There are allegations Bell requested minutes of meetings be changed, sought to change employment records, breached conflict of interest provisions, undermined the university's promotions processes, ignored professional guidance, used her seniority to gain advantage for Meares, and overturned the university's central promotions committee after it rejected his bid to become a full professor.

The Saturday Paper understands it was Bell's suspension that led to a heated exchange at a university council meeting on February 18, during which interim vice-chancellor Professor Rebekah Brown was yelled at by a council member and ultimately asked to leave the meeting. Chancellor Julie Bishop did not intervene and a complaint about the conduct was made after the meeting.

ANU Council apparently more concerned about reputation - theirs? - than potential wrongdoing. Surely stamping out wrongdoing is in the best interest of the university and taxpayers?! Far out. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/educati...

NTEU members in the ACT supported by many more around the country have fought so long to expose the governance crisis at the ANU. We have achieved so much but I am still shocked by some of what is still being revealed about Bell and Bishop’s tenure.

Ian from La Trobe Uni at Power Up: Building for Bargaining

Ian from La Trobe University is ready to Power Up!
We’re Building for Bargaining today - let’s go!
#HigherEducation #HigherEd #AcademicSky @alisonbarnes.bsky.social

That's right, Alison! Our big day is set to Power Up in a few minutes time!
#highereducation #HigherEd #AcademicSky

The t-shirts are out! 130 NTEU Victorian activists and delegates are about to arrive for the ‘power up and build for bargaining’ conference ✊💥

NTEU president Alison Barnes and UCU vice president for higher education (elect) Mark Pendleton stand on a footpath outside the NTEU headquarters in Melbourne.

Great to meet with @alisonbarnes.bsky.social and
@nteunion.bsky.social colleagues to take some lessons from their governance campaigns back to @ucu.org.uk

Plenty of opportunities for future cross-border collaboration too!

Looking forward to hitting the ground running as #ucu VP next month.

Australian university staff watching #4corners tonight

'Shockingly high': Unis spend $1.8b on consultants and contractors Consultancies have been accused of infiltrating universities and wasting scarce public funds on questionable advice about cutting courses and jobs.

When teaching and research at unis is so stretched that management are closing departments and sacking staff, shovelling these huge amounts of public money to outside, private sector consultants - who do neither - is unforgivable www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03...

Tonight, Four Corners unpacks the crisis of university governance in Australia on #ABC.

@nteunion.bsky.social members are proud to have put university governance on the national agenda - but there is more to do!

Not yet a member? Join today at www.nteu.au/join ✊

🙌 Happy New Year!

Start the year protected, connected, and organised.

Join NTEU members making 2026 about better workplaces and better universities: nteu.au/join

2025 proved what we can achieve together.

2026 is about going further.

👉 Be part of something bigger. Join NTEU today: nteu.au/join

After breakthroughs over wage theft, university governance and much more this year, no wonder NTEU members were keen to celebrate!
If you missed the party at Trades Hall last week - no worries - come next year!
Become a member: nteu.info/joinnteu
#HigherEducation @vthc.org.au #HigherEd #AcademicSky

'Time to go': Calls for UTS VC to resign after staff no confidence vote The union-run vote comes as controversial, consultant-designed redundancies continue and politicians call for resignations.

The union-run vote comes as controversial, consultant-designed redundancies continue and politicians call for resignations.

“Professor Parfitt has admitted that elements of this plan were absolutely not in the public good, and were pursued in such a callous way that SafeWork NSW ordered a prohibition order due to what was deemed as a serious and imminent risk of psychological harm.” Sarah Kaine MLC

What do you want from Santa this Christmas?
Casie and Johanna from Baker Institute want more NTEU members!
Join NTEU: nteu.info/joinnteu
#HigherEd #HigherEducation #Union #academiclife #AcademicSky
@damiencahill.bsky.social
@alisonbarnes.bsky.social
@nteunion.bsky.social

Increase in university student numbers – Dr Alison Barnes, ABC news YouTube video by NTEU

📣 An extra 9,500 domestic university places will be available next year.

