National and ACT Bill will undermine student success and experience

The decision by National and ACT to support a bill to make student association membership voluntary will destroy the representation, advocacy and services that students receive from student associations, and as a result will undermine the educational success and campus experience of many students, Grant Robertson Labour Tertiary Education Spokesperson said.

The Bill, in the name of the Hon Heather Roy was reported back for the Education and Science Select Committee to Parliament today.

" Student associations play a critical role in the success and experience of students in tertiary education. The Select Committee heard from hundreds of students and groups of students who gave examples of the work of student associations that made the difference between success and failure. Tertiary institutions themselves told the Committee that student associations played a vital representative role and provided services for students, by students, that they could not hope to replicate.

" Under this Bill student associations will struggle to attract members at the start of a year when they are facing high tuition fees and other costs. The Select Committee was told of the Australian experience with voluntary membership where 72% of student associations had total or near to total cuts in services, campaign and support programmes.

" This Bill is not about choice for students. The reality is that the current law, which National promoted in the 1990s gives students the choice to have voluntary or universal membership through referenda of students. That choice is being taken away.

" This is another example of the ACT Party tail wagging the National dog. National members on the select committee sat through hundreds of submissions that showed that this bill will destroy student associations. If this bill passes it will be National that now carries the blame for reducing the quality of student experience and leaving some students vulnerable.

" Labour has said in our minority report that if this Bill passes, when we are returned to government it is our intention to move to repeal this legislation.

ENDS

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