ANU asked for Gaza death certificates for exam extension, commission hears

A student at the Australian National University (ANU) was reportedly asked to produce death certificates for relatives killed in Gaza to obtain an extension for an exam. This account was shared at the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion in Melbourne.

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I knew nothing about the matter but agreed the staffer's response was inappropriate and lacked empathy.

During cross-examination, ANU's acting provost, Joan Leach, expressed unawareness of the specific incident. Counsel for the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, Yasser Bakri, presented the case, stating the student sought more time due to grief, but a supervisor insisted on proof of death. Professor Leach appeared perplexed, acknowledging that the staffer's response was inappropriate and lacked empathy, though she had no prior knowledge of the matter.

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There was good reason to believe that doing such a salute would be pretty antithetical to that particular student's identity and so there was no finding of misconduct in that case.

The commission also addressed claims made by a Jewish former student regarding a Nazi salute and gestures during an online meeting in 2024. The student, Liat, alleged a "Nazi moustache" gesture and a Nazi salute occurred. Professor Leach explained that the "moustache" gesture was attributed to a student covering a scar from a cleft palate, a habitual gesture made in various contexts. The university's investigation found no misconduct in this instance. Regarding the alleged salute, Leach stated it was "virtually impossible to tell if it was a Nazi salute," and other students consulted did not believe it was. The university also found no misconduct in this case, noting it would be antithetical to the student's identity.

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Students should be able to walk through campus without what I would refer to as harassment.