Massey to review Brash talk cancellation
Massey University’s council will review the process that led to the cancellation of Don Brash speaking on campus.
Former National Party leader Brash was to speak at a university politics society event in August, but vicechancellor Jan Thomas cancelled the venue booking, citing security and other concerns.
Emails subsequently released under the Official Information Act show Thomas didn’t want ‘‘a Te Tiriti-led university to be seen to be endorsing racist behaviours’’.
Chancellor Michael Ahie said yesterday that the council would hold an independent review by former deputy state services commissioner Douglas Martin.
‘‘The council has already expressed its support and confidence in the vicechancellor and it is now seeking a review of the processes involved in the issue so that it can fully understand the lessons learnt and have clarity over future events,’’ Ahie said.
The cancellation of the event ignited a firestorm about freedom of speech. Thomas not only cited security concerns – she was also uncomfortable with Brash’s leadership of Hobson’s Pledge, a lobby group she claimed promoted views ‘‘dangerously close to hate speech’’.
Brash has said he was horrified by the vice-chancellor’s ‘‘scheming’’ to find a way to block his visit.
Thomas has also refused to resign after the emails were released.
Martin will report his findings and make recommendations to the council by the end of next month. Ahie said this would enable the council to ensure university management and governance learnt from the controversy and performed to a high standard in the future.
The review will focus on ‘‘the performance of the university in arriving at and managing the consequences of the decision’’.
‘‘As such, it will encompass all aspects of organisational performance and a summary of the findings will be released in the public interest.’’
The chancellor and the council would not be commenting until the review was complete, Ahie said.
The university academic board has tabled two motions to censure Thomas, one for stopping Brash speaking on campus, and the second for mishandling the information around the justification of that decision.