Monumental UQU General Meeting One Year Anniversary

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Today marks one year since the monumental University of Queensland Union student general meeting. The meeting was held on May 29, 2024.

Leading up to the general meeting, there was significant discontent from many students regarding UQ’s inaction towards the genocide occurring in Palestine.

In May last year, UQ Muslim Students for Palestine called out the university’s crackdown on freedom of speech. The University of Queensland had warned students that they could face disciplinary action for chanting “out, out, Israel out” or using the word “intifada”.

This continues to be a common trend, as university administrations across Australia continue to launch attacks on pro-Palestinian activists. The University of Western Australia in March denied permission to activists who were painting a banner on campus with the slogan “from the river to the sea.”

During the UQ Union General Meeting last year, students overwhelmingly voted in favour of all three motions put forward.

1. Should UQ sever ties with companies that supply the Israeli Defence Force?
2. Should UQ shut down the Boeing Centre?
3. Should UQ financially divest from Israel?

UQ subsequently signed a Statement of Commitment with UQ Muslim Students for Palestine and the UQ Union. In this statement of commitment, there were a number of promises made by UQ which have not been fulfilled.

Alternatively, UQ Muslim Students for Palestine and all other representatives of the Palestine Encampment discontinued their encampment under section 4(a) of the agreement. Additionally, under section 4(c), the agreement essentially barred protestors from undertaking “disruptive protests” during exam and graduation ceremonies.

Encampment representatives have overwhelmingly stayed committed to this good-faith agreement. The same cannot be said for the UQ administration. The Semper Floreat has received information from the UQ Union that some of the failed commitments include:

1. Publishing an anti-racism commitment
2. Amplifying Jewish, Palestinian and Arab voices in a speaker series
3. Supporting respectful academic dialogue

This year, UQ has adopted a new definition of antisemitism. The new definition may make criticism of the actions of the state of Israel antisemitic speech. As well as noting that using the word “Zionist” may be construed as antisemitic.

The new definition has academics across Australia concerned that it could be used to weaponise or silence criticism of Israel. Naama Blatman explained in a Guardian article that she was concerned that funding could be removed for research that “applied critical theory on Israel/Palestine.”

The Semper Floreat has received notice from the UQ Union that they are intending to commemorate this anniversary by launching a petition in collaboration with the National Tertiary Education Union – UQ Branch. The petition calls upon UQ to uphold freedom of speech and academic freedoms on campus.

The UQ Union is calling on students, staff and the wider UQ community to sign the petition.

You can find the petition here.

Additionally, an event is planned for early Semester 2 to further promote the petition and publicly highlight the University’s lack of action.

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