Benson-Pope escapes VUWSA’s wrath
A motion calling for the resignation of Minister for Social Development David Benson-Pope failed at last week’s Student Representative Council (SRC) after the meeting was declared inquorate.
The motion against the beleaguered Labour Minister was moved by Publications Committee student representative and frequent Salient correspondent Nicholas O’Kane at last Wednesday’s SRC.
Although the motion found a seconder, only nine people voted both for and against the motion, forty-one votes short of the quorum of fifty.
The meeting had earlier reached a quorum of fifty-two after around ten minutes of rallying by VUWSA President Nick Kelly. Activities Officer Joel Cosgrove moved a motion opposing last year’s fee increases and spoke for the motion, taunted with cries of “communist” from the crowd. It was passed unanimously.
A motion calling for O’Kane to “shut the fuck up” was suggested but not moved.
What are SRCs?
Student Representative Councils are weekly meetings where students have the chance to debate and set VUWSA policy. They are held in the quad, usually on a Wednesday at 12.50. The quorum is fifty, which in theory should not be hard to reach considering there are around 18,000 students at the University. Motions from the floor are accepted.
