Anti-China protester, Drew Pavlou has received no financial compensation after agreeing to settle a $3.5 million lawsuit against the University of Queensland (UQ), following his suspension over criticism of Chinese influence on campus.
According to The Australian, the 24-year-old filed legal action in the Queensland Supreme Court in June 2020, claiming UQ’s disciplinary action against him was invalid, that he had been defamed and that there was a civil conspiracy to silence his freedom of speech.
Well-known for his outspoken criticism of the Chinese Communist Party, Pavlou drew international attention for his lawsuit against UQ, chancellor Peter Varghese, and then vice-chancellor Peter Hoj.
Pavlou reportedly agreed to drop the lawsuit only because the university offered $120,000 worth of law scholarships to future students.
“I always said I would drop the case if UQ just apologised [and] admitted they were wrong,” Pavlou said.
“This is basically the closest I’ll ever come to having an apology from UQ, Peter Hoj and Peter Varghese. They have agreed to put $120,000 towards the law scholarships for disadvantaged students and I am not receiving a single cent as part of the settlement.”
Pavlou served out his suspension, which was cut from two years to six months, before returning to complete his arts degree and is now a law student.
“A part of me will always be really bitter that Peter Hoj, Peter Varghese and UQ will never face direct consequences for their actions,” Pavlou said.
“I will never, ever forgive them.”
Source: The Australian
