Unions, students stoke fear over Ramsay Centre at ANU, Simon Birmingham says

Simon Birmingham has lashed out at unions and students for stirring up “negativity” to shut down debate about a degree in western civilisation.

Minister for Education Simon Birmingham says he’s disappointed the ANU deal with the Ramsay Centre did not go through.

Simon Birmingham has lashed out at unions and activist students for stoking “fear and negativity” to shut down debate about a proposed degree in western civilisation backed by the Ramsay Centre, adding he hopes one or more universities take up the offer.

The Australian National University was in negotiations with the centre, chaired by former Prime Minister John Howard and which counts another former leader in Tony Abbott on its board, until the discussions broke down regarding academic freedoms last week.

Vice-Chancellor Brian Schmidt, awarded the 2011 Nobel prize in Physics, said he had taken the “difficult decision” to withdraw from a proposed deal because it is “clear that the autonomy with which this university needs to approve and endorse a new program of study is not compatible with a sponsored program of the type sought.”

In senate estimates today, Senator Birmingham reiterated he was “disappointed” the deal would not go ahead.

“This is a significant bequest that could be of great benefit to Australian universities and I hope that one or more than one of them seize upon the opportunities this bequest creates,” he said in response to questions by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

“I hope they (the universities) stare down the fear and negativity that the likes of the NTEU or various student unions engage in from time to time and recognise that academic freedom and free academic inquiry should extend across all disciplines and not be constrained by union officials or branches across institutions.”

Referring to Mr Abbott, Senator Birmingham accused unions of seeking to “shut down a piece of work purely because they do not like a board member on an institution or one or more things that board member might have said.”

Senator Hanson-Young questioned whether Mr Abbott, who wrote an opinion piece for the conservative Quadrant publication, was the right “cheer squad” for the initiative.

Senator Birmingham said the former prime minister has a long involvement in advocating for the study of western civilisation.

“The study of western systems, I would hope, is something that could be supported across partisan lines,” he said.

“The very process that we are sitting through right now, tedious though it may be at times, is indeed a celebration of parliamentary democracy and accountability, all of which has grown from a foundation in western civilisation.”