Cory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 871 standing in my name for today before asking that it be taken as a formal motion.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes the Australian National University’s (ANU) refusal to host the self-funded Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation on campus, notwithstanding that it already hosts centres promoting understanding of Islam and Asian cultures; and

(b) calls upon:

(i) the ANU to reconsider its opposition to hosting the Centre in the interests of celebrating Western civilisation's foundational contributions to Australia,

(ii) the Minister for Education and Training (Senator Birmingham), given that he said it would be a “great loss” if no university partners with the Centre – to assist in securing a location for the Centre, and

(iii) the government to consider making future higher education funding grants conditional on supporting academic freedom and freedoms of association and speech on university campuses.