PM faces protesters at Q and A

ONCE upon a time Chris Hipkins used to organise student protests. These days he has to run the gauntlet of them.

Yesterday Mr Hipkins, on his first visit to Dunedin since becoming prime minister, received a rowdy reception from demonstrators when he arrived at the University of Otago for a Q and A session organised by the campus branch of the Labour Party.

Although the visit will have been organised several weeks ago, it took place two days after a sizable protest on campus decrying proposed cutbacks at the University of Otago, and the very day after a fiery university staff forum where academics and administration staff grilled management about the institution’s $60 million deficit.

Yesterday was also the deadline for voluntary redundancy applications to be lodged by university staff.

Mr Hipkins was president of the Victoria University Students’ Association in 2000 and 2001, and was famously falsely arrested in 1997 when a firstyear student while protesting outside of Parliament.

‘‘I first visited Dunedin in 1998, the first year that I was on the students’ association executive and it was a year after I was arrested at a student protest which looked quite similar to the one we have just had out there,’’ he said.

‘‘So, hello to all the protesters. I’m happy you could join us.’’

He faced a range of questions from students on topics ranging from the cost of living, to the winter energy payment, to whether the Government would extend the feesfree scheme beyond firstyear students.

He also patiently endured an angry series of questions from former Green Party Dunedin candidate Jack Brazil on a range of economic and environmental issues.