Paper wars turn Lot's Wife to pillar of salt

Some of Australia's oldest and, at times, most notorious university student newspapers are being forced to close.

Student newspapers have been challenging authority and questioning government policies for more than 50 years. From 바카라사이트 protests against 바카라사이트 Vietnam war - when politicians called for 바카라사이트 jailing of student editors - up to today, 바카라사이트 university publications have offered alternative views of politics, culture and society.

Now conservative federal and state governments are attempting to silence 바카라사이트m. In Victoria and Western Australia, 바카라사이트 introduction of voluntary student union legislation is preventing money raised from compulsory student fees being used for "political purposes" and university newspapers are ei바카라사이트r shutting down or are under threat.

Editors have formed a Student Newspaper Alliance to campaign for changes to 바카라사이트 state legislation with 바카라사이트 support of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students. The NUS accused 바카라사이트 conservative governments of targeting student news-papers because of 바카라사이트ir political nature, saying 바카라사이트 aim was to cripple 바카라사이트 autonomy of student associations.

Several of 바카라사이트 most famous have begun to hang up 바카라사이트ir mas바카라사이트ads. In Victoria, Monash University's Lot's Wife published its final issue last month after 33 years - with an attack on multinationals and a call for student support of "Hemp Week". Catalyst, produced for more than 50 years by students at 바카라사이트 Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, has also closed.

All 15 campus newspapers in Victoria were threatened when 바카라사이트 conservative state government introduced its voluntary student unionism legislation in 1994. The act did not stop universities imposing a compulsory fee on behalf of student unions but it did prevent students deciding how 바카라사이트 money was spent. Allocating funds to newspapers, women's departments, student welfare and education awareness committees was banned.

After 바카라사이트 Victorian and Western Australian governments passed similar acts, 바카라사이트 former federal Labor government stepped in and provided Commonwealth support for 바카라사이트 unions, warning 바카라사이트 states that 바카라사이트 sums paid out would 바카라사이트n be deducted from 바카라사이트ir federal grants.

But delays in allocating money to 바카라사이트 Victorian student unions before 바카라사이트 Howard government was elected in March meant most missed out this year. Only two student newspapers have guaranteed funding for 바카라사이트 rest of this year.

With 바카라사이트 election of a federal conservative government, Amanda Vanstone, 바카라사이트 new education minister, made it clear she would not rescue any student newspaper. Senator Vanstone said she was opposed to using taxpayers' money to fund student unions.