A queer student who fought against an ACT-sponsored bill which will make student union membership voluntary is expressing disgust at a select committee's closed ears. The Education and Science Select Committee has decided to back the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill, despite an overwhelming majority of submissions against it. The committee received 4,837 submissions on the bill, with only 89 in support. Richard Girvan was UniQ Otago's Secretary and Spokesman on Voluntary Student Membership (VSM) during the select committee process, but has since resigned. The decision to endorse the bill despite the overwhelming majority of submissions against it has left him hot under the collar. Girvan says he has to note the majority isn't always right, citing the submissions on the Civil Unions Bill, "but when a select committee advises against the overwhelming majority of submissions, it should raise an enormous red flag to the politicians' attitude towards the democratic process." He says OUSA's recent demotion of its Queer Representative through a "farcical" referendum notwithstanding, students' associations are typically superbly equipped to meet the needs of queer students and other minority and traditionally repressed groups on campus. "If this bill goes through, history tells us that students' associations are likely to almost completely collapse, retaining only a few core functions." Girvan says groups like UniQ Otago would struggle to survive without the grants or constitutional framework the associations provide. He says OUSA would also probably have to sell its clubs and societies building, which would mean groups like UniQ would lose the venue of many of their events and committee meetings. "Queer students in Otago have been lucky in that not only do we have UniQ, but OUSA also provides Queer Support, a Queer Representative and also a Queer Events Coordinator. All of these things, including UniQ Otago, could potentially be lost under Roger Douglas' Bill, and if they do survive, they would be in an extremely diminished capacity," he says. "When I gave my submission to the select committee, I was very annoyed and disheartened to see (ACT MP) Roger Douglas just ignore me the whole time. He didn't seem at all interested in what I, or anyone else whose submissions I saw, had to say. "If I were to be cynical, I would suggest that it seems like this government has it in for students." Girvan says with diminished education spending, new backdated restrictions on student loans which will penalise students who attempt larger degrees, and this bill, they will be effectively silencing their loudest critics. "The bill was hailed as being about 'freedom' and democracy, yet they've thrown democracy out the wind by ignoring everyone - including the Human Rights Commission - who opposed it." Student leaders from across the country will gather in Palmerston North from Thursday till Saturday to discuss, among other things, the next steps with the contentious bill. The proposed law change has National backing and is expected to have its second reading in a month.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 28th September 2010 - 5:37pm