partnership with Ngai Tauira, and organised a series of mass mobilisations that brought the government's privatisation for tertiary education plans to a halt." 2000s In 2007, President Geoff Hayward and Education Vice-President Paul Brown signed off on spending $22,222.22 on upgrading the organisation's van, with work including tinting the windows, fitting mag-wheels and painting the van black. Subsequently, the details of the expenditure on the van were suppressed by the 2008 Executive. In 2009, the Executive and President Max Hardy apologised to the student body for the misappropriation of funds on the van, and it was announced that the broken down van was to be sold in an attempt to regain some of the original expenditure. Hardy said: "I think we can now put the shameful VUWSA van controversy behind us". Also in 2007, Salient revealed that acting Women's Rights Officer Clelia Opie had spent over $4,000 of VUWSA funds on psychic hotlines. She was subsequently dismissed from the role. In 2008, President Joel Cosgrove courted controversy by wearing a T-shirt which said "I (heart) my penis" to a graduation ceremony in an official capacity. Cosgrove was attempting to promote sexual health for men, but his choice of clothing was widely criticised and labelled embarrassing. In May 2009, President Jasmine Freemantle, who had run for president on a Workers' Party platform, was expelled from the Workers' Party. Furthermore, the Party called for her resignation as VUWSA President. The Party justified its actions by arguing that: "Her actions indicate outright rejection in practice of basic WP – and basic left-wing – principles." Freemantle wrote a long blog post in response, arguing that: "The reality is that my expulsion from the WP says more about the current direction the Party than it does about my politics, or the work I'm currently doing in my role as VUWSA President." Campaign against voluntary student membership In October 2009, Act on Campus orchestrated a special general meeting, and successfully passed a motion "that VUWSA actively supports the Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill" by 45 votes to 35. The bill's aim was to introduce voluntary student membership. However, President Jasmine Freemantle subsequently announced that the motion had been declared null and void by the association's lawyer. VUWSA actively campaigned against the passing of voluntary student membership in 2010. Initial stages of voluntary student membership: 2012–2013 Passing of VSM legislation and impacts Following the passing of