Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Mana Party protests against student body bill

Updated at 8:54 pm on 28 September 2011

Mana Party leader Hone Harawira has joined students in Wellington protesting against a bid to make student association membership voluntary.

Parliament is still debating the third and final reading of the controversial Voluntary Membership Bill legislation, which is set to become law before the election.

About 200 students demonstrated on the grounds of Parliament on Wednesday.

Mr Harawira says if there was a push to privatise education, the first step would be to shut down those who would be against privatisation, and that would be the student bodies.

He believes the path to privatisation is behind the bill, and that's why the Mana Party is opposed to it.

Mr Harawira says the right of students to be independent and free, and to be able to challenge, is something to be treasured by society.

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