Amanda Zivcic
The federal government's apparent decision not to attempt to pass its controversial "voluntary student unionism" (VSU) legislation in time for it to be implemented in 2006 is evidence that community opposition, expressed in student protests, has made it more difficult for the government to get all of its agenda through parliament.
But while this move signifies a small victory in the battle against VSU, the war is far from over.
The government is unwilling to implement a compromised version of the VSU legislation, and is focusing its immediate efforts on attempting to convince working people of its highly unpopular anti-worker industrial relations "reforms". However, the Coalition will continue to work towards pushing through VSU, which is a major attack on the ability of students to organise.
The challenge for the student movement now is to build on the achievements and momentum of this year's demonstrations. We have a chance of pushing back VSU — students defeated the attempt to introduce it in 1999.
We can win if we have a campaign that is not afraid to take up political questions about students' right to control their own affairs, that does not cave in to an ALP compromise that defends student "services" but not students' right to organise politically, and that mobilises students on campus and on the streets.
This is what will strike fear into the hearts of those trying to destroy our student unions — ongoing dissent on campus.
[Amanda Zivcic is the Wollongong Resistance organiser.]
From Green Left Weekly, November 2, 2005.
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