Latest news with #MelbourneLawSchool
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Law professor at centre of leaked email controversy claims University of Melbourne suspended him because of his political opinion
A University of Melbourne law professor who claimed ''Blak' activists' were leading the prestigious institution to 'destruction' alleges he has been suspended because of his political opinion. Guardian Australia on Saturday revealed that Dr Eric Descheemaeker is suing Australia's top-ranked university for discrimination. The legal action comes after a 2023 email written by Descheemaeker to the then head of the Melbourne Law School (MLS) was leaked and posted around the university's Parkville campus last month. Descheemaeker alleged the University of Melbourne had taken adverse action against him by suspending his employment due to his 'political opinion', court documents show. Descheemaeker argued this is in contravention of section 351 of the Fair Work Act, which stipulates an employer must not take adverse action against an employee because of a range of attributes including a person's race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, religion or political opinion. Sign up: AU Breaking News email Descheemaeker alleged the university will terminate his employment because of his political opinion unless it is 'restrained from doing so'. The federal circuit and family court heard on Friday the university would not terminate Descheemaeker's employment or take any adverse action until his injunction application had been determined. Descheemaeker also alleged the university has breached section 340 of the legislation, which says a person must not take adverse action against another person because the other person has a workplace right or has, or has not, exercised a workplace right. Asked why the university has suspended Descheemaeker, a spokesperson referred to a previous statement by the dean of MLS, Prof Michelle Foster. 'Professor Descheemaeker is an employee of the university and it would be improper to comment on this employment matter,' Foster told Guardian Australia last week. Descheemaeker's leaked August 2023 email was sent in response to the announcement of an Indigenous cultural safety review at the university. MLS was 'celebrating the 'noble savage'', he wrote in the email, likening the law school to an 'ideological re-education camp'. Descheemaeker wrote that there was 'absolutely no end to where 'Blak' activists are meaning to take us – except destruction'. In an email sent to MLS staff last month, Foster said 'sensitive correspondence' from August 2023 had recently been posted on campus noticeboards and social media. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion 'I acknowledge that staff and students who read the notices may have been offended or upset by its contents,' Foster said in the email, viewed by Guardian Australia. Foster said the university had taken immediate steps to remove the correspondence and was investigating how it came to be posted on campus. 'I affirm my steadfast commitment to supporting a diverse, multi-cultural and multi-faith community.' She said she was committed to ensuring cultural safety at the MLS and supported the 'important work under way in this regard'. Last week, Descheemaeker's lawyer said their client was unable to comment at this stage. The interlocutory application will be heard on 9 September.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Law professor who claimed ‘Blak' activists were leading University of Melbourne to ‘destruction' sues for discrimination
A University of Melbourne law professor who wrote an email saying the institution was dictated to by ''Blak' activists' who were leading the prestigious institution to 'destruction' is suing Australia's top-ranked university for discrimination. Last month, a 2023 email written by Dr Eric Descheemaeker to the then head of the Melbourne Law School (MLS) was leaked and posted around the university's Parkville campus. In the email, in response to the announcement of a cultural safety review at the university, Descheemaeker said MLS was 'celebrating the 'noble savage'' and likened it to an 'ideological re-education camp'. Descheemaeker filed an application in relation to discrimination under the Fair Work Act in the federal court on 18 July, court records show. The application is related to section 351 of the act which stipulates an employer must not take adverse action against an employee because of attributes, including a person's race, colour, sex and sexual orientation. During a brief court mention in Melbourne on Friday, federal court judge Val Gostencnik said the matter would return for a hearing in September, with the parties agreeing the university would not terminate Descheemaeker's employment or take any adverse action until the injunction application had been determined. In the email to then Melbourne Law School dean, Prof Matthew Harding, on 12 August 2023, Descheemaeker wrote that there was 'absolutely no end to where 'Blak' activists are meaning to take us – except destruction'. 