Vic Uni silences students and raises fees

Monday, 8 October

One hundred students gathered at Victoria University to oppose the annual fee rise.

Forty students were allowed into the meeting, despite seating capacity of one hundred and fifty.

The meeting was moved to a smaller room to exclude the public. Victoria University Students’ Association Campaigns Officer Tai Neilson stated that:

“This was a planned move by the university council who had pre-printed a motion to move the meeting. This was a premeditated perversion of democracy and transparency.”

Students then occupied the council chamber calling for and voting to end fee rises, and voting in support of free education and universal allowances.

The students were later served with 8 exclusion notices and 2 trespass notices. The notices had been pre-signed by Vice Chancellor Pat Walsh with the obvious intention of intimidating the public.

International student William Wu, who pays $18,000 in fees per year, gave an impromptu speech from the stands stating:

“We’re faced with paying fees or jumping off the ship.”

He was quickly silenced by the council.

Tapu Ki Tea Vea, a female pacific science student, raised the point that many Pacific Island students have to think carefully about studying, or supporting their families, and that every fee rise made it harder and harder to justify taking up tertiary education.

ENDS.

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