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Nats Urge Feds To Adopt Victorian VsuThe State National Party has called on the Federal Government to refine its legislation on university student fees, using the Victorian system as a model. By Peter Hall - 18th March 2005 - Back to News Gippsland MP and The Nationals Tertiary Education spokesman, Peter Hall, is concerned that the legislation proposed does not draw a distinction between amenity fees and student union fees.
"We are concerned that if the proposed Federal legislation goes ahead in its current form, it will have a serious and profound impact for students, particularly for those at regional campuses," Mr Hall said.
"There is a misunderstanding, I think, about what fees are collected and for what purpose.
"In Victoria, Universities collect general amenity fees from students, which do not confer automatic membership of a student union, nor does it necessary go to student organisations.
"The fees collected are used to provide amenities, such as catering, recreation, accommodation, careers counselling and a range of other services that a student community requires."
Mr Hall said normally the University Council decided how those services are provided. Some are provided by student organisations, with others provided by outside groups or contractors.
"The amenities fee can be likened to Local Government rates or indeed even Government taxes," Mr Hall said. "They go towards providing a range of services for a student community.
"Without the amenities fee, it would be very difficult for regional campuses, in particular, to provide services because they do not have the student population and therefore the economy of scale, to provide facilities on a fee for service basis."
Mr Hall said it was a misunderstanding to say the amenity fee was related to union membership, at least in Victoria.
"Current Victorian legislation prescribes the activities that can and cannot be funded by amenity fees. Payment of a fee does not confer membership of a student organisation, with all Victorian universities having "opt-out" arrangements. Moreover students organisations are required by law to provide public accounts of all monies paid to them by the university council, Mr Hall said. Mr Hall said the Victorian Nationals will be urging the Federal Minister to look at the Victorian model and adjust the proposed legislation accordingly."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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