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VSU Emergency Rally - Tommorow (Wed 16th) (1 Viewer)

ujuphleg

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Voluntary Student Unionism Legislation hits Federal Parliament tommorow. This could mean the death of student organisations and campus life as we know it.

Therefore, there is an Emergency Rally on the Front Lawns tommorow at 1pm.

Be there to help send a message that it is not acceptable!
 

Minai

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Why won't people organise an anti-USU rally? I'd go to that.
 

LazyBoy

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melbournian said:
Why would we protest against saving ourselves $'s
Simple, we pay fees to pay for services we all use. If theres VSU then theres no manning bar, No wentworth building, no student loans, no societies, no student discounts on foodstands. University is more than an educational institution, its a community. If VSU is brought in, then it will kill our university social life.
 

Phanatical

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VSU has its good and bad points. The good being that there'll be no more political campaigns on campus - and the death of university feminism, university heterophobia, university "pull the troops out of iraq and leave the fucking country in anarchy" and any of that sort of bullshit. Oh, and the death of student politicians.
 

LazyBoy

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lol and again you wonder why you didnt get elected. Dont blame it on the ALP, blame it all on yourself.
 

transcendent

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I'm not too fond of rallys. Did nothing to save the Nursing Faculty did it? It's inevitable.
 

LazyBoy

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Rallies do nothing to change things. But at least let it known that your opposing something. Best to confront evil instead of letting evil do what it wants without public critcism. Kinda wish i was working soon, i had to leave uni at 12 to get home for work :(
 

withoutaface

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It's good to see that my union fees are being used well to protest against causes I support. GG usyd union, I'm pretty sure your protests are doing nothing to Johnny and just serving to give those who are pro VSU more evidence to show how their union fees are being squandered.
 

withoutaface

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Asquithian said:
Why don't you ask the union for a refund of the proportion of your union fee money that went towards this protest that you dont support.


Think of all that union money going towards the random gathering of students in a common cause! That must cost heaps!

:rolleyes:

In all honesty all your arguments in favour of VSU are shite. All they do is repeat the same little 'I am the center of the universe' mantra.

See Laz in other threads for decent pro VSU arguments.
Or perhaps it's the "I can't afford a fucking computer which isn't being constantly hijacked by my siblings to do my work on" mantra.Oh and using self centredness as an argument against VSU is a bit stupid, as all you're saying is "He should pay union fees to make things better for me".

kow_dude: great conclusion, care to justify it?:)
 
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withoutaface

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Asquithian said:
The 2 cents of your money that went towards the protest will not help you get an extra computer.

You live in one of the richest seats in Australia. You can't tell me that you or your parents cannot spring 800 bucks for another computer...or finance it because of John Howards 'record low interest rates' consumer goods boonanza!
No, they cannot. Nor can they afford to replace our fridge, which broke down the best part of 12 months ago.
EDIT: and laz's arguments are very similar to my suggestion of putting codes on a union card for the services you pay for to enable you to use them.
 
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kow_dude

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Actually, i could save for a laptop if i didnt have to pay those union fees.....

*rethinks*
 

stazi

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melbournian said:
Bulldoze wentworth - i think i've been there once (and I'm in E&B) - its for the off-campus plebs to get food
Manning is a shit bar anyway
Student loans are not one by the union, but are done by the uni
discounts at foodstands? hahaha those foodstands are not discounted, they just inflate the price than get rid of the discount. If you think that union food is subsidised you are living in another planet.


Sorry, univeristy is an educational institution, college on the other hand is a community,.


I'd consider paying sports union fees, if they baught bloody new gym equipment at Arena
-Wentworth is a convinient centre for many people. Some prefer the 'cubby' hangout.
-Manning is not a shit bar. It's a great bar for social life and events.
-Student loans are primarily handled by the src (the emergency ones)
-So why is most of the food's prices (without the discount) equivelant to that on the street. eg the city? $2 bottle of water is $2 elsewhere. A 6.50 (or whatever it is unsubsidised) is pretty much the equivellant in a takeaway. I don't mind paying $4.50 for an average meal at all.

It's an educational institution? Maybe traditionally. However, most people can't afford college fees. I went to uni (in particular usyd) for the 'total uni experience' it provides. Not just the intellectual factor but also the social one that broadens your horizons.
Perhaps you just can't fit into uni life - not wanting to take part in the various clubs and societies.

