Open Letter Re Gerd Schroder-TurkforsDistribution

<strong>Open</strong> <strong>Letter</strong><br />

Professor Eeva Leinonen<br />

Vice Chancellor<br />

Murdoch University<br />

e-mail: E.Leinonen@murdoch.edu.au cc: Mr Gary Smith, Chancellor Murdoch University:<br />

Gary.smith@murdoch.edu.au<br />

22 October 2019<br />

Dear Professor Leinonen<br />

We write to voice our deep concern at the legal action by way of cross-claim for damages<br />

recently taken by Murdoch University against Associate Professor <strong>Gerd</strong> Schröder-Turk as<br />

reported in the news media. We are not close associates of Associate Professor Schröder-<br />

Turk. Our concern is that the claim for damages sets dangerous precedent for all Australian<br />

universities.<br />

It is a long-established principle of academic freedom that academics must be able to criticise<br />

university governance. This right is especially important where aspects of university<br />

governance might compromise the integrity of teaching and research.<br />

Protecting academic freedom should be a core value of all Australian universities as it ensures<br />

the proper conduct of teaching and research. The claim for damages is highly intimidatory to<br />

all Australian academics and therefore risks the capacity of Murdoch University and all<br />

Australian universities to pursue excellence in research and teaching.<br />

We urge you to withdraw the claim, to settle any dispute without punitive measures, and to<br />

affirm the commitment of Murdoch University to academic freedom as an essential university<br />

value.<br />

Yours sincerely<br />

Distinguished Professor Michael Bird FRSE<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

James Cook University<br />

Professor Peter Taylor<br />

<strong>Re</strong>dmond Barry Distinguished Professor<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2013-2018)<br />

University of Melbourne<br />

Professor Adrienne Stone FASSA FAAL<br />

<strong>Re</strong>dmond Barry Distinguished Professor<br />

Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

University of Melbourne

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Distinguished Professor Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald, PhD, DLitt, FQAAS, FAHA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Director of the Language and Culture <strong>Re</strong>search Centre<br />

James Cook University<br />

Professor Paul Mulvaney<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2011-2015)<br />

University of Melbourne<br />

Professor Trevor J McDougall AC FRS FAA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

University of New South Wales<br />

Professor John Quiggin,<br />

VC Senior <strong>Re</strong>search Fellow<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2013-2017)<br />

University of Queensland<br />

Professor Maria Forsyth FAA FRACI<br />

Alfred Deakin Professor<br />

Chair Electromaterials and Corrosion Sciences<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2012-2017)<br />

Deakin University<br />

Professor Steven Sherwood<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes<br />

UNSW Climate Change <strong>Re</strong>search Centre<br />

Professor Fedor Sukochev, FAA<br />

UNSW Scientia Professor<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

University of New South Wales<br />

Professor Jolanda Jetten, FASSA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

The University of Queensland<br />

Professor Gottfried Otting<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Australian National University<br />

Professor Alex Haslam FASS FAPS<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2012-2018)<br />

University of Queensland

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Professor Leann Tilley<br />

Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

<strong>Re</strong>dmond Barry Distinguished Professor<br />

The University of Melbourne<br />

Professor Matthew Spriggs<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow,<br />

The Australian National University<br />

Distinguished Professor Chennupati Jagadish, AC, FAA, FTSE, FTWAS, FNAI, FNA, FASc,<br />

FNAE, FAPAS FEurASc<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2009-2014)<br />

Department of Electronic Materials Engineering<br />

<strong>Re</strong>search School of Physics<br />

Australian National University<br />

Professor Nicholas Evans FAHA FASSA FBA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Distinguished Professor of Linguistics<br />

Director, Australian <strong>Re</strong>search Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language<br />

Australian National University<br />

Professor Emeritus Mark Westoby FAA FAAAS<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2010-2015)<br />

Macquarie University<br />

Professor Jon Barnett FASSA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

University of Melbourne<br />

Professor Eelco J Rohling<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2013-2018)<br />

Australian National University<br />

Professor John S. Dryzek<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Centenary Professor<br />

University of Canberra<br />

Professor Joy Damousi FAHA FASSA<br />

Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

University of Melbourne<br />

Professor Craig Moritz FAA FAAS<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2012-2017)<br />

