Melbourne University VC Dodges Questions On Partnership with Lockheed Martin Amid Student Outcry

The Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University of Melbourne was taken aback after a Palestinian student asked him about the Varsity's link with weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin. According to the Middle East Monitor, the Vice Chancellor, Duncan Maskell refuses to answer student questions about a partnership with the Lockheed; an arms and defence company accused of supplying weapons used on Gaza’s civilian population.

In the Instagram post the student of the University (Dana Al-Shaer) repeatedly questions Maskell on the university's partnership with Lockheed Martin. In the video going viral, Maskell could be seen avoiding the dialogue with the student. However the student bombarded the VC with questions on tie up with gun manufacturing company.

In the video, the girl student was asking questions like, "Why does our University have a partnership with the weapons manufacturing company at the first place?

The student further accused the weapon company of murdering Palestinians, she said, "They're literally supplying weapons for an active genocide in Gaza."

"More than 15000 people have been killed, what do you have to say on this?" she added.

The VC could be seen walking fast without saying answering the questions of the student. At one point he said, "You can't tell me what to do, you are a student." and "I cannot talk to you."

The University of Melbourne partnered with Lockheed Martin in 2016. The collaboration between the two was coordinated through the Defence Science Institute, which was established in 2010 to facilitate the growth of defence science research networks between Victorian universities, government and defence industry.