Year: 2005
Type: article
Abstract: NON-AGENDAWith the view of causing an increase to take place in the mass of national wealth, or with a view to increase of the means either of subsistence or enjoyment, without some special reason, the general rule is, that nothing ought to be done or attempted by government.The motto, or watchword of government, on these occasions, ought to be ⎯ Be quiet...Whatever measures, therefore, cannot be justified as exceptions to that rule, may be considered as non-agenda on the part of government.⎯ Jeremy Bentham (c.1801) Student Unions, Shop Stewards and Sausage RollsJohn Warhurst n 16 March 2005 the Minister for Education, Dr Brendan Nelson, introduced into the House of Representatives the Higher Education Support Amendment (Abolition of Compulsory Up-Front Student Union Fees) Bill 2005.This is a bill to abolish what is commonly known as compulsory student unionism in Australia's universities, though its supporters prefer the term universal student unionism.Since the election of the Howard government in 1996 several previous attempts by the government to pass such legislation have been unsuccessful.But the success of the Coalition parties in winning control of the Senate, from 1 July 2005, at the October federal election means that the Senate will no longer be able to block this legislation as it has done in the past.From a university perspective there is a strong case for the maintenance of compulsory student union (CSU) fees in Australian universities.Numerous cases have been made that relate to the necessity of maintaining various student services, ensuring the public voice of students, and preventing the adverse impact on the wider communities within which universities are located.This paper, while recognising several of the others, concentrates on the likely impact of the bill on the quality of campus community life.The provision of campus student services for use by students individually is one aspect of this life, but collective community activities are more important.Yet it seems almost certain now that after 1 July the government will persist in introducing voluntary student unionism (VSU).If the government sticks to its guns it will be the most uncompromising form of VSU possible among several
Author: John Warhurst
Institution: Australian National University
Language: English
Topic: Labor Movements and Unions
Subfield: Industrial relations
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1891979642