Australian National University staff have overwhelmingly supported a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the Chancellor, The Hon Julie Bishop, and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Genevieve Bell.
More than 800 ANU staff participated in the vote, which was open to all union members. Of those, more than 95 per cent voted ‘No’ to the question “Do you have confidence in the leadership of the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor?”
ANU has been scandal-plagued recently, including revelations the Vice-Chancellor held a second job at Intel, and the Chancellor used ANU funds to pay her business partner as a consultant. ANU recently revealed its 2024 budget forecast – the basis of job cuts and a failed attempt to take away a staff pay rise – had overestimated the size of the 2024 deficit by more than $60 million.
Quotes attributable to NTEU ACT Division Secretary Dr Lachlan Clohesy:
“It is now up to ANU Council to deliberate on whether they believe the positions of the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor are still tenable.
“It’s not just the very serious conflicts of interest. It’s the culture of fear and intimidation, the financial mismanagement, the job cuts, blaming staff and referring to them as “inefficiencies”, the parking fee hike, the childcare closures, and attempting to take away a staff pay increase.
ANU leadership overestimated the size of the 2024 deficit by more than $60 million. They then disestablished the College of Health and Medicine, attempted to take away a staff pay increase, and cut jobs and courses based on their erroneous budgeting. ANU staff demand accountability.”
Quotes attributable to NTEU ANU Branch President Millan Pintos-Lopez:
“Morale at the ANU is at rock bottom. This is a great university, with great staff and great students. However, we’ve been let down by ANU leadership and this vote result is a clear reflection of that.
“We need ANU Council to take the concerns of staff seriously.
“Decisions taken by university leadership have damaged and continue to damage the university.
Given what we now know about the true state of the books, there is no financial reason for job cuts.”
Quotes attributable to NTEU National President Dr Alison Barnes:
“What does it take to lose your job as the boss of an Australian university in 2025? The ANU scandals have piled up higher than the Telstra Tower yet the Council continues to back in a vice-chancellor and chancellor who have both failed to take any responsibility for terrible mismanagement.
“The appalling thing is this is emblematic of the deep governance crisis we are seeing right across the country. We need real reform to stop the conflicts of interest and cultural decay of our public universities.”
Contact details:
Dr Lachlan Clohesy (lclohesy@nteu.org.au or 0418 493 355)