The reasons for requesting review of Ms Bettina Arndt as a Member of the Order of Australia are set out in my letter to the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia dated 4 March 2020, below in plaintext (omitting footnotes):

His Excellency the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd)

Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia

Dunrossil Drive

YARRALUMLA ACT 2600

Your Excellency

Ms Bettina Arndt - Member of the Order of Australia

I request that you review the appointment of Ms Bettina Arndt as a Member of the Order of Australia. Ms Arndt was made a Member on 26 January, based on her service to 'gender equity through advocacy for men'.

I deeply respect, for example, those who advocate for male victims of domestic and family violence. I also deeply respect, for example, those who advocate for addressing men's mental ill health in our community.

However, statements made by Ms Arndt go well beyond such advocacy. We know the facts and figures. On average, one woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner. One in six Australian women has experienced physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner. Ms Arndt's statements have the power to engender attitudes that are dangerous to women and their children. The values that underpin Ms Arndt's statements are not consistent with her retaining her Order of Australia.

While I have not reviewed all of Ms Arndt's prior statements, the following statements alone are sufficient to risk bringing the Order of Australia into disrepute:

(1) In an interview with convicted sex offender Nicolaas Bester, uploaded in 2017, Ms Arndt described his 15-year-old victim as having engaged in "sexually provocative behaviour'' and stated that school girls "exploit their seductive powers to ruin the lives of men." Ms Arndt appears to blame child victims for the abuse by adult perpetrators.

(2) On 9 February 2020, in response to a positive and gender-neutral consent campaign run by Griffith University listing a series of innocuous propositions, Ms Arndt said on Twitter: "Young women at Griffith University are being taught to be uncaring, demanding bitches ... " None of the Griffith University propositions could be objected to by any reasonable person; everyone has the right to say "no".

(3) On 16 February 2020, in response to an article by Mr David Penberthy in The Australian, Ms Arndt said on Twitter: "How David Penberthy, author of today's vile hit job on me, fails to acknowledge his conflict of interest as the husband of former MP Kate Ellis? My campus work poses a direct threat to Ellis' longtime advocacy for victims of sexual assault. .. " Ms Arndt appears to characterise her own work as a "direct threat" to "advocacy for victims of sexual assault".

(4) On 16 February 2020, Ms Arndt said on Twitter: "Everyone knows that the domestic violence industry is feminism's cash cow ... " This trivialises the extent and gravity of domestic and family violence. Domestic and family violence is a serious social ill that affects men, women and children in our society; Ms Arndt appears to trivialise it in favour of an attack on feminism.

(5) On 19 February 2020, Ms Arndt said on Twitter: "Paid domestic violence leave is such a racket given that there is no evidence required for a woman to claim she is a victim and employers don't dare question such a claim ... " There is no evidence to support Ms Arndt's claim. The overwhelming evidence is of underreporting of domestic and family violence.

(6) On 20 February 2020, following criticism of comments by a Queensland Police officer that the police were "keeping an open mind" regarding the circumstances surrounding the brutal killing of Ms Hannah Clarke and her three children by her former partner, Ms Arndt said on Twitter: 'Congratulations to the Queensland police for keeping an open mind and awaiting proper evidence, including the possibility that Rowan Baxter might have been "driven too far."' Cold-blooded murder could never be justified or explained on the basis that someone was "driven too far''. A person could never be "driven to" douse his wife and children in petrol and burn them to death.

I understand the concerns of survivors about her appointment. Domestic and family violence and sexual assault is never acceptable. Survivors should never be blamed for the actions of perpetrators. I deeply regret that I am moved to make this objection but I do believe that in this instance a line has been crossed.

Yours sincerely

Mark Speakman

cc the Honourable Shane Stone AC QC Chairman

The Council for the Order of Australia

The Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat

Government House

Canberra ACT 2600