'They have made us start every meeting with ritual prayers,' he wrote. 'Their (non-existing) claims to land are now 'acknowledged' about every 10 feet in our corridors. They want me to teach that Australian law is only 'settler law' and that there exists a rich body of 'indigenous law' alongside (what are indigenous private-law remedies, I wonder. Ritual spearings?). 'Celebrating the 'noble savage' is already the main, if not exclusive, thing MLS appears to exist for – with just a bit of space to spare for every possible sexual or gendered minority vying for claims to victimhood.' Sign up: AU Breaking News email Descheemaeker said he joined what he thought was a world-class law faculty but had woken up in an 'ideological re-education camp' with 'incredibly parochial concerns'. The university commissioned a cultural safety review in 2023 – the same year Indigenous academic Dr Eddie Cubillo resigned from his role as an associate dean and senior fellow at the university's prestigious MLS. Cubillo, a Larrakia, Wadjigan and Central Arrernte man and former Northern Territory discrimination commissioner, told Guardian Australia at the time that MLS was the 'most culturally unsafe place I've worked'. Descheemaeker's email was first reported by The Age last month. MLS dean Prof Michelle Foster told The Age the leak was being investigated. 'The University of Melbourne aspires to be a place where all people are valued and respected, have equal access to opportunities and are encouraged to fulfil their talents and potential,' she said. The university offers students and staff access to a range of free support services, Foster said. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The university did not comment on whether there had been disciplinary action in response to the email. In an email sent to MLS staff on 13 June, Foster said 'sensitive correspondence' from August 2023 had recently been posted on campus noticeboards and social media. 'I acknowledge that staff and students who read the notices may have been offended or upset by its contents,' Foster said in the email, viewed by Guardian Australia. Foster said the university had taken immediate steps to remove the correspondence and was investigating how it came to be posted on campus. She said she was committed to ensuring cultural safety at the MLS and supported the 'important work under way in this regard'. On Thursday, Foster told Guardian Australia that Descheemaeker was an employee of the university and said it would be improper to comment on an employment matter. Descheemaeker joined MLS as a professor in 2017 and holds an honorary position as a Visiting Research Fellow of the Institute of European and Comparative Law at the University of Oxford. Descheemaeker's lawyer said their client was unable to comment at this stage.
The Advertiser
14-07-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
'It's rife': third of young workers report wage theft
Cafe worker Mia McDowall was initially shocked to discover she'd been underpaid by thousands of dollars but soon learnt it's an experience all too common in the hospitality industry. The 22-year-old has worked for multiple employers who either didn't pay her correctly, forced her to work through legally mandated breaks or didn't pass on deducted superannuation to her fund. "Wage theft is absolutely rife, for sure," Ms McDowall told AAP. "I know more people my age who have spent any significant amount of time in hospitality that have had wages lost than haven't." Ms McDowall is among more than one in three young workers who report being ripped off, according to University of Melbourne research released on Tuesday. Two-thirds were forced to pay for work-related items such as uniforms or protective equipment, almost one-third were not paid compulsory super and more than one-third were banned from taking entitled breaks. One in five said they had been paid off the books, almost 10 per cent were paid in food or products and eight per cent said they never received a pay slip. "The extent of all the different ways that people are being denied their entitlements or employers are breaking the law shocked me," study lead John Howe said. "The majority of employers are doing the right thing, but there's obviously a significant proportion of employers cutting corners with their young workers wherever they can." About one-third reported being paid as little as $15 a hour, well below the national minimum wage of $24.95 per hour, but Professor Howe worries the true scale of underpayments could be greater. "It could be a lot higher, because a lot of workers weren't sure if they were being underpaid," he said. "Vulnerable workers are