Advocate vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au • ISSN 1329-7295

How would Australia look under Pyne’s plan? ɓɓ JCU cleaners win court case ɓɓVale Gough Whitlam ɓɓDefence Trade Controls changes ɓɓ$100,000 degrees no fantasy ɓɓANU divestment drama ɓɓThe rights of academic writers ɓɓCommunity forums for education ɓɓInsecure Work Conference ɓɓNational Council 2014 ɓɓSaving USyd library jobs ɓɓCoping with redundancy ɓɓLife Members ɓɓFeeling the love at SCU & UniMelb ɓɓCoalition opening science to business ɓɓ... and much more.

Advocate ISSN 1321-8476 NTEU National Office, PO Box 1323, Sth Melbourne VIC 3205 Published by National Tertiary Education Union ABN 38 579 396 344 1st floor, 120 Clarendon St, Sth Melbourne VIC Publisher Grahame McCulloch Editor Jeannie Rea phone (03) 9254 1910 fax (03) 9254 1915 Production Paul Clifton Editorial Assistance Anastasia Kotaidis email [email protected] Feedback, advertising and other enquiries: [email protected] Division Offices www.nteu.org.au/divisions Contents All text and images © NTEU 2014 unless otherwise stated. Branch Offices www.nteu.org.au/branches

2 NTEU stand up for unis while VCs p. 12 pp. 9, 38 whimper Editorial, Jeannie Rea 3 2014 in review Cover image: From the General Secretary Handing out the NTEU’s spoof UPDATE newspaper, The UnAustralian in 4 Success in protected action ballot at Adelaide on the UNSW morning of 22 October. NTEU defeats JCU after it tries to Photo by Patrick take staff to the cleaners O’Sullivan 5 Read all about it in The unAustralian 6 Bargaining State of Play, Nov 2014 7 Over 1500 university jobs lost in 2014 Saving USyd library jobs 8 We love SCU – and the community does, too FEATURES 9 Heart of the University 18 $100,000 degrees are no fantasy 28 For the public good It is no longer ‘scaremongering’ to declare that NTEU members Dr Elizabeth Coleman and Dr Vale Gough Whitlam some degrees will cost $100,000 if the Higher Emma Robertson reports from the Council 10 ACT VCs spar over deregulation Education and Research Reform Amendment for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HERRA) Bill 2014 goes through. (CHASS) conference which explored the theme 11 ANU divestment yields dramatic of the Humanities, Social Sciences and the results 19 NTEU Opening Statement to the Public Good. Senate Committee Inquiry into NTEU sponsors ATEM award for HERRA Bill 2014 30 Opening science to business community engagement The Coalition’s Industry, Innovation and 20 Contradictions, confusions and Competitiveness Agenda is to open science up 12 Expert Seminar Series: Off Track concessions in Pyne’s higher ed for business. National Council stands in solidarity policies Evidence from all quarters confirms that higher 32 A polemic option in the world of 13 NTEU women cross the line for education is far too important to be left to the scholarly publishing Bluestocking Week 2014 market. Ian Dobson outlines the wealth of great content in the upcoming issue of Australian 14 Conference on insecure work 22 Big cuts = little future Universities’ Review, vol. 56, no.1. Community forums for education, organised UNICASUAL NEWS in partnership with the AEU and United Voice, 33 Changes to Defence Trade Controls were held in Penrith, Launceston and Towns- Changes to the Defence Trade Controls Act are 15 Super justice for casuals ville in September. coming. Recently, the NTEU has been actively 15 Casual Online Teaching Survey engaging with the Departments of Industry 25 CAPA goes in to bat for research & and Defence to get the word out to members. A&TSI NEWS PhDs CAPA’s statement to the Senate Committee 34 The rights of academic writers 16 A&TSI replaces Indigenous Inquiry into HERRA Bill 2014 focussed on the Whatever form of writing an academic does, RTS, higher fees and indexation of HELP. what is produced automatically accrues impor- New Policy Committee tant rights that shouldn’t be ignored. 26 Redundancy: When work doesn’t A&TSI staff numbers rising Environment work anymore ISO 14001 17 Batchelor’s first PhD graduate It’s not like Rosaria Burchielli didn’t know that jobs were going to go. But there was no reason In accordance with The Forrest Review: Advantage or NTEU policy to to think that her job was in any danger. reduce our impact assimilation on the natural envi- ronment, Advocate COLUMNS p. 22 p. 40 is printed using vegetable based inks 36 TV or not TV with alcohol free News from the Net, by Pat Wright printing initiatives on FSC certified pa- 37 TamU celebrates deregulation per under ISO 14001 Lowering the Boom, by Ian Lowe Environmental Certification. 38 A tribute to Gough Whitlam in 4 parts Thesis Whisperer, Inger Mewburn Advocate is available online as a PDF at 39 Making a dollar nteu.org.au/advocate and an e-book at Letter from NZ, Lesley Francey, TEU www.issuu.com/nteu YOUR UNION NTEU members may opt for ‘soft delivery’ 40 National Council 2014 (email notification of online copy rather 44 Life Members than mailed printed version). Details at 49 Merit Awards nteu.org.au/ softfdelivery 50 New Qld Division Secretary 51 Former member survey NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 1 Editorial Jeannie Rea, National President NTEU stands up for unis while VCs whimper

NTEU members should While we have no expectations of our em- advocates for Australia’s world renowned ployers to properly plan their workforce or higher education system, where entry into be mighty proud of show loyalty to the staff who demonstrate a university is based on merit and not ca- commitment every day to the university pacity to pay. Instead, we have vice-chan- themselves as advocates and students, we might have reasonably cellors who are, if not explicitly at least for higher education expected vice-chancellors to be out there tacitly, buying into the Government’s advocating for their universities and free market propaganda about a need speaking out against defending the integrity of the Australian to set our universities free due to falling university system. international standing. This is despite the the plans of the Federal Times Higher Education World University We are now in a bizarre situation where rankings highlighting the strength and Government to wreak vice-chancellors and Universities Australia, depth of our public system and raising who spent millions of dollars in militant havoc upon our public real questions about what impact the opposition to the Gillard Government’s proposed deregulation would have on the $2.3 billion cuts last year, are now, with and accessible higher overall quality of our system. one exception, conceding that there is education system. no real alternative but to accept a cut The Union’s disappointment in the public of more than $5 billion from the Abbott debate around these radical higher edu- We are out there protecting the essence of Government. From a staff and student cation policies is given weight by Hannah our current system of public higher educa- point of view it makes absolutely no sense Forsyth (author of the recently published tion despite the many problems stemming for vice-chancellors to be endorsing fee The making of the modern Australian uni- from public funding shortfalls and poor deregulation to compensate for a 20% cut versity) in her observation that Australia’s university management decisions. to government funding. While they are vice-chancellors have lost their way when Over 1500 of our colleagues have lost lobbying for amendments to the interest she said: rate and a compensation package for their jobs this year. If they are replaced, it University staff are puzzled that senior regional universities, we need to ask why will be with outsourced or precariously university administrators are actively our vice-chancellors are not advocating employed staff. One in two university supporting a very unpopular set of for total rejection of the Government’s positions (FTE) are now precarious. Over reforms. The fact that they are doing legislation. the last decade, three out of four new so when their students and staff are university jobs were either casual or fixed In evidence to the recent Senate Commit- largely persuaded that deregulation term. In the areas of strongest growth, tee Inquiry into the Government’s higher would be very bad indeed suggests that teaching-only and research-only, over 80% education legislation, one after another somewhere in our past the interests of of staff do not have employment security. leaders of our universities provided ex- vice-chancellors and the interests of It is the NTEU that calls the universities and amples of how the Government’s policies the broader university community have the Government to account for the impact were unfair and unworkable especially diverged, perhaps irrevocably. of precarious staffing on the quality of our for women, students from disadvantaged The Australian, 1 Jan 2014 backgrounds and regional universities universities’ teaching, research and com- Throughout this campaign against the and their students. For example, Peter munity relationships. We speak out on Abbott-Pyne ‘higher education reforms’, Lee representing the Regional Universities the realities of working precariously. We the NTEU has found many supporters Network argued that mature-age students support casual academics who, in effect, including amongst students, unions, are more price sensitive and therefore donate their labour to the university by industry and the professions, as well the less likely to enrol with higher fees. The marking and talking with students long thousands of ordinary people who are vice-chancellors also revealed that Min- after their paid hours have expired. We thankful that this Union is standing up to ister Pyne’s claims that he had consulted speak up for the researchers and others on and campaigning against a Government widely were highly disingenuous, with ‘soft money’ who have no certainty to plan that wants to turn back the clock on high- very few having been consulted before the their lives because they are never sure er education participation. It is sad that Budget and few having been involved in whether there will be another job at the our vice-chancellors do not feel the same direct conversations since. end of their current contract. way, but perhaps Hannah Forsyth got it NTEU has a long history of industrial and Instead of insisting on genuine consulta- absolutely right when she said: tion, it seems that many of our vice-chan- political organising on insecure work and Instead of being conscious of what uni- cellors have taken on the Government’s winning job security and improved con- versities achieve for society, vice-chan- policies (with some amendments on inter- ditions through the Commission and col- cellors are now beholden to their est rates and a regional support package) lective bargaining. But there is still much institution and its place in the market. as a fait accompli and now just want the to be done as the situation worsens. This is This has shifted their focus from the legislation to be passed with undue haste the purpose of our National Insecure Work public good to a fiduciary obligation to so they can get on with the job of securing Conference in late November, where we their employer. will be exploring how we can better sus- their revenue sources through higher fees tain organising on insecure work and with for domestic students. Jeannie Rea, National President precariously employed staff. Find out more The NTEU is sadly disappointed that our [email protected] at www.nteu.org.au/insecurework2014. vice-chancellors are not the most vocal page 2 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate From the General Secretary Grahame McCulloch, General Secretary 2014 in review

Over the last twelve Rising membership nications staff have run a high profile campaign against university deregulation. months the Union has Union membership has continued to The slogan ‘A degree shouldn’t cost a grow despite downsizing and accelerated mortgage’, inspired by National Assistant faced the full force retirements amongst university staff, with Secretary, Matt McGowan, has resonated membership up by more than 3,400 since with both politicians and the public. of the new Coalition 2011. Government’s economic We have maintained high visibility in both Improved membership services mainstream and social media, and are and social policy. 2014 saw the introduction of free universal continuing to vigorously lobby the Senate journey insurance for all NTEU members, cross bench in a bid to kill the Govern- The Pyne plan to deregulate university and a continued broadening of our wider ment’s package. fees, subsidise private providers and cut member services program. government funding by more than 20% International work is the most radical change the sector has Training and education The Union made direct representations to faced in more than 30 years. Amidst this The Union’s 2012 decision to re-establish governments in Colombia, Iraq, Mozam- policy turmoil, vice-chancellors have failed NTEU national Union education moved bique, Iran, USA, Egypt, Sudan, Thailand, to develop a collective response and it into higher gear with an extensive new Ukraine, Russia, Tajikistan, Australia and has fallen to the Union to defend public training curriculum and workshops across Ethiopia on breaches of human, trade investment in (and the public good role the full spectrum of Union work includ- union and academic freedom rights. I have of) our universities. ing bargaining and employment rights, continued to serve as a member of the Education International Executive Board. At the same time, NTEU members have implementing Collective Agreements, confronted more industrially aggressive social media and campaigning, a major Priorities for 2015 and litigious university managements with Organisers’ residential conference and the a flood of managing change, restructuring commencement of our expert seminar Our key areas of focus over coming year and downsizing initiatives, and a long series. will include: drawn out bargaining process. A strong financial position • Defeat of the Government’s higher Against this back-drop the Union is rela- education program. tively well positioned and has consolidat- The Union now has total assets of around • Strong workplace based campaigns to ed its position over the last twelve months: $26 million (which includes a 2014 WA Di- vision property purchase of $1.9 million), fully implement our Enterprise Agree- High bargaining outcomes annual revenues of around $22 million ment provisions. and no net debt. Although the Union ran At the time of writing 34 out of 37 univer- • A major conference on Insecure Work. a larger than expected operating deficit sities had successfully concluded Round in the last financial year (- $ 0.37 million), • A residential training program for 6 Enterprise Agreements providing for most of this arose from lower than expect- Branch and Division Elected Officers, minimum annual salary increases of 3.2%, ed membership wages growth. The com- and the commencement of our Aborig- academic workload caps, improved Pro- ing 2014-15 financial year budget and the inal and Torres Strait Islander cultural fessional Staff careers, binding Indigenous associated forward estimates anticipate a competency program for officers and employment targets and around 1000 strong budget surplus in 2016-17. staff. new permanent jobs to replace existing academic casual work. We can confidently Campaign against Pyne plan Grahame McCulloch, General Secretary anticipate that the Round will be conclud- [email protected] ed by the end of this year. Ably led by National President, Jeannie Rea, the Union’s policy and commu-

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE NATIONAL OFFICE STAFF Executive Manager Peter Summers National President Jeannie Rea Industrial Unit Coordinator Sarah Roberts ICT Network Engineer Tam Vuong Vice-President (Academic) Andrew Bonnell National Industrial Officers Linda Gale, Wayne Cupido, Database Programmer/Data Analyst Ray Hoo Vice-President (General Staff) Michael Thomson Susan Kenna, Elizabeth McGrath Payroll Officer Jo Riley Policy & Research Coordinator Paul Kniest Executive Officer (Gen Sec & President) Anastasia Kotaidis General Secretary Grahame McCulloch Policy & Research Officers Jen Tsen Kwok, Executive Officer (Administration) Tracey Coster National Assistant Secretary Matthew McGowan Terri MacDonald Admin Officer (Membership & Campaigns) Julie Ann Veal Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander (A&TSI) National A&TSI Coordinator Adam Frogley Administrative Officer (Resources) Renee Veal Policy Committee Chair Terry Mason National A&TSI Organiser Celeste Liddle Receptionist & Administrative Support Leanne Foote National Executive: National Organiser Michael Evans Finance Manager Glenn Osmand Stuart Bunt, Carolyn Cope, Stephen Darwin, National Publications Coordinator Paul Clifton Senior Finance Officer Gracia Ho Gabe Gooding, Genevieve Kelly, Colin Long, Media & Communications Officer Courtney Sloane Finance Officers Alex Ghvaladze, Tamara Labadze, Virginia Mansel Lees, Kelvin Michael, Michael McNally, National Membership Officer Melinda Valsorda Lee Powell, Daphne Zhang Anne Price, Kevin Rouse, Cathy Rytmeister, Education & Training Officers Ken McAlpine, National Growth Organisers Gaurav Nanda, John Sinclair, Ron Slee, Mel Slee, Lolita Wikander Helena Spyrou Rifai Abdul, Priya Nathan

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 3 Update Success in NTEU defeats JCU after it tries to protected action take staff to the cleaners ballot at UNSW NTEU has defeated an application in the Federal Court by The University of New South James Cook University (JCU) that sought to unilaterally change Wales (UNSW) Branch has been the wording in the Agreement to enshrine management’s busy in the last few months interpretation which would disadvantage part-time staff and preparing for a protected action discriminate against women and people with care of children ballot. Open from August 14 to responsibilities. Justice Logan declared that management’s September 5, the ballot was a interpretation made ‘no industrial or commercial sense’ and that great success. he preferred ‘the construction promoted by the Union’.

