Maverick politician to demand parliamentary inquiry into foreign influence on Australia’s universities

Bob Katter has praised suspended University of Queensland student activist Drew Pavlou as showing “bloody good leadership” ahead of a stunning new development in the ongoing saga.

MAVERICK federal politician Bob Katter will today demand a parliamentary inquiry into foreign influence on Australia’s universities following the suspension of “anti-CCP” student activist Drew Pavlou.

In a sensational move in the ongoing saga over the suspension of 21-year-old University of Queensland student Drew Pavlou, Kennedy MP Bob Katter will today promise to move a motion at the next sitting of Parliament that the Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security carry out the inquiry.

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Student activist Drew Pavlou was suspended from the University of Queensland for serious misconduct. Picture: Liam Kidston

Two allegations of serious misconduct against Mr Pavlou were upheld by The University of Queensland’s Senate Disciplinary Appeals Committee, relating to online social media abuse and a stunt where he wore a biosafety suit and posted a note on the doors to the Vice-Chancellor’s office which said “COVID-19 Biohazard: Condemned”.

Queensland’s Mr Katter said Mr Pavlou has shown a “tonne of bloody leadership”.

Bob Katter wants a parliamentary inquiry into foreign influence on Australia’s universities. Picture: Mick Tsikas

“I mean this is thought control – you think wrong, we don’t approve of what you’re thinking, so we’ll throw you out of the university … a more blatant example of thought control would be hard to find,” he said.

“The days of ‘visa shop universities’ are over; COVID-19 and Chinese intrusion have both destroyed this Ponzi scheme,” he said.

The University of Queensland has strongly rejected that student disciplinary matters were a free speech issue and has previously refuted “unsubstantiated accusations about any political motivations”, arguing it is an active defender of free speech.