By Kishor Napier-Raman and Stephen Brook
The blowback (and blow-up) from the Australian Catholic University’s decision to grant conservative unionist Joe de Bruyn an honorary doctorate, which he then used to rail against abortion to distraught nursing and medical graduates, continues to reverberate through the Catholic establishment.
The blame, counter blame and political intrigue has reached Daniel Mannix levels.
Only a handful of people remained on stage with Joe de Bruyn after the mass walkout by students and staff.
Vice chancellor and chief executive Zlatko Skrbis did not attend the controversial ceremony in Melbourne on Monday.
And his chancellor, the Hon. Martin Daubney, AM, KC, a former Queensland Supreme Court judge, also played truant.
The latest PR disaster comes after questions in parliament and reports in The Australian that the ACU paid more than $1 million to dean of law Kate Galloway when she was “reassigned” after daring to write an article on abortion law reform.
At the ceremony, De Bruyn told outraged students abortion was a “tragedy that must be ended” and the “single biggest killer of human beings in the world, greater than the human toll of World War II”.
It prompted a mass walkout of staff and students, which led Skrbis to promise to refund them graduation ceremony costs.
“It was very unusual for the vice chancellor not to be there. Nobody can explain this. It is a break from university practice,” a senior Catholic told CBD.
But an ACU spokeswoman said: “With seven campuses in Australia, ACU has multiple graduation ceremonies in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, and it is not unusual for this role to be delegated by the chancellor to the pro chancellor, chair of academic board, the vice chancellor, or one of the university’s senior executive.
“The chair of academic board was presiding officer at Monday afternoon’s ceremony.”
Yes, but this was also the awarding of an honorary doctorate at the invitation of the university senate.
Fingers were starting to point at the archbishop of Sydney, the Most Reverend Anthony Fisher and his supposed influence over the decision to honour de Bruyn. But Fisher is in Rome at a global synod, so he too has a valid permission note for non-attendance.
Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Sydney Chris Meney pushed back on the suggestion the doctorate was all the church’s fault: “Honorary doctorates are recommended by the Honorary Awards Committee,” he said.
“The implication this process can be unduly influenced is insulting to any academic institution.
“It is a matter of public record that Dr de Bruyn has left an impressive legacy through his support of ordinary workers and vulnerable others including the defenceless unborn.”
Not to be left out, Archbishop of Melbourne (and ACU Senate member) Peter Comensoli told CBD: “The unborn, the sick and dying, the elderly, those with disability, people experiencing homelessness, in fact all those on the margins or who have no voice, are owed the upholding of their lives and dignity.
“In a diverse, pluralistic society like Australia, it is important that we are able to engage respectfully in dialogue with those with whom we disagree. It is in this dialogue that trust, harmony and peace are built.
“A Catholic university is such a place where civil engagement on questions of the most vulnerable among us can be, and should be, entered into.”
And that, readers, is your thought for the day.
FARUQI DOWN TO HER LAST THREE PROPERTIES
For all their bluster about being the “party of renters,” nearly half all federal Greens MPs own investment properties, a factoid that no doubt fills Labor operatives with irrepressible glee.
Until recently, the political party’s landlord leaderboard was topped by deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi and Senator Nick McKim, who both owned four properties apiece. Nice for some.
But there’s been a change at the top after Faruqi sold a four-bedroom house in Port Macquarie for $920,000, a smidge under the $1 million price guide.
Still, it’s netted the senator and her husband a healthy profit, given the house was purchased for $250,000 in 2001.
Last year, Faruqi floated plans to bulldoze a bunch of native trees and build two townhouses in a $1.5 million development approved by the council. But that plan appears to have been dumped, with the property now sold as is.
Faruqi’s people maintained the senator remained committed to the fight against wealthy property investors despite her recent windfall.
“The Greens and I will keep pushing to end unfair tax breaks and make sure everyone has access to quality, affordable housing,” she told CBD.
PAYING THE TAB
Unlike the dramatic denouement to his tenure as ABC chair, Justin Milne’s end of service on the board of betting giant Tabcorp was a quiet affair.
After over a decade on the board, the non-executive director retired on Wednesday, earning a glowing tribute from new chief executive Gil McLachlan.
Milne, a former telco executive, resigned as ABC chair days after managing director Michelle Guthrie was sacked, after a damaging series of reports that he’d pressured her to sack senior ABC journalists to keep his good mate, then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, happy.
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