By Natasha Simons
More than 6000 students across the country rallied, marched and occupied against university fees on May 3. The demonstrations were part of a second national day of action called by last December's No Fees Activists Conference. In many cities, the protests were supported by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) and the National Union of Students (NUS).
May 3 was chosen to pressure the federal government to increase funding for higher education in the budget.
In Adelaide, Philippa Stanford reports, 800 students rallied at Victoria Square. The demonstration, organised by the South Australian Education Network (SAEN), was supported by 13 trade unions, including the CFMEU's construction division, the Public Transport Union and the NTEU, which struck on the day. Speakers included the Flinders University education officer, Dean Gregoric, who condemned the ALP students for pulling out of the No Fees campaign.
Gregoric also read a message of solidarity from students in Indonesia which received a very enthusiastic response.
Students then marched to the Labor Party offices, where Claire McCarthy, from the South Australian Institute of Teachers, and SAEN member Emma Webb spoke.
Webb, who is also a Resistance activist, told the rally, "To win this campaign we need to fight for increased education funding; we need to take on the ALP. Why can't the government 'afford' to pay for education, when they can 'afford' to pay subsidies for companies to woodchip our old growth forests and 'afford' to give military aid to Indonesia?"
The ALP offices were locked and only a delegation of two students, Gregoric and Webb, were allowed to go in and phone Paul Keating on students' behalf. Webb told 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly that Bruce Chapman, architect of the Austudy loans scheme, answered the phone in Keating's office. He said it wasn't appropriate to disturb the PM while he was in a cabinet meeting. When Gregoric made it clear he would not hang up until Keating had spoken to the students, Chapman hung up himself.
The demonstrators, angry at this, began a tent embassy on the lawns opposite the ALP office. Students will maintain the embassy until budget night. The students are seeking to link up with other community groups likely to bear the brunt of budget cuts.
In Lismore, Anthea Stewart reports that a small but lively rally of 40 students met at Heritage Park to hear speakers from Southern Cross University SRC. They then marched to the Austudy office and occupied it, demanding that petitions be faxed to minister for employment, education and training Simon Crean.
The faxes sent, students marched to the regional DEET office. In order to prevent a second occupation, DEET staff gave students access to a phone to contact Crean, whose staff said he too was in a cabinet meeting. The rally continued around the city centre to the office of the federal member for Richmond, Harry Wood, whose staff had locked the door and called police.
Tim Stewart relates from Darwin that more than 50 students joined in a spirited march which began at the DEET offices and continued through the city to the office of Warren Snowden, the parliamentary secretary to Simon Crean. The rally ended at State Square and heard speakers from the Student Union, Trades and Labor Council, the Education Action Group at NTU and Resistance. The University administration has threatened fines of $2000 for rally posters which were not removed after the march.
In Perth, Arun Pradhun writes, 950 students rallied at the Esplanade before marching to DEET and occupying the Austudy offices. Speakers included John Carey from NUS, Arun Pradhun from the Curtin University No Fees Committee, a representative of CAPA, the UWA Guild president, the women's officer at Edith Cowan University and Greens (WA) Senator Dee Margetts.
During the open platform, Elena Jeffries from Murdoch University revealed that NUS is planning to spend money on an "enrol to vote" campaign before the next federal elections. She said the money would be better spent on the campaign against fees. A speaker from Labor Unity, who tried to defend the "enrol to vote" campaign, was booed and heckled.
When a student called for a march to DEET, John Carey from NUS closed the rally, thanking students for their attendance. As the crowd began to disperse, Anne O'Callaghan, from the Curtin Uni No Fees Committee and Resistance, argued for a march to DEET. As she spoke, NUS representatives pulled the plug on the microphone, and she was forced to continue using a megaphone. Around 350 students then ran to DEET and crowded into the foyer before pushing past police and entering the Austudy office, where they began an occupation.
Students asked DEET workers not to process any further changes that would impede access to education. Students then split up into organising meetings for each campus which reported back to the occupation. Students departed the Austudy offices in high spirits, vowing to continue the fight against fees.
In Hobart, Katrina Dean reports, 150 students participated in a rally at Tasmania University. Speakers included representatives from the NTEU, NUS, Tasmania University Students Representative Council and Hobart College SRC. Tas Uni SRC has called a campaign meeting to decide further action in response to the budget on May 11 at 1pm in the Activities Centre.
In Brisbane, Zanny Begg writes, more than 600 students rallied at King George Square, where they heard speakers from the NTEU, NUS and the CPSU. Students then marched to DEET. A solidarity message from Indonesian students read to the crowd received an enthusiastic response. The demonstration was organised by the Free Education Network, which has called a follow-up anti-budget public meeting for 6pm on May 11 at CPSU House.
Sean Healy reports from Melbourne that 1300 students attended a rally organised by the Student Unionism Network (SUN) and NUS. Speakers included representatives from student unions and the NTEU. A representative from SUN spoke against the further privatisation of education and the disastrous impact the budget may have. Students then marched via the Reserve Bank building to ALP headquarters, where there were further speakers.
A solidarity message from Indonesian students was well received and a motion was passed calling for the release of the students and workers arrested in the May Day demonstrations in Jakarta and Semarang. The demonstration continued on to RMIT, where a heavy police presence prevented students from entering. Students will continue the campaign with a protest against fees when Keating visits Melbourne on May 12.
In Sydney, Roberto Jorquera recounts that a spirited contingent of 1000 students from campuses in Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle rallied at Belmore Park before marching to DEET. Students crammed into the foyer, some climbing on the counter to begin an open platform, while those who could not fit inside chanted, "Free Education for all! Not just the rich!".
The demonstrators then marched to ALP state headquarters, where speakers condemned Labor's record on education. Law student Karen Fletcher spoke against the $3000 up-front fee proposed for a law course at the College of Law. She received a huge cheer when she said the campaign needed to take up the fight for free education. Students then marched to the Stock Exchange, where HECS debt notices were burned. The demonstration, organised by the Cross Campus Education Network, ended on a high note with students determined to continue the campaign.
At Newcastle University, Kamala Emanuel reports, more than 60 students attended a rally. After hearing speakers from the No Fees campaign, students marched to the cafeteria, where they collected 400 names on a petition in just 10 minutes. Demonstrators then marched to the Chancellery and presented the deputy vice chancellor with petitions signed by 700 students calling on the VC and the University Council to cancel fees at Newcastle Uni and publicly support the students' campaign for increased education funding. Alex Bainbridge from the No Fees campaign and the Newcastle Uni Resistance club said, "This action, the first on campus we've had for several years, made an impact".
From Canberra, the centre of a strong campaign against fees, Marina Carman reports that 200 students from the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Canberra (UCAN) rallied before marching into Civic and on to DEET. Speakers included representatives from ANU and UCAN Student Representative Councils and the president of the NTEU (Canberra branch).
The ANU No Fees campaign presented a list of demands on the government including: no postgraduate fees, no illegal course fees, no HECS, no cuts to health, education and welfare and an increase in education funding and Austudy. A solidarity message from Indonesian students was warmly received. Sarah Stephen, general secretary of the ANU Students Association, urged students to attend another rally and march on Parliament House on May 11, after the release of the budget.