Universities will decide if they charge students to protest, Education Minister says

Universities will decide whether student protesters pay security costs for controversial speakers, Education Minister Dan Tehan says.

Minister for Education Dan Tehan has previously said that protesters should cover security costs at universities for controversial speakers. Picture: AAP

Universities will have to decide whether student protesters should pay security costs for controversial speakers despite a review into free speech, Education Minister Dan Tehan says.

Former High Court chief justice Robert French will conduct a ­review of freedom of speech at universities, in the wake of a ­series of incidents in which contentious debates have been ­stifled on campuses.

The education minister said this morning that the review will not allow him or future governments to decide whether controversial speakers will be allowed on campus, or if students should face financial consequences for their protests.

“The universities will ultimately be the judge of that. And I’ve made in my statements very clear that universities are autonomous bodies,” he told ABC radio.

“What this is about is: do we need to update the codes, the regulations around this?”

Mr Tehan has previously said that protesters should cover security costs on campuses.

The French review comes soon after a series of attempts to close down contentious debates at several universities and a warning by Mr French that it was wrong to use “an extended concept of safety” as an excuse to stifle debate.

This follows attempts at La Trobe University and the Universit­y of Sydney to prevent columnist Bettina Arndt from questioning the existence of a “rape culture” at the nation’s universities. The University of Western Australia was also recently forced to cancel a speech by American transgender sceptic Quentin Van Meter after threats from protesters.

University chancellors including the Australian National University’s Gareth Evans had spoken out against attempts to stifle free speech. Mr Tehan said this morning these concerns were why he called a review.

“They didn’t ask for it but they have spoken out saying that they have worries and they have concerns … my view is we do need to look at it,” he told ABC radio.

“The problem we’re trying to fix is to make sure that our universities are places where you can go and freely express your ideas and your opinions.

“That is the heart and soul of what a university is. And there have been concerns raised that is not occurring on university campuses.”

Former High Court chief justice Robert French will conduct a ­review of freedom of speech at universities, in the wake of a ­series of incidents in which contentious debates have been ­stifled on campuses.

The education minister said this morning that the review will not allow him or future governments to decide whether controversial speakers will be allowed on campus, or if students should face financial consequences for their protests.

“The universities will ultimately be the judge of that. And I’ve made very clear that universities are autonomous bodies,” he told ABC radio.

“What this is about is: do we need update the codes, the regulations around this?”

Mr Tehan has previously said that protesters should cover security costs on campuses.

The French review comes soon after a series of attempts to close down contentious debates at several universities and a warning by Mr French that it was wrong to use “an extended concept of safety” as an excuse to stifle debate.

This follows attempts at La Trobe University and the Universit­y of Sydney to prevent columnist Bettina Arndt from questioning the existence of a “rape culture” at the nation’s universities. The University of Western Australia was also recently forced to cancel a speech by American transgender sceptic Quentin Van Meter after threats from protesters.

University chancellors including the Australian National University’s Gareth Evans had spoken out against attempts to stifle free speech. Mr Tehan said this morning these concerns were why he called a review.

“They didn’t ask for it but they have spoken out saying that they have worries and they have concerns … my view is we do need to look at it,” he told ABC radio.

“The problem we’re trying to fix is to make sure that our universities are places where you can go and freely express your ideas and your opinions.

“That is the heart and soul of what a university is. And there have been concerns raised that is not occurring on university campuses.”