Rallies and protests are being held across the country by students who are set against a Bill which would make tertiary union membership voluntary. Among those taking action today are members of UniQ groups who believe voluntary membership could end their existence due to a lack of funding. Today's protests include Otago University students 'creaming John Key' in stocks, while Hamilton students are putting a fake gorilla in a cage with nowhere to go, which they say is much like what could happen to students without a functioning association. NZUSA co-President David Do says students care about the quality of their education, the services they receive, and the independent representation they need and deserve. "If passed, this Bill will wreck services for students on campus, take the heart out of student life, undermine an independent representative voice, and downgrade the quality of New Zealand’s tertiary education system." Auckland University, where student union membership is voluntary, will also be holding a rally today. Auckland University Students’ Association President Joe McCrory will be speaking at the rally. "Auckland students voted for voluntary membership 12 years ago in 1999, when the current group of first year students was starting primary school," he says. "12 years of voluntary membership at Auckland University shows that students are missing out on the full complement of vital student services available at the smaller Victoria or Otago campuses. Now the choice to vote on which system they prefer is being removed by Heather Roy’s bill. A compromise would allow the students who wish to opt-out of membership of their association being able to, without the massive loss of representation that this bill represents," he says.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 17th August 2011 - 11:33am