I am shocked to hear that La Trobe University has denied one of its students natural justices in a disciplinary hearing. Ryan Higginson, the student in question, is only 19 years old and although his studies and future were at stake, he was not permitted legal representation at this hearing and had to face the institution’s committee unsupported. It then penalised him by suspending him for eight months. This is certainly an instance of institutional bullying but there seems to be more to it than that.

Ryan is a left wing student activist who was engaged in perfectly legitimate campaigning on campus; spirited yes, but not unacceptable or even unusual. Even so, complaints against him were made to the university by those who oppose his views in support of the Palestinians and against Israel’s most recent appalling attacks on Gaza. The complainants claim he intimidated them. It is well known that formal complaints of intimidation are one of the many tactics employed by supporters of the Israeli state in their attempt to close down free and open discussions of Israeli's treatment of the Palestinians.

I wonder why La Trobe so naively accepted this spurious complaint. Is it against free speech on campus?  Is it taking sides in the Israel/ Palestinian conflict? Is it trying to curry favour with Christopher Pyne who has made it known to VCs he wants left wing activists on campus muzzled.  Possibly all three? Whatever the case, La Trobe has brought itself into disrepute. This is a sad scenario for a university that once had a proud reputation for its openness to political debate. Patently it needs to reverse its decision before more damage is done.  

Professor Jane Kenway Australian Professorial Fellow – Australian Research Council Education Faculty, Monash University

I write in support of Ryan Higginson’s appeal against his 8 month suspension from La Trobe University.

I understand that Ryan has been suspended on the basis of his publicising statements made by the president of the La Trobe Student Union during a debate about Palestine earlier this year.

In my view, publicising the statements made by a student union president should be regarded as integral to a culture of robust political debate on campus. The views of a student union president are a matter of public interest since they are elected to a position of political influence and should be held accountable for those views. They should understand that opinions they express have greater weight than those of students who do not hold political office and therefore, also, that their opinions will be more likely to be held up for public scrutiny. This is particularly the case during periods of controversy.

The penalty meted out to Ryan is completely unwarranted. It appears that he is being punished simply for exercising his right to free speech. Whatever one may make of the Ryan’s views, and whatever one’s views of the student union president’s opinions, Ryan has the right to express his views on campus.

I write as a former activist, university staff member and doctoral student at La Trobe. During my time at La Trobe (1989-93) political debate was heated at times but there was never any suggestion that students would be suspended for engaging in what were sometimes quite fierce verbal and printed exchanges. 

Ryan’s suspension is a severe penalty given that it will invalidate his studies in Semester 2. It also jeopardises his ability to carry out his work as an elected office bearer in the student union in 2015.

I would urge the appeals committee to strike down Ryan’s suspension and to allow him to resume his studies without penalty.

Tom Bramble, PhD La Trobe (1993) UQ Business School The University of Queensland

During some periods, in some places, universities as institutions and their physical campuses have provided vital spaces where critical thought and the pursuit of knowledge and truth could flourish despite the pressures of wider, more repressive societies. Student activists have played a vital role in creating such conditions. The actions of Dutch students in defending the ideas of René Descartes against the forces of entrenched Scholasticism – centuries before the fruitful intellectual impact, across all disciplines, of global student mobilisations during the late 1960s and early 1970s – come to mind.  The actions of La Trobe University's management in persecuting Ryan Higginson with an eight month suspension for his actions of critical truth-telling on the university's campus, in the solidarity campaign with the Palestinian people, by contrast, have the opposite effect. Apparently at the behest of powerful conservative interests inside and outside government, they are turning the campus into a space in which there is less scope to disinterestedly pursue knowledge and engage in critical discussion. As a Jew who values resistance against all forms of racist oppression, I am outraged at suggestions that Mr Higginson's behaviour created an intimidatory atmosphere (exposing injustice, political hypocrisy and chicanery is not intimidation) or encouraged antisemitism.  His scrupulous rejection of the conflation of Judaism and Zionism, a premise of both antisemitism and Zionism, contributes, on the contrary, to the struggle against the oppression of Jews and Palestinians alike. La Trobe management is denying him and others the free speech to state this and other inconvenient truths. Using lavish amounts of the University's money and its precious legal autonomy that could be employed to promote rather than undermine the goal of advancing our understanding of how the world works and how it can be improved in the interests of humanity, La Trobe's administration has implemented arbitrary rules to deny Mr Higginson natural justice. By making an example of an honest, effective campaigner, its apparent intent is to create an atmosphere of craven and uncritical compliance with authority on and beyond the campus.

