AUSA

Xavier has labelled the Vice-Chancellor of Auckland University a “fucktard”.

I would not have thought it was the most constructive thing for a member of the AUSA Executive to say about the Vice-Chancellor they lobby on student’s behalf, but he is entitled to his view.

How-ever what I find hard to comprehend is why some student politicans seem to always put the interests of their members behind their wider political loyalty.

Xavier is supporting a 30% pay increase for university staff. As a Labour supporter one is of course meant to always support anyone at all who wants a huge pay rise. Just as I guess I am always meant to support tax cuts.

But there is absolutely no way that a 30% increase in staff wages will not result in huge fee increases for the very students AUSA represents. Believing that the Government would increase tertiary funding by 30% (well the staff component of 30%) to pay for it, is like believing in Santa Claus.

Xavier takes pride in working with AUS on common goals. I sometimes wonder how common the goals are though. Xavier even supports his members having lectures disrupted by strikes, so that the university will be forced to agree to the 30% opay rise, and hence put up fees.