University of Queensland student newspaper Semper Floreat under fire for ‘how-to guide’ on shoplifting

A high-profile Brisbane politician has defended the University of Queensland’s student newspaper Semper Floreat following the publication of a controversial guide to shoplifting.

The University of Queensland’s student newspaper has again defended its controversial shoplifting guide, claiming it is helping students impacted by the rising cost of living.

And a high-profile Brisbane politician has thrown his support by the defence, saying it was “100 per cent ethically justifiable for people on low incomes to steal food from major supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles”.

The university union’s historic newspaper stunned many of its students by publishing a “how-to” shoplifting guide that encourages targeting big corporations, wearing masks and inducing your child to throw a tantrum to distract.

The same edition also features an expose on abolishing the police, posing the question, “why are police so fed?”.

In a statement published online by Semper Floreat chief editor Billie Kugelman said the student newspaper would not be “lectured to” on “responsible reporting”.

“We will not be lectured by this mob of jackals on responsible reporting, now or ever.”

Mr Kugelman used the rising cost of living to defend the “how-to” shoplifting guide.

“We stand by our decision to publish the hypothetical safe shoplifting guide, entitled ‘The Subtle Art of Shoplifting’ as helping hard-done-by students in a world where cost of living is on the rise.

An article in the latest edition of Semper Floreat, the student newspaper at the University of Queensland since 1932.

“Increasingly, people are forced into impoverishment and homelessness, while the ruling class, governments, and corporations, enjoy the fruits of the working class’ stolen labour.”

It comes as students issued their support for the newspaper, Semper Floreat, via a poll on the university-associated Facebook group UQ Stalkerspace.

More than 50 per cent were in support the shoplifting guide, with only 25 per cent opposed.

Brisbane Greens councillor Jonathan Sriranganathan has defended the “semi-serious” article, saying he supported people on “low incomes” stealing from major supermarkets.

He said theft from small/independent businesses was “somewhat less defensible”.

“I’m posting this because I think a lot of middle class people are still in denial about how ridiculously hard things are for people on lower incomes ... I think the fact that we can’t talk openly about shoplifting contributes to that,” Mr Sriranganathan

Mr Sriranganathan said “there’s a lot of stigma around stealing, because it’s seen as a moral failing of the individual”.

“Even in progressive circles, many of us shy away from talking about it because we don’t want to reinforce the harmful, damaging and inaccurate stereotypes that people on low incomes are dishonest or unethical,” he wrote.

“But I think we need to challenge that head on and say that if people are stealing, it’s not because they’re ‘bad people’ – it’s because our current economic system is fundamentally broken, and allows the rich to get richer while the poor sleep on the street.”

Mr Sriranganathan encouraged people to “openly share knowledge about how to steal from the major supermarkets effectively (as long as you don’t directly incriminate yourself)”.

“If politicians and well-off people in power don’t like that, they should increase the dole,” he wrote.

However, Queensland’s Education Minister Grace Grace said the article was “ill-conceived”.

“We know that these practices are illegal,” Ms Grace said.

“Honestly, articles that give people information about doing things that are illegal I would suggest is not an appropriate thing to do.”

Greens Brisbane City Councillor Jonathan Sriranganathan. File picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra described the article as “irresponsible” and “reckless”.

“Shoplifting is a crime that can carry harsh penalties including imprisonment,” he said

“Shoplifting is a significant issue that costs Australian businesses, including many small business, billions of dollars each year.

“All Australians lose when shoplifting occurs, as it causes retail pricing to increase

as retailers must account for the impact of shoplifting on their operations, harming every shopper as a result.”

Semper Floreat has been the student newspaper at the University of Queensland since 1932.

Students told The Courier-Mail the publication had taken on a distinct “activist” tone over the past nine months, with some labelling the latest edition “pathetic”.

The shoplifting article, which has an anonymous author, outrageously encourages participants to wear a face mask and cover identifiables, such as tattoos, piercings or hair.

It recommends establishing a “safety radius” and not to “frit close to home”, while suggesting certain “characters” to play while engaging in the illegal act, such as the flirt, the nerd or the stressed mum.

It states that “frifting (free shopping) is legitimate action for the working class to take in ongoing class war”.

The article also advises how to layer when stealing clothes and warns in some stores the metal security tags trigger alarms.

The piece ends with one final recommendation, “be sure to leg it if all else fails”.

Semper Floreat chief editor Billie Kugelman, who also studies law and arts at UQ, said the newspaper “ordinarily” had editorial independence over 90 per cent of content but “last week we broke the constitution by publishing without approval”.

Mr Kugelman doubled down on his support for both articles, while the university distanced themselves from any involvement in the publication.

Mr Kugelman said the editorial process involves “(magazine) editors, contributors, UQ staff along with various other students, alumni and community members”.

Semper Floreat chief editor Billie Kugelman. Picture: Facebook

But a UQ spokeswoman said Semper Floreat was an “independent student publication”.

“We understand the student union has editorial and management oversight limited by their own constitution and regulations,” she said.

“The university is not involved in production of the publication or content.”

Mr Kugelman said the newspaper decided “not to delay” due to “minor political concerns”, a centrefold that featured “satirical commentary”.

In defence of “The Subtle Art of Shoplifting” article, Mr Kugelman said “we didn’t seek any legal advice that it would be illegal to publish”.

“I think a lot of people are struggling and there are bigger issues than stealing from in many cases multinational or very large corporations,” he said.

“Obviously it is illegal to steal but by publishing this it is pretty clear what our editorial team thinks of the state of affairs.”

A UQ student, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was alerted to the latest edition by fellow students. 

An article in the latest edition of Semper Floreat, the student newspaper at the University of Queensland.

“(My friend) basically said ‘how pathetic is this? … (Semper Floreat) are basically encouraging people to steal and commit theft’ and I thought, gee, that’s pretty appalling that we are publicly funding it because student union fees are compulsory,” he said. 

“No doubt it is quite a left-wing publication but this is definitely one of the first times it has really raised eyebrows.”

He said the newspaper had undoubtedly taken on “a more activist role” in 2022.

UQ Union president Emily Searle said the union president only had the power to “withhold publication” if legal advice suggested it would be “defamatory, derogatory, or open the union to legal action”.

“The chief editor has a responsibility to report on student politics, so it is inappropriate for the union president to have total veto on publication,” she said.

“I was unable to find legal advice to this effect, and would therefore be in breach of our publishing regulations to withhold publication.”

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said the QPS “uses various strategies to prevent, disrupt and investigate offences and would remind anyone who deliberately engages in shoplifting will be dealt with under provisions of the law”.