With high participation and all forms JCU management has spent tens of thousands of dollars on lawyers and barristers of potential industrial actions receiving fighting to shave the final redundancy payments of their lowest-paid workers. One overwhelming endorsement: from email of those, Marie Zielke, was in court to hear the judgement; the amount of money signatures to rolling strikes. This sends a owed to her is just over half the Vice-Chancellor’s salary package for one week. strong message to UNSW management The case was bought by the University in a bid to avoid a dispute in the Fair Work that our members are paying attention, Commission (FWC) resulting from the outsourcing of cleaners. Like many universi- and are prepared to exercise their rights ties, JCU has been slowly replacing its cleaning workforce with contractors. Staff that in support of the bargaining team and the were working part-time received reduced payouts because the University applied Branch’s log of claims. their part-time status twice, by reducing their length of service to what it would Our claims address important workplace have been if they worked full time, but still paying them out on that service at the issues, including: part-time rate. Marie Zielke was underpaid $9,706. • Introducing fair flexi-time arrangements NTEU immediately notified a dispute and took the matter to the FWC. Management for Professional staff. avoided resolving the matter in the FWC by going to the Federal Court. One would have to wonder why JCU management would waste so much public money on • Improved job security, better pay and lawyers when the sums are so small (and it is so clear that the Union is right and they conditions for all casuals. are wrong!). The reason probably lies in the massive restructure afoot at JCU which • A fair and decent pay rise. is likely to result in many redundancies towards the end of 2014. The staff affected at this point are principally professional and technical staff and many of them are • Improved access to parental leave. part time. A complete review of academic offerings and staffing will occur in 2015. • Improved career opportunities for con- In the end their tactic of sidestepping the Commission and going to the court back- tract research staff. fired as Justice Logan elected to not only reject their application which effectively • Improved protections against excessive applied a ‘fraction of a fraction’, but to make a determination that means the clause workload. unambiguously means what we said it does. • Protection against bullying and for a Michael McNally, Queensland Division Secretary safe workplace. • Increased Aboriginal & Torres Strait Following the successful ballot, NTEU We look forward to exercising our in- Islander employment. members resolved on 17 September to dustrial muscle in order to improve our launch a campaign of industrial action in Agreement and close bargaining in the • Establishment of a Professional Staff support of these outstanding claims. This near future. Development Fund, and much more. includes an email signature campaign and Joanne Faulkner, UNSW Vice-President a stop work action and rally on 20 Octo- We have received some positive ‘without (Academic) prejudice’ opening offers from manage- ber to coincide with the UNSW Council ment regarding: increases to severance meeting and possible further strike action Below: UNSW members post the ballot. payment entitlements to contract research continuing into next year. Photo by Kiraz Janicke. staff; allowing research staff access to con- vert to continuing contingent positions at 3 years, down from 5 years; exploring primary carer access to paid parental leave provisions; improving performance man- agement procedures; and an improved right to request flexible work clause. However, after 12 months of negotiations, there has been no agreement on substan- tive matters including pay, workloads, job security, parental leave, flex-time, profes- sional development, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment and workplace protections against bullying.

page 4 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Update Read all about it in The unAustralian

On 21 October, the NTEU launched The UnAustralian – a satirical newspaper designed to show what a future Australia could look like if Christopher Pyne’s unfair higher education changes pass the Senate.

Stories focussing on spiralling student debt, the impact on regional universities, and the effect on staff workloads were off- set by more humorous articles imagining Christopher Pyne to be sorry for his dis- astrous policies, and banners advertising legal advice from ‘George’ for bigots who found themselves in trouble. The paper was based on The Australian in order to ensure recognition across every state and territory. Thousands of copies were distributed by members and activists at metro transport hubs, like train stations, bus stops and tram stops, as well as on university cam- puses and busy public thoroughfares. While our newspaper distributors busied themselves on foot, the Union drummed up interest on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook with thousands engaging with the online content. As well as highlighting the possible rami- fications of the Higher Education and Re- search Reform Amendment Bill 2014, The UnAustralian encouraged readers to enrol to vote so as to have their say on these changes come the next Federal election. The NTEU will continue to campaign against the Abbott Government’s higher education changes as long as they under- mine our public universities and exclude access to education for women, students from poorer backgrounds, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Courtney Sloane, National Media Officer Missed out on your copy? Read it online www.theunaustralian.org Pictured: NTEU members handing out The UnAustralian to ealry morning commuters in (clockwise from top left) Sydney, Perth, Toowoomba and Melbourne.

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 5 Update

3.25% at 6 more Universities, as of Wollongong, Southern Cross University, Bargaining State well as securing good outcomes the University of New South Wales and on our key claims. Federation University of Australia, by the of Play, Nov 2014 end of this year.

As this round of enterprise bargaining www.universitybargaining.org.au The past few months have draws to a close, the Union will work to- seen the Union deliver salary wards finalising Agreements at the Univer- increasesRound of between 6 Bargaining 3.15% and sity – of State the Sunshine of Coast, Play the University November 2014 Casual Academic General Staff Claims Aboriginal & Torres Strait academics workloads Islander Employment University Expiry Date Annual wage growth More secure Hours-based cap Enforceable Development Employment Monitoring (expiry to expiry) positions on teaching classifications or mobility strategy / targets Committee Curtin 30/06/16 4.25% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ CQU 30/06/16 4.30% n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ECU 30/06/16 4.25% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Sydney 1/03/17 3.20% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Deakin 30/06/16 3.50% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ JCU 30/06/16 3.15% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ CSU 31/12/16 2.75% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ANU 30/06/16 3.15% n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ UCAN 1/06/15 3.30% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ Griffith (Aca) 30/09/16 3.15% ✔ ✔ n/a n/a ✔ ✔ Griffith (Gen) 30/09/16 3.15% n/a n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ VU 31/12/17 3.20% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ CDU 30/12/16 3.15% n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ UTAS 30/06/16 3.15% n/a ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ Melbourne 30/06/17 3.20% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ RMIT 30/06/16 3.15% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ACU 30/06/17 3.15% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Murdoch 30/06/16 3.15% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ UniSA 9/06/18 3.40% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ La Trobe 1/01/17 3.15% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ QUT (Aca) 1/03/17 3.00% ✘ ✘ n/a n/a ✔ ✔ QUT (Gen) 1/03/17 3.00% n/a n/a ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ UWS (Aca) 31/01/17 3.20% ✔ ✔ n/a n/a ✔ ✔ UWS (Gen) 31/01/17 3.20% n/a n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ UNE (Gen) 1/10/17 3.25% n/a n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ UWA (Aca) 30/09/16 3.15% n/a ✔ n/a n/a ✘ ✘ UWA (Gen) 30/09/16 3.15% n/a n/a ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ UQ 30/04/17 3.30% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Flinders 30/06/17 3.15% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ MQ (Aca) 30/06/17 3.15% ✔ ✔ n/a n/a ✔ ✔ UNE (Aca) 1/10/17 3.25% ✘ ✔ n/a n/a ✔ ✔ Monash 30/06/17 3.20% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ UTS (Gen) 2/05/17 3.20% n/a n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Adelaide 31/03/17 3.15% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ UTS (Aca) 2/05/17 3.20% ✔ ✔ n/a n/a ✔ ✔ Newc (Gen) 30/06/17 3.15% n/a n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Newc (Aca) 30/06/17 3.15% ✔ ✔ n/a n/a ✔ ✔ USQ 30/06/17 3.20% n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ page 6 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Update

Over 1500 Saving USyd university jobs library jobs lost in 2014 Over 300 staff, students and members of the community This year has seen a wave of rallied outside Fisher Library at sackings across the higher Sydney University in August to education industry. Since the defend library services and jobs. start of 2014 over 1500 jobs Is it just a coincidence that these changes have been cut nationwide. that you have ‘demanded’ also save the Earlier this year, Sydney University library University a good deal of money?’ Claiming funding pressures management announced a major restruc- or just a preference for ture that would have serious implications ‘What they are largely about is the closing a different staff profile for library users, education and our col- of spaces, libraries… the removal of ob- than they currently have, leagues, including the devastating poten- jects, books… and librarians who will no tial loss of up to 156 current library staff. longer need to be paid.’ universities have been launching restructures at an In response, NTEU library members organ- ‘There was a time when the burning of unprecedented rate. ised a workplace petition, appealing to the books was frowned upon,’ said Bob Ellis. Vice Chancellor for detailed information ‘No less damage is being done to this great about the proposed change and a solid convocation of knowledge, which formed In most cases, they are not actual- assessment of whether or not the changes my mind and made my soul between 1959 ly cutting the number of jobs. Yet would prevent library services from effec- and 1964, by administrators who think they somehow senior managements justify tively meeting the needs of users and the know what knowledge should be shaved to themselves directing millions of University. away, exiled to another place.’ dollars in public education funding towards paying severance packages Hearing about the proposed changes, ‘But they are unaware, it seems, of what for staff who they will only have to the broader University community rallied university means. It is a study, without replace. Arguably, the predominant behind library workers on Wednesday 13 stint or border, of the universe and what is motive is simply undermining job August. The crowd heard from Sydney in it. And though they like the persecutors security, so that even staff with con- University NTEU and NUS Presidents, and of Galileo would like to prescribe what tinuing appointments feel constantly esteemed guest speakers award winning should be known, and ban those books at risk. novelist David Malouf, and writer and and excise those librarians who do not fit journalist Bob Ellis. that prescription, they are wrong at their At some universities the focus has heart, wrong before the nation and the been on general and professional ‘It’s very good to see that so many of you heavens.’ staff, at others on academics. Aca- here are young – after all these changes demics with low research outputs are are being made in your name. It’s not so ‘And like war criminals should be brought particularly at risk of being targeted, easy for the authorities to dismiss your to trial for their assault on human memory regardless of what the reasons for presence,’ said David Malouf. and put away for 20 years.’ their individual research output might be. Some universities have ‘These measures are presented by the Michael Thomson, University of announced global job cuts, under slo- managers of the University… as a re- Sydney Branch President gans such as ‘Business Improvement’, sponse to the needs — and demands even You can view a video of the speeches at: ‘Academic Reshaping’, ‘EQUIP’ and of students. It is for you that the Fisher has, as they put it, been ‘improved’. www.nteu.org.au/sydney/ ‘World Ready/Future Ready’. Others libraryservices have imposed death by a thousand ‘I just ask you to consider whether it really Photos © Peter Boyd cuts, with smaller restructures im- is your needs that are being served here. posed in one organisational area after another. Victoria has been particularly hard hit, with 540 staff to go at Melbourne Uni, 350 at La Trobe, 150 at RMIT, and 300 at VU. While in some cases job cuts are clearly the result of financial exigen- cy, at others the employer is simply seeking to remove staff who do not support the university’s ‘strategic objectives.’ NTEU is tackling these job cuts with a combination of industrial disputation and local campaigns, and will be looking to develop a nation- al strategy to combat the churn of employment in Australian universi- ties.

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 7 Update We love SCU – and the community does, too

NTEU loves SCU, and so do all the people we have talked to over the six weeks since we launched the ‘Save our Uni. Save our local jobs’ campaign.

NTEU members and supporters hit the corridors and streets to talk with staff, stu- tive discussions to explore alternatives, Our request to table the petition at the dents and community groups about why to no avail. Senior management have University Council meeting was denied. SCU matters and why we need to protect not provided staff with the information However, the overwhelming support from local jobs. We have witnessed an extraor- we have requested, or answered our the community gave us hope that the dinary wave of support from people in our questions about who bears responsibility fight was not lost and we decided to call community. People love this university for the financial decisions that created the a community assembly on the day of the and believe in and value the staff. current ‘crisis’. University Council meeting. NTEU membership and level of activism We believe fixing this situation requires Over 200 staff, students and community is at an all time high. Together we keep SCU management to be transparent in members converged on the Lismore getting stronger, and we will continue the their dealings and accountable for their campus on Friday 12 September to show fight to save the Uni that we love. decisions. There their support and appears to be a pass a unanimous Campaign genesis catalogue of poor resolution that management called, among SCU management approved huge capital decisions leading other things, on the investments that required the University to the current crisis University Council to take out massive loans and deplete its that job cuts will do to accept the NTEU cash reserves. For example, they spent nothing to correct. petition (which has $50 million on a new Gold Coast building It is in the public in- now been signed by and started two new buildings in Lismore. terest – for the good 1879 people). According to management, the University of SCU’s staff, stu- is in an unprecedented financial crisis. After the assembly, dents and regional a delegation of 20 Management’s plan to repair problems communities – that representatives arising from their financial decisions has we establish to travelled up to been to cut jobs, call for staff to increase what degree, if any, Invercauld House workloads and expect staff to bear the full those in senior man- to again request brunt of savings required. They did this agement positions Council allow without giving staff a real capacity to have are responsible so staff to deliver input into these decisions. that appropriate the petition. The remedial action can Chancellor came As key stakeholders of SCU, NTEU mem- be taken. bers are deeply troubled by management’s out to speak with approach to getting the budget back in In the absence of any collaborative staff and accepted the petition on behalf the black. The Vice-Chancellor’s proposed discussion facilitated by management, we of Council. He thanked us for taking the strategy of cutting jobs, then looking for thought it was time for NTEU members trouble to bring the community view to more jobs to cut, will damage SCU and to engage the community (staff, students their attention. quality education, and will have broader and locals) in a conversation about the Our campaign has not reached its conclu- implications for the local communities future of SCU. sion, but one thing is clear from both the around our campuses. Modelling prepared petition and the community assembly. We by Lismore City Council indicates that the Petition & community assembly will not let this happen on our watch! Our loss of 50 jobs from SCU would result in We started our campaign by talking with community wants a vibrant, healthy thriv- a $12.55 million hit to the municipality’s colleagues, friends, family and neighbours ing University in their region, and they are economy. However, SCU senior manage- about the situation at the University, ask- troubled by management’s decisions so ment are proposing to cut up to 100 jobs. ing them to sign a petition we hoped to far. They want to keep jobs at SCU. NTEU members have consistently argued table at University Council. Our belief was that job cuts should be a last resort, not that saving our University required us to Kate Mitchell, SCU Branch President a first, and we have repeatedly requested demonstrate the level of support for staff More about the campaign and updates and our concerns. opportunities to participate in collabora- www.nteu.org.au/scu

page 8 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Update

Job losses were only part of the devasta- Heart of the tion to staff – 1600 positions were spilled and filled, after many were downgraded at least one HEW level. All this, of course, has University been happening under the shadow of de- regulation that promises that students can expect to pay more, while the University The University of Melbourne ensures that they’ll get fewer services and NTEU Branch has had strong support structures for their money. membership growth and is now the largest Branch in the Union, Heart campaign Vale Gough thanks in great part to a year of So the ‘Heart of the University’ campaign campaigning against attacks on was born. A succession of rallies were Whitlam professional staff roles under held on campus, including the Raise Your the banner, ‘Professional Staff – Voice rally that sang our message outside a meeting of senior management, and a The NTEU pays tribute to Heart of the University’. visual representation on the lawn outside Gough Whitlam, the Prime the Chancellery building of the more than Minister who dragged BIP attacks on general staff 500 jobs disappearing. An intensive round Australia into a new era of of Know Your Rights seminars and mobile The University of Melbourne’s euphe- equality and opportunity. offices were held to ensure staff were not mistically-named Business Improvement left relying on misinformation and poor Program (BIP) aims to slash $70 million The architect of free higher education, advice from HR and their employer. from our annual spend by hacking at the Whitlam had great faith in the future services and facilities provided by general More than just a one-campaign message, and the rights of youth in shaping staff. Senior management justified this by the Heart of the University message is that future. He reduced the voting claiming that it was about reducing dupli- strong enough to take us through this age to 18, abolished tuition fees and cation, improving what we do, and saving outrageous restructure and well beyond, introduced TEAS, a living allowance money in an environment of budget cuts when members will need to stay strong based on need. Importantly, his and uncertainty. while the dust settles. It’s there to remind Government took higher education everyone about the importance of our away from the States and invested No one denies that there’s a need for work and the place we occupy in the heavily in expansion. Their changes positive changes – in fact, it’s often NTEU University community. And it’s proven gave hope to ordinary people, and members and organisers who take the popular with our members – our Heart spurred families on to supporting lead in identifying problems. Members of the University badges and stickers are their children to finish school. care deeply about getting things right and proudly displayed on clothing or pinned making things better, and we know how, He championed women’s libera- up on office pinboards. You can spot that because it’s those of us on the ground tion, appointed a special advisor bold, red heart a mile off! who are the real experts in what we do. on women, encouraged feminists We were promised good engagement and Importantly, it’s a message of positivity into public service and supported genuine consultation. and strength – because while it’s often independent women’s organisations. necessary for us as a Union to put our foot His government had the first Minister Senior management, naturally, skipped down and say ‘no’, it’s also important to for Multiculturalism, abolished the all that in favour of hiring consultants celebrate what’s great. It’s a reminder that last legislative vestiges of the White who spent time only with management, even when we’ve put up with over a year Australia policy and passed the Racial and their eventual plan was to cut our of turmoil and uncertainty, it is us and our Discrimination Act. Whitlam opened professional staff from over 3,500 to just work that remain here at the heart of this up the possibility of land rights when over 3,000. We expect to see an increase university, and we look forward to carrying he symbolically handed soil back to in workloads for those staff who remain, it on into 2015 and beyond. Vincent Lingiari at Wave Hill in 1975. and the academics we work with, and a push to rely even more on the same online Raena Armitage, University of Whitlam introduced universal health systems and outsourcing arrangements Melbourne Branch Secretary care, welfare for single mothers and that our staff and students already strug- the homeless, and established Legal gle with. www.nteu.org.au/melb Photo: Corey Oakley Aid. He believed that government should intervene for the disadvan- taged and restore hope and dignity. These ideas and policies have shaped Australia since the 1970s. At this time of neo-liberal dominance of public policy, Whitlam and his government should be remembered for their achievements, not by the circum- stances of their dismissal or just the critique of what they did not do.

