Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Higher Education Spokesperson, is pleased to join students, academics, the Jewish Council of Australia, and Australia Palestine Advocacy Network to support a People's Inquiry into Campus Free Speech on Palestine. This follows over a year of universities silencing students and staff participating in peaceful protests and calling for an end to Israel's genocide and occupation of Palestine.
The Inquiry itself will invite submissions from the public and will be conducted by a panel of academics and a student representative. The Terms of Reference for the Inquiry and how to make submissions can be found here.
As stated by Senator Mehreen Faruqi:
"It's an honour to join students, activists, academics and lawyers APAN and JCA to support this vitally important People's Inquiry into Campus Free Speech on Palestine.
"Since the genocide in Gaza began, students and staff at universities have led the way in calling out and rallying against Israel's war crimes and atrocities, and now they are taking the lead on the behaviour of universities towards these staff and students.
"I am inspired by their courage and compassion that is so clearly lacking in our complicit government and institutions.
"University campuses should be political spaces where students and staff are encouraged to speak out on issues of social, racial and environmental justice, not shut down.
"Yet, time and time again universities have resorted to harsh measures to silence dissent when it comes to justice for Palestine, one of the world's most important moral litmus tests.
"From draconian anti-protest policies and police interventions to surveillance, suspensions and disciplinary actions, university management has used every trick in the book to stifle activism.
"These attacks on campus activism and free speech are a direct assault on the right to protest and the values of anti-imperialism and justice.
"The repression faced by students and staff is an attack on all who value human rights, and this inquiry will be vital in shining a light on this.
"Israel has obliterated every university in Gaza. And yet Australian universities have been woefully silent about these horrors,and in fact, many have partnerships and investments in major arms manufacturers which contributed to and profited from Israel's genocide in Gaza."
As stated by Dr Max Kaiser, Executive Officer, Jewish Council of Australia:
"Universities should be spaces of open inquiry and debate, not censorship and repression. The crackdown on students and staff who speak up for Palestinian rights is a clear violation of free speech and academic freedom.
"This inquiry is an important step in documenting these injustices and ensuring that universities uphold their responsibilities to protect political expression, not suppress it."
Statement As put by the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network:
"The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) fully supports the People's Inquiry into Campus Free Speech on Palestine.
"Across the continent, students and staff have faced censorship, intimidation and disciplinary measures simply for speaking up about Palestine, and objecting to Israeli genocide. Meanwhile, political leaders, the media and even a Senate inquiry have sought to conflate advocacy for Paelstinians with antisemitism.
"The People's inquiry is a critical pushback by and for the people against the suppression of free speech and the criminalisation of solidarity with Palestinians. Advocating for an end to Israel's decades of oppression of Palestinians is not hate speech - it is a fight for justice and liberation.
"APAN stands with all those resisting repression and urges anyone who has faced discrimination or witnessed injustices against people speaking out for Palestine to make their voices heard in this inquiry."
Line As put by Professor Linda Briskman, Inquiry Panel Member and social work academic:
"The inquiry has potential to challenge the relentless campaigning against academic freedom and freedom of speech. The voices of those who support the rights of Palestinians need to be heard and not suppressed."
Line As put by James McVicar, Inquiry Panel Member and Education Officer for the National Union of Students:
"We are seeing serious attacks on freedom of speech and protest on university campuses around the country. University managements love to invoke the history of protests for social justice on their campuses while they are taking steps to ensure such things never happen again."
