Central Queensland University accused by Institute of Public Affairs of banning ‘discord with Indigenous Australians’
- Australian universities are undermining freedom of expression
- Report released by Institute of Public Affairs
An Australian university has been accused of taking political correctness to a new extreme by banning staff and students from disagreeing with Indigenous peoples.
The Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) claims that Central Queensland University has introduced a protocol stating that ‘direct verbal confrontation’ and ‘expressing disagreement’ with Aboriginal people should be avoided in order to ‘maintain consensus’.
The conservative think tank’s Free Speech on Campus Report 2023 claims that “vague and broad policies” are undermining free speech at many Australian universities to avoid “hurt feelings”.
Other guidelines cited in the IPA’s report as an attack on free speech include the University of Wollongong’s inclusive language guideline, which instructs students to avoid the use of terms such as ‘male’, ‘ladies’ and ‘ woman’ to avoid.
And Bond University apparently discourages the use of “sarcasm” because it could be interpreted as “bullying.”
Central Queensland University (campus pictured) has been accused of banning staff and students from disagreeing with Indigenous peoples
The IPA’s claim of feuding with Indigenous Australians references Central Queensland University’s ‘Engaging and Communicating with Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and First Nations People Protocol’.
The document does not actually recommend a ban on disagreeing with Aboriginal people, but rather points out that they can avoid disagreement themselves to avoid rocking the boat, especially if they are talking to someone in a position of authority.
The paragraph reads: ‘Direct verbal confrontation is distressing to most people, and expressing disagreement can be avoided to maintain consensus for many Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander or First Nations people. It is important to recognize this and get to work with it.’
The IPA published a similar report in 2019 claiming there is a ‘free speech crisis’ in Australian universities.
While Central Queensland Uni has not banned staff and students from expressing dissent with those of First Nations people, it follows a number of affirmative action policies as part of its reconciliation action plan.
These include ‘insert bilingual signage and country names on all campuses, at main entrances of buildings, facades, foyers, entrances and in named rooms’.
The document also specifically says that the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait jobs should be increased.
At least one additional Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander staff member must be appointed to a “senior leadership position” at the university, according to the document.
The number of contracts with The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers must be ‘expanded by at least two per year’.
And staff are “encouraged” to participate in at least one external event to “recognize and celebrate” National Reconciliation Week.
According to the Australian Research Council, more than 60 percent of Australian universities had implemented ‘reconciliation action plans’.
But it noted that only half of these had been developed in collaboration with indigenous peoples.