Treasurer Jim Chalmers slams QUT for anti-racist symposium

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has slammed one of Queensland's top universities for holding an anti-racist Symposium amid mounting calls for the institution to be sanctioned.

Footage from a QUT event showed Sarah Schwartz, who leads the controversial left-wing Jewish Council of Australia, speaking about “Dutton’s Jew”, accusing the Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of politicising the Jewish community.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has criticised the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) for holding an anti-racist symposium, labelling it “completely unacceptable”.

The event sparked national outrage and widespread condemnation from Australia’s Jewish community last week after attendees were shown an image titled “Dutton’s Jew” at a “comedy debate” by left-wing Jewish Council of Australia (JCA) leader Sarah Schwartz.

QUT is now undertaking a review into the National Symposium Unifying Anti-Racist Research and Action and related events, with calls for the institution to face a parliamentary inquiry.

When questioned on whether QUT should be sanctioned, Mr Chalmers said the university would go through “the processes they need” to ensure similar events would not happen again.

“I thought that was completely unacceptable what we saw at QUT, and I think, to be fair, the Vice-Chancellor of QUT has also acknowledged that with her apology.

“There is absolutely no place in any Australian university, any Australian community, for anti-Semitism,” he said.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Picture: John Gass

“The Education Minister, to his credit, made his displeasure known. The Vice-Chancellor of QUT, across the river there, to her credit, made her displeasure known.

“They will go through the processes they need to go through to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”

Mr Chalmers added that it was not only the university, but also governments and leaders, that played a role in ensuring similar events do not happen again.

“Governments and leaders have got a role in play when it comes to educating people about the evils of anti-Semitism, and I think particularly on today’s [Auschwitz liberation] anniversary, listening to the words that have been expressed by colleagues and by community leaders right around the world, we always need to be rigid when it comes to anti-Semitism.

“That applies to universities, just as it applies to all of the communities around Australia.” It is understood that witnesses who are called before the parliamentary inquiry into on campus anti-Semitism are a matter for the inquiry committee.

Originally published as Treasurer Jim Chalmers slams QUT for anti-racist symposium