Otago student president's caged protest

Otago University. Photo / file

An Otago student is to spend two nights locked in a cage in freezing Dunedin to protest a proposed law that would make student union membership voluntary.

The Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill, which is sponsored by ACT's Heather Roy, is currently awaiting its final reading before Parliament.

Supporters say student unions are the only ones left that have compulsory membership, and end up being controlled by political activists who run partisan campaigns that do not represent members.

Opponents argue the bill will destroy valuable associations that provide services at universities and polytechs because most students are hard up and would not voluntarily pay fees.

Otago University Students' Association student president Logan Edgar is today preparing to lock himself in a cage, on the university's Union Lawn from 7pm, to protest the bill.

"The Government hasn't listened to the 98 per cent of submissions that opposed the bill," Mr Edgar said today.

"They are locking us out, so I'm locking myself in to make a stand to protect the wide variety of services students associations offer their students. I'll be in the cage until John Campbell turns up."

Organisers were hoping to have all universities around New Zealand linked up with Mr Edgar's protest via a 24-hour-a-day webcam, which would be shown on projector screens in all the major campus hubs.

- NZPA