❓ Hon Aaron Stonehouse questions the Minister for Education and Training regarding the McGowan government's support for freedom of expression in WA universities, following UWA's public statement on the matter. The Minister affirms support but defers action to the universities themselves.
AnsweredQoN 1067Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
UNIVERSITIES —
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
1067. Hon AARON STONEHOUSE to the Minister for Education and
Training:
My question is to the Minister for
Education and Training —
Hon Sue Ellery : Excellent!
Is it about maintenance?
Hon AARON STONEHOUSE : No,
not quite.
I refer the minister to the
University of Western Australia's statement released in June this year
on freedom of expression, in which it advised students that they must be open
to a robust exchange of ideas that might clash with their beliefs and make them
feel uncomfortable.
(1) In the
intervening months, is the minister aware of any moves at Western Australia's
other tertiary institutions to match UWA's commitment to freedom of
expression?
(2) Does the McGowan government
support UWA's position?
(3) If yes to (2), what encouragement is the
government offering Curtin, Murdoch, Edith Cowan and Notre Dame Universities, each founded by an act of the Western Australian Parliament, to
commit to free speech on their campuses?
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
1067. Hon AARON STONEHOUSE to the Minister for Education and
Training:
My question is to the Minister for
Education and Training —
Hon Sue Ellery : Excellent!
Is it about maintenance?
Hon AARON STONEHOUSE : No,
not quite.
I refer the minister to the
University of Western Australia's statement released in June this year
on freedom of expression, in which it advised students that they must be open
to a robust exchange of ideas that might clash with their beliefs and make them
feel uncomfortable.
(1) In the
intervening months, is the minister aware of any moves at Western Australia's
other tertiary institutions to match UWA's commitment to freedom of
expression?
(2) Does the McGowan government
support UWA's position?
(3) If yes to (2), what encouragement is the
government offering Curtin, Murdoch, Edith Cowan and Notre Dame Universities, each founded by an act of the Western Australian Parliament, to
commit to free speech on their campuses?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Other tertiary institutions have
not advised me of their intention, if any, to do so.
(2) The Western Australian
government supports freedom of expression in Western Australia's
universities.
(3) The
government has confidence in our universities to uphold freedom of expression
and to decide for themselves any action they deem necessary.
some notice of the question.
(1) Other tertiary institutions have
not advised me of their intention, if any, to do so.
(2) The Western Australian
government supports freedom of expression in Western Australia's
universities.
(3) The
government has confidence in our universities to uphold freedom of expression
and to decide for themselves any action they deem necessary.
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