Senate VSU Report Ignores Community
25 May 1999
The National Tertiary Education Union has called on Independent Senators Colston and Harradine to heed the recommendations of the minority reports from the ALP and Australian Democrat senators about the effects of the proposed Voluntary Student Unionism legislation. The NTEU has written to both senators today outlining the Union’s opposition to the legislation. The reports were tabled in the Senate this afternoon.
\"It is now clear that the only members of the Senate committee who took the process of community consultation seriously were those representing the ALP and Democrats\", Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU National President said. \"The majority report from the Government Senators is disappointing, but it is far from surprising. Throughout the public hearings the Government Senators berated and intimidated witnesses and showed no interest in hearing the views of the community.\"
\"The NTEU welcomes the announcement made by Senator Colston last week that he is opposed to the Government’s legislation. Senator Colston’s long experience with Australian universities ensures that he is well placed to appreciate the disastrous impact which this legislation would have. It would be morally wrong for the Government to attempt to push this legislation through the Senate by taking advantage of Senator Colston’s poor health. Dr Kemp should withdraw the legislation immediately and admit that he has not been able to gain the support of a majority of the Senate.\"
\"Throughout this process the Government has indicated its contempt for the community’s views. Through a ludicrously short timeframe, allowing only a handful of the hundreds of bodies preparing submissions to appear at the public hearings and berating witnesses they have indicated that they are not willing to listen to anyone with views different to their own. Today their majority report reflects the fact that they simply do not care what the community thinks- they do not care about the widespread opposition to their legislation.\"
\"Australia’s university sector cannot afford to lose this fight. The NTEU will continue to oppose this legislation until the Government withdraws it or it is defeated in the Senate.\"