Jeannie Rea, National President See also Inger Mewburn’s moving tribute to Gough Whitlam, p.38

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 9 Update ACT VCs spar over deregulation

The vice-chancellors of Canberra’s two universities have been high-profile advocates for opposite sides in the debate over the future of higher education funding.

In one corner Ian Young, Vice-Chancel- mestic students what the market will bear socio-economic statuses (SES), UC seeks to lor of the Australian National University in order to reduce backlog maintenance, increase their number. support research and fund ‘strategy’. And (ANU) and current Chair of the Group of The proposed funding changes will make the market will ‘bear’ quite a lot, I suspect Eight, is the champion for universities’ higher education less attractive to low SES [because] the HECS system dulls the price support of deregulation. He has called it students. Students seeking a degree as signal to the student...’. ‘a game-changer and a building block to a job qualification may make pragmatic making our universities brilliant’. Furthermore, those who earn least will choices about the worth of higher educa- In the other corner, Stephen Parker, accrue the highest levels of debt due to tion. Professor Parker quotes an unem- Vice-Chancellor of the University of Can- charging above-inflation interest rates on ployed American student who said ‘You berra (UC), is the only university head in HECS debt, making the changes ‘particu- often hear the quote that you can’t put a the country who has spoken out against larly unfair on the disadvantaged [and] on price on ignorance. But with the way high- the whole Federal Government Budget women...’. er education is going, ignorance is looking more and more affordable by the day’. package of radical changes to higher Views reflect interests of education funding. different kinds of institution NTEU voice more important than ever Amend the Federal Budget or Ian Young’s views express the goals of the reject it? elite Group of Eight universities, including ACT Division Secretary Stephen Darwin Most vice-chancellors seem to have his own. His National Press Club address said ‘The NTEU rejects the deregulation expected a kind of Santa Claus budget and in July focused on the benefits to elite in- of university fees, the increase in HECS have been surprised when their requested stitutions of deregulating fees: being able interest rates and savage cuts to university gift of deregulated fees was mixed with to enrol smaller groups of students paying funding. They are inequitable and unjust. lumps of coal, in the form of a budgeted higher fees for the privilege of smaller I applaud UC Vice-Chancellor Stephen 20% course funding cut. Student fees classes and more access to ‘brilliant’ aca- Parker on his policy position, and his would have to rise 30% just to make up demics who are active researchers. Those standing up for it very publicly where no for this cut, cramping the VCs’ abilities to students’ fees will also subsidise the costs other Vice-Chancellor does. While he does realise their individual dreams for using of that research. not find allies among the Vice-Chancellors, his voice joins with those of the great ma- deregulated fee proceeds. His view of the current situation was dim: jority of students, parents, university staff ‘The nature of our university system forces There have been other funding losses and their union, and most in the general us to be average. We have very few terrible too, along with changes to HECS/HELP community in deploring these cuts.’ that will make a university education so universities. But we also have no truly much more expensive that some potential outstanding universities....We do need a ‘However, it’s important to remember that students must be daunted. good average standard of education and each of these vice-chancellors’ views fun- research. But to be brilliant, we also need damentally reflects what will most benefit These vice-chancellors have subsequently the truly world-leading peaks.’ his own university. In addition, Stephen sought to suggest which bits the govern- Parker has said he sees the real solution to Stephen Parker’s view of the current state ment should drop to make the package university funding challenges as cutting and future prospects of our higher educa- more palatable. Ian Young, fairly represent- costs, including by decreasing job security tion system is very different: ‘We have one atively, argues that the increased interest and reducing pay rises. rate on HECS debts and the size of funding of the best university systems in the world, cuts should be reconsidered. and it is about to be trashed’, he said. ‘The separate voice of the NTEU represent- ‘These [budget] measures might benefit a ing the interests of university staff and the Stephen Parker, on the other hand, few elite universities, but they will damage sector as a whole is a crucial, non-partisan opposes the whole package, including fee the university system as a whole.’ element in a debate that has been greatly deregulation. He says ‘these changes, tak- muddied by the divergent interests of Stephen Parker acknowledges that UC is en together, are: unfair, unethical, reckless, different kinds of university.’ poor economic policy, [and] contrary to in a different place in the market from the the international evidence’. ANU, serving a broad range of students Jane Maze, ACT Division Organiser whose goals are primarily professional Above left: Ian Young. Photo: Belinda Pratten. He argues that over time fees will rise to and semi-professional careers rather than levels that impose heavy debt burdens on academic ones. And while no Canberra Above right: Stephen Parker. Photo: Twitter. all students: ‘universities will charge do- university has many students from low

page 10 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Update

ANU NTEU divestment sponsors yields ATEM award for community Vice-Chancellor Ian Young, was merciless- dramatic ly attacked for the divestment decision. engagement This is despite his academic discipline being oceanography, where the effect of results global warming on the earth’s oceans is NTEU was pleased to becoming increasing apparent (a point sponsor the Excellence in ANU’s recent decision to divest Young has repeatedly made in defending Community Engagement from seven companies that did the decision of the ANU Council). Award at the recent not meet its new Environmental, The success of the divestment campaign Association for Tertiary Social and Governance ratings at ANU and this response demonstrates Education Management created an unprecedented and the critical point this debate has reached. (ATEM) annual conference spectacular over-reaction from The climate denialism of the Abbott in Cairns in September. the Abbott Government and the Government stands in stark contrast to the overwhelming scientific and social NTEU James Cook University Branch business media. consensus as to the escalating dangers of President Jonathan Strauss pre- uncontrollable climate change. For days, Government figures and the sented the award to Jennifer Greer pages of the financial press were turned At the same time as Tony Abbott was from the School of Medicine at the over to attacking the ANU divestment. claiming coal to be ‘good for humanity’, University of Western Sydney for This reaction is all the more extraordinary an increasing number of universities, her project ‘A marketing strategy for given the divestment represented only 5% superannuation funds and local govern- medical research’. of ANU’s investments and did not include ments across the globe are looking to a range of other fossil fuel companies divest from polluters and to invest in the ANU continues to support. What it did growing future of renewable energy. Al- demonstrate was the symbolic importance though much of this is driven by a genuine of the divestment, particularly as it follows concern about the future of the planet, on from major withdrawals from fossil fuel investors are also increasingly looking investments, including by Stanford Univer- to the economic dangers of being stuck sity and the Rockefeller Foundation. with ‘stranded assets’ in industries whose futures are inherently finite. The divestment was forced by a highly effective campaign led by Fossil Free This is precisely why the modest ANU di- ANU over the last year, which was activity vestment decision became such a volatile supported by the ACT Division of the matter. The Abbott Government is clearly NTEU. This campaign included a student trying to reframe Australian economic referendum in which 82% of students development around the continuing The judges defined community en- voted in favour of ANU divesting from exploitation of fossil fuels – despite the gagement as an idea and an action fossil fuel investments and a series of pow- demonstrable damage they are contribut- which is mutually beneficial to the erful representations to the ANU Council. ing to the earth’s atmosphere - whilst sadly tertiary institution and the commu- This resulted in ANU Council eventually retreating from investment in renewables nity. Greer’s project hinged on a two adopting a modest ethical investment (let alone education). way interaction between the Uni- versity and the community and the policy, advised by the Centre for Australian Therefore, the underpinning message of Ethical Research. judges agreed that it was on the way the ANU divestment is a moral danger to achieving its aims of creating an Although activists were disappointed with to the ‘no carbon tax’ mantra that has atmosphere of philanthropy, which the limited scope of the divestment as a characterised the Abbott Government. The will contribute to the eventual cure result of this new policy, no-one anticipat- excellent campaign conducted by Fossil for gastrointestinal motility disorders. ed the furious attacks from a range of Ab- Free ANU demonstrates the potential bott Government Ministers, including the capacity of student and staff activism to NTEU sponsorship of the award helps Prime Minister, Treasurer and Education force recognition of the potential role of build partnerships in the higher Minister. In an act of breathtaking hypoc- university investments in causing social education sector that further the risy, Education Minister Pyne lamented his harm, including future damage to the frag- professional and industrial interests inability to force ANU Council to reverse ile ecosystems on which we all rely. of members. Many members are involved in ATEM which acts as a pro- its divestment decision, whilst at the same This is why the reaction to the ANU divest- time lauding his deregulation proposals fessional body for tertiary education ment decision was so dramatic and dispro- administrators and managers. which will remove the ability of future portionate: it was in its potential to spread governments to influence the future and bring more substantial change. atem.org.au direction of Australian higher educa- tion. Moreover, the leading advocate for Stephen Darwin, ACT Division Photo © Renee Brown deregulation in the university sector, ANU Secretary

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 11 Update

An expert panel comprising Dr Kaye Expert Seminar Series Broadbent (Griffith University), Dr Rhonda Small (La Trobe University) and Dr Miranda Cumpston (Monash University) talked with Off Track NTEU President, Jeannie Rea about the findings of the Work and Careers in Aus- The second instalment of the tralian Universities (WCAU) survey, as well NTEU’s Expert Seminar Series, as the personal experience of precarious where experts are invited to employment amongst research staff in order to consider effective strategies and discuss issues relevant to the campaigns we can undertake as unionists. higher education sector, hosted in Melbourne on 9 October 2014, At a time when Australia needs a high- ly-skilled workforce, many of Australia’s was titled ‘Off Track – Research best and brightest research staff are Staff and Insecure Employment trapped on short-term grants, fellowships in Australia’. and the negative effects of the grant funding cycle. The first seminar, ‘Casualisation, Global The seminar discussed how research and Australian Trends’ was held on 3 July contracts, living from grant to grant. The staff are the fastest growing group of 2014. Australian academic Robyn May, discussion concluded that one of the employees in universities, yet to many of currently working at Melbourne Univer- Union’s highest long term priorities is to their colleagues, the least visible. Many sity, was invited to discuss with NTEU recruit and engage with research staff, and NTEU members are surprised to hear that, National President, Jeannie Rea the state to ensure they get the recognition and on a full-time equivalent basis, research of academic casualisation in Australia and employment conditions they deserve. staff are now more than one-third of all how casualisation of academic work is academic staff, and that nearly one in contributing to a deprofessionalisation of Helena Spyrou, Union Education & ten general staff are employed directly in the academic profession. Training Officer research or research support. Fewer than The video of this seminar, plus present- The second seminar focused on the con- one in ten research staff has a continuing ers’ biographies and presentation notes sequences of insecure employment for re- job, and fixed term contract employment can be found online search staff in Australian universities. Over predominates. www.nteu.org.au/seminars 40 people attended the seminar while a This group is amongst the most disad- number of others joined the discussion via vantaged of all university staff, with short Twitter.

National Council stands in solidarity

Over 200 National Councillors took part in a video produced by NTEU’s Queer Unionists in Tertiary Education (QUTE) partnered with Amnesty International to highlight issues related to people of diverse sexualities and genders throughout the world.

Called ‘Stand in Solidarity’, the campaign told stories on both the Amnesty Inter- national website and the QUTE Facebook page of the work of activists in address- ing discrimination, isolation, economic pointing as it took weeks of work to get of pride for people of diverse sexualities hardship, harassment and violence in people in to one room at Melbourne and genders, with printed cards. Pictures their communities. University for the video shoot. of the activists featured in the campaign were also displayed. After some editing The campaign was to culminate in the However, National Councillors stepped magic, our film will be launched before filming of a short movie. Unfortunately, in to show solidarity for people of Christmas. the footage of the original movie shot diverse sexualities and genders by in May was technically flawed and we finishing the project. Councillors formed Dave Willis, Vic Division Organiser couldn’t use it. This was hugely disap- a rainbow flag, an international symbol www.nteu.org.au/qute

page 12 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Update NTEU women cross the line for Bluestocking Week 2014

Bluestocking Week ran for the third consecutive year around Australia from 11-15 August. This year’s theme was ‘Crossing the Line’, with a focus on fighting attitudes that seek to silence fundraiser for the Working Women’s the voices of women, and Centre. Flinders University held two to highlight the importance events including a breakfast put on by the student union and a seminar by NTEU of women speaking out and member, Professor Kay Whitehead enti- sharing their stories and views. tled, ‘Bluestockings and teacher unions: Troublesome women!’ Bluestocking Week’s driving purpose is to carve out space and time to celebrate, or- The NT Division was joined by the Lord ganise and reflect. In the face of ongoing Mayor of Darwin for a morning tea to threats to higher education in Australia, share stories of women working at CDU. and in an environment Victoria had events throughout the where pro-woman week at RMIT, policies and approach- Melbourne, es are being ignored in Deakin, Monash favour of pre-Menzies and La Trobe era approaches for including a film gender quality and screening of Miss women’s rights, this Representation year’s Bluestocking at Melbourne Week sought to Uni. The Divi- create a human sion kicked off In NSW, a range of events were held in tapestry of women Bluestocking Week both Sydney and regional areas. Mac- sharing their with a lively Q&A quarie University hosted a morning tea experiences as discussing issues while over at UNSW, Professor Barbara staff or students at for women in high- Pocock delivered a lecture on ‘Women university. er education. working and living in higher education: what I wish I’d known when I set out’. Women around In Tassie, drinks and Australia hosted or nibbles were en- CSU Bathurst was treated to hot chocolate attended events joyed at a Bluestock- while their cousins at CSU Wagga Wagga aimed at bringing ing Week exhibition enjoyed wine. CSU Albury enjoyed a women together photographic exhibition put on by women www.nteu.org.au/bluestockingweek highlighting women’s and celebrating education. who work at the campus while UTS and the contribution they make Newcastle hosted politicians like Senators to higher education. More events at more Meanwhile in WA, the Kim Carr and Deb O’Neill, Tanya Plibersek, locations than any previous year were held, Perth Craftivist Group put on a work- Sharon Claydon and Amanda Rishworth at highlighting the diversity of women and shop showing how craft could be used forums at each university. their experiences at university. as a political tool to promote positive change in the community. Blue fairy floss, Courtney Sloane, National Media In Queensland, women at UQ were invited yarn bombing, self-defence classes and Officer to share one thing about being a woman sundowners were also part of the Western www.nteu.org.au/bluestockingweek at UQ. Stories were compiled for a morn- Australian celebrations. ing tea with live music, guest speakers and For more coverage of Bluestocking Week, see the 2014 issue of Agenda, NTEU’s bright blue cupcakes. Events were also In the nation’s capital, ANU, ACU and UC women’s journal, available online held at CQU, USQ, QUT, JCU and Griffith. all put on events to promote women at university including forums and market www.nteu.org.au/agenda South Australia put on two events for stalls. women to participate in, including a

