Calls for ‘urgent investigation’ into University of Sydney student council meeting

New details have emerged about students involved in a “reprehensible display” at a university meeting, amid mounting calls for an investigation.

There are mounting calls for an investigation into a “reprehensible display of misogyny” at a University of Sydney student council meeting as more details come to light on the incident.

At the meeting on Wednesday night, two male students tore up copies of The Red Zone Report. The 200-page report, commissioned and published by End Rape on Campus (EROC) in 2018, alleged there was a systemic culture of sexual violence, hazing, elitism and inaction at Australia’s university colleges.

USYD initiated an “immediate inquiry” on Thursday, after being made aware of the incident at the annual meeting, which is held after the student elections for Representatives-Elect of the 97th Student Representative Council, and recorded and live-streamed by USYD’s student newspaper, Honi Soit – a fact that attendees are fully aware of.

One of the two students who tore up the report did so while remarking “no one cares”, while a third male student picked up the shreds of it and threw them in the air.

news.com.au has confirmed all three boys are members of a union-funded club on campus. Neither the Club nor the students involved responded to news.com.au’s repeated requests for comment.

The two boys who tore up the report also previously volunteered for a former government minister “for approximately three days each as part of an experience program”.

Neither of the students is “currently working as volunteers as part of my campaign”, the former minister said.

Two of the boys involved in the incident previously worked for a minister. Picture: Supplied

The incident occurred in response to a presentation by incoming SRC Women’s Officers and current Sexual Violence Officers, Ellie Robertson and Martha Barlow, that addressed the recent bullying incident at St Paul’s College and the “years and years of abhorrent and disgusting behaviour” at USYD.

As Ms Robertson spoke, Ms Barlow passed out copies of The Red Zone Report to the elected Student Representatives and other attendees at the meeting.

Their behaviour has drawn heavy criticism from SRC Representatives-Elect, sexual violence victim-survivor advocates, and members of the USYD community, amid increased pressure for those involved to face repercussions for their actions.

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman told the ABC on Thursday he has asked the state director of the Liberal Party to “urgently investigate” the matter.

“Any mocking of a report about disgusting behaviour is in itself disgusting behaviour,” Mr Speakman said.

Chanum Torres, who is president of the NSW Young Liberals, told news.com.au the group “take matters of women’s safety very seriously”, adding: “I welcome the Party looking into these matters.”

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman has asked the state Liberal Party director to ‘urgently investigate’ the matter. Picture: Richard Dobson

Pieces of the shredded Red Zone Report following Wednesday night’s SRC meeting. Picture: Supplied/Honi Soit

While outgoing USYD SRC President, Harrison Brennan, said the actions of the students “are nothing short of deplorable”.

“In a week already marred by reports of degrading hazing and assault at St Paul’s College, these individuals tore up a report on sexual violence, harassment, and hazing within the colleges,” he told news.com.au.

“Their behaviour shows nothing has changed.”

Ms Barlow, who was the one to pass out the copies of The Red Zone Report, said it was “horrific, but perhaps not surprising” that the response was to “laugh in my face, tear it up, and throw the pieces at us”.

“It is a quite frankly reprehensible display of misogyny to so blatantly laugh …(at the) victim-survivors (in the report), and an incredibly telling one,” Ms Barlow told news.com.au.

“Just like the colleges themselves, these student representatives would prefer to ignore the problem of sexual violence altogether and pretend it doesn’t exist. To this we say that the time is long past to sweep this under the rug.”

Just three months ago, the USYD’s Annual Report on Sexual Misconduct revealed that staff and student reports of sexual assault or harassment had more than doubled since 2022, up from 121 to a total of 246 in 2023.

To “laugh, undermine and ridicule” incidents of sexual violence at colleges, Ms Robertson told news.com.au, particularly when there were victim-survivors in the room, “is extremely vile and harmful”.

USYD launched an ‘immediate inquiry’ into the incident. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

USYD Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), Professor Joanne Wright, told news.com.au the university is “deeply disappointed by what has reportedly occurred and expect higher standards from our students”.

“Any behaviour that mocks victim-survivors or ignores the impact of trauma resulting from sexual misconduct is absolutely unacceptable,” Professor Wright said.

“We’re dedicated to creating a safe environment for our students and staff and we are formally reminding the SRC of their obligation to manage their meetings with sensitivity and respect.”

Though student representative and student-led groups are independent of USYD, Prof Wright emphasised that all members are “required to abide by our policies and codes of conduct, and we don’t hesitate to take action if we determine there has been a breach”.
“Everyone in our community has a responsibility to foster a respectful and inclusive culture,” Prof Wright said.

Originally published as Calls for ‘urgent investigation’ into University of Sydney student council meeting