Students at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) passed a three pro-Palestine and anti-war motions at a historic Student General Meeting (SGM) on September 26.
The motions were for UNSW to “disclose and divest from the $2.973 million in financial investments in weapons companies”, “cut its research partnerships with weapons companies” and that students “stand for a free Palestine”.
More than 500 students attended the SGM, which had to move from a lecture theatre to an outdoor lawn.
It came after similar pro-Palestine motions were passed at universities, including the University of Sydney, University of Queensland, Deakin University, Australian National University, Queensland University of Technology and Monash University.
Speakers for the motions said UNSW’s partnerships and investments in weapons’ companies involved in Israel’s genocide in Gaza made it complicit in genocide.
UNSW Student Representative Council Education Officer and Students for Palestine (SFP) member Cherish Kuehlamann spoke as did Students For Palestine member Gina Elias, anti-Zionist Jewish student Milo Riggs, Associate Professor Peter Slezak, Palestinian activist and lawyer Amal Naser were among those who spoke.
A small group of pro-Zionist students attended and spoke against the motions.
The motions passed 501 to 17.