NZUSA January Conference Report PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 06 May 2008 07:15

Cory Anderson 

The New Zealand Union of Students' Associations held its first conference of 2008 in Wellington between the 25th-27th of January.  On the first day, the Minister for Tertiary Education Pete Hodgson addressed the conference, presenting the Labour Party view that only gradual “stepwise progress” could be achieved on student issues, describing Auckland University’s policy of restricting entry to first-year courses only as “new and a bit squirmy” and emphasising the role of student unionists in working with the system rather than against it.    Fortunately a protest and rally to parliament succeeded in injecting some energy and confidence into the conference.

Debate at the conference focused around issues to do with campaigning – what sort of protest campaign should be run, and whether or not support should be provided to student associations not affiliated to NZUSA.  Delegates from institutions such as Polytechnics were more vocal in voicing the need for solidarity and the need for grass-roots organising.  This was particularly true of Māori delegates, many of whom had experience of Hikoi marches in the recent past.  In the end, it was decided that NZUSA should organise a national protest tour, and that member associations should be ‘supported in regional campaign efforts’.
The root cause of student debt however, must be addressed.  Government spending on health, education and welfare was cut in the 80s and 90s to satisfy the demands of business for bigger profits.  Money talks very loudly to the powerful, so real change in education will only occur when workers and students themselves stand up and assert their right to learn without debt.  The organisation of a protest tour is a positive step, but if it is to succeed it must mobilize ordinary students.  2008 is shaping up to be a very interesting year indeed – watch this space!