Anger grows at education cuts>
By Marina Cameron
The successful national day of student action on March 26 was a clear indication to the federal government and to campus administrations that students are still willing to fight attacks on tertiary education.
The national day of action was called by the National Union of Students (NUS) and was organised by student activist groups nationwide. The rallies were organised to oppose recent federal government policy, including restrictions to Austudy, a $2.3 billion funding cut in last year's budget, moves to allow universities to charge full up-front fees for 25% of undergraduate places and the planned introduction of a Common Youth Allowance.
More than 5000 students rallied nationally on March 26 and another national day of protest has been planned for May 8, five days before the federal budget, together with the National Tertiary Education and Industry Union (NTEU).
In Sydney, Jo Brown reports that more than 1500 students rallied at Belmore Park. Contingents joined the rally from campuses across Sydney as well as the Universities of Wollongong and Newcastle. Students then marched on the office of the Department of Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (DEETYA), led by a huge Amanda Vanstone effigy, before proceeding to the University of Technology to protest against the administration's plans to introduce up-front fees for 25% of undergraduate places from next year. Running the final 200 metres, hundreds of students streamed into the building, where they succeeded in occupying the entire administration section.
Students put nine demands to the vice chancellor, including no up-front fees at UTS, no cuts to library funding and no cuts to child-care. With no response from the acting vice-chancellor Brian Lowe, students prepared to settle in for the night.
On March 27 a spirited rally supporting the demands of the occupation attracted more than 200 students. After this, a general meeting of the occupation decided to continue the action until the demands were met.
Throughout March 28, with more students joining in the action, the protesters carried out a range of activities to build support including contacting other community and student organisations, leafleting cars nearby and holding a joint protest with the Critical Mass bicycle rally.
Clearly panicked by the momentum of the occupation, the vice-chancellor called in the police to evict the students. At 2.15am on March 29, more than 100 police with dogs and sledge hammers smashed through glass doors and violently evicted students. Two students were attacked by dogs, and many more searched and harassed by police from the State Protection Force (formerly known as the Tactical Response Group). Angry, but far from disheartened, the occupiers called a rally for April 2, which attracted more than 200 students.
The education campaign is now also demanding that UTS vice-chancellor Tony Blake resign and has called for staff and student control of universities.
In Melbourne, Jo Williams reports that more than 2000 university, TAFE and high school students and young unemployed people gathered in the City Square for a very angry and noisy march. The protesters marched on the Liberal Party headquarters and Parliament House before proceeding to the offices of DEETYA where a motion to march on ALP headquarters to protest Labor's record on higher education and its refusal to block Coalition policy was won overwhelmingly in spite of claims by Labor students that criticising the ALP would divide the student movement.
From Canberra, Martin Iltis reports that 200 students rallied at the Australian National University. An Austudy wedding was staged where the "best man" presented the "bride" with a 24-carat knife representing the blunt cuts of the Liberal government. Students marched to Civic where they met with students from the University of Canberra, TAFE and high schools. A motion of support was read from a DEETYA union delegate.
Natalie Woodlock reports from Adelaide that 200 students gathered in Victoria Square and marched to the office of education minister Amanda Vanstone. The spirit of the rally demonstrated that students are willing to get involved and play a leading role, in spite of NUS state branch attempts, in the lead-up to the rally, to close the South Australian Education Network.
Nick Fredman reports that a half-day strike and picket was held at the Lismore campus of Southern Cross University. The university was virtually shut down by 100 student picketers, backed by barricades and the tripods common to forest blockades. Vice chancellor Barry Cunningham visited the picket, accused protesters of "disturbing the educational process" and threatened to call the police.
Alex Bainbridge reports that 80 people travelled to the Sydney rally from Newcastle. Events in the lead-up to the day included a wedding on March 25 where Ima Poorstudent married Education Debt. An Education Action Collective is currently being formed.
In Darwin, Tim Stewart reports that students from the Northern Territory University held a small but noisy march of 50 students. During the rally a small business owner complained to police who revoked the rally permit. Speakers at the relocated rally included Sibylle Kaczorek, NTU education vice-president and representatives of the NTEU and postgraduate students.
Arun Pradhan reports from Perth that more than 400 students marched. In spite of the Liberal club cancelling buses at the last minute, more than half of the rally participants were from UWA. The rally was angry and spirited and there was considerable enthusiasm for the May 8 national day of action.
Roberto Jorquera reports that 400 students attended a rally in Brisbane organised by the Queensland Education Action Network. Resistance member Zanny Begg put motions to the rally calling on the NTEU, the Commonwealth Public Sector Union and high school students to join the next national day of action on May 8. All motions were carried unanimously.
Iggy Kim reports that 200 students rallied in Hobart. Speakers included a high school student who had been forced to get married to remain eligible for Austudy; and a student whose Austudy had been cut but was reinstated after the rally. Duncan Kerr, federal Labor MP, invited to speak by two Labor students in NUS, was booed and heckled throughout his speech.
Motions were passed at a number of rallies in solidarity with seven students killed in East Timor on March 24, and calling for an end to the Australian government's support for the Indonesian dictatorship.