Update me on VSU (2 Viewers)

[Generator]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,16551483%5E2702,00.html

Turnbull, who as a law student supplemented his income working as a journalist, was writing before he emerged on the public stage in the Spycatcher trial and as Kerry Packer's lawyer. But his reportage provides a snapshot of the madness of the era now driving the voluntary student unionism debate and Turnbull's A-grade skills in caustic character assessment.

 

[Generator]

Nationals to take on govt over VSU

 

[Generator]

Uni student fees plan in disarray

Uni student fees plan in disarray
By David Rood and David Wroe
October 12, 2005


THE Federal Government appears set to abandon its proposal to ban compulsory student unionism from next year in the face of unbending opposition from key Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce.

Education Minister Brendan Nelson has conceded he may have to postpone the controversial changes because the legislation may not be passed in time for the 2006 academic year.

This would mean that university students have at least another year of paying mandatory fees to student unions while the Government tries to win Senate backing for the the proposal.

Senator Joyce yesterday took credit for the political impasse, saying the Voluntary Student Unions bill would not be passed this year because the Nationals had blocked it. "The National party has been very upfront. We've said that we won't accept this bill," he said.

Dr Nelson confirmed to The Age that he did not expect the legislation to even reach the Senate before December, saying the Government's industrial laws would take priority.
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And Dr Nelson said even if the legislation was passed this year, he was considering delaying the introduction of the changes until 2007.

"I'm concerned that the crowded legislative agenda that we have, may make it difficult for universities to actually implement it barely a month after its passage through Parliament," he said.

The Age believes Dr Nelson has told vice-chancellors he will not impose the legislation on universities on short notice.

The VSU laws have met concerted opposition from universities, students and opposition political parties, while dividing the federal Coalition. Senator Joyce said the Nationals wanted to get rid of compulsory student union fees "as much as anybody else" but universities had to be allowed to maintain vital infrastructure.

"If (Dr Nelson) wants to get it through, he'd better have an alternative model. If he doesn't have an alternative, he'd better get one," Senator Joyce said.

However, Dr Nelson said he had no intention of amending the legislation, and he still intended to pass it this year. "The Government's position is that industrial relations reforms and a number of other legislative measures we've got, take priority over the VSU," he said.

[continued - see link]

More time to press for a compromise from the unbending Nelson, it seems.

 

[Phanatical]

While I am ideologically of the position that our student communities NEED to be funded, our representatives have proven that they cannot handle the responsibility of representing students. I think it's disgraceful that our student fees will continue to support flawed political ideologies for yet another year. It's money that I cannot afford to spend, and money that I would not spend if I had the choice, because that $540 I will be forced to pay at the beginning of my fourth year (bringing me to about $2250 in union contributions) will continue to fund heinous organisations such as the CCWN and Falun Gong.

 

[SashatheMan]

why do asian countires have folun gong or what eva that is. ?

 

[transcendent]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/pm-wont-deal-on-student-union-plan/2005/10/12/1128796569690.html

gone.

 

[withoutaface]

Fucking Barnaby Joyce rides into the senate on the Liberals vote and then opposes our fucking legistalation. Cunt.

 

[erawamai]

Fucking Barnaby Joyce rides into the senate on the Liberals vote and then opposes our fucking legistalation. Cunt.

National party vote waf. You may note that the National party is in need of a shot in the arm. John Howard is not big on agarian socialism, hence the national party is facing decreased support in the bush. This can be seen as a move, possibly with tacit support of the liberals, to increase the public image of the nationals as standing up for the bush. Eventually Barnaby and the government will reach an agreement and VSU will go through.

It's pretty staged. If the PM reaches an agreement he will look reasonable and less hardline. It's a win win for the government with the nationals increasing their image.

 

[withoutaface]

National party vote waf.

The senate ticket is organised with the coalition as one ticket. It is my opinion that there should be separate libs and nats tickets.

 

[Xayma]

The senate ticket is organised with the coalition as one ticket. It is my opinion that there should be separate libs and nats tickets.

Well then when you vote you can number all the little bitty squares so your preferences are distributed how you want.

It is my opinion that prefs shouldn't flow to FFP but we can't all have what we want.

 

[Generator]

The senate ticket is organised with the coalition as one ticket. It is my opinion that there should be separate libs and nats tickets.

In Queensland the Nats and Libs ran on their own as opposed to a single Coalition ticket. Joyce believes that his loyalty is to the Queensland Nationals, not the Coalition. It's a fair point of view, if not 'correct' as such.

 

[blackfriday]

well the libs arent going to put him up for preselection again if he continues on the way he is, but he has enough influence to go it alone i reckon.

 

[withoutaface]

He'll be in there for 6 years, and it seems the Nationals will have to decide whether he's up or not.

 

[Plebeian]

Fucking Barnaby Joyce rides into the senate on the Liberals vote and then opposes our fucking legistalation. Cunt.

Actually, no he didn't. Generator is right in that there is no joint Coalition ticket in Queensland. The Liberals used their votes until the end of the count, no preferences from them ever flowed to Joyce. (It was mostly Family First and One Nation that helped him preference-wise.) If you mean he's riding on the performance of the Liberals (eg. John Howard), I don't think that's really true - people could have just voted for the Liberals if they had no reason to actually support the Nationals, but were simply pleased with the Liberals.

Also, blackfriday, I don't really see what the Liberals have to do with National Party preselection, the Queensland Nationals seem to be fairly focused on providing for their constituencies rather than being intimidated from on high.

 

[withoutaface]

I was running under the assumption that it was a joint ticket, my bad.

 

[my sharona]

why do asian countires have folun gong or what eva that is. ?

My interpretation of falun gong is that it's a lame excuse for queue jumpers to seek 'political asylum' and get citizenship.

 

[SashatheMan]

omfg i am so enraged at USU now. i forgot to pay those bloody fees and now i cant access important logins on uts site. my email and utsonline ia blocked untill i pay. i am gonna stab the next hippie distributing leaflets in the eye

 

[walrusbear]

omfg i am so enraged at USU now. i forgot to pay those bloody fees and now i cant access important logins on uts site. my email and utsonline ia blocked untill i pay. i am gonna stab the next hippie distributing leaflets in the eye

I <3 USU

 

[SashatheMan]

I <3 USU

go to hell you money stealing rat

 

[walrusbear]

go to hell you money stealing rat

i'm not the one trying to use university facilities without paying union fees!