Dr Rick Kuhn Adjunct Reader in Sociology Australian National University

2 Nov 2014 — Ryan's verdict has been handed down - he is suspended for 8 months from La Trobe University. This came into effect immediately that the decision was made, which means his work so far into the semester has been declared worthless. This is an extremely harsh verdict. 

This compromises his status as an elected office bearer in the La Trobe Student Union for 2015. It is a very concerning development that the university administration feels it has the right to intervene into a democratic election process.  Universities should be a hub of dissenting opinions, not places where activists are silenced. We intend to appeal this draconian result. While this appeal process continues there is plenty for supporters of free speech to help with. We are especially looking for statements of support. If you're an academic, a student, or just concerned about this violation of free speech on campus get in touch at the email below. 

In a win for the political right, student activist Ryan Higginson has been suspended from La Trobe University. For eight months, the 19-year-old will be unable to attend classes or set foot on any La Trobe campus.

I have another confession to make – one that will I suspect deafen you to any arguments I’m likely to proceed with. I was for many years a member of Socialist Alternative as well as its predecessor organisations, the International Socialist Organisation and the International Socialists. I know these people; I know their political culture, their ferocious hatred and opposition to all forms of sexism, homophobia and racism. I know that their political pantheon includes at the highest level Jewish figures such as Rosa Luxemburg, Leon Trotsky and, of course Karl Marx, and that the particular tendency of Trotskyism from which they emerged was founded was founded by a Jew born in Palestine, known to the world by his nom de plume Tony Cliff rather than his birth name, Yigael Gluckstein. The organisation I joined in 1983 had been founded in Australia by a handful of members in the 1970s and the names of those early members included Janey Stone, Alec Kahn, Dave Nadel and Jeff Goldhar. Not all of them are members today, though if you bothered to contact any of them and ask, I’m confident they would not cite anti-Semitism as a reason for leaving. All of them were, when I knew them, committed anti- Zionists and I particularly remember, when I attended Jeff ’s funeral at the Jewish cemetery in Springvale, his instructions to mourners that no rock or piece of soil from the state of Israel should be placed on his grave. One of the prouder moments of my political life was when, as a member of the International Socialist Organisation in the mid- 1990s, we were the main organisers of demonstrations which drove the neo- Nazi organisation National Action off the streets of Melbourne. We were aided, memorably, in this particular piece of “harassment” and “bullying” by a number of orthodox Jewish youth who had walked all the way from the south-eastern suburbs to Brunswick to join the fight (the Nazi demonstration we were countering had been called on the Jewish Sabbath). I am telling you all of this to explain why I am confident that the accusations of anti-Semitism labelled at my former comrades by the Murdoch press, and other organisations with a dubious reputation regarding the truth, are a monstrous lie. You make a great deal of the accusation that the members of Socialist Alternative misquoted Christopher Pyne, by highlighting the fact that they left off the qualifying clause to his statement about freedom of speech – that “University administrations should be very careful not to invoke freedom of speech to allow speech that vilifies students.” Your email then proceeds to link to an opinion piece in the Australian from Christopher Pyne alleging with the blithe disregard from evidence one expects from a man of Christopher’s calibre, an increase in anti-Semitism on campus. What then is your evidence that Socialist Alternative at Monash have been guilty of racist harassment? You have none. If you did, no doubt you would be trumpeting it to the hills. What you have is the fact that some students were barred from a Socialist Alternative meeting (a meeting held specifically in opposition to the Israeli invasion of Gaza) because they refused to sign a petition opposing the invasion. That’s it.

Robert Bollard, responding to a Zionist’s call for Robert to take a stand against Socialist Alternative’s “anti-semitism” at Monash University, where the Socialist Alternative Monash University club has been deregistered.

