After the hellfire of the digital RUSU elections and a back and forth of memes to Facebook comment insults in private groups, the National edition of the student politics.
NatCon (National Conference) is underway with Farrago and Honi Soit based to comment on the event on Twitter (#NatCon21).
As 2021’s National Conference runs in it’s usual swing, Catalyst has decided this year to stay unbiased and truthful to student politics.
Here is NatCon simplified.
What is NUS (National Union of Students)?
The NUS was formed during the Labor Hawke Federal Government during the 1980s after Bob Hawkes Government abolished free University education in replacement with HECS that we still use today in Australian Universities. NUS is a lobby group and student representative body of 21 Student Unions across Australia.
What are the factions of the NUS?
| Faction | Views | Examples (Politics) |
| Student Unity | Labor Right Third-Way | Jim Chalmers Bill Shorten Chris Bowen |
| Labor Left | Democratic Socialist | Penny Wong Anthony Albonese Tanya Plibersek |
| Socialist Alternative | Trotskyist Anti-Capitalism | Jorge Jorquera |
| Grassroots Independents | Greens-Labor aligned | Lidia Thorpe Adam Bandt Jordon Steele-John |
Liberal aligned Students did not attend.
Why is NatCon so important?
NUS holds a National Conference, the annual general meeting, in the second week of December each year. Online, honourary delegates from all accredited campuses gather to vote on policy that decides the direction of the union for the next year. The election of national and state officers, as well as campus representatives, occurs during the week.
Election promises, views and ideas clash to create a formal policy for member University student unions to guide policy for the year.
On day one, the main policies focused on were:
- Environmental Officer position in NUS
- Condemning Unpaid Internships
- National Coordination of Activism
- Free Education
- SSAF funds to be 100% directed to Unions
- Support to clubs and societies
- Online proctoring exams and anti-cheat software
Melbourne University’s Farrago Magazine live tweeted across the events of motions passed with transparent information of the names and factions of the movers.
With the 120 Twitter word count, live tweeting for the factions includes the following SU, NLS, SAlt and GI for the following listed above.
Twitter today was flooded with SAlt digital filibusters over the motion information, lots of swearing and alcohol/medication references that we will not include in the article.
As the first day comes to a close, Labor Left and Student Unity have reached a collected consensus to vote for Labor related policy.
As NatCon drama continues in the Twitterspace, we welcome students of the 21 NUS universities to soak up the drama of our representatives we voted for.