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 13 Update Register online to be part of NTEU’s national National conference Insecure on insecure Work work Conference Hobart, Tasmania The latest Department of November 2014 Education higher education staffing data – which confirms the trend towards precarious employment becoming the unicasual.org.au/insecurework2014 norm rather than exception, University managements continue to casual staff, contract research staff, and along with the results of the bemoan the casualisation of teaching, but project and other fixed term staff not Union’s own surveys, industrial just continue casualising. The Union also engaged in research – we will interrogate cases and bargaining campaigns campaigned about class sizes, so some the circumstances of their employment – are the facts that will inform universities have responded by abolishing conditions and develop a plan of action the NTEU National Insecure classes! More and more teaching is also to recommend to the NTEU National either partially or fully online and this was Executive for implementation at all levels Work Conference in Hobart on the focus of a survey the NTEU recently of the Union. 19 and 20 November. conducted amongst casual academics (see Guest speakers include Dr Robyn May and report, p.15). Not surprisingly, casually Dr Kaye Broadbent who have intensively employed staff report they end up donat- The stats researched, respectively, casual academic ing their labour to the university just to and contract research work. Also present- Last year’s Department of Education data get through the student assessments. revealed that 4 out of 5 new jobs in univer- ing are Australian Research Council Chief sities in the last decade were contract or Universities who claim to be so short of Executive Officer, Professor Aidan Byrne; casual and consequently one in two jobs funds seem to prefer the HR expenses former Dean Professor Michael Hamel are now casual or contract. of re-employing the same research staff Green; well-known precarious work re- rather than converting someone to an searcher Dr Iain Campbell; Secretary of the This data reinforces that the decline ongoing position. This seems to be a National Union of Workers, Tim Kennedy; in teaching and research categorised common experience of people being and (via Skype from New York) adjunct col- positions continues with an almost 35% employed on a ‘soft money’ project. They lege staff organiser with Service Employ- increase in teaching only (FTU/FFT) posi- are not even employed for the whole ees International Union, Malini Cadambi. tions. However, these are only a fraction of project in one contract. This is one of the NTEU members Claire Parfitt, Rhonda teaching-only staff. Over 80% of teaching anecdotes reported to the Union that is Small, Kate Bowles, Karina Luiza, and NTEU only staff are casual. now backed up by another survey we Senior Industrial Officer Josh Cullinan have been undertaking amongst contract Research-only positions have also grown, will speak about organising and capacity research staff. with research-only staff now outnumber- building amongst insecure workers in our ing ‘teaching and research’ positions at the sector. University of Queensland and Monash. NTEU conference As NTEU Vice-President (Academic) and The objectives of the conference are to Jeannie Rea, National President UQ Branch President Andrew Bonnell increase understanding of the extent and Delegates have been invited from every pointed out to The Australian (15 October characteristics of precarious work in the Branch, and anyone can also register and 2014), the University has been enrolling sector; examine NTEU’s past approaches participate in the conference online. many more students and not putting the to making work more secure and critically www.nteu.org.au/insecurework2014 resources into teaching them. Rather the evaluate current strategies to inform funds have been diverted to assist the ongoing NTEU industrial and political University’s research intensive profile. policy. The purpose is to provide a forum to better focus and plan for organising While this is problematic in itself, the other around precarious work to strengthen part of the problem is that across Aus- existing and create new networks. tralia over 80% of grant funded research positions are fixed term contracts for both Through intensive workshops with the academic and professional staff. three focus groups – academic teaching

page 14 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Casuals News

action on superannuation cur- Super justice rently includes a special change. org petition and video which we encourage you to sign. You can for casuals find it on our website. The petition goes to Unisu- For far too long sessional and per and Universities Australia casual academics in Australia because it is the special Trust have been excluded from parity Deed between universities and Unisuper which maintains this in superannuation. As one of the discriminatory practice. principal employment benefits of a career in higher education Let’s campaign together to end it is crucial that this gross superannuation discrimination in our sector! discrepancy be immediately addressed! Dustin Halse, Swinburne University Recently published research conducted Josh Cullinan, Victorian by Robyn May has provided us with a Division detailed overview of the casual academic www.nteu.org.au/vic/supercasuals workforce in Australia. We now know with absolute certainty that sessional staff in comparison to permanent staff are young- er and much more likely to be women. We Online work increases casual also now know with absolute certainty that sessional work discriminates on the basis of age and gender. exploitation

In our sector sessional academics receive When the NTEU surveyed casually employed academics half the superannuation of their perma- nent colleagues. Some brazenly suggest recently on how online teaching was impacting upon their that the loading paid to casuals is fair working conditions, the key finding was that they are facing compensation for the disparity. Yet upon even further exploitation. This remains largely invisible to their examining the range of inferior conditions more securely employed colleagues. under which casual academics are em- ployed this argument is exposed as both While the focus has previously been upon those working entirely in an online fallacious and prejudiced. environment and trying to find some equivalences with face-to-face teaching upon The casual loading does not make up for which to base payment rates, this issue has completely blown out. Now most uni- the myriad of employment rights that are versities and courses have moved to greater reliance on the learning management denied to sessional academics including platforms (Blackboard, Moodle, etc.) and reduced class time moving student discus- no paid maternity leave, no annual leave sion and marking online. This means that the time allocated, for example, to marking and lost incremental advancements in is fictional as staff mark online and also upload results, while responding to constant salary. This of course is a truncated list of queries within regimes where students are told to expect a 24 hour turnaround. the employment rights denied to sessional ‘The online environment has simply added to the very large array of tasks that are and casual academics. supposed to be completed in a ‘teaching’ contract, which involves quite a deal of But it gets worse. The higher superan- administrivia. I use four IT platforms per day to do the job: Moodle, email, internet nuation paid to some higher education and our online Grades system. As a sessional, I haven’t been paid to attend the workers is a historical offset against the training for any of these (although I have done so, otherwise I couldn’t do the wages of staff. Staff forewent increases job!).’ (17 years a sessional now). to salaries and instead were paid higher For those teaching in a fully online environment, there is often no recognition of superannuation. Therefore ongoing staff their expertise. They are rarely included in course reviews, and where they have now receive a lower salary to pay for the actually developed the course, their intellectual property and moral rights may be higher superannuation. Those lower sala- ignored. ries are the basis for the casual wages. That is, sessional and casual staff are actually ‘Most of the people I work with, their primary (and often only) source of income is subsidizing the higher superannuation of online teaching. They have become specialists in it, despite no recognition of this ongoing and fixed term colleagues. from our department. There is little respect for online teaching in my department. We are not included in staff meetings and there is no recognition of good perfor- It is time for this to stop and the solution mance. There is no effort to develop online teaching staff. There is no attempt to is both simple and equitable! We are call- improve the mix of materials used for online teaching. In short, they don’t care so ing upon all higher education employers long as the money keeps coming in and no-one upsets the apple cart’. and Unisuper to make a small cost adjust- ment and pay 17% superannuation to all This report will be released at the NTEU National Secure Work Conference in Novem- casual and sessional staff. ber and uploaded to www.nteu.org.au/insecurework2014.

The NTEU intends to run many different Jeannie Rea, National President actions and we encourage all sessional and casual academics to get involved. Our

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 15 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander News

had become normal for people to not A&TSI replaces state ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’ but instead just refer to the dis- Aboriginal Indigenous tinct groups en masse as ‘ATSI’. and Torres Indigenous, however, came with its own At NTEU National Council set of issues. The official definition of the Strait Islander in October, a motion was term is ‘originating in a particular region passed that the Union adopt or country’ which some non-Indigenous staff numbers the terminology ‘Aboriginal right-wing commentators argue means that because they were born here, they and Torres Strait Islander’ too are Indigenous. In comparison, ‘Abo- rising instead of the currently used riginal’ means ‘inhabiting or existing in a ‘Indigenous’. This is to be land from the earliest times or from before The latest university rolled out to incorporate all the arrival of colonists’. Indigenous also staffing statistics show future negotiated Collective homogenises two distinct groups of First a strong increase in the Agreements, publications, work Peoples erroneously and encourages lack of engagement with the diversity of these number of Aboriginal units and the staff titles therein, peoples. and Torres Strait Islander and the caucus. academic and professional/ Over the past few years, a number of peak general staff in the sector. The Indigenous Policy Committee will organisations, such as the former NIHEN, now be known as the Aboriginal and have reverted back to names that reflect the two distinct groups of Indigenous Figures released by the Department of Torres Strait Islander Policy Committee Education show a 3.7% increase in the (A&TSIPC). The NTEU Aboriginal and Torres peoples and indications from members at some Branches were that the NTEU should number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Strait Islander website URL will change to Islander staff employed in the sector www.nteu.org.au/atsi. follow suit. This was confirmed in a mem- bers’ survey in August which stated that of in 2013. In the same period non-In- This motion was informed firstly via mem- the respondents (all members of the Na- digenous staffing numbers increased bership opinions expressed at individual tional Indigenous caucus), 67% favoured by 1.9%. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Branches, via a survey conducted by ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’. Islander academic and professional/ the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait general staff now comprise 1.0% Islander Unit earlier this year, and also In light of this, and the motion passed at of all ongoing and fixed-term staff via greater community trends. The term Council, the National Aboriginal and Torres employed in the sector. While this ‘Indigenous’ has always been a conten- Strait Islander Unit will be ensuring that achievement must be acknowledged, tious one in the community and there are a number of publications and titles are there remains a significant gap to a number of reasons why Aboriginal and updated and we encourage Branches to achieve the 2.2% employment target Torres Strait Islander is preferred. follow suit. Please also note that the ac- as recommended in the 2012 Review ronym ATSI should be used sparingly and of Higher Education Access and Out- ‘Indigenous’ came into common usage indeed A&TSI is preferred. If an acronym is comes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait during the Howard years when it was to be used, it should only be used after it Islander Peoples. deemed prudent to use one word as an has been defined and not as a default. umbrella term instead of using the clumsy While Aboriginal and Torres Strait acronym ‘ATSI’, as had been commonplace Celeste Liddle, A&TSI Organiser Islander employment has been before then. Part of the issue was that it www.nteu.org.au/atsi rising on average at 6.5%, this overall increase can only be attributed to the work of the NTEU and those The new A&TSIPC are: universities who have made a strong New Policy commitment to Aboriginal and Terry Mason (UWS), Chair, National Torres Strait Islander education and Committee A&TSI Councillor and NSW A&TSIPC employment. representative. The NTEU Aboriginal and Torres Strait The new Aboriginal and Sharlene Leroy-Dyer (UoN), Deputy Islander employment claim calls for Torres Strait Islander Policy Chair, National A&TSI Councillor. numeric employment targets, the Committee (A&TSIPC) sat John Graham (Griffith), National A&TSI development of employment strate- gies and appropriate representation for the first time just prior to Councillor and Qld A&TSIPC represent- ative. on employment implementation and National Council. monitoring committees to be includ- Aaron Thomas (Adelaide), SA A&TSIPC ed in all university Agreements. Elections were held for the Chair and representative. Deputy Chair positions. We congratu- These statistics have proven the Robert Anders (UTas), Tasmanian A&T- late Terry Mason (UWS) on his re-elec- success of the NTEU Aboriginal and SIPC representative. tion to the Chair and welcome Sharlene Torres Strait Islander bargaining claim and show that Aboriginal and Torres Leroy-Dyer (University of Newcastle) to Frank Gafa (ANU), ACT A&TSIPC repre- Strait Islander people have oppor- the position of Deputy Chair. sentative. tunity to gain genuine employment Elections to fill vacant positions will be Ben Atkinson (FUA), Victorian A&TSIPC in an industry from which they had held in 2015. representative. previously been excluded. www.nteu.org.au/atsi/atsipc Adam Frogley, A&TSI Coordinator

page 16 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander News Batchelor celebrates first PhD graduate

This year, the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (BIITE) celebrated its 40th anniversary of providing culturally-appropriate and community inclusive education for Aboriginal &Torres Strait Islander peoples. Fittingly, BIITE also graduated its first successful PhD student, Dr Kathryn Gilbey. Committee (IPC) representative, having new Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander served in this position for the past term Policy Committee wish to thank the newly Dr Gilbey is a proud Alyawarre woman whilst also completing her PhD. Kathryn’s conferred Dr Gilbey for her long commit- from North-East of Alice Springs. Kathryn PhD in Indigenous Knowledges was warm- ment to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander is also a long-term staff member of BIITE, ly praised at the graduation ceremony equity in education and her service as an currently lecturing in education, perfor- by academic peers and colleagues at the IPC member. mance, policy and place making, First graduation ceremony held at the Desert Here’s to many more fantastic PhD gradu- Nations knowledges, inclusive education, People’s Centre. ates at BIITE over the coming years. and critical race theories. The NTEU would like to congratulate the Photo: Dr Kathryn Gilbey giving the graduation Additionally, Kathryn has been a long- Batchelor Institute on its 40th anniversary address, still via video by Grenville Turner: term Aboriginal NTEU activist and is the and in particular, congratulate Dr Gilbey outgoing NT Division Indigenous Policy on obtaining her PhD. Additionally, the vimeo.com/105485352

a need for higher literacy and numer- The 2007 Successful Transition Pro- The Forrest acy levels. This ignores research that grams From Prior-To-School to School indicates that the greatest impediment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Review: to Aboriginal employment is prejudiced Children Report stated ‘You bring the and negative views held by employers. kids to school and they take them from you. The kids will never be the same Advantage or The report suggests sweeping changes. again. They’re gone. They are not stolen Some, such as increased funding and but it feels that they have gone.’ assimilation? medical/social support, are admirable although examples drawn from the There appears to be little sound ed- The recently released Forrest Challis Early Childhood Centre in Perth ucational merit in the Forrest Report. Review has received a fair bear little relevance to what may ever Rather, it seems to be responding to age amount of press and much be feasible in remote community. Some old prejudice and the desire to assimilate though are not so benign. Aboriginal people and remove a prob- condemnation concerning lem in remote and resource rich areas There is a strong emphasis on, and it the ‘harsh’ welfare and social hearkening back to this 1984 statement would appear some confusion in the use reforms recommended. Little by Lang Hancock: of the terms, ‘explicit’ and ‘direct’ instruc- has been written about the tion. Direct instruction may deliver short Those assimilated into earning a good education issues and some term results but caters less well in the living, earning wages among civilised have suggested it is a response transition to self-directed learning later. areas that have been accepted into to a predicted shortage of Explicit learning as suggested from the society and they have accepted remote labour. age of three years with an emphasis on society and can handle society – I English as the language of instruction, is would leave them alone – The ones On Sky News, Fred Chaney said ‘the only challenged widely. that are no good to themselves, can’t accept things – the half castes and way to end crippling Indigenous disad- Twiggy’s supporting statement, ‘let me this is where most of the this is where vantage is to listen to First Australians. remind you that the quickest way to most of the trouble comes – I would There appears to be little reflection of lose language is to be unable to record dope the water up so they were sterile that in Twiggy Forrest’s report.’ it’, is laughable considering the age of and would breed themselves out in the languages involved. The recom- Twiggy’s report suggests that there is the future and that would solve the mendation that cultural ceremonies be little difference between Aboriginal and problem… non-Aboriginal employment rates if all scheduled outside of school hours or be have a decent education level and that held during holiday periods is not only Terry Mason, Chair A&TSIPC employers consistently state there is insensitive but is utterly offensive.