Please sign the petition to defend free speech http://www.change.org/p/louisa-ashton-allow-free-speech-on-campus-and-overturn-the-decision-to-deregister-the-socialist-alternative-club

and here is another article highlighting the bullshit claims.

(via mamas-kumquat)

Don't forget to sign the petition against the expulsion of Ryan, an activist at La Trobe, as well. We've nearly reached 1,000 signatures! http://www.change.org/p/don-t-expel-activists-defend-free-speech-at-la-trobe 

A student activist at La Trobe University in Melbourne is facing expulsion for his involvement in the Palestine solidarity campaign.

The victimisation of individual students for engaging in political activism on campus is a serious threat, and not just to the right of those students to pursue their studies. It is designed to intimidate any student out of standing up for their political beliefs if they do not concur with the views of the university administration or the government.

Ryan Higginson, a Socialist Alternative member and La Trobe student, received a letter on 1 September from Richard Frampton, the general misconduct officer of the university, demanding that he attend a hearing to consider allegations of misconduct made by a member of the Student Union council, Jessica Cornish.

The charges against Higginson are flimsy claims of personal harassment and intimidation. They revolve around a poster that highlighted a vote on the Student Union Council. Council members had voted against a resolution opposing the Israeli war on Gaza.

Similar allegations have been made against left wing students at campuses across the country this year. According to Sarah Garnham, education officer at the National Union of Students, “Right wing student groups across the country have pursued a coordinated strategy of lodging false and malicious complaints against student activists. Unwilling to debate the issues on their merits, they have resorted to lies and slander that risk the academic future of students who are the victims of such claims.”

Adding fuel to the flames is the disgraceful repetition of these accusations in the corporate press. The Australian has run a series of articles this year uncritically repeating slanders against Socialist Alternative by right wing students.

When such claims are dismissed after university investigations – as happened most recently regarding the charges against Socialist Alternative at ANU, which were the subject of two scurrilous articles by Christian Kerr in the Australian – the findings are simply not reported. The Australian also refused to print a response, submitted by Socialist Alternative, to a defamatory 29 August article written by education minister Christopher Pyne.

The basis of the allegations against Higginson is a 10-page submission made by law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler, in which it demands the expulsion of Higginson and the suspension of two other students. Arnold Bloch Leibler is a notoriously right wing firm that has previously acted for Tony Abbott in a dispute with the CFMEU.

Mark Leibler, who wrote the submission against Higginson, is a senior partner at the firm. He is also a former head of the Zionist Federation of Australia. On top of that he is the current national chairman of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, and the governor of the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce.

The involvement of this firm gives the lie to any idea that this trial is about personal disputes between students. It is nothing short of a highly politicised witch-hunt.

Arnold Bloch Leibler is also closely connected with the La Trobe University administration. In 2008, the head of its public interest law practice, Peter Seidel, was appointed as an adjunct professor at the university’s School of Law.

This connection provides instructive context to the scandalous manner in which the university is conducting the trial. Higginson has been banned from having legal representation at the hearing. A “support” person may attend, but only on the condition that they have no legal training, and do not “make submissions or present evidence on [his] behalf, or in any other way act as [his] advocate”.

Higginson’s request to have the hearing adjourned has been abruptly rejected. He has virtually no time to put together a reply to the pages of evidence compiled by a top-tier law firm.

Kangaroo court is too polite a term for such a process. It is an outrage that a university has the gall to conduct itself with such flagrant disregard for natural justice and the right to a fair trial.

Expulsions of university students for political activism have been virtually unheard of in Australia since the Vietnam War era. It is incumbent on everyone who believes in free speech to speak out in opposition to this gross violation of basic rights.

Sources: http://www.news.com.au/national/tony-abbotts-legal-team-pro-bono-in-david-ettridge-lawsuit/story-fncynjr2-1226646308037

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbott-discloses-legal-aid-20120516-1yray.html

http://www.abl.com.au/ablattach/abl60yearanniversary-abbott.pdf

Student and education activist Ryan Higginson faces expulsion from La Trobe University. Ryan has been part of the protests against Education Minister Christopher Pyne's planned education cuts in the federal budget. Pyne wants to stop this opposition. 

