Katter wants UQ probe
MP claims suspended student Pavlou a victim of foreign aggression
BOB Katter will push for a full parliamentary inquiry into foreign influence at universities after a student was suspended for holding an antiChina demonstration.
Drew Pavlou has taken the University of Queensland to the Supreme Court of Queensland after he was suspended following a number of anti-chinese Communist Party stunts.
Claims made against the 21-yearold, relating to online social media abuse and a stunt — where he wore a biosafety suit and posted a note on the doors to the Vice Chancellor’s office that said “COVID-19 Biohazard:
Condemned” — were recently upheld by the university’s Senate Disciplinary Appeals Committee.
Mr Pavlou is now suing University of Queensland, its chancellor and vice-chancellor for $3.5m for damages relating to a breach of contract and defamation.
But Mr Katter said the days of “visa shop universities” were now over.
“COVID-19 and Chinese intrusion have both destroyed this Ponzi scheme,” Mr Katter said.
“This is an appalling case where an Australian exercising his rights is bashed on an Australian university campus.
“The fact this has taken place at the University of Queensland — a sandstone university with a wonderful tradition — and that it has prostituted itself to this extent, demands a full and objective inquiry,” Mr Katter said.
The federal MP for Kennedy said he had not seen “aggression of this nature since the days of rampant communism”.
“Politicians are cowardly hiding in corners, protecting themselves from charges of racial discrimination and this reminds us clearly that cowardice is one of the three factors in losing wars,” Mr Katter said.
“The Chinese Communist Party, if nothing else, have made no secret of the fact that with their ‘Belt and Road’ they intend to control the world. They won’t be controlling me; I’m an Australian.
“It would be nice if other Australians stood up.”
The University of Queensland has strongly rejected that student disciplinary matters were a free-speech issue and has previously refuted “unsubstantiated accusations about any political motivations”, arguing that it is an active defender of free speech.
Mr Katter will move a motion at the next federal parliamentary sitting that the Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security carry out the inquiry.
Federal parliament has been suspended until the end of August.