TEQSA CEO Dr Mary Russell has not been able to give a timeline on when the regulator’s investigation into the ANU is expected to be complete. Photo: Supplied.
The former Australian Public Service Commissioner will support the national regulator’s investigation into the ANU’s management governance systems, with the report expected to be made public.
A Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) spokesperson said Lynelle Briggs’ appointment was one part of the broader compliance assessment being undertaking with the ANU.
“As the independent national regulator for higher education, TEQSA will carefully consider the independent expert’s report in conjunction with other information, concerns and enquiries received,” they said.
“The full span of information will determine the outcome of the compliance assessment into the ANU and the decisions that will be made in due course by TEQSA’s Commissioners.”
Both ACT Labor representatives and ACT independent senator David Pocock welcomed Lynelle Briggs’ appointment.
But Mr Pocock took issue with how the investigation has progressed thus far.
“The regulator’s response to the very serious matters at ANU has been far slower than circumstances warrant,” he said.
“[I] call on the Albanese Government to publicly release her findings once her review is complete.
“I also repeat my previous calls for the University to halt any further forced redundancies including for those change management plans that are yet to be finalised.”
Region understands TEQSA intends on releasing the report publicly.
Labor’s ACT Senator Katy Gallagher and ministers Andrew Leigh, Alicia Payne and David Smith recently sat down with TEQSA’s CEO Dr Mary Russell to discuss the feedback, complaints and concerns that have been raised with them by staff, students and other affected groups.
Ms Gallagher said it was an important opportunity to make sure the community’s voices were being heard.
“I call on the ANU Council to work transparently and proactively to establish an independent fact base and rebuild trust with the community,” she said.
The representatives want that fact base to include current and historic budgetary issues and options going forward.
Meanwhile, further details have been made public through answers to questions on notice (QONs).
An ANU answer to a QON from the Senate inquiry into university governance processes outlined how many deeds of release (by date of cessation) had been issued between 1 January, 2024, and 30 June, 2025.
A deed of release is effectively a contract between the employer and employee to finalise employment and can include a payout.
The Renew ANU process began in October, 2024.
ANU’s response split the deeds of release into four categories: mutual agreement (not change-related), voluntary separation scheme, early separation and forced redundancy.
Early separation was classified as when a position had been “declared surplus to requirements through formal organisational change, but the employee has elected to leave early”, while a forced redundancy was considered as being when employment ended because the position was deemed “surplus to requirements, [and] the employee has worked through their redeployment and notice periods, and the employee is made redundant”.
(The “other” category has been used for when less than 10 deeds of release have been issued for any given areas to comply with privacy and confidentiality requirements).
Deeds of release data provided by ANU to a Senate committee question on notice. Image: Federal Government.
Not every separation requires a deed of release.
While the table states there have been no forced redundancies, it can be interpreted that it shows the ANU has a record of those it paid out in lieu of notice and marked them as “early separations”, and that no-one who did go through the whole redundancy process signed a deed of release.
Data collated by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has suggested a total of 501 roles will be disestablished (including in change proposals not yet implemented), which includes 224 occupied roles and 138 roles disestablished through the VSS.
It has estimated 362 people will lose or have lost their jobs under change proposals and implementation plans.
(The NTEU data does not include vacancies left unfilled in areas without change plans, fixed-term contracts which haven’t been renewed, continuing or contingent-funded positions that haven’t been extended and casual employees who have not been re-engaged).
Another response detailed how the change management plans for the College of Arts and Social Sciences would impact courses.
“The Dean of the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences has confirmed that the College will retain all of its current disciplines – none would be disestablished as part of this proposed change,” it stated.
“Students already enrolled in courses will be able to complete them in accordance with TEQSA requirements.”
The answers also stated that the investigation into Dr Liz Allen’s WHS compliant had been impacted by “several factors” including that Dr Allen had been unavailable to “engage with the process”, procedural challenges and further allegations that had been made by Dr Allen during the investigation.
“This matter remains under investigation and Council is taking appropriate steps,” the ANU’s answer stated.
“The University is committed to managing it with sensitivity while working toward a timely and appropriate resolution.”
Dr Allen’s allegations have been added to TEQSA’s scope of inquiry.
