Victorious Students Unleashed (VSU) rally - Next Stop: May Day rally contingent! : Melbourne Indymedia

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http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Students-on-the-streets/2005/04/28/1114635689914.html?oneclick=true

10,000 join rallies over uni fee ban

By David Rood, Higher education reporter - April 29, 2005

[ PHOTO: "(Ending compulsory fees) is about the gutting of student life on campus." REBECCA BARRIGOS, union official ]

More than 10,000 students rallied around the nation yesterday as part of a campaign opposing the Federal Government's controversial move to scrap compulsory student union fees.

In Melbourne, a crowd of up to 5000 university students stretched over three city blocks as they snaked their way from the State Library down Swanston Street and around to the Treasury Gardens.

The Federal Government introduced a bill last month to abolish mandatory fees from next year. Compulsory fees, which cost up to $500 a year at Victorian universities, are used for student services, including sporting facilities, welfare and child care.

Under the changes, universities face multimillion-dollar fines if they impose compulsory union fees.

National Union of Students education officer Rebecca Barrigos said the large protest showed that students were clearly opposed to voluntary fees. She said voluntary unionism would devastate students' ability to organise and defend their interests.

"(It) is about the gutting of student life on campus," Ms Barrigos said. "It's about removing all the student culture and community that makes university a good place for students . . . and also all the support services and welfare services that make for students (being) able to receive a quality education."

Federal Opposition education spokeswoman Jenny Macklin told the Sydney rally that Labor would oppose the bill in Parliament and on campuses.

"Students could simply not afford to pay for services such as child care, health care, food, entertainment, sporting clubs, accommodation advice and counselling, which were subsidised from union fees," she said. "Let's face it, how many people would voluntarily pay their taxes if they didn't have to?"

Education Minister Brendan Nelson has argued that students can continue to pay for services if they wish to but the choice should be theirs. The bill is expected to be passed after the Government assumes control of the Senate on July 1.

A fiery verbal exchange broke out between the protesters and a dozen Liberal students who gatecrashed the rally outside the Victorian Parliament yesterday.

Addressing the largest student rally of recent years, National Tertiary Education Union general secretary Grahame McCulloch, said student organisation was a fundamental part of university life.

Union fees made a contribution in cultural, sporting and social spheres as well as providing a comprehensive range of services, he said.

"No universities worth the name can exist without that."

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http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15118660-421,00.html

Students march to defend unions

By Brendan O'Keefe and Louise Perry - April 29, 2005

THOUSANDS of university students downed books yesterday to join protests against voluntary student unionism legislation, which they say will kill campus life.

About 5000 students from Sydney's five universities and Wollongong University gathered at the University of Sydney, where they heard Deputy Opposition Leader Jenny Macklin call on government ministers to pay retrospectively for services they had used when they were students.
About 5000 marched in Melbourne, 1200 rallied in Brisbane and hundreds turned out in other capitals.

Ms Macklin said if the Howard Government's voluntary student unions system applied when Treasurer Peter Costello was at Monash University in the late 1970s, he would owe $4933.33 for his involvement in the university's AFL club.

"It's time that Peter Costello coughed up," she said.

Health Minister Tony Abbott would owe Sydney University $5376 and Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews owed Melbourne University $5054.55, Ms Macklin said.

Sydney University academic board chairman John Carter told students they had the institution's support.

"The university is behind you on this one; from the senate down, the academic board and the vast majority of my colleagues," he said.

"I haven't seen so many people on the front lawn since the Vietnam days and it says a great deal when there's so many of you here protesting in favour of a tax."

Sydney's Students Representative Council president Rose Jackson called on the Government to allow a national student vote on VSU.

"If the Government is serious about student choice, it will give us an on-campus referendum," Ms Jackson said.

Ms Macklin said Labor would support the students all the way.

"The Howard Government wants to get rid of you, but keep strong, we'll be there with you in order to beat this legislation," she said.

At the Melbourne rally, Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union Victorian secretary Martin Kingham pledged the Victorian union movement's support for the students.

"This Federal Government is hellbent on destroying any form of collective community power," he told the protesters.

Mr Nelson introduced the VSU bill last month.

Students say the legislation, which is sure to be enacted after the Coalition gains control of the Senate on July 1, would strip $161 million from campus organisations, which provide subsidised services such as childcare, food and sports facilities.

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200504/1355984.htm?midnorthcoast

Students rally against end to compulsory union fees

Friday, 29 April 2005

Hundreds of students from Southern Cross University (SCU) staged protests yesterday against the Federal Government's plans to end compulsory student union fees.

Students from Lismore, Coffs Harbour and Tweed Heads' campuses were involved in the protests, which they claim will slash university services and jobs.

SCU Lismore union organiser Steven Senise has called on the Federal Member for Page, Ian Causley, to support their calls to stop the voluntary student unionism (VSU) legislation.

"We want Ian Causley to stick by his constituents and say that this Bill is bad for Lismore," he said.

"That this bill will rip $2.5 million out of the Lismore economy, that it will destroy 150 jobs in Lismore."

Mr Causley says he cannot stop Government plans to end compulsory student union fees.

He says he supports the Bill but believes special financial arrangements should be made for regional universities.

"Well two things I suppose, firstly I'd be asking for the fact that the legislation allows the university to charge fees to people who may not join the union but may want to use some of the services, that would be one position," he said.