Sign the petition here! Follow this blog for updates on the campaign.

Thank you so much for making me and so many of my parliamentary colleagues welcome tonight. I looked at the guest list and there’s almost enough of my colleagues here to have a meeting of the ministry.

Tony Abbott speaking at the 60th birthday party of Arnold Bloch Liebler - the law firm which has prepared the case against anti-Abbott activist Ryan Higginson.

(http://www.abl.com.au/ablattach/abl60yearanniversary-abbott.pdf)

Accusations of anti-Semitism against socialist students are lies

Accusations of anti-Semitism against socialist students are lies -Daniel Taylor  Over the past five weeks, as the Israeli military pulverised the Gaza Strip, there have been widespread allegations of an increase in anti-Semitic intimidation and violence on university campuses. The allegations – widely circulated in print, on social media and on commercial radio – include claims that Jewish students are being racially abused, physically intimidated and banned from public lectures. Socialist Alternative has been frequently named as responsible for these acts. For anyone familiar with socialist politics, which includes at its core unyielding opposition to all forms of racial discrimination, these claims must seem alarming and incongruous. In fact, they are lies with no basis in fact. An explanation requires some examination of the politics of Zionism and socialism on university campuses. *Socialist Alternative, Jews, and Zionism Socialist Alternative is a Marxist organisation. Many of the thinkers from which it draws influence, including Karl Marx, Leon Trotsky and Rosa Luxemburg, were not only Jews, but Jews who lived in periods of intense state-sanctioned anti-Semitic discrimination and pogroms. Our movement seeks to fight against, and ultimately abolish forever, all forms of racial oppression. In Australia, this requires active struggle against the racist attacks on Aboriginal people, refugees, and Muslims. It also requires solidarity with those who struggle internationally against racism and oppression, such as the Tamils of Sri Lanka and the Palestinians. Socialist Alternative student clubs often have spearheaded these campaigns on university campuses and in wider society. We seek to unite all struggles against oppression, break down all divisions of race and sex, and help build movements that can challenge the entire system that generates and perpetuates racism. This requires a consistent and principled opposition to anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism is not a major current in Australian politics, but it is nonetheless a poisonous and vile doctrine that seeks to lay blame for the world's ills on the characteristics of a single ethno-religious group. We celebrate the long history of Jewish socialism and Jewish anti-Zionism, and count many Jews among our members. *Zionists on campus There are many organised political currents competing for influence in the political life of Australian campuses. The student wings of the Labor, Liberal and Greens parties are all represented, as are other equally political groups that are sometimes less honest about their affiliation. In the latest controversies over anti-Semitism, they key political group is the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS). AUJS has a presence on over 20 university campuses in Australia and New Zealand. It describes itself as the peak body representing Jewish youth. AUJS spokespeople are frequently quoted in the press as authorities on anti-Semitism. But AUJS is not an apolitical organisation. As its website proudly proclaims, it exists to "promote a positive image of Israel on campus". This mission becomes particularly crucial during the Israeli military's assaults against Palestinians. AUJS runs annual tours to Israel, which aim to give participants "a stronger connection … to the state of Israel". AUJS's annual reports boast of campaigns in solidarity with Israel’s military during Operation Pillar of Cloud, a military assault that killed 100 Palestinian civilians; they describe the movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel as "our great political challenge". They call for "settling the country as an expression of practical Zionism". AUJS is not an organisation representing the interests of Jewish students, but an advocacy group for the right wing politics of the state of Israel. Its reports boast that pro-Palestine campaigners cannot host an event on any campus "without running into an AUJS campaign". For this reason, in 2012 the Zionist Federation of Australia sent AUJS a letter of thanks and congratulations for "efforts in combating anti-Zionism". The right wing politics of AUJS and its affiliates are embodied in the person of Matthew Lesh. Lesh serves two prominent roles: he is the political director for AUJS and an official spokesperson for the Young Liberals. AUJS accuses its enemies on campus of conflating Zionism with Jewishness, and with turning criticism of Israel into hostility to Jews. In fact, conflating Judaism and Zionism is precisely the political goal of AUJS. Slandering supporters of Palestine as anti-Semitic is its primary method for "combating anti-Zionism" and fulfilling the project, outlined in the AUJS constitution, of "actively advancing the interests of Israel". *Operation Protective Edge When Israel began its latest massacre in Gaza – which has so far led to the slaughter of more than 1,900 civilians and the widespread destruction of homes, schools, and hospitals – a political confrontation between the supporters of Palestinian rights and the defenders of Israeli militarism was inevitable. At Monash University, Socialist Alternative moved a motion in the Student Council, condemning Israeli war crimes and occupation. Similar motions, including endorsements of the BDS campaign, were taken up and adopted at the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Sydney, Flinders University, and Curtin University. A similar motion moved at La Trobe University was voted down in a heated council meeting. Socialist Alternative also organised and advertised meetings at campuses around Australia, under titles along the lines of "Why You Should Support the Palestinians". The Israeli military massacre in Gaza was catastrophic for the public image of Israel. Weekly protests against the attack drew thousands of attendees in Melbourne and Sydney, hundreds in other Australian cities, and millions around the world. We are proud that Socialist Alternative's