ANU cancelled its Friday graduation ceremony, “due to the uncertainty in our region affecting travel to and from the ACT”

But graduands on the ground could still arrange to collect their Etta (the stuffed-toy duck). And Chancellor Julie Bishop was there, undoubtedly in spirit and certainly as a life-size cardboard cut-out. This was so graduands could at least get photos with her, sort-of.

Vice Chancellor Brian Schmidt was also there in cardboard and fleshly form – even though he does not qualify for a stuffed graduation duck.

But why a duck called Etta? Chenonetta Jubatas, or Australian Wood Duck, likes to quack it up on the ANU campus (CMM December 7 2020).