Anti-CCP activist Drew Pavlou sues University of Queensland for $3.5 million

Anti-CCP activist Drew Pavlou is suing UQ, Vice-Chancellor Peter Høj and Chancellor Peter Varghese for $3.5 million, claiming the defendants breached his student contract after his controversial suspension.

UQ student activist Drew Pavlou has lodged a $3.5 million lawsuit against the university over its handling of his controversial suspension.

In a statement of claim filed against the University of Queensland, Vice-Chancellor Peter Høj and Chancellor Peter Varghese today, the outspoken activist claimed the defendants had breached his student contract and called for a declaration that Mr Varghese had acted unlawfully.

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It’s the latest development in the ongoing saga between the sandstone institution and Mr Pavlou who was suspended from the university last month over 11 allegations of misconduct.

According to the claim filed in the Brisbane Supreme Court, Pavlou is seeking damages from UQ, Mr Høj and Mr Varghese for $3,500,000 in damages for breach of contract.

He is also seeking $28,810 from the University of Queensland, the amount of his courses at the university, as money received for a consideration that has “totally failed” and or been “unjustly enriched at the expense of” Pavlou.

Drew Pavlou at the Supreme Court filing proceedings against the University of Queensland. Picture: Annette Dew

According to the documents Pavlou is also seeking a declaration that the disciplinary proceedings against him were “conducted in contravention” of the University’s student misconduct policy, in breach of contract, and are “void, invalid and of no effect”.

Further, Pavlou’s claim calls for a declaration that Chancellor Peter Varghese “acted unlawfully” in excluding him from the “out-of-session meeting” discussing his suspension, and preventing him papers to be considered at the meeting and the meeting’s minutes.

Among the claims for relief, he is also seeking an injunction under Australian Consumer Law to stop UQ publishing statements “which are misleading or deceptive, or likely to mislead or to deceive, in the same terms as some of the previous public statements from UQ about the disciplinary process.

And also an injunction under Australian Consumer Law to stop the Vice-Chancellor and Chancellor from being party to, knowingly concerned in those public statements.

A UQ spokeswoman said, when they “receive a formal notice of claim we will consider it and respond through the appropriate channels”.

Speaking outside the Supreme Court, Mr Pavlou said it was a “David versus Goliath fight” but they were going to win.

“It’s basically trying to uphold my rights as an Australian student to speak out freely on Australian campuses, it’s about freedom of speech, it’s about our democratic values, they’ve tried to quash those democratic values for their economic relationship with China,” he said.

The University of Queensland has repeatedly denied that the issue was about free speech instead stating student disciplinary processes are initiated after complaints.

The University has previously said it rejects “unsubstantiated accusations about any political motivations”.

“The University has always been transparent about its international engagements.

“To be clear, disciplinary processes do not seek to prevent staff or students from expressing their personal views or to limit their right to freedom of speech.”

When questioned Mr Pavlou denied the issue had now become about money.

He said if he was to win anything, he would donate a substantial amount to Uyghur Muslims, and human rights work in China.