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| Deakin University journalism professor sacked over tweets | Deakin University journalism professor sacked over tweets |
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| Deakin University has sacked journalism professor Martin Hirst for serious misconduct, citing three tweets they claimed breached the institution’s code of conduct for academics. | Deakin University has sacked journalism professor Martin Hirst for serious misconduct, citing three tweets they claimed breached the institution’s code of conduct for academics. |
| Hirst, 59, was informed by letter on Thursday afternoon that his employment in Deakin’s school of communication and creative arts had been terminated. He has until 23 March to appeal. | |
| Deakin found that content posted to Hirst’s private Twitter account @ethicalmartini was “offensive and/or disrespectful and/or threatening and had the potential to damage the reputation of the university”. | Deakin found that content posted to Hirst’s private Twitter account @ethicalmartini was “offensive and/or disrespectful and/or threatening and had the potential to damage the reputation of the university”. |
| The former journalist was suspended without pay on April 19 after being accused of serious misconduct. | The former journalist was suspended without pay on April 19 after being accused of serious misconduct. |
| Hirst told Guardian Australia he was disappointed and saddened by the university’s decision and denied threatening a student in one of the tweets. | Hirst told Guardian Australia he was disappointed and saddened by the university’s decision and denied threatening a student in one of the tweets. |
| Related: Deakin university journalism professor suspended without pay over tweets | Related: Deakin university journalism professor suspended without pay over tweets |
| The university received a complaint about an exchange on 20 March 2016 in which Hirst said “so are you happy to fail commerce?” to a Deakin University student, Lachlan McDougall, who had insulted his teaching. | The university received a complaint about an exchange on 20 March 2016 in which Hirst said “so are you happy to fail commerce?” to a Deakin University student, Lachlan McDougall, who had insulted his teaching. |
| The exchange came about after the News Corp columnist Rita Panahi said Hirst was a “rent-seeking simpleton full of bitterness & bile” after he called her unstable.McDougall replied: “I’m glad I’m a commerce student and not subject to this man’s [Hirst’s] stewardship.” | |
| Hirst argued in his formal response to the allegations that he was not threatening McDougall in the tweet but was merely questioning his intelligence, and he didn’t realise McDougall was a student at Deakin at the time. | Hirst argued in his formal response to the allegations that he was not threatening McDougall in the tweet but was merely questioning his intelligence, and he didn’t realise McDougall was a student at Deakin at the time. |
| The university disagreed and said the tweet would be interpreted by a reasonable person as a threat to the academic progress of McDougall. | The university disagreed and said the tweet would be interpreted by a reasonable person as a threat to the academic progress of McDougall. |
| After an investigation the university identified two other tweets and accused Hirst of breaching the code of conduct for academics. | After an investigation the university identified two other tweets and accused Hirst of breaching the code of conduct for academics. |
| The second tweet contained a photo of a knitted beanie on which the words “fuck it” are printed, with the caption: “Back to work after the Easter break? You need this beanie. I’ve got mine on today, it’s a subtle hint to your boss.” | The second tweet contained a photo of a knitted beanie on which the words “fuck it” are printed, with the caption: “Back to work after the Easter break? You need this beanie. I’ve got mine on today, it’s a subtle hint to your boss.” |
| A third was a retweet of a comment by the ABC host Mark Colvin about Andrew Bolt’s relatively small audience on Sky News, to which Hirst had added the words “reassuring, masturbating chimps”. | A third was a retweet of a comment by the ABC host Mark Colvin about Andrew Bolt’s relatively small audience on Sky News, to which Hirst had added the words “reassuring, masturbating chimps”. |
| Deakin’s school of communication and creative arts told Hirst his Twitter use constituted “repeated instances of misconduct”. | Deakin’s school of communication and creative arts told Hirst his Twitter use constituted “repeated instances of misconduct”. |
| The sacking comes despite protests from the National Tertiary Education Union. | The sacking comes despite protests from the National Tertiary Education Union. |
| The Victorian division secretary of, the NTEU, Colin Long, had demanded Hirst be reinstated and his salary backdated because the allegations were not of a “serious enough nature” to warrant suspension under the university’s enterprise agreement. | The Victorian division secretary of, the NTEU, Colin Long, had demanded Hirst be reinstated and his salary backdated because the allegations were not of a “serious enough nature” to warrant suspension under the university’s enterprise agreement. |
| Comment on the termination has been sought from the university. | Comment on the termination has been sought from the university. |
| In 2014 Hirst narrowly escaped losing his job after Bolt drew attention to his Twitter account by posting a series of his tweets on his blog. | In 2014 Hirst narrowly escaped losing his job after Bolt drew attention to his Twitter account by posting a series of his tweets on his blog. |
| The university said it had taken his conduct in 2014 into account when deciding to terminate his employment. | The university said it had taken his conduct in 2014 into account when deciding to terminate his employment. |
| When asked about Hirst’s 2014 suspension a Deakin university spokeswoman said at the time: “It is the university’s practice not to comment on individual staffing matters. All staff are expected to comply with their employment obligations and the university’s code of conduct. | When asked about Hirst’s 2014 suspension a Deakin university spokeswoman said at the time: “It is the university’s practice not to comment on individual staffing matters. All staff are expected to comply with their employment obligations and the university’s code of conduct. |
| “Deakin university respects academic freedom and has clear policy on the protection afforded its academic staff in this regard.” | “Deakin university respects academic freedom and has clear policy on the protection afforded its academic staff in this regard.” |