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 17 Federal Budget $100,000 degrees are no fantasy

When the NTEU was giving evidence to the Senate NTEU Policy and Research Coordinator, Paul Kniest pointed out that there are already Inquiry into the Higher Education and Research Reform degrees costing more than $100,000 at pri- vate institutions. I noted that at this stage Amendment (HERRA) Bill on 8 October 2014, the chair, only the University of Western Australia National Party Senator for Victoria, Bridget McKenzie (UWA) has announced an initial fee for the first three years of $16,000 p/a. UWA will accused the Union of scaremongering because we were not reveal their fees beyond the first three years, yet many qualifications take longer. saying that some degrees will cost $100,000 if the Bill They will probably cost more. The further goes through. However, our modelling, along with that two years required to qualify as a teacher in WA, even at $16,000 p/a, takes the cost to of others, does indeed show this to be the case with the $80,000 before interest is included. increased tuition fees alone, but once the market interest Senator McKenzie claimed that high school students she had spoken to were rate is included the total costs nudge towards and reluctant to commit to university because beyond $100,000. of the NTEU’s scare campaign. I pointed out that we had responded to Year 12 stu- dents by telling them to get on with their studies and apply for what they wanted to study – and not let the Abbott Govern- ment wreck their dreams. We have also urged these students and their parents to contact their politicians to voice their op- position to higher education being priced out of reach of ordinary families. Indeed the Senator, like many on the Government seemed reluctant to barrack for their so-called reforms of higher Jeannie Rea education. The higher education changes National President announced in the Federal Budget are among the most unpopular parts of an unpopular budget and I am sure they have been hearing from their constituents.

page 18 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate NTEU Opening Statement to the Senate Committee Inquiry into the Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment (HERRA) Bill 2014 8 October 2014

Jeannie Rea, National President The initial statements on Budget night by the Minister for The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) represents the Education about regional universities and students being the big industrial and professional interests of higher education staff. winners from these policies will be proven as grossly misleading The focus in our submission and here today is upon the core of should the Government now move to offer ‘targeted’ assistance the Bill, which are the changes to Commonwealth Supported for regional universities. This can only be seen as political expe Places (CSPs). In summary these are: diency while admitting that the proposed package will result in - adverse consequences. To actually compensate for these conse • the decrease in the government contribution, quences is likely to cost billions, and so would substantially cut- • deregulation of tuition fees, into the $5billion in savings the Government wants. • increase in interest rates, and A targeted regional (and outer urban) assistance package would also need to compensate universities for cuts to public funding and • expansion to private providers. adverse effects of increased competition from private for-profit As we argue in our submission, our contention is that the Gov providers, who would have access to public funding. ernment’s proposed policies have nothing to do with reforming- Additionally, it would also have to take into account the perverse Australian higher education and setting our universities free to impacts of the ‘new Commonwealth’ scholarship scheme on uni offer internationally competitive teaching, research and commu versities with relatively high numbers of students from economi- nity engagement, but have everything to do with achieving large- cally and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. - cuts to public investment in our universities, their students and potential students - no matter what the consequences. The NTEU also believes that the Senate must take seriously the overwhelming evidence of both policy and market failure in Our view is that the Government is abrogating their responsibili relation to market based policy reforms to vocational education ty to support a world class higher education system of ‘depth and- and training (VET) in Victoria which are echoed by warning of breadth’ (as was noted by the Times Higher Education University non-transparent and utterly unpredictable outcomes for higher Rankings media release last week). education where some public universities, especially those in Australia, with the exception of Japan, has the lowest level of regional areas that might well fail. public investment in tertiary education in the OECD and Austral- The reality is that outside of those universities already well ian students already pay amongst the highest fees to attend public resourced (through decades of primarily public investment) who universities anywhere in the world. The primary objective of the may compete on high prices, many universities may find they policy is to shift the burden of who pays for higher education cannot set a price that will maintain student enrolments and op even further away from Government and onto students and their portunity, and also maintain the quality of student education and- families. service provision. Universities already operating on inadequate We continue to maintain that the whole package should be CSP income will make further cuts to staff, courses – and proba- rejected and are very wary of the current public discussion about bly campuses, thus further cutting off access and opportunity. It possible mitigation to alleviate some of the negative impacts. For is a downward spiral. example, while changing the way interest is charged on students’ In asking the Senate to reject this Bill, the NTEU is not arguing loans might eliminate some of the highly unfair impacts on low that higher education policy in Australia is not in need of reform, income students and those who take career breaks (predominant but the answer is not to treat it as a marketplace. Education is too ly women with children), the likely alternatives will still impose- important to leave to market forces. Any reform, must, too, be very high costs on all students compared to current arrange based on genuine consultation with all stakeholders and explic ments. The alternatives will only be more equitable in the sense- itly recognise the public benefits from higher education even if- that all students will be equally worse off. This is not what the they might be dif NTEU considers as equity. ficult to quantify.

It is clear that the Government miscalcu- will be a major issue leading into the next The report of the Senate Inquiry was pre- lated how much support there is across election. It is a far cry from last year’s Labor sented to Parliament on 28 October and the population for higher education and Government cuts to higher education to the vote is expected in early December. It for research. People do seem to think fund the Gonski school funding reforms. is argued that this causes uncertainty to that governments should invest in all universities and prospective students. We The Greens higher education spokes- levels of education and people do need would argue that it is yet another reason person Senator Lee Rhiannon and her to get degrees. The Government’s divisive to vote it down and call upon the Govern- colleagues have maintained their solid argument of why should people without ment to consult with the sector and public support, and are also vigorously cam- degrees pay their taxes for others to go over reforms, not abuse higher education paigning in the parliament and in public to university has not resonated. People as an ideological battering ram. to defeat the Bill. do want the next generation to go to For latest information, keep following university. Senator Carr has wiped off suggestions of NTEU on twitter, Facebook and online. amendments to support non-controver- The ALP has firmed up opposition to the Also in this issue of Advocate are the sial measures included in the Bill. He has budget measures and Senator Kim Carr, NTEU’s opening address to the Senate argued, and NTEU supports this position, along with assistant education spokes- hearing (above), CAPA’s evidence (p.25) that the whole Bill must be rejected. When person Amanda Rishworth MP and many and commentary by Paul Kniest on the it is defeated any worthwhile measures other parliamentarians and candidates evidence to the hearing (p.20). See also can be moved separately and if the Gov- are running a tough campaign against the articles by the NTEU’s three local speakers ernment will not do so, then the ALP will, whole Bill, visiting campuses and public at our community forums with the AEU according to Carr. It was a devious, but forums and speaking out at every oppor- and United Voice in Townsville, Penrith obvious move of the Government to put tunity. Opposition leader Bill Shorten is and Launceston (p.22). everything into one Bill. publicly arguing that higher education www.nteu.org.au/degreemortgage

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 19 Federal Budget Contradictions, confusions & concessions in Pyne’s higher ed policies

Evidence given to the The Minister will be lobbied by his own same time advocating for need for an in- colleagues to amend the policy in relation dependent monitoring body to advise the Senate Education and to the way market determined interest Government on any changes that might rates are applied to student debt as well be necessary given the complexity of the Employment Legislation come up with an assistance package for changes of ‘many moving parts’. On the Committee’s Inquiry into regional universities despite his insist- one hand this might be seen as acknowl- ence that regional universities and their edgement of policy failure, or at the very the Higher Education students would be the big winners from least an acknowledgment that there will his reform agenda. be further periods of significant policy and Research Reform instability. The NTEU is reassured that the ALP and Amendment (HERRA) Bill Greens Senators have remained resolute Witnesses in favour of adopting a more 2014 definitely confirmed in their opposition to the whole package. market oriented approach to higher edu- At the time of writing the majority of cation, were quick to dismiss any notion that higher education is crossbenchers were still intending to vote that the complete policy and market fail- down the Bill, however they will be under ure which beset the vocational and train- far too important to be intense pressure from the Government. ing sector in Victoria as a result of a similar market based policy framework could be left to the market. Based Even allowing for the anticipated and well repeated in higher education. The reason publicised concessions on the interest for their confidence was because the on evidence presented at rate and regional universities, the week existence of a strong regulator, namely the of public hearings was a bad one for the the Inquiry and responses Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Government as witness after witness of Agency (TEQSA). from Government avowed proponents of the Minister’s high- er education changes gave evidence that Confidence in the regulator Senators, it is clear that was at best confusing and, in some cases, the Senate Committee contradictory. This is of great concern be- The Australian Council for Private Educa- yond the outcome of this current debate tion and Training (ACPET) amongst others will recommend that the as we look to where leader ship and clear expressed supreme confidence in TEQSA’s thinking is coming from across the higher ability to enforce the high barriers to entry Minister for Education education sector. into sector to avoid the well document- make substantial ed failure of the Victorian experience. Unintended consequences However, as Professor Henry Ergas made clear in his evidence, the much publicised amendments if the The evidence from the Government’s potential benefits of marketisation of so-called supporters conceded that many legislation is to have any higher education in the form of lower of the consequences of the proposed costs and lower fees can only be realised chance of getting through changes were unknown, and therefore by lowering barriers to entry. needed to be monitored closely so as to the Senate. allow the Government to respond quickly The Government must surely now to any unintended consequences. acknowledge that high barriers to entry, which are necessary to protect quality For example, Universities Australia argued and the reputation of Australian higher that adopting the Government’s polices education, are completely incompatible would help overcome decades of policy with greater competition. instability and uncertainty, while at the page 20 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Federal Budget

Chart 1: ATARs for Business and Commerce Students by University 2014 Figure 1: ATARs for Business and Commerce Students by University 2014

Group of Eight Australian Technology Innovative Research Regional Universities Unaligned Universities 100 Network Universities Network 97 97 95 94 91 90 89 89 88 87 87 86 85 83 80 78 78 76 76 75 74 73 72 71 70 71 70 71 70 70 68 66 66 65 65 64 61 60 59 90th Quartile 58

50 89 Median ATAR

40 10th Quartile

30

Source: Grattan Institute Mapping Australian Higher Education 2014-15 Figure 36 p82

The hearings have also created much that it was not designed to cope with the ing analogy, yes.’ That is, there already is a confusion about what TEQSA’s role is or rapid expansion of the HELP loans as a market used to allocate university places should be. Professor Nicholas Saunders, result of fee deregulation, making loans but this is based on academic ability and acting TEQSA Chief Commissioner, said available to more and more students not ability to pay. TEQSA was ‘not a quality improvement including those in vocational, education As the data in Figure 1 taken from the agency’. Professor Peter Shergold (wearing and training and private providers. Grattan Institute’s latest higher education his hat as a member of the TEQSA Advi- Professor Ergas suggested that the way to report shows, the median ATAR required sory Board), on the other hand, said his avoid this moral hazard was by withhold- to gain entry into a Business of Commerce view ‘is that it may not be TEQSA’s role to ing some monies from providers until Degree at an Australian university last pursue continuous improvement, but it is loans had been fully repaid. Dr Higgins year varied from 97 at the Universities of what I want to see in terms of chairing this recommended keeping fee caps in place. Sydney and Melbourne to 56 for Victoria council.’ Mr Norton has suggested placing a limit University. The data in Figure 1 also gives Professor Saunders and other witnesses on the amount each student can borrow. some idea as to the depth of the student also wanted to reassure the Committee While the Minister might not feel com- market in which universities operate. The that, despite the 40% cut to its budget, pelled to address this issue immediately, greater the difference between highest TEQSA would have sufficient resources (at he or future governments will be forced and lowest quartiles, the thineer the least based on current demand) to fulfil its to acknowledge that the HELP scheme market. The data clearly demonstrates that role, especially now that is was going to has become unsustainable as a result of under the demand driven model, you do adopt a risk based approach to regulation. unpaid debts which may well see the end not need to deregulate prices to allocate To some, this confidence might seem of current income contingent loans. university places. misplaced, given the backlog of current Finally, a number of witnesses in favour providers that TEQSA is yet to successfully Efficiency of the market? of the Government’s proposal to extend re-register, let alone its complete failure Many of the witnesses including the ATN funding to private providers made the to implement a risk based approach as and Group of Eight argued that the Govern- argument that it is only fair to treat those required by its enabling legislation. ment’s proposed changes were absolutely students who chose a private provider Regulating debt critical as they would finish the inevitable exactly the same as those students who move toward a more efficient market based chose to study at a public university. Dr Tim Higgins, Andrew Norton and system for the allocation of university That is, it seems that they think it fair and Professor Henry Ergas all warned of the places. There was a very strong sense that equitable that 93% of students who study ‘moral hazard’ of fee deregulation when a market in higher education could not a public education (the majority) should introduced in conjunction with the opera- operate without fee deregulation. be disadvantaged by cutting public tion of the income contingent Higher Edu- However, in response to a question investment and increasing fees for the cation Loans Program (HELP). That is, they from Senator Rhiannon at recent public 7% of student enrolled at non-university were concerned that because universities hearings into the Government’s higher providers (the minority). I wonder what Dr will not have to bear the consequences education legislation about ‘whether the Spock would have to say about that? of unpaid debt there was little stopping ATARs act as a non-monetary price for them from increasing fees excessively. Paul Kniest, Policy and Research allocation of places?’, Andrew Norton, the Mr Norton reaffirmed his well-publicised Coordinator author of the Grattan Institute’s Mapping concerns about the financial sustainability report, responded: ‘I think it is an interest- of the HELP scheme and made the point

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 21 Federal Budget Big cuts = little future Community forums for education

The Abbott Government’s attacks on education, which are wrecking the opportunities and aspirations of children and adults and their communities across Australia, were the motivation for a series of community forums organised by the NTEU with Australian Education Union (AEU) and United Voice. The forums highlighted the attacks on all parts of the education system, from early childhood, through schools to TAFE and university.

While the NTEU’s focus was on the federal budget higher education changes, the AEU spoke of how the decisions to abandon the Gonski funding arrange- ments would strip resources and teachers from schools. United Voice, who organise childcare and early childhood educa- tors in parts of the country, argued the in Launceston. They have written up their We plan more forums into next year and importance of investing in early childhood notes into the following articles. through to the next federal election. They education and the recognition of workers are an excellent opportunity for organis- who continue to be poorly paid and These forums were successful in bringing ing across unions at the local level and our undervalued. together activists from the three unions, elected representatives and organisers did and also other members of the communi- The forums kicked off in Townsville, Pen- a fabulous job in bringing together these ty, notably parents and grandparents con- rith and Launceston in mid-September. first forums with little notice. cerned about their children’s education. To The emphasis was upon examining how these audiences the Pyne-Hockey- Abbott the Federal Government’s policies impact Jeannie Rea, National President line that people who didn’t go to universi- locally. At each site national union leaders ty should not have to pay taxes for others www.qualitymatters.org.au provided some oversight, but the key to get a degree rang hollow. We heard the contributions came from local members. www.giveagonski.com.au opposite message. People who did not The NTEU was most fortunate in having www.stoptafecuts.com.au have the opportunity to go to university three excellent local speakers. Theresa want their kids and other people’s kids to Above: Angelo Gavrielatos, AEU Federal President and Petray spoke at the Townsville forum, have that opportunity. ALP Senator Doug Cameron hold NTEU’s ‘Unwanted’ Jessica Whyte at Penrith and Deb Carnes posters at the Penrith forum. Photo by Amber Jacobus.

