National continues to let down students
New Zealand Young Labour.
For Immediate Release. 28 September 2011

Students and concerned members of the public gathered together today at Parliament in a final attempt to call on the National Government to reject the controversial Voluntary Student Membership Bill that has its Third Reading today.

Ella Hardy, Young Labour President says that “today is a sad day for students as we see the passage of legislation that will work against students and severely damage the future of their Students' Associations. The support these associations provide to students will be irrevocably damaged."

“Despite the claims of the Bill's sponsor, Heather Roy, this law change will see the destruction of student representation, advocacy and services."

"Thousands of submissions against this change were received with both local and international evidence against the Bill presented. National however have continued to support this radical piece of legislation” she says.

“This is further evidence that National is out of touch with the young people of New Zealand. Alongside this Bill the Government has failed to address the alarming rate of youth unemployment instead offering a degrading 'benefit card' policy that will not create jobs, and they are also not willing to rule out a return to youth rates."

"This government is presenting a bleak future for young people in New Zealand” Hardy concludes.

ENDS

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