worried about raising complaints or asking questions about their entitlements because they don't want to jeopardise their job." Researchers expected to find exploitation among hospitality workers but also identified workers being ripped off in utilities industries such as gas and water, agriculture, forestry and even unionised workforces, including mining. Some 2814 workers younger than 30 took part in the survey conducted by the Melbourne Law School as part of its Fair Day's Work project. Only one in three reported seeking help from a union or body such as the Fair Work Ombudsman, with Prof Howe recalling many expressed helplessness over their situation. Now a women's organiser for Trades Hall, Ms McDowall believes her experiences fighting for her minimum entitlements were vital in gaining the skills she needs in her new career. She encouraged anyone to stick up for themselves, pointing to the Fair Work Wage Calculator and Young Workers Centre as great places to start. "It's so important that we are teaching young people how to determine what their pay should be and how to teach people how to have those conversations," she said. Cafe worker Mia McDowall was initially shocked to discover she'd been underpaid by thousands of dollars but soon learnt it's an experience all too common in the hospitality industry. The 22-year-old has worked for multiple employers who either didn't pay her correctly, forced her to work through legally mandated breaks or didn't pass on deducted superannuation to her fund. "Wage theft is absolutely rife, for sure," Ms McDowall told AAP. "I know more people my age who have spent any significant amount of time in hospitality that have had wages lost than haven't." Ms McDowall is among more than one in three young workers who report being ripped off, according to University of Melbourne research released on Tuesday. Two-thirds were forced to pay for work-related items such as uniforms or protective equipment, almost one-third were not paid compulsory super and more than one-third were banned from taking entitled breaks. One in five said they had been paid off the books, almost 10 per cent were paid in food or products and eight per cent said they never received a pay slip. "The extent of all the different ways that people are being denied their entitlements or employers are breaking the law shocked me," study lead John Howe said. "The majority of employers are doing the right thing, but there's obviously a significant proportion of employers cutting corners with their young workers wherever they can." About one-third reported being paid as little as $15 a hour, well below the national minimum wage of $24.95 per hour, but Professor Howe worries the true scale of underpayments could be greater. "It could be a lot higher, because a lot of workers weren't sure if they were being underpaid," he said. "Vulnerable workers are worried about raising complaints or asking questions about their entitlements because they don't want to jeopardise their job." Researchers expected to find exploitation among hospitality workers but also identified workers being ripped off in utilities industries such as gas and water, agriculture, forestry and even unionised workforces, including mining. Some 2814 workers younger than 30 took part in the survey conducted by the Melbourne Law School as part of its Fair Day's Work project. Only one in three reported seeking help from a union or body such as the Fair Work Ombudsman, with Prof Howe recalling many expressed helplessness over their situation. Now a women's organiser for Trades Hall, Ms McDowall believes her experiences fighting for her minimum entitlements were vital in gaining the skills she needs in her new career. She encouraged anyone to stick up for themselves, pointing to the Fair Work Wage Calculator and Young Workers Centre as great places to start. "It's so important that we are teaching young people how to determine what their pay should be and how to teach people how to have those conversations," she said. Cafe worker Mia McDowall was initially shocked to discover she'd been underpaid by thousands of dollars but soon learnt it's an experience all too common in the hospitality industry. The 22-year-old has worked for multiple employers who either didn't pay her correctly, forced her to work through legally mandated breaks or didn't pass on deducted superannuation to her fund. "Wage theft is absolutely rife, for sure," Ms McDowall told AAP. "I know more people my age who have spent any significant amount of time in hospitality that have had wages lost than haven't." Ms McDowall is among more than one in three young workers who report being ripped off, according to University of Melbourne research released on Tuesday. Two-thirds were forced to pay for work-related items such as uniforms or protective equipment, almost one-third were not paid compulsory super and more