Brendan O’Neill states that “the ideas of ‘workplace bullying’ and ‘university bullying’ are common currency today” and that “we are all worse off as a result of this bullymania”.

The piece references the much-discussed Human Rights and Social Justice Lecture by Anne Summers AO on bullying held at the University of Newcastle last year.  In that lecture, titled The political persecution of Australia’s first female prime minister, Ms Summers contended that Julia Gillard is bullied not because of her performance but because she is female.  Ms Summers posed the question, “What are the prime minister’s rights at work?

Dr Summers’ lecture provided a platform for ongoing global discussion on bullying and the University of Newcastle is proud to have provided Dr Summers with the opportunity to share her views.

The lecture titled Her Rights At Work? The Political Persecution of Australia’s First Female Prime Minister, portrayed Dr Summers’ views on the perceived persecution of Australia’s first female Prime Minister.

The lecture has since gone global.

At the time, the lecture was delivered to an audience of more than 600 University staff, students and community members. Since the speech was published on Dr Summers’ website, more than 77,634 people have visited the site to read the speech transcript.

The lecture was also filmed and published on the University’s YouTube channel, attracting more than six thousand views.

The University of Newcastle is proud to have provided Dr Summers with the platform to share her views on what has become a hotly discussed issue in both Australian and international media.

Did you see Dr Summers’ latest opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday, 20 October? Read it here.

In addition to widespread national media coverage, the controversial issue and Dr Summers’ surrounding comments were even published recently in the New Yorker!

If you missed Dr Summers speak at the University, watch the full speech via our YouTube channel. Read the transcript of the speech here.

Visit Dr Summers’ website for the full transcript of her speech including images and video links.

It’s even made The New Yorker and refers to the University’s 2012 Human Rights and Social Justice lecture, delivered by Dr Anne Summers AO – ‘Her Rights At Work? The Political Persecution of Australia’s First Female Prime Minister’. Read the speech here.

Check out the New Yorker article.

Dr Summer’s lecture, presented at the University on August 31, can be viewed in full on the University YouTube channel.  More than 600 University staff, students and community members heard the powerful exposition regarding the persecution of Australia’s first female Prime Minister by politicians and other elements in Australian society.

The lecture transcript, with images and video links, can be accessed on Dr Summers’ website.

Dr Summers conducted a forensic examination of the ways she claims Ms Gillard has been denigrated by the Federal Opposition, the media, in social media forums and via other channels.

Her presentation was eye-opening. If you missed the lecture, watch it via the University of Newcastle’s YouTube channel. Or read the speech here.

Dr Anne Summers’ opinion piece was also featured in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Newcastle Herald on Saturday, 1 September 2012. Read it here.