For myself and many others the comsoc and aybc will provide many graduating opportunities, whereby members get to meet people in the industry and often get hired by them. Some of the clubs and societies have a long past and as such are recognised on resume's.

I oppose paying thousands of dollars for only 12 hours of classes a week. However, I don't oppose paying $590 to make those 12 hours more worthwhile - to have meeting etc I can go to.

If i need help with something, then i could go see someone. Be it financial, mental, physical etc. This could go under VSU>

If v.s.u. was to be introduced, I probably wouldn't pay it, as I just don't have enough money for it. But if forced to pay it, I'd make sure that I find the funds.
Also, what many people don't know, that if you can prove you cant pay $590 upfront - you can pay it over semester.

In fact, why cant the $590 be included in the hecs payments?
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Why is the government introducing vsu?
Ok, some may think to benefit socioeconomically disadvantaged people. Sure that's one reason, but I think the roots are much deeper. The usu has often bred labor supporters, and as such the liberal party thinks that that's the easiest way to break down the labor camps within unis. Students are impressionable, and thus the howard government wants to make both parties more even on that front.
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Is this the end of unions plus fun?
My public school (selective) had a voluntary contribution of $690/year. However, for some reason we had to pay this contribution unless we could prove socioeconomic disadvantage. This would be a good idea, imo.
 

LazyBoy

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If v.s.u. was to be introduced, I probably wouldn't pay it, as I just don't have enough money for it. But if forced to pay it, I'd make sure that I find the funds.
Also, what many people don't know, that if you can prove you cant pay $590 upfront - you can pay it over semester.


i imagine many people will be in your situation, which is why unionism will be fucked. I agree it should be added onto HECS and let the university hand over the money.
 

Rorix

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LazyBoy said:
If theres VSU then theres no manning bar, No wentworth building, no student loans, no societies, no student discounts on foodstands. University is more than an educational institution, its a community. If VSU is brought in, then it will kill our university social life.

Sigh, this belief is SO DUMB but yet SO WIDE SPREAD. Think about it for JUST A SECOND. EVEN IF what you are saying is right (which I disagree with e.g. cheaper food is actually just retail prices, theres still a large profit margin) that if contributions that stem from union fees are necessary to keep these facilities open, then these facilities can SIMPLY CHARGE MORE TO THE PEOPLE THAT USE THEM AND CHOOSE NOT TO PAY UNION FEES.

So why is most of the food's prices (without the discount) equivelant to that on the street. eg the city? $2 bottle of water is $2 elsewhere. A 6.50 (or whatever it is unsubsidised) is pretty much the equivellant in a takeaway. I don't mind paying $4.50 for an average meal at all.
Your argument is soley based on one or two goods and your perception that these can be cross-referenced with city stores (who have much greater expenses e.g. rent) with co-oresponding uni outlets and arguing that they have the same prices in limited cases. Equally, a 600ml bottle of coke costs me 2.20 WITH a union discount, which is about what retail price is, with the non union price being 2.70ish. Ultimately, the food outlets on university are either charging retail prices or charing slightly lower than retail prices but yet a similar or LARGER profit margin than retail TO UNION MEMBERS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A DISCOUNT.

Perhaps you just can't fit into uni life - not wanting to take part in the various clubs and societies.
And only those clubs and societies which cannot generate enough money off joining fees (i.e. the SHITTY UNPOPULAR CLUBS WHICH NO-ONE WANTS TO JOIN) are at risk. If the clubs really offer as great oppertunites as you claim, if they have that great a tradition, surely they can generate whatever they got from the union with a slight increase in joining fees, since students now have so much extra $$$ since they didn't pay union fees.

If i need help with something, then i could go see someone. Be it financial, mental, physical etc. This could go under VSU>
THIS IS ONLY THE CASE IF THESE FACILITIES ARE NOT USED SUFFICIENTLY TO SURVIVE UNDER A 'FREE MARKET' SYSTEM. In other words, if this is true, then you're basically USING OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY TO BENEFIT YOURSELF.

If v.s.u. was to be introduced, I probably wouldn't pay it, as I just don't have enough money for it. But if forced to pay it, I'd make sure that I find the funds.
This is by far the stupidest part of your post. You argue that you don't have enough money to pay for something if it's voluntary, but if it's compulsory then this somehow gives access to some previously hidden trunk of money that you can now access to pay with.

