Topics: University of Sydney, ANU called to Senate Estimates, proposal to cancel visas of international student protesters.
James MacPherson: Sarah, thanks for joining me. As I mentioned, the University of Sydney has bowed to students demands, saying it will review its ties with defence businesses. What do you make of that?
Senator Henderson: James, good evening and I think this is an absolutely shocking decision by the University of Sydney and its vice chancellor, Mark Scott. Of course, these students held the university to ransom and rather than Mark Scott throwing the book at them for trespass or breaching university rules, he has rewarded them with this, as you say, insane agreement which also opens the door to the university potentially agreeing to divestment, which is what they’re demanding, and that is cutting all ties with Israel. This is so serious. I have called on the Albanese Government to intervene. I have to say, James, this has been fuelled because Melbourne Uni did a deal, not as bad as this one with protesters. Jason Clare, the education minister, said absolutely nothing. And of course, that weakness of leadership has now opened the door to a worse deal, happening at the University of Sydney. So, frankly, the education minister is failing Australians. But as for Mark Scott, if he cannot do his job, he needs to go.
James MacPherson: You’ve said you’ve called upon Anthony Albanese to intervene and Jason Clare as the education minister. What would you like them to do?
Senator Henderson: Shut this agreement down. This agreement must be shut down straightaway. This is rewarding activism. This is rewarding the university being effectively held to ransom and it is no way to run a university campus. As I say, the university should be focused on taking disciplinary proceedings against those who’ve set up the encampment because that, after all, is unauthorised. They should be charging those who have trespassed. They should be identifying those who shouldn’t even be on the university campus. But this is just a complete failure of leadership. I mean, I for weeks and weeks and weeks have been raising profound concerns about the antisemitism, particularly at Sydney and Melbourne unis. I mean, let’s not forget it was at Sydney Uni where children were encouraged to chant `intifada’. And then, of course, the education minister failed to directly condemn that. And he even said, “Oh, well, you know, these terrorist slogans mean different things to different people”. And of course, he was rebuked by the Prime Minister, for fundamentally failing to support a two-state solution. So, this is a disaster. This is reputationally very bad for the University of Sydney. And as I say, the Prime Minister himself needs to intervene because the education minister has shown he is too weak to do so.
James MacPherson: Well, let’s talk about the Australian National University. Their leadership is going to be hauled before a Senate Estimates committee over its handling of antisemitism, including this gem from ANU students involved in the encampment who said Hamas deserved unconditional support. Have a listen:
(Excerpt, ABC Radio Canberra)
Ross Solly: You’ve also got to send a message to Hamas to release the hostages, don’t you?
Student: Well, I actually say that Hamas, deserve our unconditional support, not because I agree with that strategy.
Ross Solly: You can’t condemn what Hamas did in October last year?
Student: I will not condemn what Hamas did. We must be unconditional, but we must be critical also. Right? No, I do not condemn.”
James MacPherson: Sarah this will be the second time in history that the ANU have appeared before a Senate Estimates committee. What are you hoping to get from the University leadership when they are before the committee?
Senator Henderson: James, I would love to haul all university vice chancellors into Senate Estimates. We only have the power to bring in the ANU because of the way it’s constituted. But this is a really important opportunity to ask how the university’s managing antisemitism in relation to that particular incident, the endorsement of Hamas, which is clearly shocking. The university is investigating that incident. I understand that particular student has been suspended, but we will learn more next week. It’s incredibly important that we get the confidence and assurance from every university that it has no tolerance whatsoever for any form of racism, including antisemitism. I have to say, too many universities have been far too weak in upholding their rules against discrimination, against intimidation and harassment. But as I say, this is a really good opportunity to test how the university is responding. Well, we’ve seen how the heads of universities in the United States performed when they were hauled before committees. So, we’ll watch that one with interest.
James: Just one more question. The Coalition has vowed to cancel the visas of international students protesting in anti-Israel protests. I like the idea, but how does that work practically?
Senator Henderson: Well, the Migration Act already has a range of important powers which enable the minister to cancel a visa on a number of different grounds, including disrupting the peace and also supporting terrorism. So, we haven’t seen any action from this government at all in relation to any international student who might have been involved in serious incidents of antisemitism. So, we’ve made it very clear that we take this very seriously. We will adopt a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism. We will cancel the visa of anyone involved in serious incidents of antisemitism. The powers are already there under the Migration Act, and it’s very regrettable that this government, being so weak, is not currently using those powers.