page 22 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Federal Budget

of education available to students in Penrith regions like Western Sydney is critical. Townsville Staff at most Australian universities would already be well aware of the If the Abbott Government’s Soon after the Federal Budget way budget cuts are translated into the proposed changes to higher announced plans to deregulate students’ educational experience: they education go ahead, they will the higher education sector, mean bigger class sizes, less time with drive up inequalities across I came across a stall set up staff, the end of paid class consultation Australia. As a sociologist by a private college at the hours for the casual staff who do the bulk of the teaching, and pressure to re- at James Cook University in Parramatta train station. As a duce subject offerings, which, contrary Townsville, I am particularly lecturer at the University of to Pyne’s statements, does not enhance concerned about what those Western Sydney, I was curious student ‘choice’. inequalities will look like for about this college and what In a deregulated environment, regional my students, and those people it was offering the people of universities and universities that serve who will choose not to become Western Sydney. communities with high levels of eco- students in the future. nomic disadvantage will be unable to I went up to the stall, and the woman charge the same fees as Group of Eight I started teaching at JCU when I was a staffing it, seemingly assuming I was a universities like Sydney University, and postgraduate student in 2007. Since then prospective student, asked me ‘Want to will increasingly find themselves unable (and in fact before then), the University come to our college?’ When I asked her to provide the same quality of educa- has been squeezed by cuts from both to tell me something about the college, tion and support, let alone the same sides of politics. I have seen this result in she responded quickly: ‘It’s free, and amenities, as more wealthy universities. increasing class sizes and less one-on-one there are no exams, and you don’t have The result will be a further divergence in time for students. We are expected to to come to class, and you get a free I-Pad.’ the education available to the wealthy and to those who cannot afford to take teach more and more with fewer resources On the college’s homepage, these on the debts – a divergence whose and assistance. The 20% funding cut to claims are nuanced slightly: ‘it’s free’ be- social effects will not be ameliorated by universities will squeeze us even further. It comes ‘study now, pay later’; ‘you don’t a few scholarships. will mean that even more of our teaching have to come to class’ becomes ‘flexible has to go online and students will miss learning’; and ‘you get a free I-Pad’ I teach at a university that has one of the out on face-to-face learning, they will becomes ‘We supply you the latest tech- highest proportions in the country of so- not interact with academics, and more nology’. However attractive the pitch cio-economic status students, and some importantly, a lot of the support programs may sound to prospective students, in of the highest rates of recent migrants that currently help students who need it fact the courses are far from free. While and students from non-English speaking will no longer exist. Teaching academics prices are not listed on the website, a backgrounds. Many of our students are will see an increase in our teaching load course like the diploma of web design the first in their family to go to univer- – and teaching is meant to be only 1/3 of costs $22,000, more than four times as sity. These are the students who most our job, alongside research and service. much as the equivalent course at TAFE. need quality education, and who most It is important to maintain this balance require the support and the time of good because the point of studying at univer- In a speech to a London Think Tank teachers. They are also the students who sity is that students learn from experts back in April, Federal Education Minister can least afford to take on student debt. who conduct original research. If our Christopher Pyne argued that when it Many of my students already work to teaching loads increase, we will have less comes to offering students ‘choice’ and support their own families, and have time for research, and our teaching will setting ‘higher education providers parents who have also worked very hard be more like reading a textbook than an free’, ‘we have much to learn about this so that their children would have the exciting conversation about our first-hand from our friends in the United States’. It opportunity to go to university. Last year research. Students will lose the richness is worth noting then that, in the United I watched a father cry at a graduation of what is supposed to be the university States, student debt has topped US$1 ceremony as his daughter graduated, experience. trillion – higher even than credit card and was starkly reminded of what a uni- debt. For those who take on these debts versity education means for many of our JCU, along with many Australian uni- and still can’t find a job after graduat- students, and what their families have versities, has responded to the threat of ing, default is becoming a frighteningly sacrificed to make sure they get one. funding cuts by agreeing to the deregu- common experience. And when it lation of fees. This will disproportionately comes to graduates of private, for profit The private college I mention has a slo- affect regional students like mine in North colleges, like the one I encountered in gan on its website that reads: ‘Nothing Queensland. According to JCU’s own Parramatta, the default rate on student should ever hold you back – especially statistics, 24% of our students come from debts is an astounding 40%! It turns your finances.’ I couldn’t agree more. But regional and remote areas; 20% come out that ‘there are no exams and you that should not mean expecting stu- from low SES backgrounds; 62% are wom- don’t have to come to class’ may not be dents to disregard the ‘debt-sentence’ en; 4.3% are Indigenous; and about 1/3 of the best recipe for securing the kind of that they will have to take on in a dereg- our students are 26 or older. These are the career that will allow you to earn the ulated environment. Rather, if finances students who already face huge hurdles, money you will need just to repay your are not to hold potential students back, and the proposed changes will basically student loan. we will need to re-invest in a quality, knock them out of the race altogether. publicly-funded education system. Along with the risk of debilitating 60% of our students are the first in their debts that will continue to accumulate Jessica Whyte, Senior Lecturer in family to attend university, and so they interest, this question of the quality Cultural and Social Analysis , UWS continued over page...

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 23 Federal Budget Community forums for education cont...

come in without what sociologists call even if you fail) far outweighs what they and to citizens who are more involved in ‘cultural capital’ – that is, they don’t have see as the potential rewards. their communities. I came through the US family members who can help them navi- education system, where students need The students who we currently teach at gate the complicated world of enrolling in to consider the cost of their degree when JCU are already the people who are least subjects, buying textbooks, understanding they are deciding whether to study, what likely to access higher education, and the assignments, and studying for exams. to study, and where to study. If these government wants to make it harder for Many of these students struggle, especial- changes go ahead, a large group of people them. ly when (as most students are) they work – already the most vulnerable people – 15 or 20 hours a week or more to earn Education is a social good – having a won’t get the freedom to choose their enough to eat and pay rent. If the changes lot of well-educated people is good for education. go ahead, these are the students who will society, even if those people don’t go choose not to enrol in university – the on to high-paying jobs. Education leads Theresa Petray, Lecturer in Sociology risk of the debt (which needs to be repaid to creative thinking, to understanding, and Anthropology, JCU

Launceston

Proposed changes to higher education which form part of Tony Abbott’s grand plan for ‘Team Australia’ include proposals for student fees going up, income for universities going. Thus more stress for staff and concerns about job security.

Unfortunately there are implications that go beyond the gates of our institutions. The projected nursing shortage is worse So where will the plan for ‘Team Aus- Australia has a shortage of nurses. It is in mental health and aged care. It is tralia’ see your family in 2025? How will estimated this shortage will be 109,000 expected that by 2035 the funding for student debt levels affect you and your nurses by 2025.The proposed budget aged care will be 12% of GDP (up from family? How will the projected shortage changes mean the cost of an under- 9.3% in 2002-03). That is why Health of 109,000 nurses affect you and your graduate nursing degree increases Workforce Australia has recommended family? Will you, or a loved, one need by $10,000 to $28,000. Specialisation a three point plan to increase productiv- aged care? Tony Abbott has a plan for requiring further study will incur further ity, lower demand (through improving ‘Team Australia’. However, I’m pretty cer- debt. My undergraduate degree, com- health outcomes and prevention) and tain he’s not sponsoring a winning team. pleted in 1994, was fee-free – the result improve retention. The average Aussie battler is going to of a government initiative to attract battle a whole lot more than they realise. It has been suggested the budget higher people to study nursing because of a education changes will result in rural The union movement has always repre- projected shortage. areas having greater difficulty sourcing sented the battlers and this issue is no Of further concern is the proposed in- health professionals and implications exception. We need to think broader troduction of market interest. The debt for recruitment of Aboriginal and Torres than our industry and consider the will rise and the students will end up Strait Islander people to health science implications for society as a whole. So paying more. For women (and nursing is careers. Yet ‘…the workforce and student when you think of the budget changes a profession of primarily females) a break pool should be viewed as a national to higher education, don’t just think for further study or to have a family resource…’ Even if implemented, it is of academia but the industry and/or will further increase debt adding to a estimated Australia will face a shortage profession that relates to your academic reluctance amongst nurses to undertake of 20,000 nurses by 2025. role. Look to others from that area and further training when there is a limited seek partnerships to help build a cam- Yet the National Health Prevention Agen- increase in remuneration. paign to ensure the battlers’ voices are cy has been axed, and the ARC ($74.9 heard. Tony Abbott’s grand plan to turn Australia has a high reliance on overseas million) and The Australian Institute education from a fundamental human trained health professionals, more so of Health and Welfare suffered fund- right to an entitlement only for the elite than any OECD country. The health ing cuts. Add to this the user pays GP should not be given any legs whatsoever workforce is not well distributed and ru- co-payment leading to a reluctance for and be consigned to the dustbin of poor ral areas are particularly vulnerable. We seeking primary health care amongst the policy. know there is a link between education most vulnerable and we will have more and health and we know rural areas are demand and will need more nurses. Deb Carnes, Lecturer School of Health at a distinct disadvantage. Sciences, UTAS

page 24 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Federal Budget CAPA goes in to bat for research & PhDs

This is an edited version of the Council Put simply, there are not enough jobs for obvious as to barely require acknowledge- of Australian Postgraduate Associations the number of postgraduate coursework ment. (CAPA) opening statement to the Senate students that Australia is training, and this We strongly reject the Minister’s attempts Committee Inquiry into the HERRA Bill. will continue to be further exacerbated by to publicly hold Senators and the sector examples such as ‘the Melbourne Model’ CAPA would like to to ransom by threatening cuts to research and at the University of Western Australia, in the event that deregulation is unsuc- where students are required to undertake focus on the following cessful. On October 2, the Minister said in postgraduate study on top of a general- Question Time that: key areas of concern for ist undergraduate degree to qualify in a postgraduate students: professional field. ‘The simple fact is that if these reforms are not passed … The National Collab- A report by the Australian Council of orative Research Infrastructure Scheme cuts to the Research Learned Academies (ACOLA) in 2012 [NCRIS] … will not continue, meaning found that ‘working on interesting and im- Training Scheme of $174.7 that terrific research infrastructure will portant issues’ was the greatest motivation not be rolled out in our universities. The million or 10 per cent in pursuing a research career, and yet un- Future Fellowships scheme, which is a certain job prospects, short-term contracts scholarship for midcareer researchers overall; the proposal to and unrealistic work-loads were major … will not go ahead … That means that drawbacks to participation in the research introduce the ability for the National Collaborative Research workforce. PhD students already say they Infrastructure Strategy and the Future universities to charge do not have enough financial support to Fellowships will end.’ fees on higher degrees by do a PhD and too much pressure to com- plete in too short a period of time. On 24 August, Fairfax reported that the Minister had refused to rule out research research of up to $3,900 The NTEU has repeatedly found that the cuts without reform. This has placed academic workforce is subject to increased per year; and indexation of already worried research students, seeking casualisation and workplace uncertainty future research careers, in a profound state HELP debt interest against and yet we know that academic careers of stress and uncertainty. remain the goal for an overwhelming the 10 year bond rate up to majority of HDR students. We also express our strong concern around changes to the Indigenous Tutorial a maximum of 6 per cent. A 2010 report by Brailsford into the moti- Assistance Scheme and to ABSTUDY and vations of PhD students determined that AUSTUDY and with the poor publicity of, The Government’s argument in proposing ‘Limited financial support was important and consultation around, those changes, this package has been that graduates in the decision-making process. Without and representatives from the National of higher education can expect strong funding it is questionable whether the Indigenous Postgraduate Association correlating employment and payment ‘pull’ of the doctorate would have out- Aboriginal Corporation will address these outcomes. Where postgraduates and the weighed the ‘push’ from the former career.’ introduction of fees on research degrees is impacts. Charging fees on research degrees will concerned this claim does not stand up. In closing, we wish to put on the public re- only further discourage our potential cord our disappointment with the absence The Australian Financial Review recently future research leaders. This change at its of any consultation by the Government, reported that whilst enrolment figures for very essence embodies charging individu- with student leaders, in relation to the Bill domestic postgraduate by coursework als to come to work. students have increased 25 per cent in the prior to this point. last five years, graduate outcomes for Mas- The changes to the RTS impact on students regardless of enrolment date. Meghan Hopper, CAPA National ters by Coursework students are the worst President on record at 17.9 per cent unemployment The profound unfairness of charging fees on average, 19.6 per cent for women. on students who enrolled prior to the To read the full speech, go to: announcement of these changes is so www.capa.edu.au/media-releases/1525/

Councilcapa of Australian Postgraduate Associations Incorporated

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 25 REDUNDANT

When work doesn’t work anymore

It’s not like I didn’t know that jobs were going to go. I was overseas, on leave, when I was notified: a generic email sent to the entire In 2013 the Vice-Chancellor put out a press release faculty. The email subject was ‘Faculty change proposal’. There were so many about the cutting of 350 jobs. But, like my colleagues, attachments and I was on leave, so I I had no idea of the details. I had assumed that only didn’t look at them. In the next two days I received commiserating emails from underperforming staff would be affected. I was recently colleague-friends… sorry to hear what’s promoted to Associate Professor, on the basis of happened, Rosaria. It wasn’t just me. About 80% of staff in the excellence, so there was no reason to think that my job faculty were affected. In what is known as was in any danger. a ‘spill and fill’ restructure, half of us would be redeployed. It felt like a blow to the back of the head with a sharp stone. It’s ironic that one of my research areas is about how employment is changing. Nu- merous ideological, economic, geographic and political factors have combined, cre- ating the current labour market reality of increasingly precarious employment and a reduction of the jobs with good condi- tions. Job losses are occurring throughout the world, across all industries. If redundancy can happen anywhere, to anyone, why not me? I actually did think this. I know that no one is indispensable. And at first, I thought I would probably reapply for one of the jobs available at my level. Then my thinking changed. Rosaria Burchielli M@ BurchielliRos Why should I reapply for a job that I am already doing? Why should I have to waste time making arguments to my colleagues that my performance is unquestionably

page 26 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate high. It felt demeaning. If I’m going to was no budget deficit and the University write a job application, I thought, it’s going is currently operating on a surplus; the to be for somewhere else. I decided I was contradiction between compulsory redun- leaving. dancies and the job security outlined in our Enterprise Bargaining Agreement, and There was something empowering about the lack of transparency in decision-mak- making this decision. From having been ing, as evidenced by the existence of many a victim of someone else’s ‘strategy’, I sud- ‘secret’ documents. denly had my own strategy. A redundancy payout would mean I could pay off the Importantly, FWC also acknowledged that mortgage. Friends reminded me I would the University had rushed to implement its have a lot more time and could pursue ‘strategy’ without adequate consultation, personal projects that had been on hold and ruled that the entire process should indefinitely. be halted to give staff sufficient time to influence the strategy and management I felt better for all of a few days, until I decisions. This was controversial. On the realised a whole new internal process ground, in corridors and on social media had started. I have been in this job for 15 Your NTEU (Yammer), many staff (union and non-un- years. I felt sad about saying goodbye to ion) expressed that they were fatigued by the campus, to colleagues, to students. Member the restructure and wanted the process to I worried about what a prospective em- be ‘over’. ployer might think about redundancy, and Advantage I worried about the likelihood of being Many of my colleagues felt that the FWC successful in a job application at the age extension for proper consultation was benefits of 60. Suddenly who I was and my worth extending our collective misery and were in question: the redundancy was uncertainty. Understandable, in the face are waiting. affecting my identity and self-esteem. of the shock and anxiety caused by the brutality of this change process. The an- This restructure has been particularly cruel nouncement of the spilled positions had and ugly. Although I have been redundant been accompanied by powerpoint slides for three months, I am still working, since showing the affected positions and the the university has posited that despite incumbents’ names, so that in addition to the change upheaval, it’s ‘business as the threat of job loss, there was the shame usual’ and staff are expected to meet all of having been named, and the humilia- previously allocated workload commit- tion of having to reapply for a job. ments. Moreover, although any of us can indicate our preference for a specific job, Branch activism – fighting back – has or for departure, the university reserves proved to be a good foil for the loneli- the right to make the final decision. Many ness, numbness and paralysis that can of us are in limbo, waiting, while we fulfil follow shock and anxiety. I experienced our pre-existing commitments. Others are the Branch leadership and information on stress leave. about next steps as unifying and re-em- powering, as were the symbolic gestures, I have had a number of sleepless nights, such as signing a protest banner, to be troubled by anxiety or grief. I have cried delivered to the VC. At our last rally, we and felt angry. A friend recently quipped, walked around our public square ‘The light-heartedly: ‘Is it just that the univer- Agora’ where the students hang out; we sity hasn’t said we can’t live without you, chanted and sang and held up our plac- Rosaria?’ I laughed, and said ‘Yeah, maybe’. ards. Stopping in front of the VC’s offices, But I know it’s not that. staff shared their personal experiences It’s the sudden utter ruthlessness of and views. I moved a motion of no-confi- understanding, viscerally, that I am totally dence in the VC, supported unanimously. disposable. It’s knowing that despite all Later, I also coordinated my department’s managerial rhetoric about the value of response to the proposed change. Quite human resources, my contribution is not a few of my colleagues declined to partic- seen as unique but equates only to dollars ipate: they didn’t believe it would change and cents. It’s realising that while the firm anything or serve any purpose. – and it is a firm – wants my loyalty, there Where to from here? For now, I’m working: is no commitment to me. teaching, writing up research, providing I can’t plan or move on until I get the editorial support to ‘our’ journal, dealing university’s final decision, and there is with associated daily emails and admin absolute powerlessness in knowing that I tasks. I still have no idea if I have a job next may have decided to leave, but they’ll let year or if I’ll be taking a redundancy. I’m me go when they’re good and ready and clear on one thing though: I can go on not a moment before. I couldn’t know how alone, worrying about my job, my future, deeply shattering redundancy was until it my problems… Alternatively, I can use this happened to me. time to unite my voice with those of my colleagues. Parallel to my internal process, there’s been the Union Branch activity. NTEU It’s like this: if we don’t fight, we lose. Contact us on 1300 853 352 La Trobe University Branch has worked or log onto the website at – frankly – tirelessly on this issue. It memberadvantage.com.au/nteu succeeded in taking the case to the Fair Work Commission (FWC). The FWC made some important findings, including: there

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 27 Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences For the public good

This year’s Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS) National Forum explored the theme of the Humanities, Social Sciences and the Public Good. NTEU sent two members to the conference, Dr Elizabeth Burns Coleman and Dr Emma Robertson, who provided these thoughts for Advocate.

