Private emails show impact of Palestine activism at Curtin University
Private emails to and from Curtin University management made public via a freedom of information request show what student activists have long suspected: that the university is worried about pro-Palestine activism. The emails also show the degree to which the Student Guild has worked with the administration to contain the Palestine solidarity movement.
All emails sent to or by vice-chancellor Harlene Hayne and previous chief operating officer Fiona Notley from October 2023 to July this year that mentioned Students for Palestine or two of the most prominent Students for Palestine activists were obtained from the FOI request.
It was late April when Gaza solidarity encampments started sweeping the US, inspiring Australia’s first encampment at the University of Sydney and fear among university administrations everywhere. As one redacted emailer wrote to Notley on 28 April, “Today I noticed members belonging to the group Students for Palestine on campus which is very unusual for a Sunday. They were not partaking in any activity but my gut feeling say[s] we need to be alert. I just think we need to be prepared for the unexpected” Their suspicions were proven right, Students for Palestine WA initiating a Gaza solidarity encampment the following Wednesday, demanding that Curtin cut its ties to weapons companies arming Israel.
The emails also show that the university tracked Students for Palestine WA’s social media posts. As one unknown emailer wrote to management early in the encampment, “Just noted the text added to the protest post for tomorrow—‘Protest Curtin Uni Council Meeting’. Attached is the post and the caption form the Students for Palestine WA Instagram. Also screen grabbed a photo shared to their story of them on the road yesterday. Been saving everything to this file”.
A major focus of the email exchanges is the media. Every press release published by Students for Palestine WA is shared, and university responses to media requests carefully crafted. Media commentary about Palestine activism at Curtin and across the country is circulated. On 30 April, “Dear all, please see media excerpts attached from this morning (ABC radio and online WAToday and syndicated)”. On 6 May, “please see transcript from Jason Clare interview today- attached.” On 7 May, “please see clip from 7.30 report last night focus on Sydney Uni encampment ... Commentary on role of Sydney Uni VC”.
When pro-Palestine activists received emails from the university at the start of semester two warning that postering and the use of the phrase “from the river to the sea” would be met with discipline, they were leaked to the media. A chain labelled “URGENT” discusses the need to respond quickly. The next email was to Hayne: “Dear Harlene, just providing a quick wrap of the media coverage on the Students for Palestine matter ... On socials - very little audience traffic/engagement: West has posted the article on X (23 comments since yesterday afternoon). Excerpt of comments attached. These have all largely been favourable to Curtin”. The attached screenshot of “favourable” messaging includes the comments “Activists, more that than students. Expel them all” and “Antisemitism should result in immediate expulsion and visa cancellation”.
The emails further reveal the degree to which the guild and administration were in communication about pro-Palestine activism. The first in the list is one sent by the guild to Notley on 17 April, warning her that Students for Palestine, which is not a guild club (because the guild rejected its application), was planning an unauthorised event. Following the establishment of the Gaza solidarity encampment on campus, the guild worked with the administration to help end it.
In the camp’s fourth week, guild representatives agreed to a memorandum of understanding with the university, behind the backs of the encampment. The MOU did not force the university to cut any ties with Israel, but did require the guild to pull out of the camp. In the wake of a building occupation by more than 100 students led by Students for Palestine, an email sent by Harlene Hayne expresses concern over the encampment’s disruptive escalation, but also notes, “[W]e have continued to work positively with the Guild to reach a Memorandum of Understanding to end the encampment”. Not only did this undermine the encampment’s attempts to pressure the university, but it led to confusion amongst students.
The guild celebrated its “big win” in an all-student email, taking the wind out of the sails of the campaign to cut university ties with Israel. Interestingly, in a draft communication to students going into second semester, the university decided to cross out the line “[we] are very pleased to have worked with the Student Guild to a peaceful end to the encampment at our Bentley campus”.
More positively, the final two emails from unknown sources sent to Hayne and Notley object to the repression of pro-Palestine student activists. “Schools no matter what level should be a space where students feel comfortable standing up for what they believe in, and speaking out against injustice. Especially those of higher education, this precedent you are setting of repressing freedom of speech is detrimental to future generations of students”, wrote one.
These emails show that student action matters to university executives. They may have professional PR teams and disciplinary bodies on their side, but student activism can hold them to account and make social justice something they may oppose but can’t ignore.
