Senate debates

Monday, 11 September 2006

Voluntary Student Unionism

3:45 pm

Photo of Natasha Stott DespojaNatasha Stott Despoja (SA, Australian Democrats) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—
(a)
notes that:
(i)
the introduction of voluntary student unionism on 1 July 2006 has resulted in the loss of numerous jobs and the closure of vital student services,
(ii)
many other student services are in jeopardy,
(iii)
the Government’s ‘Voluntary Student Unionism Transition Fund’ has done little to protect essential university services such as child care, welfare, counselling, advocacy and accommodation,
(iv)
the closure of these services is having a devastating effect on poorer students and those in regional and isolated areas, and
(v)
the introduction of voluntary student unionism has undermined student autonomy and representation at universities; and
(b)
calls on the Government to reverse voluntary student unionism.

Question put.