Thousands of students rallied and marched on August 10 in a nationwide protest against the federal government’s “voluntary student unionism” legislation.

The students were joined in many cities by members of the National Tertiary Education Union, making clear the connection between the Coalition government’s attacks on both students’ and workers’ right to organise to improve their living conditions.

Students in Sydney held their ground to force police to allow the march to proceed, and the march in Brisbane culminated in a student general meeting outside Queensland Parliament House.

Rose Jackson, president of the Sydney University SRC, summed up the mood of the rallies when she told the 2500-strong Sydney rally that the Howard government was on the defensive over VSU, Telstra privatisation and changes to industrial relations laws, and that students would not back down now.

Planning is underway for another national day of action against VSU, to be held on August 25.

From Green Left Weekly, August 17, 2005.
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