The open letter below, encouraging the University of Melbourne to divest from Wilson Security, was sent to Vice Chancellor Prof Duncan Maskell in June.
Dear Prof Maskell,
Following the leadership of RISE: Refugees, Survivors and Ex-detainees, we, the undersigned academics and professional staff, write to strongly encourage the University of Melbourne to divest from Wilson Security. Wilson Security is currently not only providing security services for the University, but is also one of the primary contractors involved in the running and maintenance of the refugee detention industry. This divestment call has been made by ex-detainees, people with direct lived experience of abuse perpetrated by Wilson Security and other complicit security companies in the name of the Australian government.
There have been countless reports and inquiries regarding the deaths, torture and sexual abuse faced by refugees who have been arbitrarily incarcerated within Australia’s mandatory detention centres. These detention centres are directly orchestrated by the Australian government for profit. Despite the fact that this information has been a topic of public discussion for several years, and despite long-standing calls by RISE and other organisations to divest, the University of Melbourne remains financially tied to Wilson Security, a security company that, through staffing these centres, actively perpetrates torture upon those seeking safety and asylum.
As you mentioned in your message after the Christchurch terror attacks on the 18th March, ‘the values of respect, diversity and inclusion … are central to campus life. Terrible events like those in Christchurch remind us of the fundamental importance of education in building respect in a safe society.’ A crucial part of embodying the aforementioned values is being able to embed these within the University’s organisational structure and contracting choices. Applying these values involves reconsidering the University’s choice to remain complicit in the refugee industrial complex. A successful example of divestment from Wilson Security is the National Gallery of Victoria, a leading cultural institution that has set a precedent by taking up public calls to divest from the refugee detention industry. Another is the University of Newcastle, who cut an $88 million management and maintenance contract with Broadspectrum in 2017.
Specifically, we ask that the University of Melbourne:
- Follow the RISE call to divest from the detention industry immediately and sever ties with Wilson Security in line with the University’s ethical commitments.
- Commit to a long-term strategy that applies the University’s values of respect, diversity and inclusion to meaningfully include those seeking protection from persecution and war – current refugee detainees and ex-detainees. This strategy should be applied both in the University’s management and maintenance contracting choices and more broadly within the institution.
Signed,
Professor Tony Birch, Victoria University
Professor Ghassan Hage, The University of Melbourne
Professor Gillian Triggs, The University of Melbourne
A/Professor Justin Clemens, The University of Melbourne
Professor Nikos Papastergiadis, The University of Melbourne
Professor Tamara Kohn, The University of Melbourne
Professor John Langmore, The University of Melbourne
Professor Dianne Otto, The University of Melbourne
Professor Sarah Maddison, The University of Melbourne
Professor Alison Young, The University of Melbourne
A/Professor Monica Minnegal, The University of Melbourne
A/Professor Fran Martin, University of Melbourne
A/Prof Alyson Campbell, The University of Melbourne
Dr Rimi Khan, The University of Melbourne
Dr Kalissa Alexeyeff, The University of Melbourne
Dr. Erin Fitz-Henry, The University of Melbourne
Dr Danny Butt, The University of Melbourne
Dr Tessa Laird, The University of Melbourne
Dr Bart Klem, The University of Melbourne
Dr Kate Just, The University of Melbourne
Dr Lisa Radford, The University of Melbourne
Dr Raafat Ishak, The University of Melbourne
Dr Elise Klein, The University of Melbourne
Dr Joe Hughes, The University of Melbourne
Dr Maria Tumarkin, The University of Melbourne
Dr Ruth De Souza, The University of Melbourne
Dr Nikki Moodie, The University of Melbourne
Dr Rosemary Overell, The University of Otago
Dr Debra McDougall, The University of Melbourne
A/Prof Anne Harris, RMIT University
Dr Jordana Silverstein, The University of Melbourne
Dr Martin Tomko, The University of Melbourne
Dr Robbie Fordyce, Monash University
Dr Elham Naghizade, University of Melbourne
