A woman formerly employed at a university’s Indigenous office has launched legal action against students and academics for $250,000 in damages under the Racial Discrimination Act.

Three students had been trying to access computers in the Oodgeroo Unit at Queensland University of Technology’s Brisbane campus in May 2013, when administration officer Cindy Prior asked them ‘whether they were Indigenous’.

When the men responded they were not, Ms Prior told them they were in ‘an Indigenous space for Aboriginal Torres Strait students’, court documents filed in the Federal Circuit Court allege.

Cindy Prior is seeking damages totalling $247,570.52 from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) students, lecturers and an equity director under the Racial Discrimination Act

She asked them to leave and they did, according to court documents seen by Daily Mail Australia.

Almost two years on, five students and three Queensland University of Technology (QUT) professors have found themselves in a legal battle under controversial 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

Soon after leaving Oodgeroo, one of the students, Jackson Powell, wrote to Facebook page QUT Stalker Space.

‘I wonder where the white supremacist computer lab is,’ he wrote, according to court documents.

Another post allegedly said: ‘ITT n*****s’.

It was allegedly attributed to student Calum Thwaites, who has strongly denied writing it.

Two other students, Chris Lee and Kyran Findlater, are also accused of racial vilification alongside professors Anita Lee Hong and Sharon Hayes, and equity director Mary Kelly.

'My Student and Amenity fees are going to furbish rooms in the university where inequality reigns supreme?' Mr Findlater is said to have posted online.

Ms Prior was employed as an office administrator at the Indigenous Oodgeroo Unit at Queensland University of Technology (pictured)

'I believe if we have to pay to support these sorts of places, there should at least be more created for general purpose use, but again, how do these sorts of facilities support interaction­ and community within QUT? All this does is encourage separation and inequality.'

Lecturer Dr Hayes is accused of saying that kicking a non-Indigenous person out of an Indigenous computer lab ‘seems a bit silly’.

According to court papers, she also suggested asking students whether they were Indigenous could be in breach of university policy.

Mr Findlater had suggested on the Facebook page that if all students’ fees helped support the unit, that there should be further computers made available for general use.

There were said to be more computers available to be used elsewhere at the university,The Australian reported.

Ms Prior claims she went home sick and feeling stressed, with ongoing fears for her safety as she became concerned she would be the victim of a verbal or physical attack.

It’s alleged she suffered ‘offence, embarrassment, humiliation and psychiatric injury’.

Ms Kelly is then said to have reviewed the contact online, and court documents said she told Ms Prior: 'This was just a case of students being nasty'.

One of the students had suggested on the Facebook page that if all students’ fees helped support the unit, that there should be further computers made available for general use. There were reportedly more computers available to be used elsewhere at the university (stock image)

Three male students were using computers in the lab at Oodgeroo Unit at Queensland University of Technology before they were asked to leave (stock image)

'With the small amount of contact I’ve had with the students, it is clear that these students aren’t racist.

'There is no white supremacy group at QUT. Check out what racial vilification is before you jump in. They’re not going to come into your office with a baseball bat,' the court papers allege.

She is seeking damages which total $247,570.52, claiming the actions of the students and staff was 'reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate her' and other Indigenous people.

QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Coaldrake said the university 'stands by its practice of providing a support unit and services to encourage and assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students'.

'These support services are not in any way a form of "segregation" or discrimination,' he told Daily Mail Australia in a statement.

'There are many premium spaces available to all students across our campuses; these include computer labs and library learning areas,' he added.

'In addition, the concept of networking in a cohort as a positive practice is supported across the university, with QUT providing spaces that can be accessed in a similar way for a range of cohorts and purposes including postgraduate rooms, parenting rooms, a women’s room and spaces for various disciplines.'

It is not uncommon for universities to have autonomous ‘safe’ spaces for collectives under their Students’ Association.

The University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), for example, has an Indigenous Collective with meetings and events exclusively for Indigenous students.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Prior, the university professors and equity director for comment.

Daily Mail Australia has also approached the Queensland University of Technology for comment.

The solicitors for Ms Prior and Mr Powell have also been contacted by Daily Mail Australia.