The final session of the NZUSA conference has just begun. Its a closed plenary session where the motions originally mooted are discussed and finally voted on. Traditionally its a session held in council, media are not allowed to report on it. When I asked what the authority, and justification for this was, I received no answer. I assumed it’s because media cant be fucked going to these events, so there was no need. But your intrepid and courageous reporter wasn’t having a bar of that. Oh no.
VUWSA decided to propose a motion allowing me sit in on the closing plenary. I just wanted to have a little listen, and to be able to report back to students about the good (or bad) work that VUWSA does at a national level representing students. This meeting is setting the direction for student advocacy in an election year after all (and VUWSA members contribute approximately $7.50 each to the NZUSA affiliation). To their credit, they decided to bury the long standing acrimonious hatchet with Salient, and propose the motion.
The motion was met with hostility by other executives around the country. Ryan Ward, president of OPSA (Otago Polytechnic Students Association) was against the motion, claiming that what is said in closing plenary had to be said in a ‘safe’ area, and he “didn’t want reporters breathing down his neck. Especially not Salient.” I have no idea why he has such a big chip on his shoulder regarding this fine publication. I didn’t even know OPSA existed until this weekend.
The Otago University students association were more measured in their opposition. They supported the idea of student media reporting on student events. However, they felt that the motion had not had sufficient time to be debated. I see his point, but I think its a bit of a cop out. Waikato, and MAWSA (Massey) also voted against, siding with OPSA’s baseless criticism of there being a need for a ‘safe’ area. If this argument had any real weight, the parliamentary press gallery wouldn’t exist. But low and behold, it does. The measure of any argument in a democratic forum should be judged on the strength of its persuasive power and its merits. Bad arguments desire valid criticism. And students need to be informed if their elected representatives are making bad arguments.
ASA (Massey Albany Students Association), and VUWSA all supported the motion. Preferring to believe in transparency and responsible government, over cronyism and the undemocratic stifling of student media.
So here I am, sitting in an empty workroom away from where all the action is taking place, wondering what the fuck is going on. Waiting, like everyone else, for the minutes (minus the debate and discussion) to be collated, authorized, typed up, and sent out. Which by then, no one will remember, or care about. Fucking brilliant.
—
Full list of votes for and against
FOR
VUWSA, ASA,
AGAINST
OPSA, UCSA, MAWSA, WSU, OUSA
UPDATE for those who still care;
The NZUSA constitution seems to be at odds with the actions of NZUSA in this post. It reads:
Attendance and Speaking, Moving and Seconding Rights
(14) Any Honorary Life Member and any member of a Constituent Member may attend a
general meeting.
As a paid up member of VUWSA (I am a student) I am therefore, a member of a constituent member, and should be let in. tsk tsk NZUSA, you really should be on top of your own consitution.