Stop VSU: we will not be silenced!

Stop VSU: we will not be silenced!

By Wendy Robertson

On December 21, federal education minister David Kemp announced that
the government would introduce "voluntary student unionism"(VSU) legislation
in the next sitting of parliament.

 

Kemp wants us to believe that the Coalition is on a crusade to free
students from the tyranny of "compulsory" membership of student organisations.
His media release states: "University students on most Australian campuses
are currently required to join student associations whether they want to
or not. The Government will legislate to ensure that all students have
the same freedoms on campus that they have off campus."

Smokescreen

This is all a smokescreen. Kemp and the government have not the slightest
interest in "freedom on campus".

In fact, if VSU is introduced, it will be a body blow to students' freedom.
It will undermine the existence of student organisations and the ability
of students to defend themselves from a government hell-bent on making
life difficult for them.

It is false to argue that membership of a student organisation involves
compulsion. It doesn't. Students already have the right, if they desire,
to resign their membership.

The real attacks on student choices and freedoms are not coming from
student organisations, but from the Liberal government, in the form of
more fees, fewer staff and fewer courses.

Look at how it has guaranteed the "freedom" to live in poverty with
the youth allowance. Even more hypocritically, whilst the Coalition rails
against "compulsory fees" for student organisations, it is the biggest
advocate of real, compulsory fees for undergraduate degrees. These fees
will be in their thousands and tens of thousands of dollars.

Kemp explained his real motivations for VSU when he told parliament:
"It is very disappointing that student unions ... have intimidated a number
of universities from offering up-front fees places".

Getting organised

Through VSU, the Coalition wants to destroy the funding base of student
organisations and thus paralyse students' ability to fight unpopular government
policies.

It is a direct attack on students' right to organise. If the Coalition
gets its way, the path will be cleared to introduce a raft of further attacks
on students' rights, from full up-front fees to more reductions in income
support.

The government also hopes to hinder student opposition to a broader
range of socially regressive policies, from uranium mining to cutting child-care
funding and attacking abortion rights.

Amanda Lawrence, the University of Canberra women's officer and a member
of Resistance, says: "The Liberals are trying to make out that student
opposition is just about a few student office bearers wanting to keep their
jobs. We know there is a lot more at stake.

"We need to show up the real aims of 'voluntary student unionism' and
blow their arguments about choice out of the water. Right from the beginning
of first semester, we need to get organised. If students mobilise to beat
VSU, it will show the Liberals that they can't get away with attacking
our rights."

Resistance members are working to organise a broad opposition to VSU,
Lawrence said. "We hope to unite students with trade unionists, environment
groups, women's right groups, gay and lesbian organisations, staff and
high school students — all those who have an interest in beating VSU.

"Resistance is supporting student general meetings on campuses to alert
students to the dangers of VSU and to construct campus action plans to
fight it. We will also be part of organising protests against any member
of the Coalition who tries to come on to a campus, and will support large
central rallies which can show the extent of the opposition to this outrageous
attack."