Why is the government introducing vsu?
Ok, The usu has often bred labor supporters, and as such the liberal party thinks that that's the easiest way to break down the labor camps within unis. Students are impressionable, and thus the howard government wants to make both parties more even on that front.

No. You are an idiot. Find me some proof, any proof, not just blatent speculation, that this is actually the case. This is going to be a very difficult task since IT'S NOT.

The government is introducing VSU because the government historically supports LIBERALISM hence the LIBERAL PARTY. The philosophy of the government is PRO CHOICE. Your philosophy is ANTI CHOICE.
 

stazi

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Mate if you cant accept the fact that the labor camps wont be broken down youre too rigid in your thinking.
Labor = unions.
No unions = less labor supporters.
We discussed this at length in our political economy class today and even the two hardcore right wing liberal supporters agreed this would have to be one of the reasons for legislature.
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Regarding the stupidest part of my post, notice how you didnt quote the following line. i can pay for it over the course of the semester making it more accessible. It is better to force me to pay it and come up with the money rather than say "you dont have to pay if you dont want to".
 

Rorix

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1Time4thePpl said:
Mate if you cant accept the fact that the labor camps wont be broken down youre too rigid in your thinking.
Labor = unions.
No unions = less labor supporters.
I'm not rigid in my thinking. It's that your thinking is dumb, illogical and wrong. Perhaps you're right, I'm not flexible enough to hold something false as true. You propose that somehow if the Union was abolished, then all the "EVIL HISTORY OF GEORGE BUSH", all the "BOOKS NOT BOMBS", all the "CAN THE US BE BEATEN IN IRAQ" etc. lectures would cease, every single politically left organisation (e.g. Greens, the multitude of labor groups) would cease and furthermore YOU ASSUME THAT PEOPLE NEED THESE ORGANISATIONS TO HOLD THESE POLITICAL BELIEFS.

I challenge you to provide any reasoning for the statement that just being a member of the University of Sydney Union (as I am) makes me in ANY WAY more inclined to be left wing than right wing. Any proof at all. Any psychological theory. ANYTHING. Anything but a stupid assertion of fact.

We discussed this at length in our political economy class today and even the two hardcore right wing liberal supporters agreed this would have to be one of the reasons for legislature.
WOW SO IF IT WAS DISCUSSED IN A FIRST YEAR POLITICAL ECONOMY CLASS IT MUST BE RIGHT, ESPECIALLY IF TWO CONSERVATIVES AGREED IT WAS TRUE.
:rolleyes:

Your argument from authority is flawed because a) there is no authority and b) even if there was, it wouldn't prove your point.

NOTE THAT YOU HAVE COMPLETELY IGNORED MY ARGUMENT, THAT THE BILL IS CONGRUENT WITH THE PHILOSOPHY ON WHICH THE PARTY IS FOUNDED AND NAMED, that being, LIBERALISM.

You somehow think that a vague assertion that I must be 'too rigid in my thinking' is sufficient to counteract every factual hole I've managed to drive a truck through in your flimsy facade of an argument.

Regarding the stupidest part of my post, notice how you didnt quote the following line. i can pay for it over the course of the semester making it more accessible.
And you couldn't do this if it was voluntary? :rolleyes:

It is better to force me to pay it and come up with the money rather than say "you dont have to pay if you dont want to".
AH HA!
The key underlying reason for your argument, the way you feel the way you do:

That you seriously believe that it is preferrental to FORCE SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING rather than GIVE THEM THE CHOICE. I don't want to play amatuer psychologist here, but I suspect this belief is rooted in your deep seated insecurities and intense fear of social rejection on an evolutionary psychology level - you wish to have the choice removed from your life so you can never do something which would risk social rejection.

Obviously you're going to ignore all the points I made in this post and simply respond to my little bit of psychology at the end unless I said this here, so here it is.
 

neo o

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1Time4thePpl said:
Mate if you cant accept the fact that the labor camps wont be broken down youre too rigid in your thinking.
Labor = unions.
No unions = less labor supporters.
We discussed this at length in our political economy class today and even the two hardcore right wing liberal supporters agreed this would have to be one of the reasons for legislature.
-----
Regarding the stupidest part of my post, notice how you didnt quote the following line. i can pay for it over the course of the semester making it more accessible. It is better to force me to pay it and come up with the money rather than say "you dont have to pay if you dont want to".
I have a penis, you should go and suck it.
 

stazi

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Rorix said:
I'm not rigid in my thinking. It's that your thinking is dumb, illogical and wrong. Perhaps you're right, I'm not flexible enough to hold something false as true. You propose that somehow if the Union was abolished, then all the "EVIL HISTORY OF GEORGE BUSH", all the "BOOKS NOT BOMBS", all the "CAN THE US BE BEATEN IN IRAQ" etc. lectures would cease, every single politically left organisation (e.g. Greens, the multitude of labor groups) would cease and furthermore YOU ASSUME THAT PEOPLE NEED THESE ORGANISATIONS TO HOLD THESE POLITICAL BELIEFS.

AAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHhAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're the funniest man alive. Where did I propose that all evil will stop because the organisation will cease to exist? I am saying unions are primarily consistant of labor members. Just look at the greens vs liberals vs alp/labor club sign up rates in each uni's socities.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I challenge you to provide any reasoning for the statement that just being a member of the University of Sydney Union (as I am) makes me in ANY WAY more inclined to be left wing than right wing. Any proof at all. Any psychological theory. ANYTHING. Anything but a stupid assertion of fact.
MELBOURNE -- Student union elections were held recently at Melbourne University. Around 20% of the student population voted. Left Focus, a broad coalition of left-wing activists, won all office bearer positions for the third year running.

Everyone at usyd is a member of sydney union. Also the union is still a union. The way it is set up, the things it promotes, the activities it funds is primarily left wing, as the right wing does not seem to be that proactive.
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WOW SO IF IT WAS DISCUSSED IN A FIRST YEAR POLITICAL ECONOMY CLASS IT MUST BE RIGHT, ESPECIALLY IF TWO CONSERVATIVES AGREED IT WAS TRUE.
:rolleyes:
Yes, I believe that is a very legitimate point that was made. Look at what I said above. I'm not saying it MUST be true. Come on, one can't say that there is ABSOLUTELY no way that the liberals (who are very intelligent) didn't think that this would help reduce left wing and labor promotion in unis. As if in all the factors they looked at (the pros and cons) this wasn't one of them.


Your argument from authority is flawed because a) there is no authority and b) even if there was, it wouldn't prove your point.
dont understand what you mean by this or which part youre refering to

NOTE THAT YOU HAVE COMPLETELY IGNORED MY ARGUMENT, THAT THE BILL IS CONGRUENT WITH THE PHILOSOPHY ON WHICH THE PARTY IS FOUNDED AND NAMED, that being, LIBERALISM.
Haha, liberalism. How far they have strayed from this concept. From my understanding liberalism would be left wing. Now the two arent associated. I was wearing a "fuck off liberal scum tshirt" to a jewish party, all of whom were liberal supporters (i like to inspire debate, especially from rich kids who get told what to think by their parents). People asked me if that was directed at left wingers or liberal party supporters. Ah, the great divide.

You somehow think that a vague assertion that I must be 'too rigid in my thinking' is sufficient to counteract every factual hole I've managed to drive a truck through in your flimsy facade of an argument.
Repeating what i said above: Come on, one can't say that there is ABSOLUTELY no way that the liberals (who are very intelligent) didn't think that this would help reduce left wing and labor promotion in unis. As if in all the factors they looked at (the pros and cons) this wasn't one of them.


And you couldn't do this if it was voluntary? :rolleyes:
AH HA!
The key underlying reason for your argument, the way you feel the way you do:
That you seriously believe that it is preferrental to FORCE SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING rather than GIVE THEM THE CHOICE. I don't want to play amatuer psychologist here, but I suspect this belief is rooted in your deep seated insecurities and intense fear of social rejection on an evolutionary psychology level - you wish to have the choice removed from your life so you can never do something which would risk social rejection.
AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! I really enjoyed this. I really did. I literally laughed which is rare. I am very much pro-choice. But being forced to do something, be it achieve a high hsc by my parents etc is my way of getting things done. I am far too lazy to do something regularly. Social rejection? If you meet me (which i wouldnt mind for arguing in person) you would know how little i care about social rejection. I embarass myself at any given opportunity and really couldn't care what people think. unless it was a very very attractive girl.
Obviously you're going to ignore all the points I made in this post and simply respond to my little bit of psychology at the end unless I said this here, so here it is.
I actually read the psychology part last.
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Btw, i really am enjoying this (albeit heated) debate. Are you a debater?
 

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