- by Peter Farmer
- The Guardian
- Issue #2148
The National Tertiary Education Union has strongly condemned foreshadowed job cuts at the Australian National University. The University has just announced that ‘Change Proposals’ to cut jobs will be introduced in 6 areas in June 2025. Change Proposals for a further 9 areas are being considered between July and September 2025.
ANU announced ‘Renew ANU’ on 3 October 2024. As part of that plan, ANU aimed to reduce staff expenditure by $100 million by 1 January 2026.
NTEU estimates show that target has substantially been met. ANU’s staffing levels have reduced by 635 full-time equivalent positions since 31 March 2024. Based on these reductions, ANU will achieve a reduction of $112 million by 1 January 2026. ANU has not provided alternative costings on reductions so far, or indicative numbers of job losses.
More than 750 staff voted in early 2025 that they have no confidence in the leadership of the ANU Chancellor, Julie Bishop, or the ANU Vice-Chancellor, Genevieve Bell.
NTEU ACT Division Secretary Dr Lachlan Clohesy has accused Bell of “single-handedly destroying one of the world’s great universities.”
Dr Clohesy said “ANU staff question how the Federal Education Minister can have any confidence in what is going on at our national university. ANU is in a crisis of poor leadership, financial mismanagement and poor governance. ANU is the only university governed by federal legislation.”
“There is no financial rationale for cuts. ANU overestimated their 2024 deficit by $60 million and will end up cutting far more than their original target if these changes proceed. ANU staff are not convinced that ANU leadership – including the entire Executive – actually know what they’re doing. We expect these plans to contain job cuts in the hundreds.”
“If ANU leadership can’t be relied upon to give truthful evidence to the Senate, then it becomes difficult for staff and their union to trust what we are being told.”
ANU Branch President Millan Pintos-Lopez agrees, saying that it’s no wonder ANU staff have no confidence in ANU leadership. “Instead of trying to rebuild trust,” said Pintos-Lopez, “ the Vice-Chancellor will cause more pain for ANU staff.”
“The cuts are cruel. ANU staff are suffering under the leadership of the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor. I worry about the future of the university, and what these cuts will mean for ANU staff and students.”
“These changes started almost 8 months ago, and many staff are still no clearer on whether their jobs will be impacted. The areas listed for change cover almost the entire university.”
Reports from union members at the university indicate that there is a surprising, and welcome, degree of solidarity amongst workers there. “You expect people to just look after their own skin when they’re under attack like this,” said one, “but there’s been a lot of solidarity between areas.”
‘SENSELESS CUTS’
Showing that the ANU has no monopoly on bad management, the University of Southern Queensland is on track to lose more than 260 jobs as part of a devastating restructure that will result in major course cuts.
While the scale of the cuts suggest a financial crisis is the reason for the plan, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has warned that justification doesn’t stack up.
Just under 20 per cent of UniSQ’s entire workforce is slated to be cut including 150 full-time equivalent roles this year on top of the 109 jobs cut in 2024.
More job losses have been threatened if voluntary redundancy targets aren’t met.
NTEU UniSQ Branch President Professor Andrea Lamont-Mills said there had been a shocking lack of transparency from university leadership.
“Slashing 20 per cent of the workforce will have devastating impacts for our local communities who deserve access to the highest quality teaching and support,” Prof Lamont-Mills said.
“Management claims a financial crisis is the reason for the cuts. The university does face financial challenges, but no crisis that would justify the scale of the cuts proposed.
“The NTEU is joining forces with students and the wider community to urge management to abandon these senseless cuts.
“It’s essential there are no forced redundancies. There should be an end to the baseless rhetoric around a financial crisis and some real transparency from leadership.
“The lack of transparency shows extraordinary contempt for staff who haven’t even been told about the appointment of an interim vice-chancellor. The chancellor won’t even answer basic questions about the appointment process.
“These job cuts are part of a major restructure, which will define the university’s future through determining how many schools and services are cut.
“Students in southern Queensland shouldn’t suffer because of management’s incompetence. Let’s stop the cuts and work together on a positive plan for the future.”
