Katene Rahui: Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Katene Rahui: Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:657;Page:6828] 
RAHUI KATENE (Maori Party—Te Tai Tonga) 
: 
 Throughout history students associations have been directly linked to key events on the pathway to democracy. In the 1960s African-American student movements occupied white-only lunch counters and other segregated public institutions throughout the South to protest against segregated seating. In 1989 student activists played a central role in the Tiananmen Square protests seeking to bring democracy to China. And of course just 5 years ago in Aotearoa students associations were involved in the hikoi opposing the Foreshore and Seabed Bill. So it is with some irony that we are faced with a bill the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill that seeks to erode students associations but places the word “freedom” in its title. 
Freedom a concept associated with emancipation and empowerment is not simply about having the opportunity to do as one pleases. Freedom is essentially about the chance to formulate available choices to argue debate and consider them and then have the opportunity to choose. In the context of students associations that is manifest in the capacity to opt out of membership. In the current legislation sections 229A to 229D of the Education Act 1989 enable the student body of a tertiary institution to determine whether it wants a compulsory or voluntary students association. It also enables individuals to choose to be exempt from membership on the grounds of financial hardship or conscientious objection—that is to opt out. 
This bill instead will require students to opt in. It sounds a very simple idea—the switch from opting out to opting in. But of course there is always a wider agenda. The broader context for this bill is that students associations and their representatives including Maori student ropu and their representatives have often been strong advocates within tertiary institutions and the wider sector for high-quality academic standards adequate Government investment and course fee maintenance or reductions. Students associations also provide a range of important services to students: welfare and academic advocacy faculty and class representatives financial assistance legal help counselling services student social events student clubs student societies and campus sports and recreation facilities. In short it is a wonder that any student has time to attend classes with all the activities students could be immersed in through their students associations. 
Given that this bill is about students associations one would think it pretty important to canvass views from them about the need and value of this bill. What we have learnt is that the bill is opposed by Te Mana Akonga the national Maori tertiary students association; Te Hunga Roia Maori o Aotearoa the national Maori lawyers association; Te Toi Tauira mo te Matariki the national forum for supporting Maori students and staff in tertiary education; Te Ropu Takawaenga Maori o Nga Kura Matauranga o Aotearoa the Maori liaison tertiary association of New Zealand; Te Toi Ahurangi the komiti Maori within the Tertiary Education Union; and Te Kahui Amokura the Maori committee of the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors Committee. The membership of the last committee is I think of particular note. It includes Professor Mason Durie as chair Sir Tipene O’Regan Jim Peters Pare Keiha Linda Smith Piri Sciascia Hirini Matunga and Darryn Russell. They are all people whose opinion I hold in high regard. 
Finally I bring to the attention of the House the fact that at the hui-a-motu held earlier this month for komiti Maori within the Tertiary Education Union members voted to oppose this bill. I spoke at the hui and I have been advised that the hui resolved to support the position of the New Zealand University Students Association and Te Mana Akonga which is: “the current legislative framework is both flexible and inclusive allowing for both voluntary and universal membership of students’ associations.” 
We support the position of students. In recognition of the views of the people most affected we therefore opt in to maintain the status quo and we the Maori Party opt out of supporting this bill.