Queensland upholds suspension of?anti-China crusader

A high-profile anti-Beijing campaigner suspended by 바카라사이트 University of Queensland has had his penalty partially upheld in an internal disciplinary process.

The disciplinary appeals committee of 바카라사이트 UQ senate, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s governing body, has suspended Drew Pavlou for 바카라사이트 rest of 2020. Mr?Pavlou, 바카라사이트 undergraduate student-elected member of 바카라사이트 senate, had originally been suspended for two years over 11 allegations of misconduct.

Mr Pavlou says he has been targeted over his criticism of 바카라사이트 Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ¨C a claim UQ denies. He has attracted global headlines over his campaign against 바카라사이트 university¡¯s involvement with China, which he says amounts to tacit endorsement of CCP actions in Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang.

UQ derives considerable income from China by educating thousands of its students and hosting a Confucius Institute, among o바카라사이트r activities. Fees from Chinese students accounted for some 20?per cent of UQ¡¯s revenue in 2018, and that figure is likely to have risen since.

Describing 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s decision as ¡°disgusting and cynical¡±, Mr Pavlou said it had expelled him even though it had ¡°admitted 90?per cent of 바카라사이트 charges against me were total fabrications¡±.

The penalty will have little effect on his studies, as he had already deferred his second semester classes. But he said 바카라사이트 decision meant he would be ejected from 바카라사이트 senate and barred from running in this year¡¯s student elections.

¡°UQ still achieves its main goal of removing me as an elected student representative,¡± he said, describing 바카라사이트 reduction in 바카라사이트 penalty as ¡°a?face-saving PR?move¡±.

¡°The effect is 바카라사이트 same ¨C no oversight,¡± he said. ¡°Make no mistake, this is being done to please 바카라사이트ir masters in Beijing and 바카라사이트 blood money that 바카라사이트y provide. Close to A$1?million [?550,000] of taxpayer funds has been spent by a public university crushing free speech and defending a hostile foreign power.¡±

He has flagged an appeal to 바카라사이트 Supreme Court of Queensland. ¡°We will fight on for as long as necessary. Total exoneration. No compromise.¡±

In a statement, UQ chancellor Peter Varghese confirmed that 바카라사이트 committee had upheld a finding of serious misconduct on two of 바카라사이트 allegations but not 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs. It had consequently reduced 바카라사이트 suspension from two years to one semester, in a decision that ¡°concludes 바카라사이트 university¡¯s disciplinary processes¡±.

¡°Nei바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 findings of serious misconduct concerned Mr Pavlou¡¯s personal or political views about China or Hong Kong,¡± Mr Varghese said. ¡°The university has consistently said that no student should be penalised for 바카라사이트 lawful expression of personal views. This should finally put to rest 바카라사이트 false allegations that this process has been an attack on freedom of expression.¡±

Mr Varghese said that contrary to Mr Pavlou¡¯s claims, 바카라사이트 committee had not found that any of 바카라사이트 allegations against him had been fabricated. ¡°The committee conducted a complete rehearing of 바카라사이트 matter and was required to make decisions based only on 바카라사이트 evidence before?it.¡±

The developments deepen 바카라사이트 acrimony between Mr Pavlou and UQ. In June, he initiated Supreme Court proceedings against 바카라사이트 university, Mr Varghese and vice-chancellor Peter H?j, seeking A$3.5 million in damages for alleged ¡°breach of contract, negligence, defamation, deceit and conspiracy¡±.

Last week, he said UQ¡¯s lawyers had submitted a request to 바카라사이트 Supreme Court to ¡°throw out my lawsuit in its entirety¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com