Robert Austin Solidarity

Defend our right to protest and organise!

Robert Austin, head of RMITs Spanish Program is facing disciplinary action for rescheduling classes on the day of the August 10th National Union of Students National Day of Action to allow students to attend an action in support of their student union.

As evidence in the Schools case against him, an article by right-wing polemicist Andrew Bolt is being used. Roberts probationary period of his contract means that he may have his contract discontinued, despite the fact that he has an excellent rapport with students, has established a series of exchange programs with Latin America, developed what was a seriously under-resourced department and had his research praised as "excellent and beyond reasonable expectation."

This attack on our rights to politically organise is particularly disconcerting in the context of the Howard Governments Industrial Relations and VSU legislation. What is more concerning is that this attack is coming from within the school, despite the fact that both the NTEU and the VC herself had encouraged staff and students to rally around the issue.

To the RMIT chancellery and the School of International and Community Studies We, the undersigned, declare our solidarity with Robert Austin in light of these allegations. We demand that the voices of students be heard, and not silenced.