VSU = Unhappy hippies

Student organisations across Australia’s Universities provide approximately $250 million dollars in campus services, amenities, clubs and societies, sporting facilities, student advocacy, childcare,
entertainment, online services, social programs, mentoring, catering, debating and more. These are
services paid for by students for students. These services will be cut unless this legislation is withdrawn or amended. To provide these essential services, student unions, like governments, cannot operate with a user pays system.


And there you have the money quote. This statement is taken from Sydney University's student Central Committee propaganda directive to the federal government outlining why university students should be forced to continue paying for services they may never use. For the stupider uni students around, feel free to let them in on a secret of working life. Essential services are those that either keep you alive or you can't do yourself and are provided by government. Police, defence, hospitals,education amongst some. I have no doubt that university coffee shops and subsidised entertainment would not fall under the umbrella of 'essential services'. Essential services are funded by taxes, and even though we hate paying taxes, we understand that society as we know it would crumble if we didn't contribute towards it's upkeep.

I just witnessed on the ABC news, NSW Police attempting to break up a violent protest by university students in Sydney. I watched a police officer get shoved over in a melee while his peers attempted to wrestle another from the grip of an officer on the ground. What I didn't see was the batons and pepper spray. In case they haven't figured it out, civil disobedience is still disobedience. I didn't see some large police officers make the point abundantly clear to the snot-nosed little fuckers that the next raised hand on a student belongs to someone spending time in prison for assaulting police/resist arrest.

It is the fear of numerous student councils and vice-chancellors around Australia that the 250 odd million dollars continually drip fed into their coffers annually will vanish overnight if these fees are made voluntary. You know, services paid for as required by the end-user. A user pays system. Like in a capitalist democracy. That obscure concept they teach upstairs in those boring nerd classes like 'Economics 101'. If students don't need the service and it closes or fails, it wasn't worth having anyway. If it is needed, it will continue to function. This is the underlying concept of capitalist society. If you don't like this idea, move to Cuba. I hear they just love protestors in that workers paradise.

Cross posted at Bastards Inc.

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