Macquarie University law students face controversial graduation requirements

Students at Macquarie University in Sydney are facing controversy over the requirements for passing a law course called Age and the Law. To succeed in this class, students must participate in a Welcome to Country ceremony and a "privilege walk." The privilege walk assigns different socio-economic backgrounds to students, who then move forward or stay behind based on personal statements. This aims to highlight social privileges. Some students feel uncomfortable and believe they are being pressured to adopt a specific ideology to get good grades. Critics, including Indigenous Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, have condemned these activities as a form of indoctrination. She argues that students should not have to "reinvent culture" to earn their degrees. Indigenous businessman Warren Mundine also expressed disbelief at these requirements, questioning their relevance to the law course. Macquarie University defended its approach, stating that the exercises relate to the legal issues faced by Indigenous youth and are part of the course's learning goals. The school clarified that the Welcome to Country is not required for all assessments but is specific to this one.