Media Releases

Macquarie 7 Students to Appear in Landmark Case this Thursday, Friday

5 May 15

macquarie_university_new_library_2011-778x300Seven Macquarie University postgraduate students will this week appear in the Supreme Court of New South Wales as defendants in a landmark case, with Macquarie University attempting to forcibly close a solvent voluntary student association for the first time in Australia’s history.

Macquarie University is seeking under the Corporations Act to forcibly wind up the Macquarie University Postgraduate Representative Association (MUPRA), which it argues has been replaced in purpose by a University-created Student Advisory Board.

The seven students listed as defendants are the elected 2014 Executive of MUPRA, which is unincorporated. Two of the students involved in the case are international students.

MUPRA will be represented by Barrister Sebastian Hartford-Davis of Banco Chambers, a former Macquarie Law Society President and Macquarie University medallist, together with solicitors from Piper Alderman.

The elected 2014-15 President of MUPRA, Doug Williamson, who is listed as the second defendant to the case, said that all attempts to negotiate the future of MUPRA with Macquarie University had been unsuccessful.

“MUPRA has sought in good faith to negotiate a mutually agreeable outcome with Macquarie University over several years, but Macquarie’s attitude has been to close any remaining independent student associations on campus, whatever it takes” said Mr Williamson.

“For a University to go to the extent of taking seven of its own students to Court, students who pay to be educated by them and to receive student services, is completely unprecedented. We have been shocked by the lengths to which Macquarie University is prepared to go to end independent student representation on campus” Mr Williamson said.

MUPRA will argue that there is still a need for an independent postgraduate representative association at Macquarie University, citing grievance services, submissions to policy reviews, publications and events as programs they have previously delivered and would seek to continue should Macquarie’s case prove unsuccessful.

“MUPRA’s long-standing services such as the provision of grievance officers, campus and national-level advocacy and the publication of a postgraduate survival guide are all services that are not being met by Macquarie University and are best provided by an independent, elected voice” Mr Williamson said.
“If anything, the decision by Macquarie University to take seven of its own students to Court is a demonstration of the need for independent advocacy and representation, such as that which MUPRA has provided and wishes to continue to provide.”
Macquarie University began legal proceedings to compulsorily wind up MUPRA in August, 2014, following several years of discussions around the fate of the sole remaining independent student association on campus.

Since December 2013, MUPRA has been unable to deliver its usual range of services after its bank account was frozen without explanation by the National Australia Bank, and elected office-bearers were locked out of their campus office by Macquarie University.

MUPRA has operated as a representative organisation of Macquarie postgraduate students since 1996. As part of its case, Macquarie University is attempting to seize over $500,000 in reserves accumulated by MUPRA through student membership fees prior to the introduction of Voluntary Student Unionism. It is also seeking legal costs.

Macquarie postgraduate coursework students pay a compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee contribution of $286 per year, which is supposed to fund a range of services including “advocating students’ interests”.

Macquarie University v MUPRA will be heard in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Thursday May 7 and Friday May 8, 10am to 4pm.

Media Contacts:

Mia Kwok, Macquarie Postgraduate and Vice President (Equity) of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations vp_equity@capa.edu.au / 0435 361 697
Meghan Hopper, Immediate Past President of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations higherworksau@gmail.com / 0421 807 303

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Twitter: @teamMUPRA