Mass walkout at graduation ceremony after speaker’s anti-gay comments

Graduating students staged a mass walkout during a university event where former union leader Joe de Bruyn was speaking. He began discussing controversial topics like abortion, IVF laws, and same-sex marriage.

At the Australian Catholic University (ACU) in Melbourne on Monday night, Mr. de Bruyn was receiving an honorary degree for his contributions as former national president of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association during a graduation ceremony.

According to attendees, Mr. de Bruyn initially spoke about his union accomplishments before abruptly shifting to discuss abortion, which he strongly opposes. Student Charlie Panteli described to ABC Radio Melbourne that Mr. de Bruyn's speech “took a hard-right turn,” shocking the audience.

“He started talking about how abortion was wrong, and he had a list of issues he wanted to address, which was shocking,” he explained.

“I only heard about abortions and IVF, and I was one of the first to stand up. I was near the front and signaled that I was leaving.” The ABC obtained a transcript of Mr. de Bruyn’s speech, which focused almost entirely on abortion, IVF legislation, and same-sex marriage.

In his speech, Mr. de Bruyn asserted that abortion was the “single biggest killer of human beings worldwide” and referred to it as a “tragedy that must be ended.”

He warned the audience that they might encounter challenges conflicting with Catholic teachings, according to ‘ABC News’.

“My experience is that many Catholics succumb to peer pressure. They believe their professional lives will suffer if they promote Church teachings.”

Mr. Panteli estimated that “95 percent” of attendees left the auditorium as Mr. de Bruyn continued speaking.

“I think those remaining were filming because they were so shocked, and they wanted the incident to be publicized,” he noted. “There was a sense of unity. We all stood up and walked out, not wanting to partake in this.”

Mr. de Bruyn stated he intended to discuss topics that would “bring the teachings of the Catholic Church into public debate.”

“I concede that a majority walked out, but some stayed and gave me a standing ovation at the end,” he said.

"I was surprised that at a Catholic university, discussing Catholic teachings publicly would provoke such a reaction.

“I believe those who left because they disagreed with me were disagreeing with Catholic teachings, which was the essence of my speech.”

Mr. de Bruyn said he had not been contacted by the university after his speech. A university spokesperson mentioned Mr. de Bruyn received an honorary degree for his commitment to workers’ rights, education, and social welfare.

They acknowledged knowing Mr. de Bruyn planned to address divisive issues in his speech and requested him “to reconsider a speech more aligned with the occasion and focused on student achievements.”

“We are deeply disappointed that the speech was not more suitable for a graduation ceremony,” said the spokesperson.

Mr. de Bruyn defended not altering his speech, stating the requested changes were unspecified.

“They asked me to modify the speech without clear directions, and I decided that I wouldn't be censored for a graduation speech,” he stated.

The university offered graduates a refund of their ticket fees and access to confidential counselling services for those affected.

“While we don't censor our speakers, Mr. de Bruyn's address caused distress and offense to many in the audience,” the spokesperson said.

“His remarks at the ceremony were personal. Although not all staff and students share his views, we promote a respectful exchange of diverse ideas within our community.

“Graduation is a special occasion, and ensuring a positive experience for graduates and their families is important to us.”

The university regrets that many staff, graduates, and families disagreed with Mr. de Bruyn's speech content.

“Our commitment is to providing a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for students and staff of all beliefs.”

Mr. Panteli expressed disappointment with the university's response, saying, “I would like them to apologize because this person hijacked our day. His speech was irrelevant and inappropriate.”

“The university brands itself as inclusive, yet they support and honor this individual, which I find appalling. He should be stripped of the honor.”

Mr. de Bruyn led the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Union as national secretary from 1978 to 2014 and was a member of the Labor Party National Executive.

In 2022, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.