Mass walkout during Melbourne graduation ceremony over anti-abortion comments

University students in Melbourne staged a mass walkout during an anti-abortion speech by former union boss Joe de Bruyn at their graduation.

Graduating students at a top Australian university staged a mass walkout during former union boss Joe de Bruyn’s keynote speech, after he began rallying against abortion, same-sex marriage and IVF.

Hundreds of Australian Catholic University (ACU) graduates in the faculties of education and arts, law and commerce, as well as staff, left the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Monday when Mr de Bruyn’s speech “took a hard-right turn”.

The former national president of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA) spoke about his union achievements for several minutes before declaring he’d opposed “the deliberate killing of unborn human beings” for decades.

“Today, over 80,000 unborn children are killed by abortion in Australia each year,” Mr de Bruyn, who ACU bestowed with an honorary degree, said.

“Worldwide, the estimated number is 42 million each year.

“Abortion is the single biggest killer of human beings in the world, greater than the human told of World War II. It is a tragedy that must be ended.”

Mr de Bruyn, who has previously publicly voiced his opposition to abortion, gay rights and IVF, went on to decry the latter two topics.

“Marriage between a man and a woman was instituted by God at the origin of humanity in the Garden of Eden, as the book of Genesis in the Bible tells us,” he said.

“Since then, every society on Earth at all times has recognised marriage as being between a man and a woman.”

He then reflected on comments he made after Monash University developed “the technique of IVF for infertile women” during the 1980s.

“In the controversy that followed, the media asked me for my opinion,” Mr de Bruyn said.

“I responded that it was morally wrong to deliberately bring children into the world in an environment would have no father.”

Former union boss Joe de Bruyn.

One ACU graduate, Charlie Panteli, told ABC Radio Melbourne on Tuesday morning that after Mr de Bruyn’s “shocking” anti-abortion and IVF comments, he’d heard enough.

“I was one of the first to get up and I was quite far down the front and I started to signal I was going,” Mr Panteli said.

“It was the most selfish speech to give at a graduation. He did not reference us at all.”

He estimated “95 per cent” of people left the auditorium as Mr de Bruyn’s speech went on. Those that did stick around, Mr Panteli said, “were filming it because they were all so shocked that they thought the news should get out”.

“There was a sense of solidarity. We all got up and we all left,” he said.

“Like, we’re not going to be a part of this.”

An ACU spokesperson told news.com.au in a statement that Mr de Bruyn’s remarks “were delivered in a personal capacity”.

Mr de Bruyn’s honorary degree was conferred in “recognition of his dedication to the rights of workers, educational advancement and improving social welfare”.

“While his views may not be shared by many of our staff and students, as a university we encourage the respectful exchange of ideas that represent the wide spectrum of our diverse community,” they said.

Graduating students at a Melbourne university staged a mass walkout Mr de Bruyn’s speech. Picture: TikTok

One graduate estimated ‘95 per cent’ of people left the auditorium as the speech went on. Picture: TikTok

“Graduation is a special day and it’s important to us that our graduates and their families have a positive experience. The university understands that many of our staff, graduates and their families disagreed with the content of Mr de Bruyn’s speech and we regret that this occurred.

“As a university we’re committed to open, respectful dialogue. We always encourage people to present their views and beliefs while also being respectful to those who hold a contrary view.

“ACU is committed to providing a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for students and staff of all beliefs.”

Mr Panteli called on ACU “to apologise, because this guy did hijack our day”.

“His speech had nothing to do with anything really. It wasn’t appropriate,” he told the ABC.

They market themselves as an inclusive business and then to support and give this person an honorary doctorate, I just think it’s appalling and he should be stripped of that title.”

Originally published as Mass walkout during Melbourne graduation ceremony over anti-abortion comments