Dr Elizabeth Burns derstanding brought to social and political issue, scientists had seen it as a debate Coleman topics, and to recognise that research on amongst themselves, but that when it be- Australian society was not something came a public issue, the scientific debate Monash University that would be performed by anyone simply moved into the public arena. As a else. The danger of focussing research on result, there is confusion, policy stagnation contemporary issues of the day, however, and delay on a pressing social issue. is that Australia risks creating knowledge One theme that all speakers appeared to shortages; for instance, at the beginning Presenting agree with was that the concept of value, of the century there was a poverty of work including moral values, needed to be part in Islamic studies and the Middle East that accessible of this public debate if the concept of ‘im- would allow people to analyse and to pact’ and ‘value’ were not to be overtaken understand what was going on. research by narrow economic values as a means of Universities, therefore, must continue to justification. support broad research that would supply Held in Melbourne over 8 and 9 October, During the conference, academics rose to the knowledge base of the disciplines as the 2014 CHASS Forum challenged partic- the challenge in a competition to explain a whole, and must be wary of endorsing ipants to think about how well humanities and justify research in topics as diverse as impact measures that leaves disciplines and the social sciences were prepared for reconciliation, backyard environmental- pretending to deliver things they do not. an environment with increasing demands ism, the curation of history and arts soft- Chief Scientist Professor Ian Chubb argued for ‘accountability’. Is it really acceptable ware design within three minutes. These that academics had an obligation to for academics to expect personal, curiosity models showed that it was possible to engage with the community and with the driven research to be funded? How could inspire, persuade and explain clearly and concept of ‘the public good’. the impact of research be ‘measured’ and concisely to a non-specialist audience. justified? How well do academics engage At the end of the day, academics cannot But it was not the three minute presenta- with the public to explain their research simply congratulate themselves for ‘my tions that, at the end of the day, made the and its importance? new book’ with a glass of fine wine, but most impact on participants. David Ma- needed to think about the purpose of Participants discussed trends towards louf, and Professors Hugh Mackay, David research, and how it was justified to the measuring the ‘impact’ of the humani- Christian showed us just how touching, public. In order for their advice to be ties, arts and social sciences within the and humane the HASS units could be, and accepted by government, and to have ERA framework. Designing such impact how, given a chance, they open up new vi- impact on public policy, research needs to requires sensitivity towards the disciplines, sions of the world in which we live, as well be presented in language that the public and movement beyond raw metrics such as invite contemplation of the different understands, and it needs to be accessible as citations and journal quality. ways in which we might live in it. to them. This is not easy. Professor Graham Turner Dr Elizabeth Burns Coleman lectures in argued that we needed to become better An example of how this can go sadly the School of English, Communications at discussing the value of research, for wrong was the debate over climate and Performance Studies. instance, the contribution enhanced un- change, where, until it became a public

page 28 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences

Dr Emma Next, David Malouf treated us to a selec- panel discussion on ‘Safeguarding Freedom Robertson tion of his poems, both old and new (from of Expression’ brought us back to the the Earth Hour collection). His ability to see challenges of the immediate present with La Trobe beauty and meaning in the everyday was a bump. This was no cosy left-wing chat: University striking – I will never feel the same about John Roskam from the Institute of Public my daily trip to the dog park! Whilst not Affairs relished the opportunity to declare wanting to reduce his poems to any one that the Arts should not be government Working with central theme, there were clear connec- funded. Emma Bennison of Arts Access Aus- tions with the established tropes of place tralia did an excellent job of highlighting scientists for and belonging. the need for accessible platforms for public expression, but the absence of Jeannie Rea After morning tea, and a showcase from as an NTEU voice was palpable (she was the Design Institute’s Australasia Graduate mutual benefit called away to Canberra to give NTEU’s of the Year Awards (AGOTYA), the two re- evidence to the Senate Committee Inquiry maining sessions before lunch tackled the When a last-minute ticket came up for on the HERRA Bill). the 2014 CHASS Forum, I was quick to question of impact. In the panel discus- volunteer. The conference promised to sion, representatives from the Australian Day one ended with an informal, and less tackle one of the burning questions facing Research Council (ARC), Australian Acade- contentious, conversation between Profes- the humanities, arts and social sciences: my of the Humanities, and the Centre for sors Anthony Elliott and Frank Furedi on how to engage with and contribute to the Critical and Cultural Studies (University ‘Risk, Fear and Terror’ in the 21st century, ‘public good’. of Queensland), joined by Chief Scientist with Furedi raising important questions for Australia, Professor Ian Chubb AC, put about western understandings and Coming from the UK, I was relieved to find forward their perspectives on the contri- constructions of ‘risk’ and ‘terror’. This was that the Australian HE sector is not (yet) bution of humanities and social sciences an all-too-relevant topic and suggested formally measuring ‘impact’. Still, the ques- to society and, most pressingly, how we the real interventions humanities, arts and tion of how we communicate the value of might demonstrate our significance. There social sciences scholars are making into th ehumanities, arts and social sciences to were no easy answers but Professor Chubb contemporary issues. a wider public remains crucial. As Professor stressed the value, indeed the necessity, of Day two offered master classes on grant Paul Gough urged during the conference, working in collaboration with scientists to writing, public engagement and forming it is important that we take any opportuni- our mutual benefit. ty to shape the agenda. powerful partnerships. From a personal In the ‘speed dating’ session that followed, perspective, Professor Denise Meredyth’s Being a CHASS newbie, I was pleasantly senior researchers gave a 3-minute pitch workshop on ARC applications provided surprised on arrival to find a diverse audi- on the value of their work. My personal crucial insights into the decision-making ence of teachers, researchers, practition- favourite (and joint winner of the audience process. Those of us still new to the ARC ers, policy makers and students, ranging prize) was Professor Deb Verhoeven were able to learn from both seasoned in age from around 15 to 80. After the (@bestqualitycrab) who gave an inspiring, applicants and experienced reviewers. Welcome to Country, which established technologically dazzling, presentation This opportunity for networking and inter- a theme of mutual responsibilities, Hugh on the HuNI (Humanities Networked action, within and beyond the university Mackay argued that humans are not (at Infrastructure) project, which claims to sector, seemed to me the real strength of least not completely) selfish, but rather (re)introduce the pleasures of serendipity CHASS, and is the reason I will be watching naturally inclined to cooperate. Drawing and meaningful meandering into online out for future events. on his recent book The Art of Belonging, research. Mackay conjured up images of magical Dr Emma Robertson is a Lecturer in neighbourhoods for us all to work towards Professor David Christian’s post-lunch ‘Big History at La Trobe Bendigo. History’ romp through millennia challenged – whilst acknowledging the challenges to Photo: CHASS Forum delegates, us to think a little differently about humans such a vision. www.facebook.com/CHASSAustralia as a planet-changing species. Next, the

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 29 The Coalition’s Industry, Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda Opening science to business

While the proposed establishment of Industry Growth The desire to harness public research to build Australian business competitiveness Centres has been the subject of much of the limited echoes the former Labor Government’s 2009 Powering Ideas statement on nation- public attention to the Coalition Government’s Industry, al innovation. Certainly, it confirms a bipar- Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda, the policy has tisan consensus about the role of higher education and research in Australia’s a range of notable implications for higher education. It future economic competiveness. is unsurprisingly that the relationship between industry Nonetheless, the new policy architecture also signals an important ideological shift. and public research has come under significant scrutiny, Labor basically saw government-led col- in spite of misstatements by Industry Minister Ian laborations between research and industry as critical to improving business produc- MacFarlane in the lead-up to its mid-October release tivity. Through its Innovation Precincts program it was beginning to selectively (including a proposal to reallocate research funding invest in infrastructure that facilitated and based upon patent registrations). coordinated innovation across industries on a massive scale. In contrast, the Coalition proposes that decisions about public investment in re- search are better led by industry, and that public research should rightfully sponsor private wealth creation for Australia’s biggest and most profitable firms. Of considerable concern, the policy appears to unbundle itself from the discrete role publicly-funded research plays in the ecol- ogy of national innovation systems, such as through basic and blue-sky research. Jen Tsen Kwok What manufacturing crisis? Policy & Research Officer M@NTEUNational Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced the establishment of a National Industry Investment and Competitiveness Taskforce Photo: Galina Peshkova Photo: page 30 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate following the closure of the Holden and Importantly, the initiative reinforces that Chief Scientist’s STEM report Ford factories last December. The purpose the Coalition believes government must of the Taskforce was to prepare a policy play a role in innovation and advocates The most credible aspects of the new response that could ensure the manufac- for public investment to be targeted at Industry Policy piggybacks off the Chief turing industry was competitive into the Australia’s biggest and most profitable Scientist’s position paper on public invest- future, and brought together Coalition firms. The media mantra has been about ment in Science Technology, Engineering heavy-hitters such as Tony Abbott, Joe investing in industries with competitive Mathematics (STEM). Hockey, Andrew Robb, and the Industry advantage, rather than about choosing While the report was indeed focused upon Minister, Ian MacFarlane. The Taskforce winners. expanding basic STEM skills in primary was advised by the Coalition’s big business Notably, the proposal to play to Australia’s and secondary education, the Chief stakeholder group, the PM’s Business comparative strengths has been intimately Scientist’s recommendations on research Advisory Council. guided by big business. This is not just the notably went further than Coalition policy, The policy has since ‘evolved’, with PM’s Business Advisory Council. In early and included recommendations such as support for advanced manufacturing August, Macfarlane spoke glowingly about the maintenance of basic research as the minimised. Though the actual document BCA President Catherine Livingstone’s first source of new knowledge, providing con- is more piecemeal and predictable than major speech, which supported a BCA Re- tinuing support programs for postgradu- it is comprehensive or transformative, it port called Building Australia’s Compara- ate and early career researchers (ECR), and is a big-ticket policy announcement. It tive Advantages and stated that govern- advocating that public funding needed to attempts to integrate the Coalition Gov- ment’s role in facilitating and coordinating cover the full indirect costs of research. ernment’s existing deregulatory crusade, innovation should be concentrated in The Industry Policy ignores all the finer focused on reducing the cost of business, areas of competitive advantage. details that relate to workforce planning to a grab-bag of other elements in its eco- and public funding. nomic agenda, from negotiating free trade Relevance to higher education agreements and enlarging public-private and research Enter the P-TECH Model partnerships in infrastructure policy, There have been positive responses In June, Prime Minister Abbott visited a to staking out future domestic reforms to some reform in the regulatory envi- P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early around visa conditions, labour mobility ronment, including reintroducing tax Career High) school while in New York, a and industrial relations. concessions for employee share schemes school co-funded by IBM. Upon gradua- The new Industry Policy also provides the (for start-ups), and attention to the crowd tion students from the Brooklyn institution policy narrative that the proper role of sourcing of equity funding. Nonetheless, are set to receive a high school diploma, government is to provide (or terra-form) the implications of the Industry Policy are an associate degree in Applied Science, the juridical, policy and cultural conditions concentrated in higher education and and a job interview with IBM, though the that elevate the competitiveness of Aus- research with the: first student cohort began in 2011 and is tralian business. It seeks to shift the narra- still yet to graduate. • Establishment of five Industry Growth tive of nation-building from Labor which Centres ($188.5m); We now know this was a precursor to saw the harnessing of public research as its announcement in Australia, with the an expression of the public interest, to a • Targeted support for STEM education Coalition’s new Industry policy supporting position that nation-building is expressed ($12m); a trial of a P-TECH style school in Geelong. through building business competitive- • Streamlining the 457 visa and expand- Multiple criticisms by commentators have ness at all costs. ing the Significant Investor visa; already been leveled at the pedagogic Winners and losers approach, which is focused on making stu- • Revising standards to make VET more dents job ready and thus fitting a specific The media has largely focused on the industry-focused; purpose, rather than preparing them for establishment of Industry Growth Centres • Stream-lining regulation and govern- life and encouraging the critical faculties. or $188.5 million that the Government ance in VET; committed to the facilitation of indus- The other major concern is that this dove- try-research partnerships in five key areas: • Establishment of the Commonwealth tails with the opening of Commonwealth Science Council (to replace PMSEIC); Student Places (CSP) to private providers, • Food and agribusiness or in other words, the subsidisation of • Developing policies to better translate corporates in the delivery of education. • Mining equipment, technology and research into commercial outcomes, services In the US and UK, private tertiary colleges including adjusting research funding chasing the public dollar have enrolled • Medical technologies and pharmaceu- mechanisms to provide greater incen- the most disadvantaged young people ticals tives for collaboration between research and led to them racking up massive debts. and industry. The warning signs are that the P-TECH- • Advanced manufacturing In a speech to the Queensland Media Club style Geelong institution will be private, • Oil, gas and energy resources. in August, Ian Macfarlane first proposed and that the VET elements of the program might allow students transitioning from The initiative has been roundly criticised allocating funding based upon patent secondary to tertiary education to also rely by Labor and the Greens, with criticism registrations. This was heavily criticised, on VET-HELP loans. centred on the narrow, selective focus of with the Australian Academy of Science the Coalition vision - picking winners and and a former Howard Government science At a time when the futures of higher excluding emerging industries such as advisor claiming this would lead to institu- education staff and students are being renewable energy, tech and education. tional gaming and the registration of junk held hostage to Budget cuts and fee Other criticisms have focused on the likely patents. deregulation, the release of the Coalition impact upon Australia’s CRC programs, The Industry Policy, however, signals that Government’s Industry, Innovation and including the proposed wind-up of certain Government wants public consultation Competitiveness Agenda opens another CRCs, and even criticisms of the funding around the allocation of research funding battlefront in the Australian taxpayer’s model, which assumes the Growth Centres to promote commercial outcomes, and subsidisation of big business, with further will become independent of public fund- signals a more intense attention to re- threats to the pedagogic integrity of Aus- ing within four years. search impact metrics. tralia’s education system.

