Tolley Anne: Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Tolley Anne: Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:657;Page:6822] 
Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 I rise to speak to the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill. National will support this bill’s referral to the select committee. In most tertiary institutions students must belong to the student union whether are full-time students part-time students on-campus students or distance students. Union membership is compulsory. Auckland University is the only university that has a voluntary students association and guess what? The sky has not fallen. Currently the only way to change is to get 10 percent of students to petition for a referendum and then get the majority to vote for voluntary membership. Individuals can opt out of the membership but they still have to pay the levy which is then passed on by the student union to a charity. The current law does not allow students to make their own decisions about union membership. They are the only group in society that is denied that basic freedom. Most organisations have to demonstrate their value and their competence in order to justify support. What is so different about student unions? 
Following the actions of the Victoria University students union this year of refusing to show respect on Anzac Day my office received many many letters from students who were appalled at having to support an organisation that clearly did not reflect their values. Other than going through that long complicated and involved process of holding a referendum they had little redress and little influence on the organisation that they were forced to support financially. 
Some concern has been raised about the services that student unions provide. Opponents of the bill have said that vital services that are provided by student organisations will disappear under voluntary students associations. I echo the words of the speaker before me the sponsor of this bill Sir Roger Douglas: if those students associations that are performing those valuable services can prove that they are of benefit to the students then the students will join them—obviously. Intelligent people attend our universities and polytechs and if there is a worthwhile service they will join. However I understand that there are some concerns about part of the wording in the bill and how this might affect the continuity of services and that is something that can be dealt with at the select committee. The mode of provision of services varies across tertiary institutions in New Zealand. Some institutions for example provide student welfare services directly and at others they are provided by students associations. The select committee is the appropriate forum at which to discuss these matters further to ensure that should this bill proceed those services are still available. 
I will finish by using the words of someone who I think has summed up exactly what this bill is all about. The previous speaker stole my thunder a bit but I will just expand on the quote. Former Minister of Labour Clayton Cosgrove said: “We haven’t had compulsory unionism for 20 years.”—for anyone other than students—“Why should I as a politician tell you or anybody else what you should belong to? … If you want to join the footy club the workingmen’s club the institute go for it. It’s your choice and you should have that right.” I think he summed it up for our students. 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: We now move to 5-minute speeches. There will be a warning bell at 1 minute.