Vic Labour

VicLabour
Te Rangatahi Reipa o Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui
President Nevada Lee-Mariu
Ideology Social democracy,
Democratic socialism
Progressivism
Mother party New Zealand Labour Party New Zealand Young Labour
Website
younglabour.org.nz/branches/viclabour/

VicLabour (Māori: Te Rangatahi Reipa o Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui, formerly The Victoria University Labour Club) is branch of the New Zealand Labour Party. The branch is primarily made up of students from Victoria University and Massey University in Wellington, and focuses on issues relevant to young New Zealanders. Members of Vic Labour also play a large role in Young Labour, the youth wing of the party.[1]

The branch is part of the Wellington Central Labour Electorate Committee. It is a "special branch" under the Labour Party constitution which means that members may live outside the boundaries of the Wellington Central electorate and do not have to be students. However, members of VicLabour should in general be under 26 or a current student of Victoria University.

VicLabour's members participate in a wide range of activities including protests, being very active on policy development, campaigning and community work.[2]

History

Victoria Labour Club was established in 1934 by Alfred Katz. The branch was invigorated by Labour activists in the 1960s and helped to organise large opposition protests to the Vietnam War.

Membership has fluctuated often over the years but has always stayed prominent.

Student Politics

Members of the branch have been heavily involved in student politics at Victoria University and Massey University. Andrew Little leader of the New Zealand Labour Party was President of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association 1988-89.[3] In 2011 VicLabour members put forward a variety of submissions to try to prevent the VSM bill coming into force and attended a number of protests and readings of the bill at Parliament. VicLabour remains a strong advocate for a stronger student voice.

Current Office Holders

A list of the current office holders can be found at younglabour.org.nz/branches/viclabour/.

References

  1. ↑ Young Labour Executive, website by Young Labour 20 May 2008
  2. ↑ http://younglabour.org.nz/branches/viclabour/, website by Young Labour 5 July 2011
  3. ↑ Big Dreams: Andrew Little, article by Salient 17 Sept 2007
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