"If, in fact, there was proven to be a shortfall which made it difficult for regional universities then I would argue that we need to have a close look at supporting some of those areas.

"The area that we can debate and I can represent them is in the area where this Bill... doesn't allow the university to charge fees.

"I think that can be debated and maybe able to be amended, and the area where maybe the Government needs to have a closer look at regional universities as to some financial support for them because they have a lower number of students attending those universities."

Mr Senise says Mr Causley should be fighting to save jobs and services.

"We want Ian Causley to stand by his constituents and the institutions of Lismore and this region and do the right thing by this region and do what he's supposed to be doing which is representing Lismore and the electorate of Page rather than coming to Page and representing the agenda of Canberra," he said.

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http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=49304

Students reject union changes

AAP

Up to 300 people have marched through Perth streets, protesting against federal plans to axe compulsory student unionism at universities.

National Union of Students WA branch president Susie Byers said the federal government needed to take notice of students who rallied around the nation on Thursday in opposition to a plan she said could spell the end for cheap campus services such as childcare and health care.

"Students will walk out of classes and hit the streets and defend our student organisations," Ms Byers said.

"Students believe that the services that they are provided, like childcare and independent representation, are essential and it is fair that everybody who benefits from these services should contribute a small amount to them.

"We are trying to tell the federal government that the impacts of this legislation are going to be so huge that they should really just leave student organisations alone."

WA Education and Training Minister Ljiljanna Ravlich said she too opposed the federal government's planned changes.

"Within a university environment there are a range of services that need to be offered. I would hate to see those services not being offered," she said.

"I don't think it is in students' interests to not have a range of services that support their educational outcomes."

Ms Byers said WA had previous experience with a form of voluntary student unionism and it resulted in 75 job losses and cuts to services, including the closure of a sexual assault referral service.

"I think they think students are on their side on this issue and we are here today to tell them we are not," she said.

Ms Byers said this was the beginning of the student campaign against the proposed end to compulsory unionism, with a community education campaign next on the agenda.

The protesters rallied in Solidarity Park, opposite WA parliament, before walking through city streets to the state headquarters of the Liberal Party.

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http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,15120703%255E911,00.html

Politics claim as students march to save unions
By Political Reporter BRONWYN HURRELL in Canberra
29apr05
SOUTH Australian university students yesterday defended funding anti-Coalition election material as a "survival strategy", as students around the country protested against federal legislation to ban compulsory student union fees.

The Government argues compulsory student unionism forces students to pay for services they do not need â?? including anti-Coalition election campaigns.

Student unions say essential services such as on-campus child care and employment services, as well as thousands of jobs, will be lost under voluntary student unionism (VSU).

Students took their protest to the steps of Parliament yesterday.

"VSU will turn universities into little more than harsh, unsupportive degree factories, where all you do is get a piece of paper," University of Adelaide students association president David Pearson said.

Flinders University students association general secretary Jacqui Forte said students had to "fight for the survival" of services.

National Union of Students state president Finn McCarthy-Adams said the services provided by student organisations were an integral part of the university community. "University is a life experience, not just getting a degree,' he said.

Federal Liberal MP Andrew Southcott brandished documents yesterday showing Flinders University's student union funded anti-Coalition campaigns during the last election.

Union board minutes from June last year showed a resolution to use projects funds to contribute $8000 to a cross-campus campaign urging students to preference the Coalition last. The document urged this "to secure the future of student organisations".

Dr Southcott said political mail-outs should "hardly (be) their core business". "They're saying it's all about sport and clubs but, as we know, a lot of money is going on activities like this (anti-Coalition campaign)," he said.

Dr Southcott admitted he was "pretty involved in running campaigns for the union board" as an Adelaide University undergraduate himself.

But he said the composition of the student body had "changed dramatically" and many part-time, external and mature-aged students had no need for some union services.

"Normally, students protest against paying fees, today they're protesting for the right to be forced to pay fees," he said.

Flinders University students association president Aaron Jackson defended the funding, saying the money went "not (to) a political campaign as such".

"The money didn't go to any particular party," he said.

"I'd see it as more of a survival strategy â?? an awareness campaign based around our own survival."

In Adelaide, the national day of action focused on highlighting university culture with a concert and other social activities.

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http://bathurst.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=local&category=general%20news&story_id=389690&y=2005&m=4

Federal government

By Peter Veness - Thursday, 28 April 2005

BATHURST jobs will be lost if the Federal Government succeeds in pushing through voluntary student unionism.

This frank message came from Charles Sturt University Student Association Bathurst general manager Shane Manners yesterday.

"We anticipate we will get some small amount of money from voluntary contributions (but) we have to plan for the worst and hope for the best," Mr Manners said.

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200504/1355646.htm?tasmania

Vice Chancellor speaks out in support of student unions

Thursday, 28 April 2005

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Tasmania, Daryl Le Grew, says the Federal Government's plans to make student unionism voluntary are a waste of time.

Professor Le Grew says the lack of federal funding for universities should be a higher priority.

The Vice Chancellor this afternoon addressed an anti-VSU rally at the university's Hobart campus.

He says the Government does not understand the way student unions operate.

"The assumption that student associations are politically active every day of the week is just nonsense.

"I mean, we have tremendous relationships here with the student associations, they advocate for students, of course they do, why shouldn't they? It's part of being in a community."

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