ANU halts investments in weapons makers after pro-Palestine protests

The university has bowed to pro-Palestine protesters’ demands and changed its policy to focus on ‘socially responsible investments’.

A sign at the pro-Palestine camp set up by students at the Australian National University in Canberra. Picture: Martin Ollman/NewsWire

The Australian National University will no longer invest in weapons companies after bowing to pro-Palestine protesters’ demands.

Students set up camp at the Canberra campus in April, demanding the university stop investing in companies arming Israel, including Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman.

Vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell on Tuesday said the ANU Council had agreed to update its policy, since “community expectations around what socially responsible investment means are evolving and expanding”.

“Our university community has recently drawn attention to investment in companies that derive revenue from arms manufacture and sales,” Professor Bell said.

“We have listened to that feedback from our community.”

The protesters initially said they would not leave the encampment until their demands were met although they were later disbanded, with dozens of students facing disciplinary action.

In June, the university said it would review its investments in light of the demonstrations and 900 staff, students and alumni submitted feedback on the policy.

Professor Bell said the university will look to invest instead in gender equality, First Nations-led companies and organisations managing modern slavery risks.

Other areas that were already excluded from university investment were coal, gambling, pornography and tobacco.

One undergraduate and one postgraduate were among the 15-strong council that voted on the resolution, which also included former foreign minister Julie Bishop.