Greetings everyone,
I trust the new trimester is going well for you. Last week was Environmental Week. The highlight for me, of course, was the well-attended political youth wing debate on the ETS. Special thanks go out to ACT on Campus, VicLabour, VicNats, and the Greens@Vic for taking part.
With just four months until the election, the politicos among you have plenty to look forward to in the second part of the year.
On Thursday 4 August, we’ll be hosting a forum on the MMP referendum. Speakers from both the pro and anti-MMP groups will slug it out. We’ve also got brilliant political scientist Dr Therese Arseneau of Canterbury University on hand to offer some fair and balanced analysis.
Then, on Monday 8 August, we’ve got a Meet the Candidates Forum. The Wellington Central candidates from each of the main parties have agreed to come along and introduce themselves. They’ll take your questions, and hopefully engage in some spirited debate. Put it in your diary!
There will, of course, be more events as the trimester unfolds. So keep an eye out for the posters, and information in Salient.
Also, I’m pleased to announce that thanks to Students for Palestine and the persistence of Anita Clarke and my predecessor Sam Oldham, the first Student Representative Council forum of 2011 is scheduled to be held this Friday (29 July) at 2pm in the Memorial Theatre Foyer of the Student Union Building. The motion: for VUWSA to support the ‘Right to Education’ campaign in the West Bank, Palestine. The guest speaker: veteran protestor and Springbok Tour agitator John Minto.
Personally, I couldn’t think of a more divisive issue and speaker if I tried! Whatever your feelings about the topic, I do implore you to go along and find out more (or even to throw stuff at Minto).
Finally, let me just thank Queer Officer Tom Reed and UniQ for their great work on Pride Week and in getting VUWSA’s Safe Space program off the ground.
Josh van Veen
campaigns.officer@vuwsa.org.nz