W. Ross Blunden 10 Oral History Report 10 Accessions 12 Contact the Archives ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW UNDER WAY JOHN NILAND Vice-Chancellor 1992–2002
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Origins Newsletter of the UNSW Archives No 10 June 2006 2 John Niland 4 University Archives in 2005 5 Sir John Clancy’s photographs 6 Archives and Records merge 6 Evolution of Studio One 8 UNSW Regiment 9 W. Ross Blunden 10 Oral History report 10 Accessions 12 Contact the Archives ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW UNDER WAY JOHN NILAND Vice-Chancellor 1992–2002 t the ceremony on 22 February traineeship at Newcastle, he enrolled political change and increasing 2006 to mark the renaming for a BCom at Newcastle University industrial relations tension as A of the Scientia building as College in 1958. At BHP he joined national economic problems grew. the John Niland Scientia Building, another young trainee in industrial John initially joined the Australian Vice-Chancellor Professor Mark relations, John Prescott, who was National University as a senior Wainwright described Emeritus eventually to become BHP’s chief lecturer in the department of Professor John Niland as leading executive officer. Economics but by July 1974, at 33 the University of New South Wales John came to UNSW and Basser years of age, John was back ‘home’ through a golden age, especially of College in 1960 to complete his at UNSW, appointed professor campus revitalisation and in the honours year, following which he of Economics and head of the international sphere. As Professor undertook an MCom, with a thesis in department of Industrial Relations Wainwright put it, the Scientia the field of labour history. A natural (school from 1988). symbolises John Niland’s ‘vision for, student leader, he was president of the and dedication to UNSW’. Students’ Union for two years (1961– - - - History will no doubt make its 62) and of the University Union assessments of the Niland years, a (1964). He and Carmel Hume (BA At UNSW, John Niland found process that has begun already with 1965) met through student politics himself at the right place in Patrick O’Farrell’s UNSW: a portrait and married in December 1965. academic industrial relations at (1999). For the university record In 1961 John was inaugural the right time. In 1976 and 1977 and the nation’s historical purposes, director for Foundation Day and, he also served as president of the however, it is important that the as such, responsible for the overall Federation of Australian University story of John Niland’s life and times publicity it generated, for its pranks Staff Associations (FAUSA), the be recorded in his own voice. This and the first city procession — an university staff union. The late 1970s John has generously agreed to do for event that thrust the small second and early 1980s were dramatic the University Archives’ Oral History university in Sydney literally into the times in industrial relations. It was Program. face, minds and media of the city. a period encompassing the Whitlam The Niland interview continues a One Niland message had already and Fraser years, and the transition sequence unique among Australian become clear: UNSW was not to of Bob Hawke from ACTU leader universities. The three former be second-best to the University of to Labor prime minister in 1983, UNSW vice-chancellors — Sir Philip Sydney, not in commemorative events followed by the Accord negotiated Baxter (1953–69), Sir Rupert Myers nor in any other respect. between the Hawke government and (1969–81) and Michael Birt (1981– In 1967 the Nilands left Australia the unions on prices and incomes, 92) — have all been interviewed, for the United States and John went which then held firm for most of the as has the former chancellor, the to study at the Institute of Industrial 1980s. Hon. Dr Gordon Samuels (1976–94); Relations, University of Illinois With the national interest in interviews that have all led to (Urbana-Champaign campus), where industrial relations, both staff publications. he graduated in 1970, the first person numbers and enrolments increased to be awarded a PhD there; at the in the department and an Industrial - - - same time Carmel graduated with an Relations Research Centre was MA. John and Carmel then moved to established at UNSW in 1980. The John Niland was born at Kyogle upstate New York, where John took centre hosted nationally focused in 1940, and grew up in Lismore, up the position of assistant professor forums, attracting a veritable who’s northern New South Wales. He was in the prestigious school of Industrial who in industrial relations that dux of Lismore High and considered and Labor Relations at the Ivy League included as participants senior studying law at the University of Cornell University. An intense and figures from government, unions, Sydney; but, attracted to a BHP happy period of academic projects, business, and industrial relations teaching and hands-on experience instrumentalities, as well as other front cover within the United States industrial academics. John Niland’s profile Professor Niland addressing the relations system followed. Notably, within academia was also expanding, audience during the UNSW Anniversary the campuses at Cornell and Illinois and, in 1989, he became dean of the Parliamentary Debate Re-enactment, were, and remain among America’s faculty of Commerce. 