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News in Brief

One Nation is no go on campus

DENISE Kwok and George Palua (Toowoomba Committee for International Students) have been celebrating multiculturalism.

UNIVERSITY of Southern Queensland management and student representatives are unanimous in their response to Pauline Hanson and One Nation politics. The views of the member for Oxley and her fledgling party were denounced this week by the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, President of the Student Association and leaders of indigenous and international student groups on campus.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Swannell said the isolationist and racist views promulgated by Ms Hanson were absolutely damaging to USQ and the country. He was backed by Registrar Steve Tanzer whose recent address to a staff assembly on the impact of the current ethnic debate on USQ included a statement of support for an apology over the stolen generation and recognition by Australian politicians of the validity of the High Court's native title decisions.

"Ms Hanson's views are just wrong," Professor Swannell said. "There is no place for her philosophy in a modern, caring university. Australia is a model of multiculturalism in the Asia-Pacific rim and we have an obligation to protect the interests of our international and indigenous students." Following a call by a group of students for their Association President Paul Barnes to declare the Toowoomba campus a 'Hanson-free'zone and support student protests against the One Nation party, both management and the student association have indicated facilities on campus will not be used for any One Nation meetings.

"It is extremely undesirable to have any meeting of that group at this university,"they said. Mr Tanzer said although universities are supposed to provide a forum for public debate, USQ is a living example that what Ms Hanson is saying is wrong. With a combined on and off campus international student population of nearly 4000 and a 198 percent increase in overseas enrolments since 1991, USQ anticipates a 1998 income of more than $13 million for the delivery of programs to overseas students. Those who study in Toowoomba spend an average $10,000 per year in the local community.

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USQ 1997

KUMBARI/NGURPAI LAG Director Gracelyn Smallwood questions the vacuous discourse generated by One Nation policies.

President of the Toowoomba Committee for International Students Denise Kwok said Ms Hanson's views had introduced an element of suspicion into inter-cultural exchange. "Most of us are shocked by her comments," she said. "They are both unexpected and hostile and the kind of dialogue that has followed is detrimental to multicultural relations.

"Seventy percent of USQ international students are Asian and they really have more to contribute to this society than take away. The interesting thing is this situation has motivated us to be more active and focus on celebrations of multiculturalism." Perhaps the most strident response to the debate has come from Director of the university's indigenous education unit Associate Professor Gracelyn Smallwood.

Professor Smallwood demonstrated against a One Nation party meeting held in Toowoomba last month. She said a resurgence of racism instigated by One Nation supporters meant people must adopt a position. "It's vitally important that we cultivate tolerance and a more caring attitude towards all members of society.

"My father was one of the stolen generation," she said. "It is no longer possible for Australians to ignore the facts of history and this present reality. Education is a crucial factor in redressing misconceptions and misunderstandings which feed this kind of nonsense. Ms Hanson has yet to deliver an intelligent and informed discourse."