University of Wollongong student activist Chloe Rafferty is not backing down. And on Monday the disqualified Wollongong Undergraduate Students Association president-elect had some well connected friends backing her stance to be reinstated WUSA president. The rally at the front of UOW’s Administration building called on UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings to respect the student vote and reinstate Ms Rafferty as WUSA president. Greens NSW MP David Shoebridge and supporters of the outspoken student union leader also stated that a failure to do so could result in possible legal action against the university. Read more: University of Wollongong Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings explains WUSA election decision ‘’What we are seeing here is a fundamental democratic failure from the University of Wollongong being backed in by an administration that has given $21,000 of university funds as a political donation to the Liberal Party,’’ Mr Shoebridge said. ‘’I mean it’s no wonder they didn’t want a strong progressive left wing voice taking over the presidency of the student union association. ‘’The Vice-Chancellor must be living in some very lofty ivory tower if he really thinks that the students, the people of Wollongong are going to buy in his argument that the reason that Chloe was sacked was because she announced that she was actually running for office in a lecture. ‘’That’s no reason to sack someone running for democratic office. ‘’The reason Chloe has been sacked is pretty obvious to me. They didn’t like her politics. They didn’t like her standing up to this administration.’’ Rafferty was the student body’s clear choice as president at the recent WUSA elections but was disqualified for ‘’contravening the Election Code of Conduct by campaigning in classrooms before and during the election period and after being warned by the Returning Officer not to do so’’. Read more: University of Wollongong student democracy under the microscope But Mr Shoebridge said there were three fundamental reasons why this was ‘’legally questionable’’. ‘’Firstly the code of conduct that Chloe is alleged to have breached doesn’t refer to the election of student associations,’’ he said. ‘’The voice that counts is the vote at the ballot box not the imposition of the administration. ‘’Their stance is on very shaky legal ground and I would hate to see more university money expended on a legal challenge when he [Prof Wellings] could just open up his eyes and realise that the vote should be respected and Chloe should be president.’’ UOW professor Dr Anthony Ashbolt and Arthur Rorris also backed Ms Rafferty, who said students would not accept her ‘’sacking and suppression of student democracy’’. ‘’And we are certainly not going to accept that on this campus students supposedly don’t have the right to make announcements before elections,’’ she said. ‘’This is a fundamental aspect of free speech. And this is vital for students being able to play a role in progressive movements. ‘’There has never been a more urgent need for a democratic activist student voice for young people at this university.’’ Read more: Young Liberals accused of running UOW student union ‘into the ground’ .
SUPPORTING RAFFERTY: Greens NSW MP David Shoebridge speaks at the rally. Picture: Adam McLean
University of Wollongong student activist Chloe Rafferty is not backing down.
And on Monday the disqualified Wollongong Undergraduate Students Association president-elect had some well connected friends backing her stance to be reinstated WUSA president.
The rally at the front of UOW’s Administration building called on UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings to respect the student vote and reinstate Ms Rafferty as WUSA president.
Greens NSW MP David Shoebridge and supporters of the outspoken student union leader also stated that a failure to do so could result in possible legal action against the university.
‘’What we are seeing here is a fundamental democratic failure from the University of Wollongong being backed in by an administration that has given $21,000 of university funds as a political donation to the Liberal Party,’’ Mr Shoebridge said.
‘’I mean it’s no wonder they didn’t want a strong progressive left wing voice taking over the presidency of the student union association.
The reason Chloe has been sacked is pretty obvious to me. They didn’t like her politics.
David Shoebridge
‘’The Vice-Chancellor must be living in some very lofty ivory tower if he really thinks that the students, the people of Wollongong are going to buy in his argument that the reason that Chloe was sacked was because she announced that she was actually running for office in a lecture.
‘’That’s no reason to sack someone running for democratic office.
‘’The reason Chloe has been sacked is pretty obvious to me. They didn’t like her politics. They didn’t like her standing up to this administration.’’
VOICING HER CONCERS: Chloe Rafferty addresses her supporters at the UOW rally. Picture: Adam McLean
Rafferty was the student body’s clear choice as president at the recent WUSA elections but was disqualified for ‘’contravening the Election Code of Conduct by campaigning in classrooms before and during the election period and after being warned by the Returning Officer not to do so’’.
But Mr Shoebridge said there were three fundamental reasons why this was ‘’legally questionable’’.
‘’Firstly the code of conduct that Chloe is alleged to have breached doesn’t refer to the election of student associations,’’ he said.
‘’The voice that counts is the vote at the ballot box not the imposition of the administration.
ACCESS DENIED: Arthur Rorris, Chloe Rafferty, Isabelle Liddy and David Shoebridge. Picture: Adam McLean
‘’Their stance is on very shaky legal ground and I would hate to see more university money expended on a legal challenge when he [Prof Wellings] could just open up his eyes and realise that the vote should be respected and Chloe should be president.’’
UOW professor Dr Anthony Ashbolt and Arthur Rorris also backed Ms Rafferty, who said students would not accept her ‘’sacking and suppression of student democracy’’.
‘’And we are certainly not going to accept that on this campus students supposedly don’t have the right to make announcements before elections,’’ she said.
‘’This is a fundamental aspect of free speech. And this is vital for students being able to play a role in progressive movements.
‘’There has never been a more urgent need for a democratic activist student voice for young people at this university.’’
