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Media Release: Bring Universities Back to Life – NTEU calls on Coalition to Pass Student Services and Amenities Bill

Posted 20 September 2011 by Jeannie Rea (NTEU National Office)

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) today called on Coalition and Independent Senators to support the Government and the Greens in repairing the damage caused to student culture and university life by the former Coalition Government’s targeting of student unions.

The Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities, and other measures) Bill 2009 is the first step in the vital process of rebuilding student culture on university campuses, devastated by the effects of legislation that stripped student unions of funds for vital services.

NTEU President, Jeannie Rea said today, “The loss of student services in the university sector has been endemic, with essential health, welfare and academic advocacy services being reduced or abandoned in almost every university in the country.”

“It is a fact that the effects of the anti-student organisation legislation ( known as Voluntary Student Union Bill) over the last 5 years has seen the rapid demise of a number of elected student organisations, with many others only just surviving.  Campus culture has been decimated, and many universities have been forced to redirect funding from their core duties of teaching and research to help support vital student services, often at a reduced level.” 

“Today, the Coalition have the chance to support new legislation which will effectively guarantee the return student advocacy and welfare services, which will ensure democratically elected student representation at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and allow campus culture to once again flourish in our universities.”

“They have the chance to correct the mistake made when the former Howard Government threw the baby out with the bathwater, based purely on narrow minded, conservative ideological bias.”

NTEU calls on all Senate members to support this Bill and to finally pass the Legislation that will allow universities to once again be vibrant, active and engaging centres of student life and culture.

For more information or comment contact:

Jeannie Rea NTEU President, 0434 609 531

Paul Kniest, Policy and Research Co-ordinator, 0418 170 622