Nelson's Plan to Kill Off Campus Life

NUS and CAPA today jointly condemned the Federal Government's latest attempt to kill off campus life and silence dissent against the government's unpopular increases in student fees.

The Government has reneged on the undertakings it gave to the four Independents Senators and will proceed with trying to get the Higher Education Support Amendment (Abolition of Compulsory Up front Union Fees) Bill passed. The bill is likely to be debated in the House of Representatives next week.

"Student organisations are the lifeblood of campus life and student culture. We have to recognise that the student experience of studying at university goes far beyond simply attending lectures or conducting research projects, and student organisations offer a wide range of services, support and representation for higher education students. The 7 years of VSU in Western Australia had a drastic impact on campus life. The Federal Government's attempt to prevent universities collecting student fees will result in the collapse of campus life across Australia if the bill becomes legislation," said CAPA President Stephen Horton.

"The Government is trying to silence students just after they have given universities the power to increase student fees by 25%. The bill takes power away from students. They are losing their right to organise and have a say in their education and other issues of importance to them. The government might want to stifle debate at universities and make them dead boring - but everyone else in higher education can see the folly of the Government's 30 year old ideological obsession dating back to their student politics days. Anyway the student amenity fees are not upfront - nearly all campuses allow students to defer payment of their amenity fees," said NUS President Jodie Jansen .

CAPA and NUS will be working with the rest of the higher education sector and politicians of all persuasions who recognise the value of student organisations to stop this bill.