Well, it’s that time of year again. Christmas lights are beginning to colour the streets, Mariah Carey is playing in the shops again and student politicians are preparing their vocal chords for the annual screaming match known as NatCon. So, what is this so-called ‘stupol schoolies’ anyway? And why should you care?
The National Union of Students (NUS) is the peak body for university student representation in Australia. It was formed in 1987 and works to advance student issues through a combination of lobbying and activism. It’s website states that it promotes student interests in “improving quality of education, academic freedom, access to education, social security, health and welfare.” It represents students’ interests to universities and government, as well as holding protests and rallies. 21 student unions from campuses across the country, including UOW’s WUSA, pay affiliation fees to be accredited to the NUS and have a say in its policy.
That brings us to Natcon, where the policy platform for the next 12 months is set. Next week, from the 11-15th of December, these 21 campuses will send delegates to Federation University in Ballarat for the NUS’ annual National Conference, or NatCon. These delegates will vote on NUS policy as well as elect national and state office bearers for the coming year.
Each university’s delegates control a certain number of votes, dictated by the number of equivalent full-time load (EFTL) students enrolled at the university which the union represents. This means larger universities have more weight or importance than smaller ones in votes on motions. For example, in the 2022 conference, WUSA’s 7 delegates controlled 39 votes, whereas UMSU, the University of Melbourne’s student union, had the same number of delegates, but controlled 109 votes.
These delegates will typically come from one of four main factions who will generally vote unanimously. These main factions are:
Student Unity (Labor Right): Unity ran under the name ‘Revive’ in this year’s WUSA elections.
National Labor Students (Labor Left): NLS ran as ‘Amplify your WUSA’.
Socialist Alternative (SAlt): a group of revolutionary socialists who ran as ‘Left Action’.
Grassroots: a coalition of left-wing activists.
Natcon can be a riot. No, literally– NUS student conferences have become infamous for verbal abuse and a physical altercation that erupted on a NatCon conference floor. Factions banding together to physically block exits to the conference floor is a favourite, often in an effort to prevent factions from ‘pulling quorum’. This is where a typically large faction will attempt to leave the conference in order to nullify a motion, which occurs if less than 50% of the conference is present.
So why care? Two reasons:
It is paid with student money. WUSA, the student-elected representative body for undergraduate students at UOW, pays annual affiliation fees to the NUS from its allocated budget ($3000 in 2022), funded by the university. This is in addition to the $1500 for each delegate and member to cover the cost of tickets and transport to attend it’s Education Conference and NatCon (including this media hack).
Secondly, the NUS’ job is to represent us. They are uniquely positioned amongst governments and universities to advance issues that are currently affecting students. In a cost of living crisis, HECS indexation and other issues, the NUS is a body that can make a change for students on a national level.
Tertangala will be covering NatCon with daily recap articles and interviews. Check our social media for updates throughout the week.