Australian taxpayers in the grips of a cost of living crisis have been left fuming after learning Olympic breakdancer Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn received government funding to study the artform.
Raygun’s failed routine at the 2024 Paris Olympics has been pilloried after she failed to score a single point and was mocked globally on social media.
The Sydneysider took up the sport in 2012 and obtained a PhD in ‘breaking culture’ prior to her highly ridiculed routine at the Games.
Raygun is a lecturer at Sydney’s Macquarie University in the Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language and Literature.
Queensland Senator Gerard Rennick quoted Raygun’s official Macquarie University profile in a Facebook post after she went viral, pointing out that she received taxpayer subsidies to study breakdancing at the institution.
And Aussies struggling to make ends meet are not happy.
‘Lots of discussion about the Australian breakdancing representative at the Olympics,’ Senator Rennick posted.
‘I’m more interested in her actual profession. She attended Macquarie University for her bachelor’s degree in contemporary music, graduating in 2009, and for her PhD in cultural studies, graduating in 2017.
Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn (pictured) has been competing in breaking since 2012 and holds a PhD on the topic from Macquarie University
Gunn received widespread criticism for her breaking routine at the Olympics and became a worldwide viral sensation
‘Raygun’s PhD thesis focused on “the intersection of gender and Sydney’s breaking culture” … her publications include:
- The “systems of relay” in doing cultural studies: experimenting with the “Body without Organs” in b-girling practice
- Nocturnal Paradox: How Breakdancing Reveals the Potentials of the Night
- Where the #bgirls at? politics of (in)visibility in breaking culture
In the same way breakdancing doesn’t belong in the Olympics it’s fair to say taxpayers shouldn’t be subsidising Universities to study or teach it,’ he continued.
‘Nothing against break dancing by the way. By all means it’s a fair recreational activity, but that’s it. It shouldn’t be subsidised.
‘It also begs the question – just how many obscure and pointless courses do Universities offer that are subsidised by the taxpayer?
‘It also goes to show just because you have a PhD in something doesn’t mean you are any good at it.’
Queensland Senator Gerard Rennick has questioned why Raygun received taxpayer funding to study her PhD on breaking
In 2024, the federal government is providing $29.2billion in recurrent funding for all schooling sectors.
That includes $1.1billion over five years from 2023-24 and an additional $2.7billion from 2028-29 to 2034-35 for the first stage of reforms to the tertiary education system.
Graduate research students, like Gunn, have access to grants and funding to cover expenses relating to the conduct of their research or fieldwork.
While Gunn’s specifics have not been made public, PhD students like the breakdancer can get up to $66,000 a year in tax free government funding.
That includes living stipends of up to $35,000 a year, plus an additional top-up scholarship of approximately $21,000 a year.
Aussies are fuming after learning their taxes have gone towards funding Gunn’s PhD on breaking culture
Senator Rennick’s post attracted thousands of comments slamming the university – and other tertiary institutions – for wasting taxpayer money on frivolous studies.
‘Absolute disgrace that this is what uni students waste their time on today,’ one posted.
‘Makes a complete mockery of those athletes and their families that literally sacrifice everything to achieve the highest honour we have in sport,’ added another.
‘This performance was an absolute embarrassment. We have incredibly skilled dancers in this country. And why on earth do we need research into breaking? The more I learn about where my tax dollars go, the more I’m unhappy about paying it,’ fumed another.
And yet another posted: ‘An utter embarrassment. My first boyfriend was a breakdancing champion even went to the states for comps this was not that.’
However, Gunn did have her defenders, with some saying Senator Rennick and others should not judge what makes for meaningful education and what doesn’t.
‘All kinds of PhD research and studies contribute to our modern society to say her work and professional life is a waste is narrow minded,’ one commentator posted.
‘A PhD gives the person a broad basket of professional skills and her professional/academic life contributes to the cultural richness and knowledge base of her institute and students.’
Another added: ‘Keep politics out of sports. The lady has worked hard for her sporting dreams and made it to the Olympics. Clearly nobody else in Australia could have represented us here so raise a glass for Rachel Gunn.’