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NZUSA commends 25 years since HLRA
NZUSA commends 25 years since HLRA
Students are joining others in the community Saturday(July 9) who are marking and commending 25 years since the passage of the Homosexual Law Reform Act in 1986.
“Education has always been the primary focus for NZUSA. However, ‘homosexual’ law reform was also a key area of concern amongst students in the 1980s and an area of much needed social reform,” says NZUSA co-President David Do
NZUSA’s key objectives then included: working to represent the views of students on matters of concern to students, or of concern to students as members of society in general; and also functioning as a major, informed and principled pressure group with education, student welfare, and social reform (nationally and internationally) among its areas of concern.
“Tertiary students helped contribute
to the energy and effort in pushing for passage of the
Homosexual Law Reform Act in 1986. NZUSA is proud to have
been part of a progressive social
movement towards a
fairer country for everyone, including students,” says
Do.
Since then, NZUSA continues to be committed to queer
students and advocates for barrier-free education. Examples
of NZUSA’s continuing work include:
• supporting the
first national UniQ conference in 1997[1]
• supporting
UniQ today through their annual national conferences and
with a NZUSA National Queer Rights Officer position (NZUSA
is also supporting this year’s UniQ conference being held
at Waikato University this weekend)
• supporting the
Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory
References) Bill in 2004
• having policy that supports
official representation of GLBTI students within students
associations’ governance and management structure
• opposing discrimination and violence on campus
• having policy that opposes heterosexism as a form of
discrimination
“Congratulations to everyone who fought
for progress in this country and for a fairer better society
today,” concludes Do.
[1] UniQ is a network of queer students' groups at universities and polytechnics It is run by students (and staff) for students (and staff). While every group is independent from each other, UniQs all share similar goals, take part in national campaigns and meet once a year for the national UniQ conference.
NZUSA is the national representative body for tertiary students and has been advocating on student issues since 1929.
ENDS
NZUSA - New Zealand Union of Students' Associations
We stand for opportunity, for all.
NZUSA is the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations, the national body that represents New Zealand's students' associations and the interests of New Zealand's 400,000 students at universities, polytechnics and in trades training.
We conduct original research, advocate to Government and through the media, and support New Zealand's students' associations to be more effective on behalf of their members. We advocate alongside Te Mana Akonga – The National Māori Students' Association, and Tertiary Women New Zealand – The NZUSA Women's Caucus.
Since 1929, we've believed in a society rich in opportunity, where anyone from anywhere can become any thing. We support accessible, affordable quality public tertiary education.
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