Independents (Australian NUS faction)
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Students who politically organise on an independent basis can be classified into two main groups.
independents (small 'i' indies) are entirely independent voices in that they do not organise together and may have any sort of political affiliation, ideology, pusuits, as well as geography. By and large, small 'i' indies can be found on regional and rural campuses where location has demonstrable isolation effects.
The Independents (big 'I' Indies) operate collectively but are non-binding on NUS National Conference floor. These students have agreed to openly discuss their ideas on policy, with the intent of sharing information so that each participant may have access to a broad range of opinions.
The five principles of the Independents are:
- Pro-Student
- Pro-Union
- Proactive
- Non-aligned
- Non-binding and
- Democratic.
Susie Byers was President of the University of Western Australia Guild in 2004, and Jason Ngam was Higher Education Student Member of Swinburne Council and the 2003-04 President of the Swinburne Student Union.
Most recently in late 2005, the Independents cooperated with many other groups to ensure a 'left' National Office. Despite the failure of Curtin Student Guild President Patrick Gorman - the ALS Candidate to defeat Student Unity's Michael DeBruyn - this 'left bloc' was highly successful, winning every other Office Bearer position, and a majority on National Executive.
The Independents secured one National Executive position at the 2005 Conference, Emeline Gaske, who now coordinates the Independents at a national level and is currently also the Education Council President at UWA.
Independent Office Holders
| Year | Name | Position | University |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Zane Whitehorn | National Welfare/Small and Regional | Charles Darwin University |
| 1999 | Evelyn Loh | National Education Officer | Charles Darwin University |
| 2001 | Simon Millman | WA State President | University of Western Australia |
| 2001 | Bryony Horrocks | National Executive | University of Western Australia |
| 2002 | Brent Haywood | National Queer Officer | University of Canberra |
| 2002 | Elizabeth Brogan | National Executive | University of Western Australia |
| 2002-03 | Bek Cornish | National Executive | University of Adelaide |
| 2003 | Taso Filippou | SA State President | University of South Australia |
| 2004 | Bek Hamed | National Environment Officer | Australian National University |
| 2004 | Jenelle Davy | National Queer Officer | RMIT |
| 2005 | Susie Byers | WA State President | University of Western Australia |
| 2005 | Jason Ngam | National Executive | Swinburne University of Technology |
| 2006 | Emeline Gaske | National Executive | University of Western Australia |
| National Union of Students of Australia | |
|---|---|
| Universities: ANU | Adelaide | Ballarat | Bendigo | Canberra | Charles Darwin | Curtin | Edith Cowan | Flinders | Griffith | James Cook | La Trobe | Macquarie | Melbourne | Monash - Caulfield | Monash - Clayton | Murdoch | Newcastle | Queensland | QUT | RMIT | South Australia | Southern Cross - Coffs Harbour | Southern Cross - Lismore | Southern Queensland | Sunshine Coast | Swinburne | Sydney | Tasmania - Hobart | Tasmania - Launceston | UNE | UNSW | UNSW COFA | UTS | UWA | UWS | Victoria | Wollongong | |
| Current Factions: Australian Liberal Students Federation | Grassroots Left | Independents | National Labor Students | National Liaison Committee | Socialist Alternative | Student Unity | |
| Former Factions: Australian Labor Students | Left Alliance | Love and Rage | National Broad Left | National Organisation of Labor Students | Non-Aligned Left | |
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