6 March 2025

Today’s revelation La Trobe University underpaid 6774 of its staff to the tune of $10 million underlines the need for a sector wide governance reform, says the union which represents university staff, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).
 
The wage theft headlines come only days after media reports Australian National University Chancellor Julie Bishop awarded consulting contracts to her long-time friend and former political staffer, in a potential conflict of interest.
 
“Someone needs to throw open the windows of the university sector and let some fresh air and sunlight in, there is a governance crisis,” said National NTEU Secretary Dr Alison Barnes.
 
“Today’s wage theft revelations of over $10 million stolen from 6774 staff at La Trobe University can just be added to the long list, in the last few years we’ve seen 154,872 University workers rorted out of almost $271 million, with potentially another $100m plus still to be exposed.
 
“There is something very rotten in the state of Denmark when on an almost weekly basis we have governance revelations like this, the entire sector needs a total review.

“We’ve been saying for years Universities’ are the only multibillion dollar organisations in the country which have no real oversight, and finally people are starting to listen.
 
Today’s revelations have also appalled Sarah Roberts, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary.
 
“The Senate is rightly about to undertake an inquiry into university governance - it can't come soon enough,” said Ms Roberts.
 
Contact: Tim Brunero 0405 285 547