“Students are entitled to the best education, and we need more staff providing pastoral care in our classrooms rather than seeing thousands of job losses.” - alisonbarnes.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEGJ...

📣 Calling all university staff and students 📣

Our universities are growing – but what does that mean for teaching, learning and student support?

Take our short survey (5–10 mins) today: nteu.info/classes

Putting Student Voices At The Heart Of Universities The Allan Labor Government is putting students and staff at the centre of university decision-making, ensuring Victorian universities reflect the communities they serve.Minister for Skills and TAFE Ga...

This is the third parliamentary inquiry into uni governance - federal, NSW, now Victoria. NTEU members have exposed the damning evidence: $280m+ wage theft, outrageous exec pay, toxic cultures, corporate-stacked boards. We're winning government action. www.premier.vic.gov.au/putting-stud...

MAJOR UNION WIN 🥳 The federal government will implement a new set of university governance principles to strengthen accountability, transparency and public trust following recommendations from the Expert Council on University Governance.

Read more: nteu.info/majorwin
@alisonbarnes.bsky.social

This damning report is really worth reading and the language of the authors’ criticism of uni executives and their failure to acknowledge the governance crisis is uncharacteristically strong.

Academics dispute state of finances at leading Sydney university - ABC listen Almost one in every two Australian universities has been restructured in the past year, and there is more to come. Thousands of jobs have been cut, and thousands more are in the firing line. At the ...

Wish I could talk about the teaching and research achievements of our members but nonetheless was great to join former colleague Sue Wright, debunking the excuses of the vice-chancellors’ lobby group for management’s bad decisions www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

It has taken time to get university governance on the public radar.

Our sector has experienced casualisation, wage theft, & mass job cuts.

@nteunion.bsky.social, especially @alisonbarnes.bsky.social, have been great at going after the root cause - the leadership & governance crisis in higher ed.

Much attention has been on ANU but the governance crisis is broad and deep across the sector. Close scrutiny needs to be applied *everywhere*. This is shameful from UTS management.

The Senate inquiry’s interim recommendations are a massive win for @NTEUnion members’ campaign for governance reform. Transparency, caps on VC pay, stronger staff/student voices & tougher TEQSA powers – all welcome steps. There’s more to fight for!

UTS’s teacher education program set to close as university reveals plan to slash more than 1,000 subjects Of the 1,101 subjects to be discontinued, 463 had no student enrolments and weren’t taught in 2024, according to University of Technology Sydney’s proposal

This devastating plan is a disaster for the community and represents a
direct attack on the core mission of UTS. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Don’t stop the music: Jimmy Barnes signs on to save ANU school A group of 35 musicians have called on the ANU to halt proposed changes to the School of Music saying it will rob musicians of future professional careers.

Go Barnsey 🎸🎸🎸 www.afr.com/work-and-car...

ANU vice-chancellor resigns after months of controversy Genevieve Bell has bowed to intense pressure and resigned from her position as Australian National University vice-chancellor.

Bishop needs to go as well. There is no sensible governance arrangement where she gets to lead appointing a new VC. A new Chancellor / Chair and then a deep breath followed by a proper process to appoint a new VC / CEO needed. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

Genevieve Bell resigns as ANU Vice-Chancellor, no word on the future of Renew ANU | Region Canberra UPDATE 11:35 am: The ANU has now independently confirmed Professor Genevieve Bell has stepped down as Vice-Chancellor and President of…

"A completely broken governance system has allowed unaccountable executives to cause enormous damage to staff, students and communities" - Alison Barnes, NTEU National President @alisonbarnes.bsky.social @nteunion.bsky.social #ANU
region.com.au/genevieve-be...

University staff 'disheartened and demoralised' as thousands sacked With the university sector in crisis, thousands face losing their jobs as unions blame poor management and students say they've lost hope.

Extraordinary for uni bosses to suggest they have no control over the bottom line. Yes, the government needs to scrap Jobs Ready Graduates and replace it. But vice-chancellors must own $734m on consultants in a single year and the executive pay explosion! www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...