PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE
2 November 2010

Women Back Students’ Right To Unite!

“It isn’t broke”, so what is the Government intending “to fix” by supporting the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill into law, questions the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ).

NCWNZ was one of the more than 90% of submitters who opposed the Bill during the Select Committee process.

“It is of serious concern, that we, along with many others were ignored during the public participatory process,” says Elizabeth Bang, NCWNZ National President “It is unfortunate that the Government feels it must support a bad law due to its own internal dealings with a minor party. But fair and reasonable law-making should never be the casualty of such arrangements.”

NCWNZ opposes this Bill due to the disproportionate, adverse impact it will have on female students, particularly Maori and Pasifika women, and due to the expected negative impact on the services and representation that students’ associations provide.

“Were there not already plenty of avenues for students to opt out, then the human rights contention would be in order,” says Elizabeth Bang. “But this is not the case, and history has shown us that those academic institutions which have opted out, have very quickly signed back up again after the services and representation have started to crumble.”

“This is not a decision for the politicians; it is a decision that only the students need to be making,” concludes Elizabeth Bang.

ENDS

© Scoop Media