work contributed to this anti-racist and anti-Zionist sentiment. The initial response from AUJS took the form of a series of press statements expressing concern that the motions passed in student councils would "alienate Jewish students" and contribute to anti-Semitism. This was a clear attempt to conflate political opposition to Israeli policy with racial discrimination against Jews. AUJS also created an absurd series of images, headlined "What Would You Do?" of rockets being launched from one Australian university campus to another. These images were spread on social media and printed on posters, but rang rather hollow, especially after the Israeli military bombed the main university in Gaza. AUJS also encouraged its members to file a flood of complaints describing the pro-Palestine events as "anti-Semitic", while lobbying university vice chancellors to ban pro-Palestine activism on campus. It managed to get the vice chancellors of Monash and La Trobe universities to send emails to all students implicitly attacking pro-Palestine activists, after what AUJS called "strong AUJS advocacy". AUJS then commenced a campaign of outrageous slander targeting activists at these two universities in particular. *The slanders The two most startling allegations were aired by Matthew Lesh on 3AW radio, and repeated by Deakin University's Danny Ben-Moshe in an online article published by The Conversation. Lesh claims that Jewish students were physically ejected from a public lecture at Monash University, and subjected to a campaign of harassment and intimidation at La Trobe. Both these claims are absolutely false. The "lecture" at Monash University was a Socialist Alternative political meeting. Not only were Jews welcome and encouraged to attend, but the talk itself was given by a Jewish member of Socialist Alternative. Attendees were asked to sign a petition calling for an end to Israel's illegal economic blockade of Gaza. A small group of organised Zionists attempted to gain entry after refusing to sign the petition, and attempted to disrupt the meeting. They gave up after being told the meeting was for supporters of Palestine. There is nothing unusual in this. Socialist Alternative has in many previous instances barred disruptive right wingers who have attempted to disrupt and air racist opinions at our meetings. Even if you don’t agree with this policy, it has nothing whatsoever to do with anti-Semitism. In this case, the meeting went ahead peacefully, with Jewish students both delivering the initial talk and contributing to the discussion afterwards. Immediately afterwards, the Zionists who had attempted to disrupt the meeting began a social media campaign claiming that Jews had been banned from campus events. Socialist Alternative members immediately contacted them to clarify that Jews were welcome, but that the meeting was not for political defenders of Israeli occupation. No retraction was issued and their campaign continued, proving the utterly cynical use of allegations of anti-Semitism to smear and undermine progressive politics on campus. The events at La Trobe University followed the decision by the student council to unanimously vote against a motion condemning the Israeli assault on Gaza. As the student council is a democratically elected body accountable to students, Socialist Alternative members produced posters quoting several of the arguments used by the council members to justify their vote – including "It's not our place to point at somebody and say, 'You're committing mass murder'." The posters did not single out any council members on the basis of religion or ethnicity; they simply quoted the arguments made in the meeting. The student council, obviously fearful for its reputation, instructed security to tear down the posters, and complaints of harassment and intimidation were filed against Socialist Alternative members with the university administration. The right to host political meetings on campus, and inform students of events that are taking place on their elected leadership bodies, would seem like basic political rights that nobody would contest. But because these rights, when exercised, could contribute to the continued disintegration of Israel's public image, AUJS kicked into overdrive. It launched an aggressive media campaign, claiming that these events represented a wave of anti-Semitic abuse and intimidation at Australian universities. *Anti-Semitism and the responsibilities of the left The ongoing genocide of the Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli state naturally horrifies all those who oppose racism. The slanders drawn up by organised Zionists are calculated to undermine this sympathy, and to suggest that campaigning in solidarity with the Palestinians is itself a form of racism. It is an attempt to isolate Palestinians from their natural supporters among anti-racists and supporters of human rights. It lays the groundwork for the intimidation of activists who support Palestine, the banning of their meetings and organisations, and the eradication of any criticism of Israel from university life. Already, because of the AUJS campaign around La Trobe University, activists have been forbidden from forming a "Students for Palestine" club – because campaigning for Palestine is now considered, scandalously, to be a form of "intimidation and harassment". The death toll from the most recent Israeli attacks on Gaza is now approaching 2,000. The Israeli war machine receives extensive political, military, and diplomatic support from key institutions all around the world. A principled opposition to racism requires participation in a global movement in solidarity with the Palestinians. Socialist Alternative is proud to have played a role in this movement in Australia, and will continue to do so. The attempt by the political supporters of Israel to define all opposition to its policies as forms of anti-Semitic intimidation and harassment is an outrageous and shameful lie. To slander anti-racist activists, and to promote the racist terror of the Israeli state, while claiming to be taking a stand against racism is an act of utter cynicism. The Left cannot bow to this intimidation. It has a responsibility to continue raising a voice in solidarity with the Palestinians, to make it clear that Jews can oppose Zionism, and that institutions like AUJS that exist to defend and promote Israeli militarism are not the authentic voice of all Jews. [Daniel is a member of Jews Against Israeli Apartheid and Socialist Alternative.]

