Deakin University Rejects Prof. Fraser’s Article

DEAKIN UNIVERSITY

Office of the Vice-Chancellor and President Professor

Sally Walker

Geelong Waterfront Campus

Geelong Victoria 3217

Australia

Telephone 03 5227 8502

Facsimile 03 5227 8500

vc@deakin.edu.au

www.deakin.edu.au

19 September 2005

Associate Professor Andrew Fraser

Department of Public Law Division of Humanities

Macquarie University

NSW 2109

Email: dfraser@pip.hmn.mq.edu.au, andrew.fraser@mq.edu.au

Fax (02) 9850 6062

Dear Associate Professor Fraser:

I am writing to you regarding your article entitled “Rethinking the White Australian Policy” which was to be published by Deakin University in the next edition of the Deakin Law Review.

I was made aware of your article on Tuesday 13 September when journalists contacted my office; subsequently, a lawyer acting for the Sudanese community threatened the University with legal action if it published your article. On Wednesday 14 September I sought legal advice regarding whether the publication of the article in the Deakin Law Review would put the University at risk of infringing any law or otherwise incurring legal liability.

I have received the legal advice today. The advice is that the publication of the article by Deakin University in the Deakin Law Review would contravene the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) and, arguably, state and territory racial and religious vilification legislation. On the basis of this advice, I have to inform you that I have directed those responsible for the Deakin Law Review not to publish your article.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sally Walker Vice-Chancellor

Cc Professor Di Yerbury

Vice-Chancellor

Macquarie University

fax: (02) 9850 9950

Email Sally Walker at vc@deakin.edu.au

American Renaissance has been informed that Australia’s racial vilification laws do not apply to statements in academic journals and that Prof. Fraser will attempt to sue Deakin University for breach of contract.

[Editor’s Note: For more on this story, click here.]