NZUSA holds its own Big Day Out (of touch)

Press Release: Student Choice Auckland

NZUSA holds its own Big Day Out (of touch)

Student Choice Auckland has today despaired at the actions of NZUSA in dismissing out of hand ACT leader Rodney Hide's proposals to tackle student loans. Student Choice Auckland representative David Seymour finds the attack outrageous.

"The issue is not whether tax cuts will help students, the issue is that NZUSA has no mandate to make such comments."

NZUSA claims to represent all university students but individual students are not members of the organisation, they can’t vote directly for NZUSA’s leadership, and NZUSA promotes views and policies many students oppose.

Mr Seymour has observed the activities of NZUSA at Auckland University for several years, including dismal attempts to force compulsory membership on Auckland Students.

"This is an organisation that only 472 of Auckland University's 33,000 students have voted to be a part of, with presidents that ordinary students can't vote for, and that spectacularly mis-judged student opinion in 2002 by throwing its weight behind the Alliance party, which attracted less support across New Zealand than there are students at Auckland University alone!"

"They claim to be the voice of young people. And yet within 24 hours of the speech they peddle out classic political rhetoric like 'the failed policies of the nineties.' They couldn't possibly have consulted the students they claim to represent"

"The 'recent research' they refer to has no bearing on the tax cut issue, instead it focuses on the perceptions of high school students, but they'll happily use it to muddy the water anyway, honest representation is not on their agenda."

"The reality is that some students would like tax cuts, and some would not. NZUSA and its indirectly elected presidents have no authority to speak for New Zealand students."

University students should not be forced through compulsory membership to fund unrepresentative political groups like NZUSA.

ENDS

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