collaboration grants.

• Launch a Sustainability Grant program and sustainability matrix.

• Provide all clubs with an official @club.curtin.edu.au email domain.

• Expand and simplify club equipment hire, and increase club storage space.

• Advocate for more clubroom spaces, a dedicated music room, and a gaming lounge.

• Simplify and speed up event approvals, including direct booking of campus rooms and fast-tracked approval for simple events.

• Reduce club paperwork so committees can focus on members, not admin.

• Make booking the Tav free for clubs and push for cheaper stadium hire rates.

• Install more club noticeboards around the Guild precinct and Guild outlets, including one listing all active clubs.

• Expand online promotion opportunities and install digital event screens across campus, including at Midland and Murray Street.

• Revitalise Guild courtyards into thriving club and event hubs.

• Simplify booking for the newly delivered Clubs Hub to maximise usage.

• Design and launch a new, easier-to-navigate Guild website with better club promotion tools.

Campus culture is the beating heart of student life, it’s what makes Curtin more than just lectures and assignments. It’s the Tav parties that pack out the dancefloor, the food and culture at Pasar Malam, and the everyday moments where friendships are forged. Illuminate will supercharge Curtin’s campus culture so every student has the chance to connect, celebrate, and be part of something bigger. We’ll back clubs with more resources, run bigger and better events, and make Curtin a campus that’s alive every single day. And yes: at Pasar Malam, students will be able to run stalls for free.

PAST ILLUMINATE WINS | Brought back Tav parties with thousands of students | Running more Guild Events | Supporting clubs to run more events | Supported the largest multicultural festival at any Aust uni, Psar Malam ...and more...

BUILDING ON OUR PAST WINS AN ILLUMINATE GUILD WILL:

• Run more Tav parties than ever before, making the Tav the heartbeat of campus culture.

• Deliver bigger Guild events like Pasar Malam, with students able to sell at Pasar Malam for free.

• Increase grants available to clubs to fuel bigger events and stronger communities.

• Advocate for a music room and a gaming lounge on-campus to give students more creative and social spaces.

• Renovate and revitalise the Guild precinct into a thriving hub with better spaces for clubs, events, and everyday student life.

• Renovate the Tav to make it a more vibrant, student-friendly venue.

• Transform Guild Cafe Central into a multipurpose common space, club venue, and cheap food hub.

• Revitalise Guild courtyards with new seating, greenery, and event infrastructure.

• Increase the number of Guild-run events to make campus buzzing all year round.

• Advocate for more free sport at Curtin Stadium and push for cheaper stadium space hire for students and clubs.

• Host weekly free-food events on campus as part of building community and fighting cost-of-living pressures.

Housing is a student issue, and right now, it’s in crisis. Skyrocketing rents, unsafe conditions, and landlords who see students as cash cows are making it harder than ever to study and live with dignity. Illuminate believes every student deserves safe, affordable, and secure housing, whether you’re on campus, in private rentals, or in student accommodation. We’ll take the fight to Curtin, to landlords, and to Parliament, and we’ll work with organisations like Make Renting Fair WA to win reforms that protect all renters, not just students. Because housing is a human right, and we won’t stop until every student has a home they can afford.

PAST ILLUMINATE WINS | Fighting for air con in all student accom | Made the Guild an active member of Make Renting Fair WA | Pushing to make all renters protected under the law | Put student housing saftey concerns in the headlines ... and more ...

BUILDING ON OUR PAST WINS AN ILLUMINATE GUILD WILL:

• Launch a permanent Housing Advocacy Committee to lead campaigns on student housing issues year-round.

• Fight for renters’ rights in student housing, ensuring fair leases, transparent costs, and secure tenancies.

• Support the construction of affordable student housing both on and near campus.

• Strengthen renters’ rights for boarders, lodgers, and student accommodation residents so no student falls through legal gaps.

• Publish a Curtin Housing Guide with tenancy rights, relocation tips, and essential advice for renters.

• Advocate to freeze the rent in on-campus and off-campus housing during the cost-of-living crisis.

• Push for air conditioning in all student housing to make living conditions safe and comfortable.

• Campaign to improve safety standards in all student housing, from secure locks to proper maintenance.

• Advocate for better lighting in and around student housing precincts for safety at night.

• Partner with Make Renting Fair WA to fight for stronger laws and protections for all renters, including ending no-grounds evictions and capping unfair rent increases.

Postgraduate students are the engine of innovation and discovery at Curtin, but too often, they’re undervalued, underpaid, and overlooked. From low stipends to limited facilities and a lack of tailored support, the system pushes many to the edge. Illuminate knows that postgraduate students deserve better. Whether you’re a Masters student, PhD candidate, or research fellow, your work shapes Curtin’s future, and our Guild must fight to make sure you have the funding, resources, and community you need to thrive.

PAST ILLUMINATE WINS |Increased PhD stipends above the poverty line and made Curtin’s the highest in WA | Founded a postgraduate mentoring program | Opened graduate programs to international students | Gave research students accsess to uni meeting rooms | Laptops for research students ... and more...

BUILDING ON OUR PAST WINS AN ILLUMINATE GUILD WILL:

• Advocate for higher PhD stipends.

• Advocate for more HDR hubs and facilities.

• Expand funding to the Postgraduate Student Committee so it can deliver more events, campaigns, and support programs.

• Ensure the PSC runs regular networking, social, and professional development events.

• Support more club events tailored for postgraduate and research students to strengthen community and collaboration.

• Increase support and resources for Student Assist Officers to provide specialised advice and advocacy for Postgrads.

• Hold regular PSC forums.

• Back national campaigns to increase research funding.

• Work to expand wellbeing programs to address stress, isolation, and workload issues in HDR study.

• Ensure postgraduate students are represented in all relevant university committees and decision-making bodies.

• Advocate for free access to software, equipment & materials.

• Promote flexible, family-friendly policies for postgrads.

International students bring incredible diversity, knowledge, and perspective to Curtin, but they’re too often treated as cash cows by governments and universities alike. From sky-high fees and expensive visas to a lack of tailored support, the system makes it harder than it should be to study, work, and live in Australia. Illuminate believes international students deserve fairness, respect, and a real voice in decision-making. We’ll fight for a system that values you as part of our community, not just as a revenue stream, and we’ll work to build a stronger, more connected international student experience at Curtin.

PAST ILLUMINATE WINS | Allowed international students to access graduate programs | $1,500 relocation payment for international students | Supported visa and migration information sessions | Run the largest international students event in WA (Psar Malam) | Ensured international students are represented in university decision making

BUILDING ON OUR PAST WINS AN ILLUMINATE GUILD WILL:

• Fight for reduced fees for international students.

• Push for lower international student visa costs.

• Work with other student unions to create a strong, united national voice for international students.

• Publish a comprehensive Curtin International Student Guide with information, rights, and tips.

• Increase funding to the International Students Committee and expand its ability to run social, cultural, and advocacy events.

• Host regular ISC open forums where students can raise issues and concerns directly with Guild representatives.

• Support more club events tailored for international students to build community and connection.

• Advocate for stronger tenancy protections for international students in private and on-campus housing.

• Launch targeted employment workshops and job fairs for international students.