BREAKING NEWS: The Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner confirmed on Monday it had launched an investigation into the University of Melbourne, which is bound by the Privacy and Data Protection Act. Read more here.

The University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU) calls on the University of Melbourne to respect and protect students' fundamental human rights. Recent surveillance practices targeting student protests, as highlighted in The Age 07/07/24, raise serious concerns about privacy and the use of wifi surveillance to form the basis of the current misconduct allegations 

We stand in solidarity with the Human Rights Law Centre and the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) in condemning the use of surveillance technology and the issuance of misconduct notices to students exercising their right to express their views through peaceful assembly. These actions undermine the core values of our academic community. 

UMSU raised serious concerns about Melbourne University's potential use of technology to track students in 2016. We are committed to defending the rights and safety of our students, to protecting the right to peaceful protest and to foster an environment where freedom of expression and diverse perspectives are valued. 

Disha Zutshi
UMSU President