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Supplementary Order Paper No 205

No 205

House of Representatives

Supplementary Order Paper

Wednesday, 16 February 2011

Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill

Proposed amendments

Gareth Hughes, in Committee, to move the following amendments:

Clause 6: new section 229A

To add the following subsection as subsection (2) (after line 3 on page 3):

  • “(2) Tertiary education providers must make space available in their enrolment forms, at no cost, so prospective students can indicate whether they want to join the students association of that institution.”

Clause 6: new section 229AB

To insert the following section after section 229A (after line 3 on page 3):

“229AB Referendum on voluntary membership

  • “(1) The passing of this legislation triggers a referendum at each tertiary education provider with a students association.

    “(2) The referendum will ask students to decide whether the subsequent changes in this legislation should take effect.

    “(3) The referendum must be run by tertiary education providers and ballots must be made available to all enrolled students as at 1 March 2012.

    “(4) If the referendum results in—

    • “(a) more than 50% of students voting to retain the status quo, the provisions inserted by the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Act 2011 are repealed:

    • “(b) more than 50% of students voting to move to voluntary student membership, the provisions inserted by the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Act 2011 remain in force.”

Clause 6: new section 229CA

To insert the following subsection after subsection (3) (after line 19 on page 4):

  • “(3A) In relation to subsection (3)(b), on campuses where students associations are present, tertiary education providers must give preference and fair treatment to students associations when tendering contracts to provide the following services:

    • “(a) student welfare services:

    • “(b) student advocacy services:

    • “(c) academic representation:

    • “(d) student media:

    • “(e) student disability support.”

Clause 6:

To add the following section (after line 8 on page 5):

“229CB Payment of fees

  • Membership fees to join a students association will be paid for as part of the New Zealand student loan scheme.”

Explanatory note

This Supplementary Order Paper amends the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill in the following ways:

    • Clause 6, new section 229A: prospective students should be given the chance to sign up to a students association at the same time as they enrol. This would save on administrative costs for both tertiary providers and students associations.

    • Clause 6, new section 229AB: as currently drafted, students do not have a voice in the decision making process around voluntary student membership of their associations. This amendment seeks to ensure that they will be able to choose whether or not New Zealand moves to a voluntary student membership system.

    • Clause 6, new section 229CA: as currently drafted, the bill does not recognise the integral services that students associations provide and their ability to provide them more effectively and cheaply than external contractors. This amendment ensures that preferential treatment must be given to students associations when considering contracts to provide essential services to students.

    • Clause 6, new section 229CB: students with low or no incomes should have the option to charge the membership fee of their students association directly to their student loan. This will encourage membership of students associations.