The National Tertiary Education Union is demanding the University of Tasmania's chancellor provide a full response on Vice-Chancellor Rufus Black's appointment to the Deloitte board after months of dodging accountability.
The NTEU says the chancellor's refusal to respond is emblematic of a deeper governance crisis at one of Tasmania's largest employers.
"UTAS staff, students and all Tasmanians deserve answers about who is running their university and how," said NTEU Tasmania Division Secretary Dr Ruth Barton.
"The chancellor made a commitment. She's now walking it back. That tells you everything about the culture at the top of this institution."
Documents released through a right to information request reveal the university's conflict of interest policy was not properly followed when the vice-chancellor commenced his Deloitte appointment in August 2025.
A conflict of interest management plan was only lodged after the appointment had begun.
The documents also show the VC drove his own internal endorsement process - rather than the chancellor and council overseeing it - and that the extent of UTAS's financial relationship with Deloitte was downplayed.
Deloitte has a significant role in writing feasibility reports for future UTAS infrastructure projects.
"The vice-chancellor essentially approved his own appointment. The people who were supposed to provide oversight didn't," Dr Barton said.
"This isn't a minor administrative oversight. This is a conflict of interest being managed after the fact, by the person with the conflict.
“What we’ve seen is a governance process that failed at every level. Policy not followed, oversight not exercised, and a material conflict of interest not properly declared - all while the person at the centre of it shaped the outcome.”
The NTEU first wrote to chancellor Alison Watkins in November 2025 calling for Black to either relinquish the Deloitte appointment or step down as vice-chancellor.
Following an in-person meeting in February 2026, the chancellor and UTAS secretary agreed to provide a written response.
Nearly two months later, after multiple follow-ups, Watkins emailed the union to say the meeting had been sufficient.
The NTEU has since written again, demanding a written response within five working days. This deadline expired on Friday, with the NTEU only yesterday receiving a belated acknowledgement of receipt from the University.
The union is also calling on Education Minister Jo Palmer to act.
"Minister Palmer has been asked about this in parliament and keeps saying it's a matter for the council," Dr Barton said.
"The council is the problem. That's exactly why the minister needs to step in."
The NTEU says Palmer's reluctance to exercise oversight is a failure of the government's duty to Tasmanians who rely on UTAS for education, employment and research.
Contact details:
Dr Ruth Barton 0417 146 761
