ACU Offers $165 Ticket Refunds After Speaker’s Anti-LGBT Anti-Abortion Remarks

The Australian Catholic University (ACU) announced they will reimburse graduation fees to students involved in the mass walkout because of former union boss Joe de Bruyn’s remarks against abortion and gay marriage.

On Tuesday, following the outrage from students and nearly everyone on the internet, ACU Vice-Chancellor and President Zlatko Skrbis addressed the debacle in an apologetic email to all students. 

ACU shows regret for students distress and offers reimbursement

 In his email, vice-chancellor Skrbis expressed remorse for ‘distress caused’, offering a full refund of the graduation fees, and confidential counselling services to teachers and students.

The refunds include guest tickets, dress for hire & attendance fees which amount to $165.

ACU recognises distress caused, but continues to defend ‘free speech’ 

Despite his concern for students that were impacted, Skrbis defended de Bruyn’s right to express his personal beliefs as it infringes on their values of free speech. 

A statement released by the university found that they were already aware of De Bruyn’s divisive address. Although they did ‘encourage de Bruyn to reconsider his speech from the view of the graduating students’ achievements and hopes’

“The university was aware that Mr. De Bruyn planned to speak about a number of polarising issues in his occasional address and asked him to consider a speech that was better aligned to the occasion and more directly celebrated the achievements of our students,” they said.

“We are deeply disappointed that the speech was not more befitting of a graduation ceremony. We do not censor our speakers but recognise that the content of Mr. De Bruyn’s address caused distress and offence to many in the audience.”

ACU Student Associations condemn the university for allowing the ‘degrading’ address

Following ACU’s intial response, various associations from the Melbourne university (ACU National Student Association, the ACU LGBTIQ+ Staff Ally Network, The Melbourne LGBTIQ+ Society and The St Patrick’s Student Association) came together and shamed the university for allowing de Bruyn’s “deeply degrading and dehumanising” address.

De Bruyn shows no regret in response to backlash 

In response to his controversial speech, de Bruyn remains unapologetic.

“Here I am, a Catholic layman being offered by ACU an award for my services to the Catholic church,” he said.

“If I can’t talk about issues that have confronted me in my professional life that I tried to deal with consistent with my Catholic beliefs, then what am I getting an award for?” he told Guardian Australia. “I thought it was fair and sensible.” 

The former union boss also confirmed the university advised him it would be “wise to make some changes” to his speech, because he would have a “diverse audience”.