National Union of Students

NATIONAL UNION OF STUDENTS (NUS)

The National Union of Students, known as the NUS, was established in 1987 to represent post-secondary students in Australia. Its primary objectives include working for the interests of students in the areas of quality of education, academic freedom, access to education, social security, health and welfare.

As outlined in the National Union of Students Constitution 2018, the specific objectives of the NUS are to work for:

The right of all people to a quality education on an equal basis;
Scholarship, quality in education, access to education, academic freedom, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and freedom of association;
The interests of students in the fields of social security, health, welfare, cultural activities and sport;
The advancement of student perspectives on political and social issues within the broader community;
The principles of student unionism; and
Quality services for students.

The NUS aims to make real changes to the lives of students by campaigning for an accessible and equitable education and welfare system for all. This campaigning comes in many forms such as protests, conferences, inquiries to the government or liaising with relevant organisations.

The Curtin Student Guild has been a member of the NUS since 1987.

Not every university campus is an affiliated member of the NUS. This membership allows candidates to become delegates and represent not only student interests as a whole, but the interests of Curtin University students in particular during various conferences.

INVOLVEMENT

NUS Campaigns or a branch of a campaign that the Curtin Student Guild has been involved in:

Fighting Against Fee Deregulation 2015 – Would have seen Universities set the cost of degrees at their own discretion.
Marriage Equality in Australia.
CSG We Will Not Be Left Behind Federal Election Campaign – a branch of the NUS’s Federal Election campaign.
Raise the Rate Campaign – Called on the Federal Government to increase commonwealth income support programs such as Newstart.
Books Not Bombs Campaign – Made a national stance against the connections Universities had to arms manufacturers.
NUS Against Racism – CSG was actively involved in this campaign which fought against the structures of systemic racism directed to students from China and other areas of Asia.
Campaign Against the Fee Hikes 2020 – Proposed by the Federal Government, where the NUS and the NTEU stood together in mass protest.
A Future Worth Fighting For Campaign – CSG worked to inform students of a number of issues about job security and education.
National Day of Action Climate Strike 2021 – Called on the Government to deliver deep, immediate and sustained emissions reductions and invest in clear energy and secure jobs in low carbon industries.
School Strike for Climate
COP26 International Climate Summit
Weeks of National Action Against cuts to Higher Education – CSG fight to restore the tuition-free weeks
CSG supporting other campuses against issues – Including protest against Trimesters at UNSW and cuts to Social Sciences at UWA

NUS NATIONAL CONFERENCE

The NUS hold an annual National Conference as a platform to discuss the existing Policy Platform. Delegates, officers, observers and media can attend the conference, however only delegates have the ability to propose amendments to the current Policy Platform.

At the end of 2022, “Natcon” was held over four days from December 12th - 16th.
Amendments to the NUS Policy were discussed, as well as the new office bearers elected.