ATAG Left Dead in the Water

By Darcy Lawrey (he/him)

Members of the Victoria University of Wellington Student Association (VUWSA) executive are disappointed their proposal to establish a national political advocacy group for student associations has been turned down. 

On the 20^th of August, VUWSA met with student associations from around the country to discuss the proposed establishment of an Aotearoa Tertiary Action Group (ATAG). ATAG would have been the political wing of ATSA, the brand new national group of student associations.

The executives of each association had earlier voted on whether to adopt VUWSA’s proposal. Auckland University of Technology Student Association (AUTSA) was the only other student association to vote for the plan.

VUWSA President Liban Ali said that the association had “watered [the proposal] down as much as we can”. It was the fifth version sent by VUWSA, after many rounds of consultation with other ATSA members. Ali says he was “very disappointed” by the decision. “They’re gonna have buyer’s remorse when the general election comes around,” he added.

VUWSA Academic Vice President Ethan Rogacion, who drafted the proposal, was disappointed that feedback on “procedural stuff” hadn’t been raised earlier. He also found the suggestion by some ATSA members that “a better proposal” might be on the table next time hurtful.

However, Rogacion doesn’t see the result as a failure for VUWSA. “We at VUWSA are incredibly, incredibly committed to finding a way forward, because we need a national student voice,” he said.

He sees the lack of a national political group for student associations as a missed opportunity to hold the government to account, especially with the upcoming general election in 2026. “Solidarity makes us stronger,” he said.