During the height of the Great Depression in Australia, a scapegoat was needed to blame for the country’s numerous hardships and struggles. Their answer? The national bird, the emu. These eighty-pound, six-foot giants had been terrorizing Australian farmers with their constant hunger and destructive nature. Furthermore, the majority of these farmers were WWI veterans, to whom the government had given the land. These farmers felt cheated and sabotaged by Australian authorities and sent relentless complaints which urged the government to intervene. Eventually, a month-long military expedition began in late 1932. They planned to fully eliminate the birds using the latest technology – Lewis automatic machine guns. However, the military’s intervention caused much controversy, as non-farmers questioned whether this was the best use for an economy swimming in debt. The Emu War represents not just a battle against birds, but also the political and social turmoil within Australia during the Depression.
About the Chairs
Hi everyone! My name is Ike Simonds and I am a current senior at Masters. Aside from Model UN, I love skiing, hanging out with my friends, and researching random history topics. It was through that research that I found out about the Emu War, and knew it would make for a fun and great MUN committee. I have been in Model UN since my freshman year and have loved every second of it, from late-night coffee runs to passionate debates and frantic directive writing. I joined MUN because I love everything history and politics-related, as well as public speaking and intellectual debate. The Masters Model UN team has meant so much to me throughout my high school career, bringing a welcoming and fun vibe to Model UN which I have greatly appreciated. This will be my third and (sadly) final year chairing a committee at MASMUNC, and I hope you all are as excited about this committee as I am!
Hello everyone! My name is Clio, and I am ecstatic to be a part of MASMUNC ‘24! I’ve gone to my fair share of conferences, and I can attest that this is by far one of the funniest, most organized, and memorable ones out there. This conference holds a particularly special place in my heart, as I made my “MUN debut” at MASMUNC in the fall of 2022. So for all of the newer delegates, I can assure you that this conference is one hundred percent beginner-friendly. Now, a little bit about me: I am currently a junior, and my interests outside of MUN include playing the piano, lacrosse, painting, snorkeling, and history! I cannot wait to see the creativity each delegate will bring to this committee, and I hope you all have as much fun with MASMUNC as I always do!
Contact the Chairs
Feel free to reach out to your chairs for committee specific questions at isaac.simonds@mastersny.org and clio.foley@mastersny.org.