This is the third parliamentary inquiry into uni governance - federal, NSW, now Victoria. NTEU members have exposed the damning evidence: $280m+ wage theft, outrageous exec pay, toxic cultures, corporate-stacked boards. We're winning government action. www.premier.vic.gov.au/putting-stud...

MAJOR UNION WIN 🥳 The federal government will implement a new set of university governance principles to strengthen accountability, transparency and public trust following recommendations from the Expert Council on University Governance. Read more: nteu.info/majorwin @alisonbarnes.bsky.social

This damning report is really worth reading and the language of the authors’ criticism of uni executives and their failure to acknowledge the governance crisis is uncharacteristically strong.

Wish I could talk about the teaching and research achievements of our members but nonetheless was great to join former colleague Sue Wright, debunking the excuses of the vice-chancellors’ lobby group for management’s bad decisions www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

It has taken time to get university governance on the public radar. Our sector has experienced casualisation, wage theft, & mass job cuts. @nteunion.bsky.social, especially @alisonbarnes.bsky.social, have been great at going after the root cause - the leadership & governance crisis in higher ed.

Much attention has been on ANU but the governance crisis is broad and deep across the sector. Close scrutiny needs to be applied *everywhere*. This is shameful from UTS management.

The Senate inquiry’s interim recommendations are a massive win for @NTEUnion members’ campaign for governance reform. Transparency, caps on VC pay, stronger staff/student voices & tougher TEQSA powers – all welcome steps. There’s more to fight for!

This devastating plan is a disaster for the community and represents a direct attack on the core mission of UTS. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Go Barnsey 🎸🎸🎸 www.afr.com/work-and-car...

Bishop needs to go as well. There is no sensible governance arrangement where she gets to lead appointing a new VC. A new Chancellor / Chair and then a deep breath followed by a proper process to appoint a new VC / CEO needed. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

"A completely broken governance system has allowed unaccountable executives to cause enormous damage to staff, students and communities" - Alison Barnes, NTEU National President @alisonbarnes.bsky.social @nteunion.bsky.social #ANU region.com.au/genevieve-be...

Extraordinary for uni bosses to suggest they have no control over the bottom line. Yes, the government needs to scrap Jobs Ready Graduates and replace it. But vice-chancellors must own $734m on consultants in a single year and the executive pay explosion! www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

In the last two years, ANU leadership has taken an approach of moving fast and breaking things. Unfortunately, too many of those things were people. Very proud of @nteunion.bsky.social members at #ANU. Now to lock in no forced redundancies. ✊

With @NTEUnion members at Victorian Parliament to speak with government MPs about the university governance crisis and the need for reform. Thanks to everyone who shared their horror stories with the MPs including Deputy Premier and Education Minister @BenCarrollMP.

Vice chancellors' decision to cut jobs while defending their excessive pay further erodes our public institutions and undermines trust in university governance. Let's stand together for better universities 👉 betterunis.nteu.au 📰Read in full here: www.news.com.au/national/nsw...

“Replacing the ANU vice chancellor is a necessary first step… But it is not a sufficient step… If governance and policy direction doesn’t change, it won’t matter who sits in the vice chancellor’s chair – the outcomes for staff, students and the public will be the same.” www.afr.com/work-and-car...

At today’s Senate inquiry hearing, VCs spent more time complaining about “compliance costs” than showing contrition for the governance crisis. They want to sack hundreds of staff, hiding behind false narratives instead of owning their disastrous workforce planning. www.news.com.au/national/nsw...

🎙️LIVE NOW🎙️ Hear from VCs in Sydney at the Senate Inquiry into university governance: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfKv...

Australian universities are a shit show and university managements who listen to corporate consultancy grifters are to blame. My latest in the @theguardian.com. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

“If the most prestigious university in Australia will not fund our most prestigious literary journal, then it makes you question whether or not universities actually care about Australian culture.” johnmenadue.com/post/2025/09...

Meanwhile, keep up the pressure for change by signing our petition. www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/pe...

We'll be ready to work with interim leadership from Day 1 to end Renew ANU and stop *all* forced redundancies. This is only possible with new leadership. @nteunion.bsky.social - and everyone else - knows that the farce at #ANU has gone on for far too long.

Vice-chancellors will face the Senate inquiry into university governance on Monday. They have very serious questions to answer about shocking governance failures on their watch. So far we've seen no meaningful action from VCs to fix governance. Reform is urgent.

