Simon Power National Youth Affairs Spokesperson

7 November 2000

AUSA congratulated on democratic vote

The vote for voluntary student union membership at Auckland University is a victory for democracy, National Youth Affairs spokesperson Simon Power said today.

"The result from New Zealand's largest university shows that students have a completely different view to the Labour/Alliance Government on the relevance of unions in their lives.

"The Government is intent on re-imposing the role of unions on the lives of New Zealanders by statute. This vote sends a clear signal that young people have no desire for compulsory union interference in their lives.

"Auckland University are to be congratulated for running a fair postal ballot which allowed almost ten thousand students to participate and decisively vote to continue with voluntary membership. I commend AUSA for remaining impartial and not running a one-sided propaganda campaign.

"The Auckland result clearly shows that with a properly publicised postal ballot students want to have their say. With over 30% of students voting the result was overwhelming in favour of voluntary membership.

"Young people deserve the right to choose for themselves whether to join a union such as a students association," Mr Power said.

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