Union busting !

The Federal government terminated the practice of requiring all university students to become members of the student union.
This was probably reflecting it's political philosophy which rejected the " No ticket - no start " - closed shop union stance which applied to the workplace.

University students have previously been slugged union dues in excess of $ 300 per student, resulting in funds of $ 1.5 million applying to the University of Wollongong. These monies served a variety of purposes, including funding a variety of small sporting clubs, subsidising meals and library content - and in some cases finding their way into political activities.

The change from Compulsory Student Union ( CSU ) membership to Voluntary Student Membership ( VSU ) has resulted in three of the fourteen sporting clubs at the university ceasing operations. The clubs that have folded include touch football, netball and basketball. None of these had a big membership - and are duplicated by existing similar clubs outside the university orbit.

The aftermath of the change from CSU to VSU seems to vindicate that change. Students are free to join - but have elected not to. They are free to spend their money on options of their choice, rather than having those options dictated by a small clique running the union. At the same time, union funds can not support a political party that may not be each individuals choice.

Not all agree with making membership of the student union voluntary, but few could argue that the withdrawal from activities not supported by the majority is anything but freedom of choice.

If an individual wished to join the student union - and some did - then there was no impediment to paying the membership fee and joining. The fact that the vast majority chose not to is called freedom of choice - and in our society there is another word for that. It's called democracy !