24 March 1999, which took place in the more attractive. John’s industrial relations parliamentary chamber, Macquarie Street. The Nilands returned to Australia expertise led to his involvement in an [04/25/1/16] Photographer: Tony Potter in 1972 at a time of significant advisory role with both federal and 2 O R I G I N S N o . 10 State governments. He was invited interviews are now turning to his February 2001, that he was leaving to prepare Transforming Industrial years as vice-chancellor, focusing UNSW at the end of his second five- Relations in New South Wales: a green on the transformation of the year term in mid 2002 to pursue paper for the Greiner–Fahey State organisation and management of other interests. government, which helped shape the UNSW, particularly through In 2001, for the third year Industrial Relations Act 1991. Later, and its working parties, which running, UNSW was named by for Senator Peter Cook, minister for led to dramatic faculty, budgetary Business Review Weekly as the Industrial Relations in the Keating and systems restructuring. In most admired institution in the government, John co-authored addition, the interviews examine government, education and health a report which examined the the transformation of the physical sector and John Niland was voted application of enterprise bargaining campus; this began under Professor the sector’s most admired leader and agency agreements to the Michael Birt but was taken up with nationally. That same year, adding Australian Public Service. A further, great vigour by John Niland, with the to his AO, John was made a very significant involvement with the result that infrequent visitors were, Companion in the Order of world outside universities came with and probably still continue to be Australia (AC) for services to his appointment in 1990 by the State quite stunned by the extraordinary education. government to the under-performing look and 21st century feel of the Once his years as vice-chancellor State Pollution Control Commission Kensington campus. have been covered in the interviews, (SPCC); appointed initially as The inevitable strains also emerge, it will be important for the chairman, he was soon given revealed through the interviews. comprehension of a life of such executive authority to transform this A 1998 staff survey showed that sustained drive and capacity to touch organisation. staff were hurting from increasing upon aspects of John’s subsequent The year 1992 was an activities. The impressive extraordinary one for John scope of his activities Niland. As president of the since leaving the vice- International Industrial chancellorship includes Relations Association, he the following: chairman, hosted its ninth world UNSW Foundation congress in Sydney; Ltd, 2002–04; director, he oversaw the change Macquarie Technology of the SPCC into the Fund, 2000–03; director, Environment Protection Macquarie Bank Ltd, Authority; he was made since 2003; chairman, an Officer in the Order of Centennial Park Trust, Australia (AO) for services to industrial relations; and, since 2001; member of with some self-confessed the Board of Trustees, elation, he was appointed Singapore Management vice-chancellor of UNSW. University, since 1999; Transforming member of the University organisations was a Grants Committee of passion, and creating a Hong Kong, since 2000. first-rate public reputation As a consultant, he has for them equally so. also been involved with Professor Niland with His Holiness the Patrick O’Farrell’s view in his history such entities as the World Bank, Dalai Lama, following an exchange of the Association of Commonwealth of UNSW is that the university did gifts, 24 September 1996, at the Clancy not know what it was getting in John Auditorium, where the Dalai Lama was Universities, the South Australian Niland; but the public interview giving the 10th Annual Wallace Wurth government, and Carnegie Mellon process, the Niland track record Memorial Lecture. [98A1] Photographer: University. and the close vote in his favour do Tony Potter John Niland’s is clearly a life of suggest that some in the university importance, not just to UNSW, but to had a very good idea. In fact, the the nation; the interviews to date have Niland vision for UNSW was openly content of significance for both. They workloads created by declining in place before day one, and it was show a life of living out ambitious, resources. In 1999, the year UNSW to be pursued with great conviction reforming visions with enormous celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, and energy. energy, self-belief, optimism and the push for improved wages and dedication to the task, characterised conditions intensified. That ever- - - - too by a special devotion to the fluid relationship between leader betterment of the University of New and the led, the discomfited and The oral history interviews recorded South Wales, for which second-best to date have canvassed all of the the particular circumstances of the was never an option.