The ANU has published its cover letter and self-assurance report to TEQSA. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
The ANU is expected to announce a new independent investigation into several allegations made against executive members during a Senate inquiry hearing.
These claims included alleged bullying, harassment and mistreatment of two now-former ANU council members by Chancellor Julie Bishop and alleged misconduct by current and former ANU executives.
The proposed course of action, including who could lead the response and under what authority, was foreshadowed in the ANU’s self-assurance report to the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA), which was published today.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Genevieve Bell stated that the council met on the evening of 19 August to decide how to best respond to the allegations raised at the Senate hearings.
“[A] number of the allegations made are outside of the scope typically contemplated by the grievance process, and the rights and protections afforded by the grievance process are no longer appropriate,” she wrote.
“Grievance processes are confidential, and the public statements made at the Inquiry will mean the University needs to appoint a new independent assessor to ensure all parties receive fair and due process.
“[The council has] discussed if and how this review might intersect with TEQSA’s proposed independent expert, and we determined that this was a singular opportunity to receive multiple sorts of feedback that could help improve our governance practices and culture.”
The newly released self-assurance report and cover letter also addressed claims about the ANU Council’s culture and its handling of finances.
The report outlined there wasn’t a “single underlying factor” as to why it had an underlying operating deficit of $142 million in 2024, citing expenditure outstripping revenue growth, the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/20, the 2020 hailstorm, COVID-19 and ACT lockdowns, changes in government policies and wage increases in the enterprise bargaining agreements as matters that had “significant” impacts on the bottom line.
“The council has identified and is addressing the risks that led to the University’s current financial position; however, there remains work to be done to bring the whole University community along on this journey,” the report noted.
The self-assurance report rejected suggestions that ANU staff were afraid to speak up about the executive, citing two open letters from March and May as an example.
“The willingness of staff to attach their names to these letters demonstrates to the University that staff are not afraid to voice concerns about decisions by the University’s senior leadership,” it stated.
A table outlining the number of complaints and feedback data was included to further emphasise that staff and students were able to raise issues.
Number of complaints and feedback received for the period 2021-2025 (YTD). Photo: ANU.
It also provided a table outlining the number of times change management proposals (CMPs) had been accessed by staff, and the number of submissions received, as an example of the ANU engaging with feedback.
Engagement with the Council of Arts and Social Sciences and the College of Science and Medicine CMPs (whose consultation periods closed on 7 August) was not included. The Academic Portfolio CMP was also left off the list, but its consultation shuts on 28 August.
Ms Bell stated that the council had “embraced the opportunity to truly reflect on decisions and processes” that had brought the ANU to this point, and that conversations were held about the effectiveness of council’s governance processes, self-assurance mechanisms, opportunities for “self-reflection” and building its culture.
“We know that our ongoing engagement with TEQSA will continue to highlight additional areas to which we must turn our attention to deliver best practice in governance,” she wrote.
“We welcome the independent expert and working with them in parallel to our ongoing activities. All council members and executive are ready to provide input fulsomely.”
Independent ACT Senator David Pocock labelled the report “manifestly inadequate” in light of the allegations that had been made.
“I find particularly offensive the attempt to gaslight staff by citing letters and votes of no confidence as evidence of staff not being afraid to voice their concerns,” he said.
Greens Senator and deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi was due to move a motion for the report in the Senate today, but withdrew it as the document had already been published.
She said it was the threat of this order that compelled the ANU to act first.
“This report is just more gaslighting and denial from the ANU leadership. The ongoing governance failures at the ANU are not going to go away by saying it’s all under control,” she said.
“Trust has been shattered, and this report cannot distract from the growing chorus of voices calling on Bell and Bishop to resign. Staff and students have made their position crystal clear: this leadership is no longer fit for purpose. Bishop and Bell must go.
“ANU can’t hide behind management gobbledygook and expect to regain the trust of their community.”
It’s understood TEQSA will have an update on its investigation into the ANU later this week.
