ACT Senator David Pocock questioned ANU officials about claims of misconduct and bullying during a Senate inquiry into university governance. Photo: Supplied.
ANU senior executives have been accused of failing to disclose conflicts of interest and differential treatment during Senate hearings into university governance.
During the hearings, former ANU Council member Dr Liz Allen made a number of allegations about the conduct of Chancellor Julie Bishop.
Dr Allen also detailed her request for her complaint about several senior ANU members to be examined by an independent, external investigator. The ANU agreed to this, but then her complaint was downgraded to a grievance.
Upon appeal, an independent investigator was appointed, but Dr Allen said there was an issue.
“The investigator needed to establish that issues potentially exposed differential conduct of council,” she said.
“[It went up the chain and the investigator] told me, ‘I can’t do this, I’ve just received word that the ANU has said I can’t investigate or establish the differential treatment that involved potentially exposing ANU misconduct.
“I was saying I was being treated differently because of my union affiliation, yet there were behaviour and issues that the appointed members, especially, behaved in a way that clearly exposed that we were being treated differently.”
The allegations of potential ANU misconduct included that previous Pro-Chancellor Naomi Flutter had not disclosed that she had a relative studying at the university and that this person was “given a paid position by Professor Bell”. Ms Flutter was on the selection committee for Prof Bell.
“The reason I found out about that is because [Ms] Flutter, at her farewell speech, announced it while under the influence of alcohol,” Dr Allen said.
She also claimed current Pro-Chancellor Alison Kitchen hadn’t disclosed she had a child studying and living on campus, and that she’d overheard Ms Kitchen “propositioning” former Vice-Chancellor Brian Schmidt about a campus matter “specific to her child”.
The third claim related to Chancellor Julie Bishop allegedly failing to disclose her association with Vinder Consulting and [her former chief of staff] Murray Hansen, and the fourth was Vice-Chancellor Genevieve Bell’s failure to disclose to the council that she was receiving payment for a consulting role.
“Based on those things, the university basically interfered in the complaints process,” Dr Allen said.
“As a result, now, my complaint is unlikely to be investigated.”
Senator Pocock questioned ANU representatives during the inquiry’s afternoon session on Tuesday (12 August).
Chief operating officer Jonathan Churchill said the university was taking Dr Allen’s allegations “very seriously”.
“On a preliminary view, a number of statements are not correct, but we will examine all of the statements made and respond with particularity and in writing to those assertions,” he said.
“In relation to Dr Liz Allen, I draw the Committee’s attention to the fact that there is a current grievance procedure against the university initiated by Dr Allen, which makes it impossible for me to comment while the grievance procedure is on foot without compromising those current proceedings.”
Senator Pocock also asked why he had to be the one to raise Dr Allen’s grievance with Education Minister Jason Clare, given he believed it was an obligation for the ANU to do so under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act.
Mr Churchill said he was “fairly sure” it would be unusual for the university to make such a notification.
“It isn’t our practice … to advise the minister about staff grievances,” he said.
An ANU spokesperson later told Region that a number of statements during the hearing testimony were “factually incorrect”.
“A response will be provided to the Senate inquiry as requested by the chair,” they said.
“ANU is in the process of dealing with a formal workplace grievance and will not jeopardise a fair hearing and impartial investigation for all parties named in the complaint.”
ANU chief operating officer Jonathan Churchill at the Senate inquiry into university governance. Photo: Screenshot.
Ms Bell was unable to appear at the inquiry as she was unwell and Ms Bishop was engaged in her capacity as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar.
When it was pointed out that this was a hearing about governance, yet none of the council members were present, Mr Churchill said the ANU had offered to reschedule the appearance for when they were available.
Chair Senator Marielle Smith responded that she wasn’t aware of this offer but noted the hearings were ongoing.
“We may well see the ANU again,” she said.
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) revealed during its hearing session that it has been investigating concerns around the institution’s compliance with various regulations since 24 October last year.
CEO Dr Mary Russell said Dr Allen’s concerns had since been added to the scope of concerns.
“This is one of those matters where additional concerns and issues have been raised during the course of our inquiry,” she said.
It is also investigating why the original independent investigator of Dr Allen’s complaint resigned, and the Renew ANU processes.
Dr Russell could not give an estimated timeline on when TESQA’s formal compliance assessment of the ANU would be complete.
Senator Pocock has called for Chancellor Julie Bishop to stand aside in light of the allegations.
“These are extraordinarily serious and disturbing allegations that have been made against the ANU Chancellor from a respected member of the academic community,” he said.
“I believe that in light of these allegations, the Chancellor should step aside until a full and independent investigation has been undertaken. It is also clear that we need an improvement in governance at the university, including through an update of the ANU Act.”
