Mike talks about Christmas, Parliament, and the Campaign - and the fantastic result in Dunedin, which saw National win the Party vote in South Dunedin. He thanks the Young Nats and other Dunedin supporters during the Campaign, celebrates the promotion of colleagues to Ministerial posts and notes that he has been elected by Caucus to the position of Government Senior Whip.

Michael talks about the Rugby World Cup and particularly how much impact it has had on Dunedin. This is the last sitting week of Parliament for the session and he talks about the Valedictories from retiring members as well as important legislation the Government still has underway.

Michael talks about the Rugby World Cup, the Parliamentary Rugby World Cup, his personal experience of the logistical challenges in Auckland during the opening ceremonies, the upcoming Parliamentary recess and what's been accomplished over the previous two sitting weeks, upcoming valedictories by retiring MPs and 9/11.

The Rugby World Cup is about to get underway and the Parliamentary World Cup is well underway (the PWC team is on track to retain the championship after some bruising wins). Outside the world of rugby, the Government is moving its legislative agenda forward as the General Election approaches and Michael talks about some initiatives involving youth welfare. It's also been a year since the first of Canterbury's devastating earthquakes and Michal talks a bit about the significance of that.

Michael talks about the House being in urgency - and what that is all about, the funeral of Sir Paul Reeves and the handover as Governor-General from Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand to Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae, the weather, and the 75th Annual Conference of the National Party, the Governent's new initiatives on welfare reform.

Michael talks about what he accomplished during the recent two week Parliamentary recess, most of which he spent in Dunedin where he hosted a visit by Hon Kate Wilkinson. The Prime Minister will be in Dunedin this Friday and Michael goes through a bit of the agenda for that visit.

I have a high regard for the Otago University Students Association (OUSA) and Otago Polytechnic Students Association (OPSA). I think they generally provide a good service to students, represent value for money, and if I was an undergraduate student again I would probably join. But that would be my choice. I see no rationale for being compelled to join, and support the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill, a member’s bill presently being debated in Parliament.

I find the rhetoric by opponents of voluntary student membership (VSM) somewhat confusing – almost doublespeak. Opponents of VSM claim that choice would devastate services, silence students and actually curtail freedom. Indeed, OUSA president Logan Edgar has spent two nights in a cage this week to make this very unusual point. VSM opponents also claim that compulsory membership gives students more freedom. It simply does not make sense. We’ve long since dispensed with the idea of compulsory membership of unions and I fail to see why student unions should be treated any differently.

The question not answered by anti-VSM proponents is this: if student associations are so important, if they represent such good value for money, why the morbid fear that students will take flight when association membership is made optional? This labels students, our brightest young and our future leaders, as lacking the simple skill of deciding for themselves whether joining an organisation is appropriate or valuable to them. And if they do, associations should be more focused on why it is that students see such low value in membership than on maintaining compulsion.

One reason put up for the possible reduction in membership under VSM is of financial constraints – that students, otherwise keen to join, may not be able to afford the very reasonable OUSA or OPSA subscription. Readers should consider this in the context of the very high spending behaviour of students during Orientation Week on events costing much more than the subscription to OUSA. Another argument against VSM is that organisations such as OUSA and OPSA would need to spend a disproportionate amount of their resources on marketing. This would be quite unnecessary. The best advertisement for membership of student associations is satisfied students. But if associations are worried that first-year students in particular do not understand the value of membership, all they need to do is continue to restrict attendance at orientation events to OUSA and OPSA members. Problem solved.

Some VSM opponents argue that student membership fees should be likened to rates paid by local ratepayers. I don’t agree with the comparison. Ratings authorities are subject to a number of constraining laws relating to consultation, planning and oversight that are not imposed on student associations. Further, student associations are not apolitical. They have clear political links. Many students compelled to be members are thoroughly sick and tired of some associations’ behaviours, for example:

• The burning of the New Zealand flag by a VUWSA executive member in the grounds of Victoria University’s Law Faculty on Anzac Day in 2007.

• The expenditure of $40,000 by an OUSA staffer to spend a year travelling the world researching student drinking habits – then delivering a four and a half page report on her findings.

• Several high-profile financial misappropriations by student association executive members.

Students associations claim to provide an important advocacy service by lobbying to the university council and the Government on issues such as interest-free loans, the fee maxima, and universal student allowances. They do, but the problem with political advocacy of (in OUSA’s case) 22,000 students is that it is just not possible to represent the common political interest of such a large and diverse membership. A significant cohort of students with differing views to the executive is disenfranchised by the position taken. That is not acceptable in an organisation where membership is compulsory.

At the end of the day this comes down to a simple principle of freedom of association. No New Zealander should be compelled to join an organisation of this nature against their will. On this principle alone, I support the change to voluntary student membership.

Michael talks about the importance of Maori language week, his activities over the recess - including a Dunedin visit from Environment Minister Hon Nick Smith. He'll be with Transport Minister Hon Steven Joyce on Thursday in Dunedin, a visit that coincides with some pre-event activities for the Rugby World Cup. He concludes with some of the issues that are likely to frame the up-coming General Election.