Steven Fielding: The Grinch That Stole Student Unionism

Well, that's it for Christmas. It's aaaall over.

First we had Backdown Barnaby - now it's F**kup Fielding, after Family First Senator Steven Fielding - denying all the way that a deal was done - sided with the Coalition last night to pass the contentious Voluntary Student Unionism bill a matter of minutes before the Senate ended its sitting for 2005.

Why ???

Firstly, the government have been treating Fielding like a red-headed stepchild ever since they realised they didn't have to rely on him to hold balance of power in the Senate. Not a single one of the much-mooted Family Impact Statements that the Coalition promised would be attached to every bill to keep him on their good side was ever written.

Secondly, Fielding claims he voted on the `substance of the bill'. I strongly doubt this. A deal has certainly been done somewhere. That isn't to say that since the Coalition realised Barnaby was going to backdown for the wrong side this time, they've haven't been lobbying their little freely-educated rear ends off to get Fielding onside. The line they pushed was likely this: student union fees are several hundred dollars. Expenses are bad for families. Therefore, compulsory student unionism is bad for families. QED.

What students will face now is exactly what students of Western Australia - particularly in rural universities such as Edith Cowan - faced: nothing. Little or no on-campus food stores, no support services like childcare, Women's officers, publications, sports teams. The things that make university a community rather than something you may as well do by correspondence course. Fielding is confident that they'll `survive in some form'.

Thanks for putting families first, Stevo.

As for Brendan Nelson and John Howard's claim that the vote on VSU was forced `without knowing which way Mr Fielding would vote' - I have one thing to say about that.

HAHAHAAHHHHAHAAHAHAHHAHHHhHHHHAAAHAHAHAAHAHAAyeahright. The government was really going to watch Barnie cross the floor and mope off to their Comcars going `Boo hoo ... that didn't work ...'

Well, that about wraps it up for one of the bleakest parliamentary years on record, and one of the most earthshattering parliamentary weeks. It is not alarmist to say that the laws we have seen passed in only the past five days (with an absolute minimum of debate - little over two hours for most bills) have fundamentally changed many aspects of Australian legislature. It was obviously too much to think that one stray ray of light would escape through the darkness ... hard to believe the Coalition have only had the Senate since July, and yet they've managed to do (or undo) so much since then. Drinks all round at Kirribilli house ...