than one-third were banned from taking entitled breaks. One in five said they had been paid off the books, almost 10 per cent were paid in food or products and eight per cent said they never received a pay slip. "The extent of all the different ways that people are being denied their entitlements or employers are breaking the law shocked me," study lead John Howe said. "The majority of employers are doing the right thing, but there's obviously a significant proportion of employers cutting corners with their young workers wherever they can." About one-third reported being paid as little as $15 a hour, well below the national minimum wage of $24.95 per hour, but Professor Howe worries the true scale of underpayments could be greater. "It could be a lot higher, because a lot of workers weren't sure if they were being underpaid," he said. "Vulnerable workers are worried about raising complaints or asking questions about their entitlements because they don't want to jeopardise their job." Researchers expected to find exploitation among hospitality workers but also identified workers being ripped off in utilities industries such as gas and water, agriculture, forestry and even unionised workforces, including mining. Some 2814 workers younger than 30 took part in the survey conducted by the Melbourne Law School as part of its Fair Day's Work project. Only one in three reported seeking help from a union or body such as the Fair Work Ombudsman, with Prof Howe recalling many expressed helplessness over their situation. Now a women's organiser for Trades Hall, Ms McDowall believes her experiences fighting for her minimum entitlements were vital in gaining the skills she needs in her new career. She encouraged anyone to stick up for themselves, pointing to the Fair Work Wage Calculator and Young Workers Centre as great places to start. "It's so important that we are teaching young people how to determine what their pay should be and how to teach people how to have those conversations," she said. Cafe worker Mia McDowall was initially shocked to discover she'd been underpaid by thousands of dollars but soon learnt it's an experience all too common in the hospitality industry. The 22-year-old has worked for multiple employers who either didn't pay her correctly, forced her to work through legally mandated breaks or didn't pass on deducted superannuation to her fund. "Wage theft is absolutely rife, for sure," Ms McDowall told AAP. "I know more people my age who have spent any significant amount of time in hospitality that have had wages lost than haven't." Ms McDowall is among more than one in three young workers who report being ripped off, according to University of Melbourne research released on Tuesday. Two-thirds were forced to pay for work-related items such as uniforms or protective equipment, almost one-third were not paid compulsory super and more than one-third were banned from taking entitled breaks. One in five said they had been paid off the books, almost 10 per cent were paid in food or products and eight per cent said they never received a pay slip. "The extent of all the different ways that people are being denied their entitlements or employers are breaking the law shocked me," study lead John Howe said. "The majority of employers are doing the right thing, but there's obviously a significant proportion of employers cutting corners with their young workers wherever they can." About one-third reported being paid as little as $15 a hour, well below the national minimum wage of $24.95 per hour, but Professor Howe worries the true scale of underpayments could be greater. "It could be a lot higher, because a lot of workers weren't sure if they were being underpaid," he said. "Vulnerable workers are worried about raising complaints or asking questions about their entitlements because they don't want to jeopardise their job." Researchers expected to find exploitation among hospitality workers but also identified workers being ripped off in utilities industries such as gas and water, agriculture, forestry and even unionised workforces, including mining. Some 2814 workers younger than 30 took part in the survey conducted by the Melbourne Law School as part of its Fair Day's Work project. Only one in three reported seeking help from a union or body such as the Fair Work Ombudsman, with Prof Howe recalling many expressed helplessness over their situation. Now a women's organiser for Trades Hall, Ms McDowall believes her experiences fighting for her minimum entitlements were vital in gaining the skills she needs in her new career. She encouraged anyone to stick up for themselves, pointing to the Fair Work Wage Calculator and Young Workers Centre as great places to start. "It's so important that we are teaching young people how to determine what their pay should be and how to teach people how to have those conversations," she said.
