not in our name: NZUSA backs Green bill

Ever heard of the Tertiary Women's Focus Group (TWFG)? No? You're not alone then.

TWFG is a collection of women's rights officers from NZUSA member associations. Under this banner, TWFG have signed up to support a member's bill on flexible working hours put forward by Green MP Sue Kedgley.

Predictably the media have failed to draw any distinction between TWFG and NZUSA itself and are now reporting that "students" have joined a coalition to support Kedgley's bill.

Once again a significant number of students have to stand by and watch as their so-called representatives at NZUSA use their institutional clout - funded by compulsory membership - to illegitimately conscript all tertiary students into supporting a particular political initiative. Students who don't support this initiative are misrepresented by NZUSA yet again.

If Jennifer Jones and the rest of the TWFG gang want to support the Kedgley bill that's fine. Just don't do it with other people's money, and don't claim that you're representing all students. Speaking on behalf of someone without their permission is misrepresentation pure and simple.

You'd think TFWG, supposedly being concerned with imbalances of power, would understand this.