Labor's "university tax" legislation needs scrutiny

11-February-2009

Shadow Minister for Youth Sophie Mirabella today vowed that the Opposition would closely scrutinise the details of Labor’s legislation to introduce a $250 charge on University students, which was introduced in the Parliament today.

“As a starting point, our policy is to oppose compulsory fees on students. As such, we aren’t inclined to support an extra tax of $250 on University students who are already living on shoestring budgets,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“We are also very concerned that students are going to be hit with a compulsory tax for services they may not want to utilise – or in the case of off-campus students, may never even have the opportunity to utilise.”

Mrs Mirabella said the Opposition is particularly concerned that the Student Services and Amenities Fee Guidelines, which set out exactly what the fees may be spent on, will not even be tabled until after the Bill is passed and given assent.

“It’s the height of arrogance for Labor to ask us to vote on the legislation without giving us the full details of how it will work. We understand the power to decide where the Universities can allocate the funds will lie with the Minister for Education Julia Gillard - a long-term pro-compulsory union fees campaigner and advocate.”

“The Minister’s discretion to decide how the money can be spent, with no reference to Parliament, is extremely worrying – especially with her militant union background.”

“A cursory glance of the legislation shows that the Minister’s promise that the legislation would prohibit money being spent for political purposes is essentially an empty one. The only activities expressly prohibited are direct donations to political parties and funding for election to a Commonwealth, State or Territory body. This still leaves a large range of political activities - including funding campaigns against legislation and policies, or for direct elections to the student union.”

“So we have a number of concerns. We’re highly sceptical of why this money is being collected and where this money will go. This legislation has the same stench as Compulsory Student Unionism and we are vigorously opposed to any return to a form of compulsory unionism,” Mrs Mirabella said.

Mrs Mirabella said the Opposition will examine the legislation closely and request the full details of the Guidelines during a briefing from the Department.