Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee [Part 2], , 2:25:45 to 2:50:20
Discussion shifts to internal academic conduct investigations and the formation of a university committee to combat racism and antisemitism.
Topics: Education, Antisemitism
Speakers: Professor Joan Leach, Senator Matt O'Sullivan, Ms Dominique Lowe, Michael Schwager, Unknown Speaker, Speaker 2
>> So, we'll um spend for 15 and then we'll be returning at 9:00. Thank you. >> resume and Senator Osullivan has the
call. Thank you. At last estimates, it was revealed that Mr. Andrew Hammond, an academic responsible for teaching Middle Eastern politics and history, has under his aegis uh as an ANU professor, publicly endorsed and promagated anti-semitic conspiracy theories. Can you confirm that he's still employed at the A&U and still teaches and not being stood aside?
>> Um, thanks uh uh Senator and I of course remember that from last uh Senate estimates and what I can confirm is that there is still a process a foot. So that's not something that I can um discuss in terms of his status in relation to teaching. I'll ask the
>> he's currently not teaching Senator.
>> Okay. but still employed while that while the process works its way through. Okay, it was publicly reported that there was a complaint about this matter. What's the status of that complaint?
>> That's part of the process, Senator. It's been addressed through our
>> Uh, what was the selection process of the combating racism special committee?
>> Yes. So [snorts] we established that um special committee um earlier this year. The provost is the chair of that committee and I'll ask the provost to talk about that.
>> Thank you. Uh so that committee um was uh initiated earlier this year uh when the uh um university was looking at uh a definition of anti-semitism. uh and then uh the our legislative requirements changed uh and we have to consider further definitions of racism, Islamophobia and uh anti-first nations hate. So when that committee was first um uh called into being >> um we were um uh I made a general call uh to uh the university to ask people to join the committee uh but especially reached out
>> you saw you sought nominations
>> sought yeah sought nom self-nomination uh across the community uh but was especially attentive uh to members um of our uh Jewish community uh because at that point we were um looking at only that definition. Uh when that um uh legislative um uh remmit expanded uh we reopened uh the committee to see if there were other people who would like to join the committee um to assist us in um other areas.
>> So just to confirm the selection process was you you put out the you saw expression of interest. Did you appoint everyone that was expressed interest or or did you have to make a selection? No,
we we we appointed everyone who expressed interest.
>> Um and and and then because of the expanded scope, you've you then opened it up to others. >> And was was that the same process to find those people?
>> Absolutely. The same process to find those those people. Um uh I think the committee was well underway at that point and we probably had gotten many people who were already interested in in general issues of anti-racism. So the committee was not much expanded but anyone who has wanted to join the committee um has been welcomed.
>> Okay. So no one's missed out that wanted to join. are you aware of any Jewish members of oh, sorry. You are you aware that the Jewish members of the committee wrote to its co-chairs in July 2026 objecting to the adoption of the first paragraph alone of the university's University Australia definition of anti-semitism?
>> Yes, Senator, I'm aware that um some members of that committee did so. Yes.
Was that letter or part of it put to the
so that letter was written to me in the context of the uh committee. Um the the role of that committee is to put recommendations forward to council. Um that work has at that point that work really had not begun. Uh and now that work is kind of coming to completion. So yes, that will go um to council with uh the recommendations across the committee
>> but it hasn't yet. >> Did the ANU received any submission from any Jewish student staff member or organization supporting that first paragraph alone?
So, uh, Senator, I can't, um, point to any, um, uh, individual who has, um, made a recommendation, uh, of that of that, um, uh, of of adopting only the first, um, part of the, um, UA definition. What I can say is that we have had an open consultation across the university um where um colleagues can uh um answer or make their make their preferences and their um analysis uh known anonymously through uh a consultation process. So I do not know um from that open consultation who says what um but there are a variety of views. Um [clears throat] and I have spoken uh to um our Jewish community um uh about this and there are differences of views amongst that community.
>> Okay. Vice chancellor or inter vice chancellor you were you you presented in front of the royal commission. >> When was that? Just trying to get the chronology. >> When do you recall >> Was in June. I don't know the precise date. So June um uh cuz you gave evidence there that uh that that the definition had not yet been incorporated. Um where's it at now? Have have you has it
Um so Senator I gave evidence um to the Royal Commission that council had adopted the first paragraph of the University Australia definition and that council was uh needed further time to consider the other paragraphs of the definition and that was the best to the
>> and so it's been just so I understood the evidence before it's
>> thank you I think it was July July instead ing. Oh,
>> okay. Right. And and so it's now Did you say it's going before council soon?
>> That's that's correct. And and and since that time, we've had the regulatory requirement all higher education providers to have um those definitions in place by 1 January.
>> Okay. So, it will be done. >> Thank you for your time. Thank you, chair.
>> Thank you. Um, thank you to you all. I I believe um, Mr. update.
>> I I do, Senator. Thank you. Um, if I could just, uh, update a response I gave regarding Senator PCO's question on our Dexus accommodation arrangements for our purpose-built student accommodation. Um, the premise of Senator PCO's question was that we originally sold the arrangements to Dexus, um, a company called Dexus. In fact, the original sale uh of the purpose-built student accommodation arrangements was to a company called Morrison's in 2016. They then sold that arrangement themselves to AM in 2019. Then AM sold that on to Dexus in 2023. So, um it's an independent asset stream for those companies. They can trade and then they have the arrangement with us. So, I just wanted to correct the record for that purpose. Thank you very much.
Um, thank you to York for your participation. You're free to depart.