NTEU supports students’ anti-VSU Day of Action
18 May 1999
The National Tertiary Education Union has endorsed the Day of Action in opposition to the Government’s so called voluntary student unionism legislation taking place around the country tomorrow. The NTEU is encouraging members not penalise students who attend the actions and will be speaking at events in many capital cities and regional centres.
\"The VSU legislation is a very hot issue at the moment\", Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President said. \"The Government has already gagged debate in the House of Representatives and is now seeking to bypass accepted process in order to rush the bill into the Senate next week. On the heels of the absurdly hurried Senate inquiry, this adds up to a Government which is intent on avoiding scrutiny and silencing any potential sources of opposition.\"
\"The Government’s so called Voluntary Student Unionism legislation is another element in its attack on our university sector. Since it was elected this Government has cut more than $800 million in university funding, more than doubled some student fees and allowed universities to charge full fees to Australian students. The Prime Minister promised some hope for the sector when he foreshadowed an ‘education budget’. Unfortunately, the Budget failed to do anything to address the core funding problems facing teaching and research in our universities.\"
\"In addition to crude funding cuts the Government is now avoiding the issue of adequate indexation of university funding to facilitate useful enterprise bargaining negotiations. This is a Government which is failing to invest in the intellectual future of the country and which does not like to be reminded of this failing.\"
\"It is in this context of Government cuts and sustained opposition from staff and students that so called VSU legislation has been introduced. Tomorrow is the last opportunity which the university community will have to get together in large numbers to send a message to the Government and to the Senate that so called VSU legislation must not be passed.\"