Alumnus speaks out on University of Newcastle's public stance in Voice to Parliament referendum

Matt Schultz has completed three degrees and a masters at UON and is the current face of the university's Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) marketing campaign.

While he appreciates and praises the institution on its educational offerings, he feels he was not consulted enough about making a public stance on the Voice and how that affects him as a "no" voter.

Mr Schultz said he was contacted on September 7 from a UON marketing coordinator who asked if he was still happy to be involved in the launch of the teaching course campaign, but he said there was no mention of the Voice.

"At that point based on everything that I knew there was no reason for me to say no because I was willing to do it 12 months ago," he said.

But now, he said having his image linked to the university supporting a "yes" vote, was uncomfortable and he perhaps would have reconsidered.

"That's where I'm nervous of my face being connected to the marketing campaign now concurrently is that I'll be seen as a yes voter," he said.

"I'm fully supportive of UON's new innovative teaching program because it's going to help solve or contribute to solving the teacher shortage, and that's why I lent my face to it."

He said the university's stance was not intended to be divisive but he felt it was.

"In my classes there were people that are thinking about voting yes, and then there's also people that are thinking about voting no, and so with an educational institution taking a political position - they've just marginalised the cohort that perhaps is considering not voting yes."

He said studying at UON allowed him to explore different theories, work out his own thoughts and where he sits professionally and in his own philosophy in values and beliefs.

"I've been taught how to think not what to think, that's why I'm passionate about this.

"I feel like that very university is virtually signalling to me, saying 'no think this way' and as a teacher, we were told not to politicise the classroom and I think in this case it is politicising it," he said.

"I feel for the people that genuinely before me are hard nos and are studying at the university because now they feel like they're bad for not taking the position their university is taking."

Mr Schultz said initially he was strongly a "yes" voter but after listening to both sides of the story he swayed towards the "no" campaign.

"Like I was taught in my undergrad Arts degree, listen to both sides of the critiques, but also the pros and then make a reason judgement. If I was to vote right now it would be no," he said.

"I don't get a choice but if there were two questions, I'd vote yes for recognition and no for a constitutional voice."

He said he found the referendum experience to be divisive and he hoped there was space to have educational conversations leading up to October 14.

"I'd be willing to sit down with the VC and the university's Board of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and Research to sit down, have a debate and intellectually explore this," he said.

"The whole point of this referendum is listening, we need to agree to disagree and allow people an opportunity to consider both sides," he said.

He encouraged the Newcastle region to respect each other's positions and take part in respectful engagement.

"Let's not divide ourselves as a region, no matter where we stand on the spectrum. We need to do more listening to our Indigenous Australians but we also need to do more of that as a society with each other," he said.

Mr Schultz wanted to convey that UON has been a transformative place for his life.

"I just think this one (to make a public stance) was a bad captains call," he said.

University of Newcastle Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Strategy and Leadership, Nathan Towney said the institution respects there are a diversity of opinions on the Voice to Parliament referendum and "has made it clear that it encourages individuals to be informed and to make their own decision".

"The University undertook an extensive and genuine consultation process within our community, including asking staff, students and First Nations alumni if they wanted us to publicly state our position on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. The majority of our community voted in support of this," he said.

"The online resource developed by the University puts all the aspects of the referendum forward with Yes, No or Unsure and allows people to come to their own position."

It's noted that Mr Schultz ran for Liberals in the City of Lake Macquarie election in 2022.

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