Student Choice Welcomes New Tertiary Education Team 

17 November 2008
Media Release - Student Choice
 
Student Choice congratulates the new Tertiary Education Minister Anne Tolley, and her associate minister Wayne Mapp, on their appointments today, and challenge them to move quickly to give students the right to freedom of association by introducing voluntary membership for all student unions.
 
Indeed, says spokesman Mike Heine, "the means of doing so are in place.  Fellow Associate Education Minister Heather Roy already has a bill drafted to implement voluntary membership.  All we need from Government now is the will to remove this last remaining outpost of compulsory unionism. 
 
"For too long students have been considered by politicians, the media and even university management as one unified body who dreams of nothing else but free education and universal student allowances.
 
"The election results exploded what was already a very flimsy myth.  Most students clearly do not share the same beliefs as the unions they are forced to join.  They are tired of the scandals that occur constantly in these unions and at students' expense.  And, above all, they want the same freedom of association enjoyed by every other group in society," Mr Heine said.
 
Student Choice look forward to meeting soon with the new ministers and asking them this simple question: 'If an organisation claims to represent you, should you have the freedom to decide whether or not you join the organisation?'
 
ENDS

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