Pauline Hanson has lashed out at Australian universities, calling them “out of touch” after an event at one institution described One Nation as “toxic”.
But the University of Queensland (UQ), which is hosting the event which has aggrieved the One Nation leader, has pushed back. It has said the function was not an official university event and its campus was “free from censorship”.
The Australian Festival of Democracy and Human Rights will take place at UQ’s Brisbane campus during the first week of June.
The festival states it aims to “celebrate, critique, interrogate and challenge the conditions for democracy and human rights today” and will feature guest speakers and lecturers.
One academic attending the festival told news.com.au that trade unions can be a “vaccine” to the agendas of far-right politicians.
A notable festival event stated it would look into the “rise of the far-right” in Australia in response to the growing popularity of One Nation. Pauline Hanson is pictured on the marketing material.
The Australian Festival of Democracy and Human Rights will host an event that addresses the rise of the far-right in Australia. Picture: Supplied
The event, entitled “Tackling the rise of the far right: Equality, truth and democratic legitimacy”, will be hosted online and compares the growing right-wing interest in Australia to the impact of President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement in the US.
“With the first ever election of a One Nation Lower House MP, Australia is joining other advanced democracies in grappling with the rise of the far right,” the event description said.
“In this presentation, we discuss the problems of the far right through the lens of equality, truth and democratic legitimacy and propose solutions to counter its toxic gravitational pull.”
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has slammed the event. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman.
Senator Pauline Hanson has responded to the event, claiming it reveals “how out-of-touch universities have become with normal Australians”.
In a statement to news.com.au, the senator described Australian universities as “hotbeds” for left activism.
She added, “Students are being indoctrinated, not educated, and told what to think rather (than) being taught how to think for themselves.
“Australians aren’t buying it anymore.”
The presentation will include addresses from several senior lecturers from the University of Adelaide’s journalism and society and culture faculties, as well as a member of the Victorian Trades Hall Council.
Dr Nathan Manning and Dr Djordje Stefanovic will discuss their research about “aggrieved egalitarianism” and young men’s distorted attitudes towards equality.
Dr Victoria Fielding, also from the University of Adelaide, is set to discuss how the MAGA movement attracted voters and how “post-truth media” can be tied to far-right politics.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Adelaide University, Joanne Cys, said that while the university does not endorse the personal opinions of individual members, they support their right to lawfully and respectfully share their views.
One Nation has gained significant traction with the win of David Farley in the Farrer by-election. Photo by Jesse Thompson/Getty Images
“This is not an Adelaide University event. However, we believe that open discussion and the respectful sharing of ideas are at the heart of what we do as a higher education institution,” she said.
“Academics are encouraged to express perspectives and participate in debates that matter to our community … provided these conversations align with our expectations for respectful behaviour.”
The University of Queensland said in a statement to news.com.au that while the event was not organised by them, they remain committed to academic freedom and ensuring scholars and students are free from censorship.
The Australian Festival of Democracy and Human Rights at University of Queensland will take place during the first week of June. Picture: Richard Walker
“As a public institution, UQ maintains institutional neutrality and, in accordance with the governing legislation, is required to be impartial and apolitical across its activities,” they wrote.
Senior research organiser Oscar Kaspi-Crutchett from the Victorian Trades Hall Council will also present theories from his paper Antidote about how trade unionism can act as a “vaccine” to far-right ideology.
Mr Kaspi-Crutchett told news.com.au the seminar will highlight the hardships faced by Australian workers.
“Antidote is about encouraging all of us to have an honest conversation about what is happening today,” he said.
“I was invited to speak and agreed because young people, working people, deserve to be in the rooms where the future of democracy is being discussed”
Ms Hanson said that her party has “actively tried to improve democracy” and “always championed equality” by “daring to tell the truth that all Australians weren’t being treated equally because Indigenous Australians received more support from taxpayers”.
She said the alleged treatment was “nothing new” to the party and its supporters.
