NZUSA desperate to keep its hands on student money

NZUSA’s so-called alternative to voluntary membership is nothing more than a desperate attempt to protect its ability to stick its hands into students’ pockets.

NZUSA’s opposition to voluntary membership has always been based on money and the organisation’s desire to protect the unearned income that results from compulsory membership. This so-called alternative, whereby all students will still be forced to join but will be given four weeks to withdraw and receive a refund, is a desperate attempt to minimise the reduction in student associations’ income.

NZUSA hopes that under their model some students will not withdraw, due to inertia or ignorance, thereby leaving associations with more income than they could hope to earn under a voluntary system of membership.

The opt-out model proposed by NZUSA is not voluntary membership and does not pass the test of freedom of association. True freedom of association allows people the right to decide whether or not they join. We don’t force all motorists to join the AA and then tell them they have four weeks to leave and receive a refund.

In proposing this alternative NZUSA has demonstrated a total lack of confidence in the ability of students. NZUSA claim that without compulsory membership there is no ability for students to organise representative bodies. NZUSA seems ignorant of the hundreds of voluntary groups already organised by students.

NZUSA’s proposal shows that the organisation is desperate to protect its income and does not have the vision necessary to become the type of organisation that students will want to freely join.

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