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Student politicians from across Australia will this week gather at Federation University’s Mt Helen campus in Ballarat to attend the National Union of Students’ annual National Conference for 2024. 

The National Union of Students (NUS) is the peak representative and advocacy body for Australian tertiary students, of which the University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU) is a part. Held every year in December at a regional Victorian campus, NUS National Conference, or NatCon, is the body’s Annual General Meeting.

This year’s conference is once again being held at Federation University’s Mt Helen campus, on Wadawurrung land, about 10 kms from Ballarat.

The purpose of NatCon is to debate and vote up amendments to the NUS’ standing policy platform, and to elect new Officers for 2025.

The NUS plays a unique role in advocating for tertiary students and their learning conditions, and lobbying for reform to tertiary education. For many student organisations less well-resourced than UMSU, NUS provides vital representation. However, NUS affiliation doesn’t come cheap. 

This year UMSU paid $80,000 to affiliate with NUS, down from $90,000 in 2022. NatCon tickets, which include food and accommodation, are an additional $1250 per delegate. The hefty cost of affiliation and attendance, as well as concerns about the NUS’ effectiveness as a body, has meant that historically unions are occasionally unwilling to affiliate. 

Proposed policy is submitted prior to the conference and grouped in Chapters within the Policy Book to then be decided upon by delegates - though much of the outcome is predetermined in negotiations prior to the conference itself. Chapters include topics such as ‘Student Unionism’, ‘Ethnocultural’, and ‘Disabilities', with many Motions moved together ‘en bloc.’

Each affiliated student union typically elects between six and seven delegates. The strength of each delegate’s vote is measured by their universities’ amount of full-time student enrollments. As the University of Melbourne has such a large student body, UMSU’s delegates to NatCon are particularly valuable 

Who are Unimelb’s delegates to NatCon?

Factions

Student Unity

Approximate vote share: 45-50%

UMSU Delegates: Josh Stagg, Kevin Li, Luv Golecha.

Student Unity (SU) is by far the largest faction at NatCon. Commonly known as Labor Right, SU is made up of various subfactions. The most powerful subfaction within student politics is the SDA (Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association), though other subfactions include the TWU (Transport Workers Union) and AWU (Australian Workers’ Union). 

SU currently holds almost all positions on the NUS National Executive, including the General Secretary. SU have traditionally bound their delegates’ votes to a predetermined position, with exceptions made for conscience votes. However, Farrago has received reports claiming that SU’s internal rules have been amended and that this exception for conscience voting no longer stands. 

Student Unity’s numbers at NatCon have been bolstered by members of the Queensland Organisation of Labour Left Students (QUOLLS), reportedly securing them an assumed majority on the conference floor. 

Critics of the faction take issue with its institutionalised lobbying-based approach to achieving change and relative social conservatism within the NUS. SU drew further ire at last year’s NatCon for its defence of a sponsored trip to Israel taken by 2023 General Secretary Sheldon Gait and First Nations Officer Patrick Taylor. SU’s majority on the conference floor has seen it evade accountability and quash debate by curtailing other delegates’ speaking rights, discussing motions en bloc to limit speaking time and passing procedurals without explanation.

UMSU’s SU delegates all come from the Community for UMSU ticket, which is dominated by the SDA. 

National Labor Students

Approximate vote share: 10%

UMSU Delegates: Lucy Rachman Vascotto, Rachel Hynds. 

National Labor Students (NLS), or Labor Left, have traditionally been the second-largest group of delegates represented at NatCon, though this year they have been overtaken by Socialist Alternative. NLS have held the Presidency since the NUS’ formation in 1987, including 2024 NUS President Ngaire Bogemann from Unimelb.

NLS purports to advance a ‘two-pronged’ approach of activism and negotiation, aiming to hold the Labor Party to account. This strategy is frequently critiqued as ineffective in bringing about change by Socialist Alternative and Grassroots, who challenge what they perceive as both Student Unity and the NLS’ leveraging of identity politics to defend their positions against critique and stifle discussion on the conference floor. Socialist Alternative and Grassroots have also criticised both factions for their perceived complicity in the failures of the Labor Party more broadly. 

NLS have seen their representation among the National Executive diminish significantly over the last few years, only maintaining the presidency as part of a longstanding ‘sweetheart’ deal with SU. However, with SU’s significant majority in the  NUS, they always  have the power to renege on this deal. NLS currently hold one National Executive position and one National Officer position (Women’s).

In contrast with SU, NLS are prohibited from negotiating with or voting for Liberal delegates.

NLS traditionally ran under Stand Up! at UMSU elections. In the wake of the ticket’s 2024 dissolution, NLS ran alongside members of Unimelb for Palestine and the Greens Club on coalition ticket Activate. 

Socialist Alternative

Approximate vote share: 20-25%

UMSU Delegates: Amaya Castro Williams, Lucy Chapman Kelly.

Socialist Alternative are a group of revolutionary Cliffite Trotskyist student activists, prioritising political campaigns and movement building. SA are a visible presence on many university campuses, including Unimelb, known for their campaigns including ‘Students for Palestine’ and for the Refugee Encampment in Docklands earlier this year.

SA currently holds the NUS Queer Officers and one National Executive role. SA’s conduct at last year’s NatCon was the subject of much controversy, with allegations of disrupting accessibility during the Disability Chapter on the final day, resulting in the conference's collapse. SA are frequently criticised by the other factions for refusing to enter into a left bloc with NLS and Grassroots, who argue their progressive platform and opposition to the Labor party is inconsistent with their willingness to work with SU.

UMSU’s delegates Amaya Castro Williams and Lucy Chapman Kelly were elected on the Left Action - Free Palestine! ticket in what was one of the least successful elections for SA in recent years. While their deal at UMSU with the SDA-subfaction of SU fell apart earlier this year, previously SA have formed alliances with SU at an NUS level.

Grassroots Independents

Approximate vote share: 5%

Grassroots, often referred to as 'Groots,' are a group of left-wing students who prioritize activism over lobbying and position themselves as an alternative to the Labor/SA duopoly. They don’t currently hold any National Executive roles, and have seen a number of losses across campuses this year, meaning they’re unlikely to pick up any this NatCon. Groots, unlike other factions, don’t bind their delegates’ votes.

Australian Liberal Students Federation

Approximate vote share: <2%

The Australian Liberal Students Federation (ALSF), or Young Libs, play a relatively insignificant role in the NUS due to their lack of delegates. Their delegates have often proxied to or voted with SU. The ALSF hold the abolishment of Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF), a part of which funds student unions, as one of their key tenets.

At UMSU, the Liberals ran under the Rebuild ticket, and previously held a singular NUS delegate position which they have since lost in the 2024 election. 

Independents

Approximate vote share: around 5%

A minor number of delegates attend NatCon each year who are genuine small-i independents (i.e. not Grassroots), including delegates and observers from Curtin University and the University of Western Australia, though the Independents are usually unable to wield much control with such small numbers. 

Note: An amendment was made to the article earlier this morning (10/12/2024) to more accurately reflect NLS' share of delegates. 

Disclaimer: Mathilda Stewart is not aligned with any campus-level or national-level political factions.