President

Well, there is a change of authors this week. Virginia is overseas for a few weeks representing NZUSA at the Asian Students' Association executive meeting in Iraq. While she is away I will be acting as President. If anyone wants to come and visit me I will be in or around the Studass office during the day.

Parliament finally opened last week with much pomp and ceremony which always accompanies such occasions. For the last six months or so we have been governed by Cabinet without Parliament sitting. The opposition parties have quite rightly questioned the late opening of Parliament. They have insisted that democracy demands that Parliament meets regularly.

However, Parliament should not be seen as the "democratic process" in action. It offers no chance for most people to be involved in the decision making process. Our rights seem to begin and end with participation in an election every three years which decides which party, all offering similar policies, will become the Government, people are expected to cast their votes and then watch while we are governed.

Parliament has little relationship to democracy. All it is is an elite group of people who make decisions on our behalf while ignoring the needs and demands of the majority of the people of New Zealand.

Changing the subject, this week the Wellington Community Law Centre will open, at 280 Willis Street. It is a student run service which will give free legal assistance to the people of Wellington. Such a scheme should be applauded by all, as it represents an attempt by students to give legal assistence to people who have traditionally been ignored by legal services.

Paul Cochrane