University of Wollongong student activists learned “too late” that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was in town on Thursday.
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It was only after they had started their own rally against the Government’s $2.2 billion cuts to university funding, that the activists became aware Mr Turnbull was visiting Bisalloy Steels – the Unanderra company which supplies steel for military vehicles.
Activists from the Wollongong Undergraduate Students’ Association (WUSA) say the Government’s plan to give $3.6 billion in taxpayer funding to weapons companies is being paid for by “ripping off students”.
“I think Turnbull is not game to turn up to a university campus because he knows that students around the country are angry,” student activisit Chloe Rafferty said.
...We have the prime minister coming here visiting Bisalloy and celebrating the fact that a manufacturer in the Illawarra is exporting steel to be used to further the occupation, the illegal occupation of Palestinians.
- David Shoebridge
“He wants to prop up the profits of companies that want to make profit from war.
“Students are disgusted by the cuts to higher education. We don’t want a tax on our universities, on our education, to be used to pay for wars in the future.”
This view is shared by Greens NSW MP David Shoebridge, who spoke at the rally.
“To give $3.8 billion dollars as a hand out to the arms industry – harm industry, from a government whose vision for Australia is not for universal free education…...but to turn Australia into one of the top 10 arms exporters on the planet,” Mr Shoebridge said.
We don’t want a tax on our universities, on our education, to be used to pay for wars in the future.
- Chloe Rafferty
“We are already one of the wealthiest countries on the planet and to think political leaders want to make us just that little bit richer by trading in global misery, by exporting arms to places like the Middle East and Africa and the rest of the world.
“This part of Australia has a proud history for standing up for peace and at the same time we have the prime minister coming here visiting Bisalloy and celebrating the fact that a manufacturer in the Illawarra is exporting steel to be used to further the occupation, the illegal occupation of Palestinians.
“We don’t want to be part of the unlawful occupation of Palestinians and it shouldn’t be happening here or anywhere else around the world.”
WUSA education officer Isabelle Liddy said the Government was mortgaging students’ futures to fund an arms race.
We’re rallying to say the Government should fund books not bombs.
- Isabelle Liddy
“The Liberals want students to pick up the check to fund war and destruction...we’re rallying to say the Government should fund books not bombs,” she said.
The activists also used the rally to support National Tertiary Education Union’s enterprise bargaining campaign calling for job security and fair pay.
WUSA representative Olivia Pierson said it was important for students and staff to stand together.
“Already UOW staff are overworked, underpaid and have little to no job security. That’s why we’re showing solidarity with staff during their campaign for fair pay and an end to casualisation,” she said.
The Mercury sought comment from the Government but received nothing before deadline.