West Australian
14-07-2025
- Business
- West Australian
'It's rife': third of young workers report wage theft
Cafe worker Mia McDowall was initially shocked to discover she'd been underpaid by thousands of dollars but soon learnt it's an experience all too common in the hospitality industry. The 22-year-old has worked for multiple employers who either didn't pay her correctly, forced her to work through legally mandated breaks or didn't pass on deducted superannuation to her fund. "Wage theft is absolutely rife, for sure," Ms McDowall told AAP. "I know more people my age who have spent any significant amount of time in hospitality that have had wages lost than haven't." Ms McDowall is among more than one in three young workers who report being ripped off, according to University of Melbourne research released on Tuesday. Two-thirds were forced to pay for work-related items such as uniforms or protective equipment, almost one-third were not paid compulsory super and more than one-third were banned from taking entitled breaks. One in five said they had been paid off the books, almost 10 per cent were paid in food or products and eight per cent said they never received a pay slip. "The extent of all the different ways that people are being denied their entitlements or employers are breaking the law shocked me," study lead John Howe said. "The majority of employers are doing the right thing, but there's obviously a significant proportion of employers cutting corners with their young workers wherever they can." About one-third reported being paid as little as $15 a hour, well below the national minimum wage of $24.95 per hour, but Professor Howe worries the true scale of underpayments could be greater. "It could be a lot higher, because a lot of workers weren't sure if they were being underpaid," he said. "Vulnerable workers are worried about raising complaints or asking questions about their entitlements because they don't want to jeopardise their job." Researchers expected to find exploitation among hospitality workers but also identified workers being ripped off in utilities industries such as gas and water, agriculture, forestry and even unionised workforces, including mining. Some 2814 workers younger than 30 took part in the survey conducted by the Melbourne Law School as part of its Fair Day's Work project. Only one in three reported seeking help from a union or body such as the Fair Work Ombudsman, with Prof Howe recalling many expressed helplessness over their situation. Now a women's organiser for Trades Hall, Ms McDowall believes her experiences fighting for her minimum entitlements were vital in gaining the skills she needs in her new career. She encouraged anyone to stick up for themselves, pointing to the Fair Work Wage Calculator and Young Workers Centre as great places to start. "It's so important that we are teaching young people how to determine what their pay should be and how to teach people how to have those conversations," she said.
Perth Now
14-07-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
'It's rife': third of young workers report wage theft
Cafe worker Mia McDowall was initially shocked to discover she'd been underpaid by thousands of dollars but soon learnt it's an experience all too common in the hospitality industry. The 22-year-old has worked for multiple employers who either didn't pay her correctly, forced her to work through legally mandated breaks or didn't pass on deducted superannuation to her fund. "Wage theft is absolutely rife, for sure," Ms McDowall told AAP. "I know more people my age who have spent any significant amount of time in hospitality that have had wages lost than haven't." Ms McDowall is among more than one in three young workers who report being ripped off, according to University of Melbourne research released on Tuesday. Two-thirds were forced to pay for work-related items such as uniforms or protective equipment, almost one-third were not paid compulsory super and more than one-third were banned from taking entitled breaks. One in five said they had been paid off the books, almost 10 per cent were paid in food or products and eight per cent said they never received a pay slip. "The extent of all the different ways that people are being denied their entitlements or employers are breaking the law shocked me," study lead John Howe said. "The majority of employers are doing the right thing, but there's obviously a significant proportion of employers cutting corners with their young workers wherever they can." About one-third reported being paid as little as $15 a hour, well below the national minimum wage of $24.95 per hour, but Professor Howe worries the true scale of underpayments could be greater. "It could be a lot higher, because a lot of workers weren't sure if they were being underpaid," he said. "Vulnerable workers are worried about raising complaints or asking questions about their entitlements because they don't want to jeopardise their job." Researchers expected to find exploitation among hospitality workers but also identified workers being ripped off in utilities industries such as gas and water, agriculture, forestry and even unionised workforces, including mining. Some 2814 workers younger than 30 took part in the survey conducted by the Melbourne Law School as part of its Fair Day's Work project. Only one in three reported seeking help from a union or body such as the Fair Work Ombudsman, with Prof Howe recalling many expressed helplessness over their situation. Now a women's organiser for Trades Hall, Ms McDowall believes her experiences fighting for her minimum entitlements were vital in gaining the skills she needs in her new career. She encouraged anyone to stick up for themselves, pointing to the Fair Work Wage Calculator and Young Workers Centre as great places to start. "It's so important that we are teaching young people how to determine what their pay should be and how to teach people how to have those conversations," she said.