Reprinted with permission from redflag.org.au

Education activists sock it to Chris Pyne! Ok, it was a couple of months ago. But still. Awesome. 

In which Education Minister Chris Pyne calls on universities to stifle dissent and not to let concerns about "freedom of speech" to get in the way. 

Chris Pyne is no friend to education activists (Quel surprise).

Student and education activist Ryan Higginson faces expulsion from La Trobe University. Ryan has been part of the protests against Education Minister...

Three days after the Education Minister wrote an article demanding universities crack down on dissent, La Trobe sent a letter to Ryan with allegations of misconduct. Sign the petition to protect free speech on campus. 

TONY Abbott is receiving pro bono legal assistance from Arnold Bloch Leibler in defending the defamation case being brought against him by prominent unionist John Setka.

"Last year Mr Abbott declared he was receiving pro bono legal services from Arnold Bloch Leibler in defending a defamation case brought against him by prominent unionist John Setka". Cuz if anyone needs free legal advice, it's the leader of the Liberal Party. 

This law firm has put together a case to expel an education activist from La Trobe University. So much for impartiality. 

Free speech under attack at La Trobe!

Student and education activist Ryan Higginson faces expulsion from La Trobe University. Ryan hasbeen part of the protests against Education Minister Christopher Pyne's planned education cuts in the federal budget. Pyne wants to stop this opposition.

On August 29th Christopher Pyne publishedan article insisting that universities move to stifle dissent, and that university administrations should ignore considerations of “freedom of speech”.

Three days later Ryan received notice that he is required to attend a formal disciplinary hearing at theuniversity. The charge sheet against him was put together by law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler. This law firm in 2012 gave Tony Abbott free legal assistance in his case against John Setka, the Victorian Secretary of theConstruction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union

The complaint alleges that Ryan's activism for Palestinian human rights is a form of harassment. This is merelyan excuse to attack free speech on campus and silence a progressive activist.

The nature of the charges mean that expulsion is a real possibility. This is an extremely serious step. The lasttime students were expelled for political activity in Australia they had been involved in the movement against he Vietnam War.

Universities should be places of debate and critical thinking. Students have a right to a political voice.

Sign the free speech petition here!