Bullying accusations in University of Tasmania campus move debate

Accusation of spying, vandalism and online bullying: The proposal to relocate the University of Tasmania has seen shots fired from both sides of the debate. Read the latest.

Some opponents of a plan to relocate the University of Tasmania’s Sandy Bay campus have been accused of bullying tactics and vandalism as the debate over the proposal heats up.

But the Save UTAS Campus group has hurled the claims back at the university, saying there have been similar complaints about the conduct of certain people who support the move.

It comes as the Hobart City Council election looms, as well as an elector poll on the uni’s shift into the CBD.

In a letter obtained by the Mercury, UTAS chief operating officer David Clerk writes to the group’s chair, Professor Pam Sharpe, criticising the behaviour of “some members” of the group.

“Recently, we have seen people being targeted and vilified online and signs supporting the city move vandalised,” he alleges. “Just this weekend, one of our academics was publicly and falsely accused of ‘spying’.”

“On social media, we have observed scenarios where large numbers of Save UTAS supporters proactively target individuals who have made a comment in favour of the city move.

“It seems that (some) members of the private Save UTAS Facebook page will encourage its more than 2000 members to join them in attacking the person who expressed a view different to theirs. We now have employees who don’t feel safe sharing their views for fear of retribution from Save UTAS campaigners.”

Chair Save the UTAS Campus group Prof Pam Sharpe signs the petition at Hobart Town Hall. Picture: Chris Kidd

Mr Clerk told Prof Sharpe that he believed the alleged “bullying behaviour” of certain Save UTAS Campus members was “totally unacceptable and is detrimentally affecting members of the university community”.

He claimed the university’s people and wellbeing team had developed mental health support plans, including access to psychologists, for more than 20 employees who were required to engage regularly with online forums.

“That this is necessary is incredibly disappointing,” Mr Clerk said, adding that the personal details of some staff had been shared online.

Prof Sharpe, however, said she “completely rejects” these accusations and that Save UTAS Campus didn’t condone vandalism or “any bad behaviour”.

Some of the vandalised pro UTAS city move signs.

“We have warned against it on email, et cetera, but we can’t control the behaviour of thousands of supporters,” she told the Mercury. “We have also had a number of complaints about damage from the other side.”

It’s understood Prof Sharpe has been issued with a concerns notice for a since deleted social media post in which she appeared to allege that a senior university executive had secretly recorded one of the group’s meetings.

Prof Sharpe said she would not apologise for her social media post until the group had “fully investigated the matter” and that the defamation threat was “over the top” and “an attempt to target and frighten me off”.

“It is the same heavy-handed treatment that staff have endured for some years,” she said.

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