Aust, protesters await P.M.

Press, 20 June 1984, Page 9

Aust, protesters await P.M.

NZPA staff correspondent Sydney The Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, will have to face a noisy anti-racist demonstration when he delivers a lecture at Monash University in Melbourne on Thursday evening. Rally organisers are expecting at least 1000 students and have sworn that the New Zealand leader’s speech "will not proceed without heavy police protection.” The Melbourne police were studying the students’ plans last evening in the

light of a sometimes violent demonstration against a history professor, Geoffrey Blainey, at nearby Melbourne University on Monday. The rally against Professor Blainey, whose recent attack on Asian immigration sparked a national debate, was organised by the International Socialists who are not involved in activities planned for Thursday evening. Sir Robert will be at Monash to deliver the Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Lecture and is expected to

speak on Third World debt problems. The planned demonstration, which is being organised by the Monash students, is part of a growing campaign against “racists and racism.” Sir Robert has become a target in the student campaign because of the 1981 Springbok rugby tour of New Zealand and what they regard as his support for the South African regime. A poster publicising the demonstration says: “It is perhaps fitting that (Austra-

lian Opposition leader) Andrew Peacock is a guest speaker. “Given his current stand on immigration he should be able to fully relate to a man who supports and perpetuates the racist regime in South Africa.

“Muldoon’s presence in the scheme to condone Apartheid cannot go unchallenged.” The student action follows a forum held at Monash on Monday which overwhelmingly supported student action against “racist dignitaries and academics.”