Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 41 No. 9. April 24 1978

Treen Complains

Treen Complains

Dear Sir,

I wish to express my disappointment at the way my nomination for international delegate to May Council of NZUSA was handled at the last SRC meeting.

Unfortunately I was not able to be at that meeting because I was unable to get back to Wellington I because of the closure of the airport. I was away from Wellington because I had been sent is a delegate to the NZUSA policy work-shops at Canterbury University. In fact I was the only Victoria delegate to make it since I left on Friday morning.

This attempt to serve VUWSA was then used as an attack on me. It was said that I wasn't present because I waft in Auckland lobbying for the position of EVP of NZUSA. It was implied by Leonie Morris, Woman's Vice President, that this reflected on my interest in the position. This was no more than slander. I had travelled to Auckland on personal business because I couldn't get into Wellington. At no stage did I lobby for the EVP position.

It seems that the rumour that I was standing for the position was spread by the NZUSA president who used student money to make toll calls around the country to lobby against me and convince other people t6 stand for the position. The people who used this rumour against me at the SRC also knew that I had gone to the policy workshops and that it was impossible to get back because of the airport closing. The logical end to these attacks was the election of David Murray, the very person whom I had decisively beaten for the IAO position in the first place, as an International delegate.

This is only the latest in a series of attacks on me since my election. In the forefront of these attacks have been Leonie Morris, Woman's Vice President; David Murray, last year's Salient editor; and Simon Wilson, this year's Salient editor. All are part of the Maoist Students Against Imperialism.

Rather than work with me to see if we can create a real international awareness on campus they have attempted to obstruct my work. For example, when I was first elected to the position of IAO, Simon Wilson questioned my competence in an article in Salient. Offers to write international articles have been declined; attempts were made to prevent my election to attend the policy workshops and now I am unable to attend May Council and thus learn how to serve students more effectively.

The honest course of action by those who due to their own sectarian political views oppose my holding the IAO position is for them to move a motion of no confidence and fight it out honestly. Unfortunately the method of slander behind my back seems to be preferred.

Mike Treen

(It is true that I have on occasion declined your offer of articles for Salient. That is my prerogative with any potential contributor. My reasons have been either that I already had an article on the particular subject, or I did not consider the subject important enough at the particular time. There is no policy of refusal of your work, as your piece on Bastion Point earlier in the year testifies.

On the more general question of "preventing" you from attending policy workshops and May Councils, Victoria has long had a policy that people should not go to such meetings simply because of their position. Elections are held at SRCs so that those most willing to get involved in the various activities have a chance to do so if the SRC thinks them worthy. You must face this election process along with everyone else.

Finally, you criticise me for "Questioning your competence". It is part of my job to monitor the activities of all officers elected by the association, and I will continue to do this — Ed.)