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Dear Senator...
Dear Senator...
To pass this crucial bill helping students, we need just one more Senator to vote for it: either a Senator from the Nationals or Family First Senator Steve Fielding.
Send a quick email to the four Nationals Senators and Steve Fielding using the form below - just a short personal note to ask them to support students.
If you leave the message box blank, the following message will be sent on your behalf:
Dear Senator,
I am writing to urge you to support the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities, and Other Measures) Bill 2009.
Essential student services have suffered since the introduction of VSU in 2005 - stripping $170 million from services that make student life vibrant, rounded, safe and diverse.
Funding has been slashed from crisis support, child care, counseling, sport, advocacy and more.
Regional universities are particularly affected with some institutions having to redirect funding from teaching and research budgets to support services and amenities that would otherwise have been cut as a result of VSU legislation.
Despite unfounded fears that this fee will fund student politics, this legislation requires universities to only use the fee to restore basic, necessary and important services and amenities and does not allow a return to compulsory student unionism.
Many in Parliament benefited from an education at a university with strong and vibrant services and amenities. All I am asking is that my generation is allowed to do the same.
Please support this Bill, I look forward to your reply.
Regards,
(your name)
Your message will appear from your email address, not GetUp. We can't guarantee the Senator won't contact you subsequent to your email, if you would not like them to we suggest you tell them so in your message.
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Some talking points to include in your email:
$170 million has been stripped from student services since VSU began in 2005
VSU means sport, fitness and recreation facilities are run down
I want to make sure students who need help can get it - and VSU cuts funding to crisis support, child care, legal and tenancy
advice, counseling and advocacy
I want health services like dental care and child care, and more and cheaper entertainment and food on campus!
Regional universities are particularly affected with some institutions having to redirect funding from teaching and research budgets to support services and amenities that would otherwise have been cut as a result of VSU legislation
Universities can only use the $250 fee to restore basic, necessary and important services and amenities to students and it does not allow a return to compulsory student unionism
Unlike in previous years, students will pay the services fee when they pay their HECS after their degree.
Time and again, surveys and polls have shown that students overwhelmingly oppose voluntary student unionism
The legislation will set national benchmarks that require all universities to provide information on, and access to, a range of basic support services, including health, welfare and financial services, ensuring a high level of support is being made for our students
This is a practical and sustainable approach to ensuring continued, affordable support for Australia's university students
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Simply select the addresses you would like to send this campaign to and press submit. You can also send this campaign to every address in your address book below.
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