By Arun Pradhan
PERTH — A National Union of Students (NUS) state executive meeting on June 14 voted to slash $2500 from the NUS West women's campaign budget. The meeting was attended by 20 students who opposed the move because it would mean a funding cut for the NOWSA conference to be held here in July.
The cuts were initiated by the National Organisation of Labor Students (NOLS), Labor's left faction. Mark Lockett, NUS West education officer who voted against the cuts explained their motivation. "NUS West owes money to NUS national. Last year, two members of Unity [Labor right] who were NUS West office bearers, transferred the affiliation fee paid by the University of Western Australia into a state account. This $35,000 was meant to go straight to NUS national. Instead it was spent by them on 'extra' administrative costs. This included several thousand dollars' cash withdrawals, mobile phone bills, parking fines, hotel accommodation and hire cars."
The debt to NUS national was lowered to $10,000 and NOLS members began to look to the women's budget for a solution. Lockett and NUS West co-women's officer Jeanne Boyett argued that the money could be paid in instalments and even be based on debt repayment made to the state branch by Edith Cowan University. Boyett added that part of the NOLS members' motivation stemmed from feeling that they had been "attacked and excluded" because they were ALP members at the last NOWSA conference.
The NUS West women's committee has produced a statement arguing against the cuts and emphasising the importance of NOWSA and the need for the funds for child care, affordable conference fees and travel assistance. The cuts would also impact on campaigns such as Blue Stocking Week, Boyett said, noting that the women's committee had a history of being one of NUS's most active departments. The statement ends saying, "cutting the Women's committee budget ... to cover a debt incurred by well-known acts of fraud by previous office bearers is not only unapologetically sexist, but is morally and intellectually bankrupt."
While many NOLS women seem to be against the cut, their opinions are being ignored as Labor caucuses only allow NUS office bearers to vote. NOLS women declined to comment to Green Left Weekly. The students who opposed the cut, although disappointed with the decision, are committed to continue building the NOWSA conference. For more information on NOWSA call Jeanne on 360 2158.