Mass Walkout at ACU Graduation After Former Union Leader Condemns Abortion

A graduation ceremony at the Australian Catholic University (ACU) in Melbourne took an unexpected turn last night when hundreds of students, parents, and staff walked out in protest in response to a speech by former union leader Joe De Bruyn.
De Bruyn, the former national secretary of the conservative Shop, Distributive, and Allied Employees Association (SDA), was awarded an honorary degree for his contributions to workers’ rights and social welfare.
However, during his speech, De Bruyn veered into topics such as his opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion, which led to to a mass exodus from the venue.
“I have for several decades been involved in opposing abortion, the deliberate killing of unborn human beings,” he told the crowd, in comments obtained by media outlets.
“Today, over 80,000 unborn children are killed by abortion in Australia each year, worldwide the estimated number is 42 million each year.
Panteli described how De Bruyn’s speech quickly shifted from discussing his career achievements to his personal stance on social issues.
“He started talking about how abortion was wrong. It was shocking,” he told ABC Melbourne.
Panteli, who sat near the front, signalled to others that he was leaving.
“I only heard the part about abortion, and I was one of the first to get up. I spun my hand around, said, ‘This is enough,’ and left.”
The university expressed regret that the event had not been a positive experience for many graduates and their families.
“Mr. De Bruyn’s remarks at the ceremony were delivered in a personal capacity,” the statement read.
“While his views may not be shared by many of our staff and students, as a university, we encourage the respectful exchange of ideas that represent the wide spectrum of our diverse community.”
The spokesperson added that the university understands that staff, graduates, and their families disagreed with the content of De Bruyn’s speech.
“As a university we’re committed to open, respectful dialogue. We always encourage people to present their views and beliefs while also being respectful to those who hold a contrary view.
“ACU is committed to providing a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for students and staff of all beliefs. Education, faith, respect and acceptance are at the heart of our mission as a Catholic university.”
However, Panteli felt the university’s response was insufficient.
“We’ve received no support. I would like the university to come out publicly and say that they don’t hold these views. They market themselves as an inclusive university, but giving this person an honorary doctorate is appalling.”
In response, De Bruyn said his views were not remarkable given they were delivered at a Catholic institution.
The SDA was also instrumental in the 1955 Labor Party split in response to communist infiltration of its ranks.
The historic feminist movements—which paved the way for abortion rights—often overlapped with communist movements, as both aimed to overturn traditional views on marriage and family, while weakening the fabric of Christian-based societies.
“In fact, Friedan, under her maiden name Betty Goldstein, had been a radical socialist activist from her college years up to the 1950s. While at the University of California–Berkeley, Friedan was a member of the Young Communist League and even requested, twice, to join the Communist Party USA.”