In the last few months, a number of articles have appeared in the corporate press regarding the impact of VSU on student life and activism. Here’s a sample (including one from the Green Left Weakly):
VSU: the job and service cuts begin
Ed Ascroft
Green Left Weakly
March 29, 2006″The federal government’s propaganda about its “voluntary student unionism” (VSU) legislation, rushed through parliament on December 12, emphasised “choice”. But already, universities are feeling the impact of this “voluntary” law in cuts to jobs and services.”Uni radio back on the air
Kara Phillips
The Advertiser
March 23, 2006“AUSTRALIA’S longest running student radio broadcaster – cut last year because of the Federal Government’s controversial voluntary student unionism – has been resurrected.”
$2m funds cut as uni axes union
Lisa Macnamara
The Australian
March 11, 2006“A VICTORIAN university has dumped its student union and withdrawn almost $2 million in funding after political infighting left thousands of students without services at the start of the academic year.”
Fees rise, services cut for uni students
Erin O’Dwyer
The Sydney Morning Herald
March 5, 2006“UNIVERSITY student unions are scaling back services and imposing fee rises in preparation for voluntary student unionism (VSU).”
Unis wield axe as new rules loom
Adam Morton
The Age
February 28, 2006“VICTORIA’S universities are preparing for voluntary student unionism by axing about 40 staff, with another 100 jobs expected to follow once the laws take effect in July.”
So much for the effects of VSU. Also surfacing recently have been a number of articles not only purporting to explain apparent student apathy in the face of attacks upon ‘their’ student unions but disengagement from political activism and struggle more generally. Thus according to some, ‘Howard’s South Park pals’ are ‘Mild in the streets’ while ‘Beer and fun clubs flourish’. Such mythologies need to be addressed in more detail. (And writing is easy. All you need to do is to open up a vein and bleed.)
