PARLIAMENT MUST PROTECT STUDENT ORGANISATION JOBS AND SERVICES AT ALL UNIVERSITIES
August 10
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) on Wednesday called on federal parliament to protect the jobs and services provided by student organizations at all universities, not just those in regional areas, and reject the Howard Government’s extreme Voluntary Student Unionism legislation.
“The Government’s attempt to eradicate the funding base of university student organisations is shaping up to be the first test for how it will use its new found control of both houses of federal parliament,” said Ted Murphy, NTEU Assistant National Secretary.
“If the Government wants the Australian public to believe that it will use its Senate majority responsibly, it cannot continue to pursue agendas that are based more on old political rivalries rather than the interests of ordinary Australians.”
“The proposed anti-student organisation legislation is opposed by virtually the entire higher education sector, as well as sporting associations, much of the community, much of the National Party and even some elements of the Liberal Party.”
“The NTEU shares the concerns expressed by these groups about the detrimental impacts of the proposed legislation, particularly the threat to the jobs of staff employed in student organisations.”
“The Coalition parties need to be very clear that in its current form the legislation will severely undermine the entire student organisation sector.”
“It is estimated that over 4000 jobs Australia wide will be lost, a figure that does not include potential job losses from the broader flow on impacts.”
“No comparable OECD country prohibits the collection of non-academic fees to support extra-curricular campus activities. In fact virtually every University worth the name in the Commonwealth, the United States and Western Europe provides for the collection of a fee for such purposes.”
“Services such as childcare, personal, housing and financial counselling and assistance, careers and employment services as well as academic advocacy and advice are essential to the capacity of many students to continue their studies, whether this be in metropolitan or regional areas.
It is these services that help facilitate students’ capacity to attend university, and the skilled student organisation staff that administer them are the least likely to survive under a user pays system, which will be the consequences of this legislation passing.”
“Federal parliament needs to protect the services and jobs provided by student organisationa at all universities,” said Murphy.
Information and Comment:
Ted Murphy, NTEU Assistant National Secretary: 0419 517288
Andrew Nette, NTEU Policy and Research Coordinator: 0438 026277