Where's Ian Causley MP on VSU?

The union covering student union staff at Southern Cross University, the Community & Public Sector Union, was hopeful that lobbying and meetings in the lead-up to the sitting of Federal Parliament would help diffuse the menace of proposed Voluntary Student Unionism legislation.

The CPSU's Organiser at SCU, Stephen Senise, said that there was some glimmer of hope that the Education Minister, Brendan Nelson, might be made to face reason by the sheer weight of community and political opposition generated by the proposed legislation.

"National Party rank & file members, and their party representatives across Australia have to varying degrees spoken out against the dire impact of the bill on regional universities such as ours," Mr Senise said.

"It's now time for our own National Party MP, Ian Causley to add his voice, unambiguously, to those of his colleagues."

"He should take a leaf out of Barnaby Joyce's book, or Fiona Nash's. Or he could take note of resolutions recently passed by the New South Wales, Queensland and Victorian branches of the National Party, opposing the bill."

"The local community wants Ian Causley to stand by his constituents and his electorate on this issue, and for him to clearly voice the community's concern about the local impact of the proposed legislation."

"One hundred and fifty jobs could be lost, and with them a couple of million dollars from the local economy, yearly," Mr Senise said.