Australian National University

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Professor Trevor Lithgow, FAA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Biomedicine Discovery Institute &<br />

Department of Microbiology<br />

Monash University<br />

Professor Chris Turney FRSA FRMetS FGS FRGS FHEA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Professor of Earth Science & Climate Change<br />

University of New South Wales<br />

Professor Ivan Marusic FAA<br />

<strong>Re</strong>dmond Barry Distinguished Professor<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2012-2017)<br />

University of Melbourne<br />

Professor Brad Sherman<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

University of Queensland<br />

Professor Hilary Charlesworth FASSA<br />

Melbourne Laureate Professor<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2010-2015)<br />

University of Melbourne<br />

Professor Kate Smith-Miles<br />

Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellow (2014-2019)<br />

University of Melbourne<br />

Professor Ben Andrews FAA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Australian National University<br />

Professor David Studdert<br />

ARC Federation Fellow (2007-11), Australian Laureate Fellow (2012-13)<br />

Stanford Law School<br />

Stanford University<br />

Professor Jason Mattingley FASSA FAPS<br />

UQ Laureate Fellow<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2012-2017)<br />

The University of Queensland<br />

Professor Malcolm McCulloch FAA FRS<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2013-2018)<br />

ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral <strong>Re</strong>ef Studies

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The University of Western Australia<br />

Professor Mark Finnane FAHA FASSA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2013-2018)<br />

Griffith University<br />

Professor Hugh O'Neill FAA FRS<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

<strong>Re</strong>search School of Earth Sciences<br />

The Australian National University<br />

Professor David Lindenmayer FAA, AO<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

The Fenner School of Environment and Society<br />

The Australian National University<br />

Professor Bernard Degnan<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2011-2017)<br />

Director Centre for Marine Science<br />

UQ Development Fellow<br />

University of Queensland<br />

Professor Phil Bland<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Curtin University<br />

Professor Justin Marshall<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

University of Queensland<br />

Professor Sharon Parker<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Director, Centre for Transformative Work Design<br />

Future of Work Institute<br />

Curtin University<br />

Professor Katherine Demuth FASSA FSRN.<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow and Distinguished Professor<br />

Director, Child Language Lab<br />

Macquarie University<br />

Professor Edward C. Holmes FAA FRS<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases & Biosecurity,

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Charles Perkins Centre,<br />

School of Life & Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School,<br />

The University of Sydney<br />

Professor Lesley Head FAHA FASSA DFIAG<br />

<strong>Re</strong>dmond Barry Distinguished Professor<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2009-2014)<br />

Head, School of Geography<br />

The University of Melbourne<br />

Prof Paul S.C. Taçon FAHA FSA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2016-2021)<br />

Chair in Rock Art <strong>Re</strong>search PERAHU, GCSCR & ARCHE<br />

School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science<br />

Griffith University<br />

Professor Ann McGrath AM FASSA FAHA<br />

Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

W.K. Hancock Professor of History<br />

Australian National University<br />

Professor Matthew Bailes<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery<br />

Swinburne University of Technology<br />

Professor Julian Gale FAA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

Curtin University<br />

Professor Sue O’Connor<br />

Distinguished Professor<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2013-2018)<br />

The Australian National University<br />

Professor Jon Woodhead<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

University of Melbourne<br />

Professor Philip Boyd<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2016-2021)<br />

University of Tasmania<br />

Distinguished Professor Richard ‘Bert’ Roberts<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2014–2019)<br />

University of Wollongong

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Professor Peter Hodgson FTSE, FIEAust<br />

Alfred Deakin Professor<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2009-2014)<br />

Australian Federation Fellow (2004-2009)<br />

Deakin University<br />

Geoff McFadden PhD FAA, FASM, FASP<br />

Australian <strong>Re</strong>search Council Laureate Professor,<br />

School of BioSciences,<br />

University of Melbourne<br />

Professor Stuart Wyithe<br />

<strong>Re</strong>dmond Barry Distinguished Professor<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2012-2016)<br />

University of Melbourne<br />

Distinguished Professor William F. Laurance, FAA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow (2011-2015)<br />

James Cook University<br />

Professor Christine Beveridge, FAA<br />

Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

The University of Queensland<br />

Professor George Willis FAA<br />

Australian Laureate Fellow<br />

University of Newcastle