Australian medical PhD candidate Zoe Stewart walked out of the Cambridge University Australian and New Zealand Society annual dinner on January 18th, after delivering a speech in protest against Australia’s asylum seeker policy.

Deputy Australian High Commissioner Matt Anderson was present, representing Australian High Commissioner Alexander Downer, as well as the New Zealand High Commissioner Sir Lockwood Smith and his wife, representatives of the Britain-Australia Society, and Cambridge University students and staff.

In her speech, Stewart condemned Australia’s policy towards refugees, which involves offshore processing for those who travel to Australia on boats to seek asylum, deeming it “specifically designed to be as cruel as possible, so that other people don’t come and seek safety.”

She continued, “Not many of them risk their lives to come as far as Australia, but those that do are forced to be detained indefinitely under conditions described by the UN as tantamount to torture.”

Stewart called for those present to walk out on the event with her in an act of protest. One guest joined her, and she told Varsity that others have since contacted her to express their support.  

Speaking to Varsity, Stewart stated that she was informed that the New Zealand High Commissioner and Deputy Australian High Commissioner supported her right to protest after her exit, but that a speech later given by the Deputy High Commissioner allegedly “focused mainly on his support of the Government’s agreement to resettle 12,000 Syrian refugees.”

In a comment to Varsity, the Australian and New Zealand Society claimed no prior knowledge of Zoe’s speech, stressing their objectivity but expressing firm belief “in the right to free speech, which includes of course, the right to protest – these are core values in Australia and New Zealand.”

Stewart subsequently elaborated on her speech in a blog post, drawing upon contention surrounding ‘Australia Day’, which is celebrated today, 26th January. This is a public holiday traditionally celebrated to commemorate the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships on the coast of New South Wales, when the British claimed the land from the Aboriginals under the legal declaration of “terra nullius”, “nobody’s land”.

There has been significant advocacy in recent years for the date to be changed, particularly after the High Court of Australia deemed “terra nullius” to have been improperly applied, denying British claim to Australia. Many believe the date should be changed, and refer to 26th January as “Invasion Day” or “Survival Day”.

“Mr Downer and his colleagues are continuing to build on a long legacy of white Australian racism”, argued Stewart in her speech. “It started with the theft of land from Aboriginal people, and continues with their oppression today. We torture refugees, we lock them up indefinitely, and to build an image of a white Australia, it requires extreme levels of systemic racism and violence.”

The Australian High Commissioner has been contacted for comment