By Naazreen Angullia
PERTH — Thirty Curtin University students attended a Resistance public meeting on the theme "Life under the Liberals" on March 28.
The meeting was called in support of a National Day of Action against voluntary student unionism and was addressed by Sean Boyle from the WA Council of Social Services and Anne O'Callaghan, a Curtin student guild councillor and Resistance activist.
Boyle described the Liberal party's plans as "a cynical campaign being run with a lack of information and little time to react". He criticised plans to drastically cut social spending. Rather than starting with large, obvious cuts, Boyle expected the Liberals to use back door methods such as more stringent tests for welfare payments with no room for appeals. He also pointed out that such cuts are much greater in magnitude than those that were proposed in the Liberals' original Fightback package.
O'Callaghan took up the Liberals' agenda as it related directly to students. She described the Liberal party's current attack as a progression from the Labor Party's past policy which implemented a 10% reduction in education funding per student over the last decade and the gradual introduction of up-front fees.
As well as condemning voluntary student unionism, O'Callaghan argued against "corporate unionism". She described how student unions, in their attempt to survive, have retreated into being service providers rather than representing and fighting for students' wider interests. She cited the Curtin guild which spent over $30,000 on a new computer game while lowering the status of the women's and disabled students' departments to "clubs".
In response to such attacks students are planning an "anti-poverty campaign" that will distribute information about the Liberal agenda in the lead-up to a rally in May. The action will protest against cuts to Austudy, increases in the Higher Education Contribution Scheme and inadequate student accommodation.