Students and staff are organising against the University of Melbourne鈥檚 plan to establish a Robert Menzies Institute, slated to open in November.
An , 鈥淪top the Robert Menzies Institute鈥, signed by many, describes management鈥檚 plan as 鈥渁n attempt by the right wing of the Liberal Party and their supporters to purchase a space of public and scholarly influence in Australian universities鈥.聽
鈥淭his project aims to uncritically venerate [Menzies] legacy" as well as "creating a 'statue' to Menzies鈥 the letter states. It calls聽on the university to sever its contract with the Robert Menzies Centre.
The Menzies Research Centre, in partnership with the university, has been given more than $7 million from the federal government to create the new institute. The centre聽is聽affiliated聽to the .
At the same time,聽聽despite an $8 million surplus last year.
The university says the institute will commemorate Robert Menzies鈥 legacy. Menzies was Australia鈥檚 longest serving conservative Prime Minister.
As the open letter points out, Menzies was no hero. He was a staunch supporter of the White Australia policy and apartheid rule in South Africa. He allowed First Nations land to become the test site for atomic bombs. He authorised troops to join imperialist wars on the聽Korean peninsula, against rebels in the Malayan Emergency and the聽Vietnam War.
The Menzies Research Centre think-tank will house a library dedicated to Menzies, organise public lectures and promote 鈥渓iberal principles鈥. However, its board of directors is made up of hard right figures, including Sky News Australia presenter and advisor to former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Peta Credlin, and Geoffrey Hone, chair of right-wing think-tank The Institute of Public Affairs.
, University of Melbourne National Tertiary Education Union President, told the July 22 Age that 鈥渦niversities should be a space for the contest of ideas, not public institutions bought by special interests.鈥
Graduate Student Association (GSA) post-graduate education (research) officer Monica Sestito told 麻豆传媒 that the campaign against the Menzies Institute is important given the federal government and university managements鈥 continuing attacks on the tertiary sector.
鈥淚t can help embolden further fights for the education we deserve, over and above the education the profiteers are willing to concede,鈥 Sestito said.
The campaign group is being supported by the education departments of GSA and the University of Melbourne Student Union, along with the National Union of Students.
A rally has been called for
[Campaign updates are being posted at the 聽Facebook page.]