by Jarred Williamson and Sebastian Mackay
What was university like when you studied? Did all the usual stuff, drank too much beer, played rugby, had a girlfriend (who I’m still with) and I enjoyed studying a range of things. [It was] certainly financially easier in those days. We had very low course fees. We didn’t have to take out student loans generally, if you worked in your holidays. I was in the shearing game for a year before I went, so I had cash in the bank. And then I worked in a night club, Friday nights, Saturday nights and Sunday, pulling drinks. Pulling drinks and shearing sheep, that’s what got me through.
The year is passing by ever so quickly. The Rugby World Cup is at our doorstep (next week, people!) and before the dust settles on Daniel Carter’s right foot we have the general election on November 26. So on Wednesday, August 17 Sebastian Mackay and Jarred Williamson caught up with Labour Party finance spokesperson David Cunliffe to chat about the upcoming plans for the Labour party. David Cunliffe is a senior MP for the Labour Party
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and the current MP for New Lynn in West Auckland. As mentioned above, he is Labour’s spokesperson for finance and is currently ranked third on the Labour party list. He served as the Minister of Health in the previous government, among other associate portfolios. Over coffee, we asked David about university 24 years ago, students loans, the controversial VSM and upcoming policies.
Student debt is expected to reach 20 billion before 2020, how would you propose we lower the level? We think that access to tertiary education is a very important right people should be able to exercise. Coming from the left side of politics we don’t rely on the size of your parents’ wallets to determine whether you can access tertiary education or not. And that is also important for society… that people can make the most of their skills and then make an important contribution. Labour bought in interest free student loans. You also know [if] you take them overseas you have to pay interest. And once you begin a full time job the APs kick in. I know most students want to get rid of the burden as soon as they can anyway. We need to make sure that there is work there for people to go into and start paying off the loans. High youth unemployment is one of the worst things that can happen. Studying and then there isn’t a job to go to.
The controversial voluntary student membership bill looks to pass through parliament before the elections. What are your personal thoughts on VSM?
issue 20 2011