Dr Miranda Smith, University of Melbourne
Suneel Jethani, University of Melbourne
Dr Kate O’Halloran, Victoria University
Caitlin McGrane, RMIT University
Dr Jay Daniel Thompson, University of Melbourne and Victoria University
Kate Chalmers, The University of Melbourne
Ameera Katar, The University of Melbourne
Fan Yang, University of Melbourne
Nicolette Muratti, University of Melbourne
Beth Sprunt, The University of Melbourne
Priyanka Pillai, The University of Melbourne
Dr Carolyn D’Cruz, La Trobe University
A/Prof Tilman Ruff AO, University of Melbourne
Naomi Francis, University of Melbourne
Capucine Penicaud, University of Melbourne
Rick Prakhoff, University of Melbourne
Katherine Gilbert, University of Melbourne
Dr Beni Halvorsen, RMIT University
Lu Lin, RMIT University and University of Melbourne
Sophie Hindes, University of Melbourne
Alice McDonald, University of Melbourne
Dr Mridula Nath Chakraborty, Monash University
Dr Mathias Stevenson, Monash University
Carol Que, University of Melbourne
Priya Kunjan, University of Melbourne
Dr Tresa LeClerc, RMIT University
Dr Gilbert Caluya, University of Melbourne
Ceren Ayas, University of Melbourne
Dr Adrian McNeil, Monash University
Dr Laura Jean McKay, University of Melbourne
Stephanie Milsom, RMIT University
Estelle Boyle, University of Melbourne
Thao Phan, Deakin University
Bronwyn Bell, University of Melbourne
Indigo Holcombe-James, RMIT University
Massimo Amerena, Victoria University
Kim Munro, RMIT University
Ruth Richards, RMIT University
John Morton, La Trobe University
Sibylla Scott, The University of Melbourne
Dr Sarah Rogers, University of Melbourne
Adam Hembree, University of Melbourne
Dr Ken Setiawan, The University of Melbourne
Giles Fielke, The University of Melbourne
Dr Mary Tomsic, The University of Melbourne
Grace Torcasio, The University of Melbourne
Dr Una McIlvenna, The University of Melbourne
Eleanor Benson, The University of Melbourne
Emmeline Kildea, RMIT University
Nonie May, The University of Melbourne
Megan Taylor, The University of Melbourne and RMIT University
Dr Ntina Tzouvala, University of Melbourne
Associate Professor Chris Healy, The University of Melbourne
Alexandra Walker, The University of Melbourne
Dr Louise Olliff, The University of Melbourne
Jessica Parker, The University of Melbourne
Georgia Martin, RMIT University
Carissa Hong, The University of Melbourne
Dr Patricia Jackson, The University of Melbourne
Jessica Majcen, The University of Melbourne
Zoe Bartlett, The University of Melbourne
Dr Leonie Brialey, Deakin University
Nicholas Tan, The University of Melbourne
Georgia Pryce, The University of Melbourne
Natalie Ironfield, The University of Melbourne
Dr Ngaree Blow, The University of Melbourne
Fia Hamid-Walker, The University of Melbourne
Dr Bianca Fileborn, The University of Melbourne
Dr Daniella Trimboli, Deakin University
André Dao, The University of Melbourne
Felicity Ford, The University of Melbourne
A/Prof Nick Thieberger, The University of Melbourne
Christopher O’Neill, The University of Melbourne
Sally Ann McIntyre, Deakin University
Scheherazade Bloul, Deakin University
Johanna Commins, The University of Melbourne
Raiane Da Silva Oliveira, The University of Melbourne
Matthew Guy, Deakin University
Jennifer Lucy, Deakin University
Tim Lindgren, The University of Melbourne
Nathalie Michel, Deakin University
Dr Magdalena Arias Cubas, Deakin University
Shirin Tejani, Deakin University
Elizabeth Hicks, The University of Melbourne
Marika Sosnowski, The University of Melbourne
Dr Odette Kelada, The University of Melbourne
Margherita Mezzasoma, The University of Melbourne
Liam Elphick, The University of Melbourne
Nur Shkembi, The University of Melbourne
Professor Jodie McVernon, The University of Melbourne
Dr Ben Silverstein, Australian National University
Dr Jacquelene Drinkall, University of Tasmania
Dr Eden Smith, The University of Melbourne
Rasheeda Wilson, The University of Melbourne
Dr Hannah McCann, University of Melbourne
Annisa Sabrina Hartoto, The University of Melbourne
Dr Natalie Hendry, Deakin University
Kate Mannell, The University of Melbourne
Renata Luhr, The University of Melbourne
Peter Annear, The University of Melbourne
Dr Karen Block, The University of Melbourne
Nita Okoko, The University of Melbourne
Luke Stickels, The University of Melbourne
Alex Griffin, The University of Melbourne
Melanie Ashe, The University of Melbourne
Kate Clark, The University of Melbourne
Patricia Di Risio, The University of Melbourne
A/Prof Jennifer Balint, The University of Melbourne
