Drew Pavlou: Suspended student’s wild plan to get back on UQ Senate
Drew Pavlou will run for UQ Union president in a bid to get back on the university senate. But all is not as it seems.
Tertiary
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A University of Queensland student has sensationally changed his name to Drew Pavlou in order to run for president of the UQ Union, in fervent support of the suspended activist of the same name.
The University of Queensland PhD student, formerly known as Taylor Wass, 28, today revealed he had legally changed his name to Drew Pavlou in a bid to run for the presidency of the UQ Union, a position which sits on the UQ Senate.
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The pair are only recent friends, having met at one of Pavlou’s press conferences held three months ago.
The original Drew Pavlou, 21, a human rights activist, was suspended for second semester for alleged misconduct, and was subsequently unable to continue in his role on the UQ Senate as the elected undergraduate student representative.
“It was actually Taylor’s idea and I found out it would actually get me back on the senate,” the original Drew Pavlou, 21 said.
“He wins, and on January 1 resigns in favour of me, the real Drew Pavlou, as his first act of office, and then as UQ Union President I am back on the UQ Senate.
“This is how we get around their attempt to ban me from the UQ Senate and student life.
“When students vote for him, they know they’re voting for me.”
The new Drew Pavlou, 28 said he was moved to support his namesake after the July 2019 protest over China’s crackdown on Hong Kong, at which the original Mr Pavlou was allegedly assaulted.
“I followed him on social media and saw he was in a bit of trouble and came to one of his press conferences and met him,” he said.
“I liked what he stood for.”
The original Drew Pavlou denied it was a dirty trick.
He admitted it was a cheeky plan, but it would work as “we’ve run it past the lawyers”.
About a month ago then Mr Wass, 28 had the idea to change his name through the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry process and approached his then suspended friend.
The new Mr Pavlou said he was still adjusting to the new name and answering to it.
“It’s all a bit of fun, I’m not worried about the University, I’m not doing anything wrong,” he said.
“I’ve always had a bit of a prank streak in me since high school.
“It’s just a name though.
“My parents are moderately unhappy about it.”
He added he would change it back, but would have to wait 12 months.
“I just have to make sure I don’t graduate before then otherwise Drew will get a PhD in genetics,” he said.
