[Muanet] SMH: Unis barring groups from O-week

[Chris Latham]

Hi All
 
I thought members would be interested in this use of HEWRRs to attack political freedom at Macquarie Uni.
 
Chris
 
Unis barring groups from O-week: union

          o Sydney Morning Herald
    * February 15, 2007 - 10:34AM

Universities are refusing to let student unions and political groups hire
stalls or space for orientation week activities, the National Tertiary
Education Union (NTEU) says.

The union's NSW secretary, Chris Game, said some universities had cited
funding agreements and the new workplace laws to justify their decision to
bar political bodies from O-week.

Ms Game said Macquarie University in Sydney had given responsibility for
running O-week to a group called Students at Macquarie (SAM), the commercial
arm of the student association.

SAM had banned unions and political groups from having stalls at O-week, she
said, even though commercial organisations would be able to lease space.

"This is a basic denial of free speech and public debate on issues of
paramount interest to the community and to students," Ms Game said in a
statement.

"The argument that such access contravenes Work Choices legislation is a
nonsense.
"It is a blatant form of discrimination against staff and students who are
also union members."

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