Speak-out condemns VSU

CANBERRA — More than 100 students gathered at the Australian National University on March 31 for a speak-out organised by the student association's education department against the federal government's moves to introduce "voluntary student unionism" (VSU).

While several speakers from the students' association downplayed the political role of student unions, instead focusing on their role as service providers, ANU academic Rick Kuhn and Resistance activist Leigh Hughes were enthusiastically received by the crowd when they condemned the VSU legislation as a political attack on the basic right of students to organise a fight-back against regressive Coalition policies.

Hughes highlighted the failure of previous attempts to introduce VSU and urged students to continue to mobilise against attacks on student unions.

There will be a national day of action against VSU on April 28.

Amy McDonell

From Green Left Weekly, April 6, 2005.

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From GLW issue 621