Sydney University says it never received an official request for the Dalai Lama to speak on campus. Source: AAP
SYDNEY University says it never received an official request for the Dalai Lama to speak on campus, after being accused of withdrawing an invitation for political reasons.
NSW Greens MP John Kaye says the Tibetan spiritual leader had agreed to speak at the prestigious uni during his visit to Sydney in June.
But the uni cancelled the event "to protect its financial ties with the Chinese government", Dr Kaye said.
He said Sydney University had developed extremely close ties with the Chinese government, which partly funds the Confucius Institute.
"It appears that even the risk of damaging these ties and the money they bring to the university is enough for management to... deny their students exposure to an important 21st century figure," Dr Kaye said on Thursday.
Emails from the uni's vice-chancellor Michael Spence also refer to a decision to "withdraw support for hosting His Holiness the Dalai Lama's planned speech", according to the ABC's 7.30 Report.
Sydney University issued a statement on Thursday saying it never received any official request about the Dalai Lama.
A university spokesman said representatives of the Dalai Lama's office in Australia approached a student about the possibility of arranging a lecture last year.
It says staff discussed possible arrangements but the only time available was during uni holidays in June, when most students would not be on campus.
"The Dalai Lama's office agreed to an alternative proposal for him to address a wider group of students from across a number of universities in the city, including from the University of Sydney," the statement said.
The Dalai Lama no longer makes political statements but the Chinese government has long blamed him for inciting burning suicides as a means of realising Tibetan independence.
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