💰💰💰https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/university-boss-got-a-240k-pay-rise-over-three-years-20250902-p5mrth

Reckless Restructures A workplace safety watchdog has intervened to pause a restructure at the University of Technology Sydney due to concerns about its psychosocial impact on staff. With comments from @alisonbarnes.bsky.social from the @nteunion.bsky.social

Michelle Arrow, Anna Clark and Frank Bongiorno’s co-authored piece in The Conversation. @michellearrow.bsky.social @frankbongiorno.bsky.social @ouranu.bsky.social @utsengage.bsky.social #MacquarieUniversity

What a historic win! SafeWork NSW has stepped in to force UTS management to pause job cuts. This would not be possible without NTEU members at UTS standing together to voice and expose the serious and damaging psychosocial impacts on staff wellbeing. Article 👉 www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

SafeWork NSW orders UTS to pause job cuts due to risk of ‘psychological harm’

Our students deserve better than cuts to the courses they can study and cuts to staff who support their learning and development.

These sudden and unnecessary course and job cuts are a symptom of the broken governance structures that overpaid and unaccountable university leaders operate under. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

This is some ripe new bullshit from the cashed up grifting consultancy class cannibalising Australian universities. This is SHAMEFUL from @westernsydneyu.bsky.social. #auspol

With founding NTEU members, branch presidents and rank and file members with their families and friends. We march for peace and to stop the genocide.

“Universities should not be operating like Big Brother. Universities must not quietly roll out surveillance programs and only tidy up their policies once caught out.” -NTEU National President @alisonbarnes.bsky.social @nteuvictoria.bsky.social

“It’s especially galling that La Trobe University management has used its role as a sponsor of the festival to stifle academic freedom and freedom of expression – the very principles universities are built on.” -NTEU National President @alisonbarnes.bsky.social @withmeaa.bsky.social

The @NTEUnion has consistently called for TEQSA to be given more power to regulate governance and university leadership. This is another promising sign that our campaign to fix governance is working.

TEQSA has now written to the ANU advising its “investigation had been expanded to include ‘broader risks to compliance’ including the culture of the ANU Council and executive leadership, and oversight of its financial position”. Good. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

The job and course cuts we are fighting against at Macquarie Uni are devastating for staff and students. Thanks to old friends and workmates for sending me their photos from their open day action.

The bullying allegations against ANU chancellor Julie Bishop land on top of a series of crises at the university, yet its governing council has shown little inclination to discipline or remove any key staff, writes Jason Koutsoukis reports. satpa.pe/GuH8puT

UTS academics describe ‘culture of fear’ as enrolments put on hold for nearly a fifth of courses

I have almost run out of things to say about the people running Australian universities www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

"Ditch Bishop and Bell. Stand up for the workforce" #anu @nteunion.bsky.social www.canberratimes.com.au/story/904099...

Somewhere in this Australian university, some well-paid HR people (and consultants, there's always consultants) thought that it was good idea to tell staff worried they might be made redundant that they should hand-wash their good undies to cope with the stress. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

‘We heard evidence today that we have [ANU] students sitting on the floors of tutorial rooms because tutorials have doubled in size…that seems to be quite a serious impact on the delivery of education.’ – Senator Marielle Smith at yesterday’s Senate Inquiry into university governance

A great part of being union is the community of support we provide for one another in difficult times. All are welcome to show appreciation for Liz & others standing up for #ANU staff & students. If you're not yet an @nteunion.bsky.social member, join at www.nteu.au/join. ✊

‘Our public universities have become corporatised, governed from behind closed doors by people with little connection to the daily realities of staff and students. The consequences have been catastrophic.’ Dr Alison Barnes, NTEU National President at today’s Senate Inquiry into university governance

With NTEU National President Dr Alison Barnes and the @nteunion.bsky.social team at Parliament to give evidence on university governance. ✊️

Senator @mehreenfaruqi.bsky.social: ‘Does it worry you that the staff students and alumni are so dissatisfied and untrusting of governance and the university?’ Kate Witenden, ANU Chief People Officer: ‘I’m not aware of this.’ Senator Faruqi: ‘Why am I aware and you are not?’

‘We are having a Senate Inquiry and the ANU can’t even provide a single person who is actually on Council for this inquiry.’ Senator David Pocock at today Senate Inquiry into university governance @davidpocock.bsky.social @nteuact.bsky.social