Dr Dave McDonald, The University of Melbourne
Kim Yen Howells-Ng, The University of Melbourne
Dr Diana Johns, The University of Melbourne
Dr. Michael Vale, Monash University
Anushia Andrews, The University of Melbourne / RMIT University
Jonathan Graffam, The University of Melbourne
David Strover, The University of Melbourne
Anthony Koesasi, The University of Melbourne
Tiriki Onus, The University of Melbourne
Marian Crawford, Monash University
Jacynta Krakouer, The University of Melbourne
Anna Saunders, The University of Melbourne
Rebecca Nissen, The University of Melbourne
Dr David Sornig, The University of Melbourne
Dr Ruth Balint, UNSW Sydney
Nicholas Ives, Monash University
Vickie Zhang, The University of Melbourne
Phoebe Quinn, The University of Melbourne
Dr Lan Anh Hoang, The University of Melbourne
Dr Claire Loughnan, The University of Melbourne
Anthony Cardamone, The University of Melbourne
Professor Fiona Haines, The University of Melbourne
Dove Rengger-Thorpe, The University of Melbourne
Rebecca Serong, The University of Melbourne
Charlie Sofo, Monash University
Rachael James, The University of Melbourne
Blake Sims, The University of Melbourne
Professor Dennis Altman, La Trobe University
Ben Kunkler, University of Melbourne
Dr Kate Beynon, Monash University
Nadia Aly, The University of Melbourne
A/Prof David Beynon, University of Tasmania
Kate Adams, University of Melbourne
Dr Maria Giannacopoulos, Flinders University
Sobia Masood, University of Melbourne
Jasmin Pfefferkorn, University of Melbourne
Dr Rhiannon Bandiera, Flinders University
Katy Chan, University of Melbourne
Maxime Garnery, The University of Melbourne
Tasnim Sammak, PhD Candidate, Monash University (Clayton)
Dr Nadia Rhook, The University of Western Australia
Chabel Khan, The University of Melbourne
Dr Gerald Roche, La Trobe University
Dr Elliot Dolan-Evans, Monash University
Dr Mario Peucker, Victoria University
Rebecca Bunn, PhD Candidate, The University of Melbourne
Dr Sahar Ghumkhor, The University of Melbourne
Dr Gabriel García Ochoa, Monash University
Dr Crystal McKinnon, RMIT University
John van Kooy, Research Associate and PhD Candidate, Monash University
Csilla Csongvay, The University of Melbourne
Voytek Lapinski, The University of Melbourne
Rita Zhang, The University of Melbourne
Tinonee Pym, Swinburne University of Technology
Robert Todesco, The University of Melbourne
Dr Nesam McMillan, The University of Melbourne
Joanna Watts, The University of Melbourne (Director of Operations)
Dr Sophie Rudolph, The University of Melbourne
Robert McDougall, The University of Melbourne
Yanni Jiang, The University of Melbourne
Dr Francesco Ricatti, Monash University
Josiah Lulham, University of Melbourne
Dr Zora Simic, University of New South Wales
Dr Samantha Balaton-Chrimes, Deakin University
Dr Amy Nethery, Deakin University
Dr Lisa Waller, Deakin University
Professor Charles Green, University of Melbourne
A/Prof Sara Wills, University of Melbourne
Charlene Edwards, University of Melbourne
Dr Julie Choi, University of Melbourne
Dr Yvette Maker, University of Melbourne
Dr James Parker, University of Melbourne
Dr Nick Riemer, University of Sydney
Neika Lehman, University of Melbourne
Dr Victor Sojo, The University of Melbourne
Dr Cathy Vaughan, The University of Melbourne
Kylie Tran, The University of Melbourne
Anastasia Kanjere, La Trobe University
Gabrielle de Vietri, RMIT University
Sara Brocklesby, The University of Melbourne
Dr Helen Hughes, Monash University
A/Prof Sheena Sullivan, University of Melbourne
Eugenia Zoubtchenko, University of Melbourne
Anastasia Slipper, University of Melbourne
Elizabeth Maunder, University of Melbourne
Francesca Pecoraro, University of Melbourne
Tamsen Hopkinson, Monash University
James Holloway, The University of Melbourne
Jennifer Spiegel, The University of Melbourne
A/Professor Tara McDowell, Monash University
Russell Wilkinson, The University of Melbourne
Lauren Cairns, University of Melbourne
Michelle Green, The University of Melbourne
Han Zhou, The University of Melbourne
Kate Hale, The University of Melbourne
Kate Dunn, the University of Melbourne
William Bevens, The University of Melbourne
Dave Dunstan, The University of Melbourne
Robert McDougall, The University of Melbourne
Ruth Jelley, University of Melbourne
Thomas Atkin, University of Melbourne
Tess Mornane, University of Melbourne
David Randall, University of Melbourne
Sachith Thomas, University of Melbourne
Pompei Ranaldo, University of Melbourne
Allison Chan, University of Melbourne
Image: crop from RISE poster for Ex-Detainees’ Day 2016
