On Monday, February 17th, a large number of NSW National Labor Students (NLS) formally disaffiliated from National NLS, emerging factionally reconstituted as NSW Labor Students. This follows the alleged unconstitutional purge of 11 NSW faction members at a national level on Sunday, February 16th.
SRC President and former NLS member, Angus Fisher, confirmed that 11 members of NSW NLS were purged, notably targeting those “members who were consistently vocal against the Labor establishment.”
He verified that this led to many of the remaining members disaffiliating by choice, who have now emerged as NSW Labor Students. Fisher is included in those disaffiliated.
This follows the alleged unconstitutional removal of an NLS National Convener from the NSW NLS branch based on concerns from the NSW state members. VIC NLS and ACT NLS reportedly orchestrated the national purge against NSW members by vote, leaving concerns as to the legitimacy of the remaining branches and their future political involvement.
On the reasoning behind the purge, Fisher stated that “the NUS President and both national convenors worked to purge 11 members of [the] national caucus that voiced serious concerns about the actions and behaviour of leadership and members within the national caucus.”
“It was done completely unconscionably, without reason, and was in complete violation of the national constitution,” Fisher concluded.
An anonymous source affiliated with the new faction further told Honi that the “NSW Labor [Students] remain committed to fighting for socialist, left-wing change inside and outside the student movement.”
The purge follows a year of onboarding a notable number of new members in NSW NLS, as well as an election win for the current USyd SRC President, Angus Fisher.
NLS provided Honi with a statement:
“National Labor Students (NLS) aims to foster a healthy, safe and inclusive environment for young activists to engage and participate in. Unfortunately, the national caucus had to take immediate action to uphold the continued integrity of NLS and the national constitution. A small minority of ex-members who directly breached the constitution, and no longer reflected our values had their memberships ceased. An overwhelming majority of the national caucus cast their vote being in favour of the motion to remove the membership of these individuals.
We respect the autonomy of other members who made the decision to leave the national caucus of their own accord and look forward to working with them respectfully and productively in the future. NLS has a zero tolerance policy for bullying, intimidation, or harassment of any kind.”
Honi requested a copy of the NLS Constitution, but could not receive it as it is a private document. Therefore, all mentions of the constitution are alleged.
Honi has requested comments from members of VIC NLS and ACT NLS.
