Ban on ‘white males’ speaking suggested at Melbourne University seminar

A university workshop suggested “white males’’ and “Liberal voters’’ be quiet during classes.

Thom Carlyle-James, 21, says Melbourne University campus life is hostile to students with right-wing politics. Picture: David Geraghty

Tensions have flared at the University of Melbourne after a workshop suggested “white males” and those who look like “Liberal voters” be forbidden from speaking during classes in a bid to dismantle privilege.

Participating students at the “How privilege manifests in tutorials” workshop held last week were told that “white, male students” and “students resembling Liberal voters” should be discouraged from speaking to provide more space for women and non-binary people to contribute to discussions during tutorials.

The workshop was part of the university’s “Radical Education Week”, which is organised by the University of Melbourne Student Union’s Environment ­Collective.

Other workshops included “Why & How to Be Less ­Employed”, “A School Striker’s Experience” and “Climate vs Capitalism: Eco-socialism as an Alternative”.

The student union funded the series of workshops through the Student Services and Amenities Fee, a mandatory annual fee paid by full-time students to fund student support services as well as societies and the university magazine.

Chris Kounelis, president of the Melbourne University Liberal Club, said the workshop was a ridiculous use of the SSAF, which this year cost full-time students $303, and contributed more than $6 million to the union’s coffers last year.

“Yet another initiative from our student union which provides little benefit for the mainstream students who pay for it,” Mr Kounelis said.

“Students should not be ­expected to fund this left-wing lunacy out of their own pockets.”

Student Thomas Carlyle-James, 21, did not attend the workshop but said he was not surprised that white males would be discouraged from speaking.

“The tutors and lecturers have a very heavy left-wing bias and generally sort of belittle any other opinion,” he said.

“They represent capitalist ­authors and Liberal thinkers like (John Stuart) Mill as old racists.”

The politics student, a member of the Liberal Club, said university life was increasingly hostile to students who held conservative views, an atmosphere stoked by the regular presence of GetUp and groups such as Socialist Alternative.

“There’s generally this sort of idea that Liberals are all racist, rich, white kids,” he said.

“I know plenty of Liberals and none of them are racists and they aren’t as wealthy as people think and are also from all different ­nationalities.”

Students are graded on their participation in tutorials and Mr Carlyle-James said white, male students could potentially be marked down if they weren’t ­allowed to speak.

UMSU president Molly Willmott said the workshop aimed to support students from diverse backgrounds.

“This is not about stopping people from speaking,” she said.

“We’re a university that encourages free speech.

“It’s about giving space to people who don’t feel included on university campuses because of things like gender, language (and) queerness.”

A University of Melbourne spokeswoman said there was no policy that prevented white male students from talking during ­tutorials. “This is a workshop run by UMSU,” she said.

“What is discussed is not university policy.”