Victoria University condemns racial attack against Senator Sam Dastyari at public book event

Victoria University condemns the actions of what appears to be a nationalist group who used the occasion of a public book event to racially vilify Senator Sam Dastyari on 8 November 2017.

Victoria University encourages openness, inclusiveness and diversity. Unfortunately, these values were severely compromised by a small group wanting to disrupt a book event involving Australian Senator Sam Dastyari and Federal Labor MP Tim Watts at the VU Bar.

Federal Labor Senator Dastyari and Member of Parliament Tim Watts were invited guests of Victoria University’s Rotunda in the West, a well-respected series of public conversations with prominent writers that has been running for more than a decade.

This small group of detractors were at the event for about five minutes, and left when security was alerted. It is believed these men came specifically to the campus for the event.

As one of the most culturally diverse and inclusive universities in Australia, Victoria University takes an instance of bigotry and racism with the utmost seriousness.

We have students and staff from more than 150 countries of origin, and celebrate the cultural diversity and expression of the west of Melbourne, our traditional heartland.