By Adam Leeman

MELBOURNE -- On October 24, 200 students rallied at the Preston campus of Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE to build support for the restoration of funding, cut by management, to the Student Union.

In an attempt to undermine the rally, management staged a "student fiesta" at the same time and place, hiring a mechanical surf-rider, basketball nets, a clown and playing loud music. While no students participated in these activities, Student Services staff were mobilised to make it appear that the fiesta had student support. The 200-strong rally chanted "turn off the music" until one student removed and hid the power lead.

Management then called in security guards to intimidate students and one student was assaulted. Police were called in to charge the security guard, but instead only issued a warning.

Maurice Sibelle, coordinator of the Victorian TAFE Students and Apprentices Network, told the rally that the administration was the most belligerent and malicious he had encountered in the TAFE system. He explained how management had not fulfilled its obligation under Voluntary Student Unionism legislation to provide students with an audited account for all compulsory fees collected and said that he believes management had spent money on car parks -- not an allowable expenditure under the legislation.

Former Student Union president, Elisha Maliszewska, told the rally that the management had engineered the demise of the Student Union by refusing to hire staff and a motion was passed calling on the Institute management to restore full funding to the Student Union.

Current president Earl Henderson said he was pleased with the attendance at this rally, noting that most students at NMIT are part-time and have jobs, and that the 20,000 students at NMIT are spread between six campuses. "The management of the institute look like fools", he said, and "we will eventually win".

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