A First Nations academic from Deakin University says universities need to be more involved with current national discussions rather than updating old documents.
The comment comes as the University of New South Wales is accused through media channels of “rewriting history”.
The university’s Diversity Toolkit states that this land was not settled peacefully, and that it was invaded, occupied and colonised.
The guidelines UNSW is using at the moment is an iteration of ‘Teaching the Teachers: Using the Right Words’ which was released in 1996.
The document was made to assist those in the education sector on how to approach sensitive issues.
Awabakal man Terry Mason was involved with the second publication of the resource in 2011 and says the original document was conservative and universities need to do more than just amend a 20 year old document.