The University of Sydney has suspended one of its professors after details were published of an email correspondence in which he reportedly referred to Muslims as "Mussies" and women as "whores."
Professor Barry Spurr sent a number of emails which included offensive terms over the course of two years, according to a report by website New Matilda.
In the emails he allegedly referred to Aboriginal people as "human rubbish tips" and took aim at "bogans" "fatsoes", "Mussies" and "Chinky-Poos."
The University released a statement a short time ago announcing Mr Spurr had been suspended.
"The University of Sydney has suspended Professor Barry Spurr’s employment following serious allegations in relation to offensive emails sent from a University account," the statement read.
"Professor Spurr is suspended, effective immediately, from teaching and engaging in any other University business and is precluded from attending any University campus, while the matter is investigated and dealt with in accordance with the terms of the University’s Enterprise Agreement.
"Racist, sexist or offensive language is not tolerated at the University of Sydney. The expectations for our staff and affiliates in respect of their professional and personal conduct are clearly set out in the University’s Code of Conduct."
Mr Spurr was part of a team of specialists who assisted in the Australian Curriculum Review.
Journalist Wendy Bacon, who co-wrote the article with journalist Chris Graham, told SBS Mr Spurr had made inexcusable comments about a range of groups.
"He's very denigrating of women…who he refers to as 'sluts and whores'," she said.
"He disparages people within the university as well, in the most offensive terms."
"The comments that you refer to are largely to one recipient with whom I have had a whimsical linguistic game for many years of trying to outdo one another in extreme statements," he said.
Mr Spurr said the statements did not reflect his point of view.
"These statements are not reflections of my views or his," he told New Matilda.
"The comments that you refer to are largely to one recipient with whom I have had a whimsical linguistic game for many years of trying to outdo one another in extreme statements."
They were part of a game "that mocked extreme language", he said.
But Ms Bacon rejected that defence.
She also rejected Mr Spurr’s claim that New Matilda had breached the law by accessing the emails.
"Can I just say that absolutely we have not broken the law. We have seen these emails…Any suggestion that we have broken into the university’s email…is absolutely not true."
Wendy Bacon speaks with SBS reporter Greg Dyett:
"The university is deeply disturbed by reports offensive emails were sent by a member of its academic staff from a university account," it said in a statement.
"The university takes the allegations very seriously and is examining whether any breaches of its code of conduct have occurred. This code clearly sets out the university’s expectations for our staff and affiliates in respect of their professional and personal conduct."
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