Bess Price barred from speaking to Griffith University students because of her extreme views

The indigenous support unit of Griffith University cancelled the appearance of Right wing NT MP, Bess Price by its acting head - by withdrawing the University's invitation. This is believed to be prompted by staff feedback regarding some of views expressed by Bess in the media. Ms Bess Price, sometimes described as a 'middle class blackfellow' and her husband David, are supporters of the NT intervention and own a company with a client portfolio that has included Mining Companies, the joint OZ/USA Defence Facility, Pine Gap, and local, state and federal governments, including Jenny Macklin's dept.

Tuck Thompson Courier Mail 18 July 2013

Aboriginal activist and Northern Territory MP Bess Price says she was treated like a "disease" by Griffith University after being barred from speaking to Aboriginal students because of her controversial views.

University spokesman Dean Gould said a junior manager had made an "unfortunate show of judgment" in cancelling the visit and Mrs Price would be welcome next time.

"It doesn't reflect the university's position on visiting MPs," he said.

Mrs Price, a grandmother and Country Liberal Party member, arranged to visit the university's Gumurrii Student Support Unit on Wednesday to chat with students and see the facility for the first time.

The meeting was abruptly cancelled by Shane Barnes, the unit's office manager, after he said staff objected to her visit for "various personal reasons based on various views she had expressed in the media".

"The welfare of my staff and students at Gumurrii is my major concern and I would not like to make it an unhealthy experience for all parties," Mr Barnes said in an email.

Mr Barnes declined comment, referring questions to Mr Gould.

Mrs Price and her husband Dave have written a controversial book arguing the culture and suffering of outback Aboriginals is not well understood by many urban Aboriginals and non-indigenous people.

The MP she was looking forward to speaking to students with different views and felt it was rude to be dismissed "like I was some unhealthy disease".

"That's absurd. I'm a grandmother. They shouldn't be scared of me.

"What was I going to do to the staff? All I was going to do was say hello."

Mr Gould said the director of the unit, Bronwyn Dillon, was on leave and Mr Barnes didn't check with senior officials before cancelling the visit.

"All the discourse happened at the operational level," he said.

Mrs Price has yet to receive an apology from Griffith but will be contacted by the director after she returned to work.

The Prices were in Brisbane for an LNP function. They will soon return to Alice Springs.

Mrs Price hoped to receive an apology and an invitation to see the Gumurrii facility.

"If I'm invited back, I'm happy to come back," she said.