James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you. The coalition strongly opposed Labor's repeal of the voluntary student unionism laws passed under the Howard government. For many Liberals and conservatives, guaranteeing students the basic right to freely associate and not be forced to join or contribute funds to a student union has been a lifelong principle. The government will support part (a).

However, part (b) does not reflect the key principle of ensuring freedom of association for all students at all times. It creates an illusion of voluntary student unionism through the use of campus- or institution-wide ballots. Compelling all students to join and fund an organisation by a ballot of their peers is just as illegitimate on campus as if it happened in a workplace or anywhere else in our community. As such, I ask that the question on part (a) be put separately from the question on part (b).