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 31 Australian Universities’ Review A polemic option in the world of scholarly publishing

These days, universities pers that ‘have a go’ at the until morale improves’ is source of the various chal- what the work environ- seem to be under perpetual lenges faced by university ment has come down to staff in providing good ser- for many in the sector. attack from those who vice to students. In recent Of course, AUR is not just years we have published would ‘reform’ them. about presenting a coun- papers on ‘research grant ter-offensive voice. It is a mania’, casualisation, the According to the Oxford Dictionary of scholarly, peer-reviewed stupidity and subjective English, ‘reform’ is a verb that means make journal that presents a nature of journal ranking, changes in (something, especially an wide range of interesting institutional bullying and institution or practice), in order to improve articles. Two papers have a secret deals. It is impor- it. Seeing as governments of both persua- strong international flavour, tant that there is a journal sions seem to be in love with ‘reform’, one with a set of interesting ob- that challenges govern- would think that these same governments servations about democra- ments or others who would seek to would be anxious to test the effectiveness cy and international education in China by impose unworkable, unfair or unscientific of their reforms. Andrys Onsman and Jackie Cameron. requirements on universities and their Did the intended improvements (if stated) staff. AUR seeks to be different, and it is! Further, Peter Ling, Margaret Mazzolini actually come to pass? Don’t hold your and Beena Giridharan present an interest- The current issue (vol.56, no. 2) contains breath waiting to find out! So-called ing paper on the management of transna- some papers that present a challeng- reform by governments is not likely to tional education. Cath Brown explains the ing front. One such paper is that by US be followed-up, nor unfortunately, do links and the gaps in Enterprise Agree- denizens the Laura’s Risler and Harrison, incoming governments seem willing to ments and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Is- which asks whether the performance undo the errors of their predecessors. lander employees, whereas Hamish Coates of the presidents of US universities (aka Universities just have to work within what explains how the right sort of support can vice-chancellors) can be correlated to their has been described as ‘endless cycles of re- reduce the prevalence of students’ early performance. This is a relevant question form’, of government policies that require departure from study. hard-working university staff to engage in the modern era, and even if the setting in more and more reporting about things, for this paper is the US, it raises equivalent Finally, Michael Cuthill and his colleagues rather than letting them do things. questions about the Australian scene. bring us up to speed on Australian univer- Please could somebody examine contem- sities, knowledge exchange and univer- I mention ‘reform’ because the scattier porary Australian universities and their sities and the public good. This is a ‘must examples should draw scorn from those vice-chancellors? read’ for doctrinaire Ministers of education in the sector, but where can such scorn and senior education bureaucrats. be presented? Newspaper opinion pieces Another paper looks at ‘academic snob- provide a chance to present opposing bery’, in which Brian Martin and Maj Søren- This is also a good edition of AUR for any- ideas, but the purview of many scholarly son record the negative impact snobbery one who likes book reviews: there are no journals means that such critical commen- can have on morale, research and public fewer than 14 of them! tary is uncommon. image. Yet another paper, by Raewyn Connell, questions the current situation in Ian Dobson is editor of AUR. Vol. 56, no. The Australian Universities’ Review (AUR), which university staff feel overworked and 2 will be available mid November. however, is a journal willing to publish pa- demoralised. ‘The floggings will continue www.aur.org.au

vol. 54, no. 1, 2012 vol. 54, no. 2, 2012 Published by NTEU Published by NTEU ISSN 0818–8068 ISSN 0818–8068

ContemporarySpecial issues Issue in Since 1958, the Australian Universities’ doctoral education Want to receive your own copy of AUR? Review has been encouraging AUR is published twice a year by the NTEU. NTEU members are entitled to receive AustralianAUR Universities’AustralianAUR Review Universities’ Review debate and discussion about a free subscription on an opt-in basis – so you need to let us know. If you are an issues in higher education and its NTEU member and would like to receive AUR, please email [email protected] contribution to Australian public life. www.aur.org.au page 32 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Science & Technology Changes to Defence Trades Controls

Changes to the Defence arrangements to counter proliferation of legislation, where aspects of their work, in weapons, including biological weapons, say genetics, could fall within the parame- Export Controls Act 2012 by extending controls beyond current ters of the legislation. There was particular powers under the Customs Act, to cover concern about the status of ‘verbal supply’ are coming. Following intangible supply of technology (such in relation to international conference advocacy by the NTEU, as email), brokering and publication of presentations, and whether this consti- technology. However, against the recom- tutes export of intangible goods, and with these changes should mendations of the Senate Foreign Affairs it the potential to inadvertently fall foul of Defence and Trade Committee, the legisla- the law. improve the present tion was rushed through parliament, with UQ representatives discussed the gov- the only concession being a strengthened situation for Australian ernance and resource implications of Export Controls Steering Group led by the the legislation, proposing to establish an scientists working in Chief Scientist, to improve the legislation ‘Export Control Officer’ and a review com- over a two year transition period that mittee to ensure procedural fairness in universities, research concludes in May 2015. decision making, under the auspices of UQ centres and institutes, The meeting also heard that round-ta- Research and Innovation within the Office by reducing the ble discussions convened by the Chief of the DVC (Research). Other institutions Scientist revealed a level of anxiety are considering overseeing the regulations administrative burden within the research community about the through their legal offices. implications of the new legislation. These and the number of non- included curtailing of academic free- More work to be done Defence scientists exposed dom through apparently over-restrictive The NTEU has taken a leading role in controls on publication, and the admin- advocating on behalf of researchers in to criminal liability. istrative burden to be carried by research the university sector to ensure that there institutions and their staff. Of concern was is adequate consultation around the But knowledge about the legislation that Australian legislation was apparently implementation of the legislation and across our sector continues to be poor, more restrictive than similar regulation in development of amendments aiming at and the only way we can improve the the US, and would disadvantage Austral- addressing identified issues. Concerns legislation is if university staff are better ian researchers within the international remain about academic freedom and informed, and carefully consider the im- context. procedural fairness within the context of plications of the legislation. Recently, the The two-year implementation period in- the heightened security environment, and NTEU has been actively engaging with the cludes pilot programs at UQ, Curtin, QIMR the implications for research in areas not Departments of Industry and Defence to and Boeing designed to test solutions to previously subject to regulation. get the word out. issues identified during the transition peri- We are anticipating that the Department Workshops od. One of the issues the pilot has already of Defence will release an Exposure Draft revealed is “the incidence of Defence and of amendments before the end of 2014. On 22 September, a meeting of 50 staff Strategic Goods List controlled technology We are keen to hear from members who from UQ, Griffith University, QUT and in Australian publications is low, while may be affected, or have students or the Queensland Institute of Medical the regulatory burden associated with colleagues unduly affected. Get in touch Research had opportunity to discuss identifying such incidences is high” (Letter by calling the NTEU National Policy and the implications of the Defence Trade from the Chief Scientist to the Minister Research Unit on (03) 9254 1910 or join Controls Act (2012) on their research with of Defence and the Minister for Industry, our Mailing List by sending an email to representatives from the Commonwealth dated 12 December, 2013). Solutions be- [email protected]. Government; Kris Browne, Manager of ing put forward include easing restrictions International Science Collaboration, through the development of open licences Lachlan Hurse, Queensland Division Department of Industry, and Gaby Burrell for export to UK, EU and US, extending Organiser from the Department of Defence. A similar licence timeframes and refining the scope For more information visit: meeting occurred at UWA for university of brokering controls, as well as the devel- www.nteu.org.au/defencetradecontrols staff, and involving NTEU’s WA Division on opment of an online self-assessment tool. 23 September. Questions from the floor revealed con- The meeting heard that the laws were cerns for those whose research is likely to introduced under international treaty come under the ‘dual use’ provisions of the

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 33

The rights of academic writers

Academics are teachers and researchers and The principal right of an author is cop- yright, which ensures that the literary administrators. Many are also writers, whether it is work is their legal property and can’t be reproduced without their permission. of journal articles or scientific papers or scholarly This is a right that has been enshrined in monographs. For many academics, writing for national copyright laws around the world, including in Australia. The protection of publication is required for their promotion. Some also copyright, and the rights of authors more generally, has been the principal aim write outside of their work, whether it is fiction or and activity of the Australian Society of non-fiction, poetry or opinion pieces. Whatever form of Authors (ASA) for the last half century. writing is done, what is produced automatically accrues The ASA, along with the Australian Pub- lishers Association, was instrumental in important rights that shouldn’t be ignored. establishing the Copyright Agency, which collects fees on behalf of authors when their work is photocopied for distribution in schools, universities, businesses and government departments. Collecting such a payment is obviously not something that an author could do by themselves. Hence the need for an organisation that can balance the protection of an author’s copyright with the need for people to access their work. Starting from very small beginnings in 1974, the Copyright Agency initially faced fierce opposition from universities and schools and education departments, which did not want to pay for the photo- David Day copying of copyright works. It required a Australian Society of Authors number of court cases and changes to the copyright law before they agreed to record their photocopying and pay authors for using their works. Photo: Alexander Kalina Alexander Photo: page 34 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Forty years later, the Copyright Agency Copyright reforms and the rights of uses its statutory licence to collect more than $125 million each year on behalf of authors: ‘Fair use’ vs ‘fair dealing’ authors and publishers. It is in the interest of all academic writers to become mem- bers of the Copyright Agency, so that they There is agreement that the technological developments that can register their copyright works and be have transformed how content is created and shared mean that paid whenever their work is copied. Be- Australia’s copyright laws need improvement. coming a member is free and can be done by registering on the Copyright Agency Multinationals like Google, Yahoo and Ebay are arguing for the introduction of a ‘fair website, www.copyright.com.au. But it use’ exception, as a way to harmonise Australian copyright law with the US, and they doesn’t end there. argue as a basis to encourage innovation in Australia’s technological industries. The struggle to create the Copyright Agen- However, as the opponents of the fair use exception are numerous and diverse, cy took a lot of energy and dedication so are its supporters. In December 2013, the Australian Law Reform Commission over more than a decade, and it will take (ALRC), delivered a report called Copyright and the Digital Economy, recommending similar energy and dedication to protect modernisation of Australian copyright laws for a digital world. Aside from useful that achievement. Some universities and proposals around statutory licences, the Report’s primary recommendation was that education departments would like to Australia adopt a broad fair use exception. The fair use exception would replace the return to the days when a writer’s work existing provision for ‘fair dealing’, which allows copyrighted material to be used for a could be made available to students for list of prescribed purposes, including research or study. ‘free’ and without reference to anyone’s rights. Then there are the mega-corpora- If fair use was not taken up, the Report had a fall-back position, arguing that the tions like Google, which see the copyright Copyright Act should be amended to provide expanded fair dealings with copyright of others (but not their own copyright) as materials, including in relation to more modern or ‘technologically neutral’ uses such an impediment to their business model as non-commercial private use, library or archive use, and importantly, in relation to of acquiring and controlling as much ma- all forms of education. terial as possible. By providing so-called The tension in this debate is contested largely along lines of great interest to ‘free content’ to attract advertisers, Google academics, university librarians and university staff. This is the extent to which any has become the most lucrative advertising reforms might ensure authors and creators are acknowledged, as well as the extent host in the world. to which fair use may strengthen (or weaken) the incentives related to the creation Some years ago, Google began a project of copyrighted materials. The Copyright Law and Practice Symposium in March to try to digitise every book in the world, demonstrated that there remain deep divisions about what the introduction of a and to become the gate-keeper to that broader fair use provision might entail. material. Google undertook this project, Jen Tsen Kwok, Policy & Research Officer in tandem with some American univer- sities, without seeking the permission of Read the full statement at www.nteu.org.au/policy/research copyright holders. Millions of books were digitised with the intention of making them available without regard to the the frontline of this new struggle, and the book are photocopied for educational rights of those authors who still retained should join the campaign by the Austral- courses. And those copyright payments copyright over them. Writers reacted to ian Society of Authors to protect their can keep flowing for decades. Such this unconscionable grab and, after a interests as authors. One way of doing so stratagems ensure that little if any of the long legal case was mounted by author is to challenge their respective university’s copyright fee will go to the rightful recipi- organisations, Google’s project was judged membership of the Australian Digital Alli- ent - the creator of the work. to have breached the rights of writers. The ance and ask why their employer is joining Because of this, it is important to get good case is now on appeal, and likely to go all with Google in an underhand campaign to legal advice before signing a publishing the way to the US Supreme Court. undermine their copyright. contract with terms that are unclear in Apparently undaunted by that experience, A few educational book publishers have their implications. With its long history and Google has teamed up with universities also sought to take advantage of the exist- close contact with the publishing industry, and libraries in Australia to form the Aus- ence of the Copyright Agency by offering the ASA can provide such advice to its tralian Digital Alliance, which aims to pres- an up-front payment to academic authors members at a relatively nominal fee and sure the government to loosen copyright in lieu of a royalty payment and with the can also intercede with publishers when law in ways that will be detrimental to the requirement that the author must cede unconscionable terms are offered. There rights of writers. In particular, the Goog- their copyright to the publisher. Or they is much value for members of the NTEU in le-led consortium wants to replace the might offer a normal royalty rate while still also being members of the ASA. Australian legal concept of ‘fair dealing’, having their academic authors sign over which largely protects copyright holders most if not all of their copyright. Many David Day is a historian and biographer, from unauthorised use of their material, authors agree to these arrangements, who is currently an Honorary Associate with the much looser American concept not realising the potential value they are at La Trobe University and Chair of the of ‘fair use’. foregoing. Australian Society of Authors. © David Day 2014 Such a change will attack the rights of ac- Publishers making such offers do so in the www.asauthors.org ademic authors and threaten the income confident knowledge that large amounts they are otherwise entitled to receive from could by forthcoming to the publisher www.davidday.com.au the Copyright Agency. Academics are in from copyright payments when parts of

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 35 News from the Net Pat Wright TV or not TV?

The convergence through Internet, as well as their cable networks, stronger loyalty – the aural wallpaper with particularly for streaming movies, on the which they are most comfortable is ‘cool’. digital information NBN and on TPG’s FTTB network. Foxtel, The ears have walls. for example, has agreed to sell a ‘white The ability for DAB to transmit text simul- and communication label’ version of its content to TPG, and taneously with music enables the titles of has long made available AFL content to technologies (ICTs) of songs to accompany the audio, thus facili- Telstra’s BigPond broadband network. tating the online ordering of a copy of the Internet audio and video Chances are that TPG, Foxtel and Telstra song or album. Consequently, ‘my kind of will each be involved in a ‘triple play’ of music’ becomes ‘My Music’ in a stronger with broadcast radio broadband, telephony, and Pay-TV – all via sense than ever. and television proceeds the Internet – in 2015. How will we know if we are watching television or internet Meanwhile, the ability to garner feedback apace. In early 2015, video? Does it matter? by way of reviews, star-ratings, ‘hits’ and ‘Likes’ provides the online vendors with Such conflation is changing the media TPG Telecom, Australia’s instant market research, through which landscape – and thus the online learning they can assess overall demand and more fourth-largest broadband environment – and also changing the precisely target their offerings. The walls way in which we consume, and interact internet provider, plans have ears. The Sony Walkman CD-player with, media content. Once upon a time, could only assess demand through CD Marshall McLuhan could distinguish a ‘hot’ to offer Internet Protocol sales, Apple’s iPod makes it possible to medium from a ‘cool’ medium, according construct an individual’s profile from television (IPTV) to 500,000 to the intensity of their playlists. Who attention required to capital city apartments on knows? Next step absorb its message might be personality – hence, in his day, Such conflation is changing its fibre-to-the-basement analysis through a radio talk was ‘hot’ the media landscape – and musichiatry. (FTTB) network, which and a television thus the online learning will cherry-pick the most show was ‘cool’. environment – and also Similar develop- Nowadays, however, changing the way in which ments are occurring profitable consumers of nearly all media are in free-to-air TV and we consume, and interact increasingly ‘cool’, IP video-streaming. infotainment, and thus immersive and with, media content. Watch what you reduce the capacity of undemanding – lest Like. Such feedback the consumer, or is facilitated through the National Broadband customer, ‘switch iPad apps to en- off’ and find another hance your viewing Network (NBN) to cross- medium. experience, such as QandA Tweets, Beamly and the ABC Companion. This applies subsidise broadband The new technologies shift much of the to news and information, as well as to communication initiative from the sender entertainment. Indeed, it applies to news- services in the bush. or producer to the receivers or consum- papers, particularly as they dig in to such ers, who also have a much wider range politically partisan positions that readers Meanwhile, the free-to-air broadcasters of choice of media to which they can abandon them. of television are battling with the pay-TV pay attention. The asynchronous nature providers to keep market share by offering of much modern infotainment gives There is a danger, of course, that we enhanced services such as iView, SBS On consumers greater control over when diminish the diversity of voices and views Demand, and TenPlay, uploading news they are ready for it, and the action replay to which we attend even as we increase items, fact checks, comedy skits and sports ability to rewind a lecture back to a point the conviction with which we commit to highlights onto YouTube, and now Catch they might have missed is reassuring. our own views. It would be a shame if the Up repeat programs on selected Smart TV The overall effect is to give the receiver/ technology which can help us engage sets. consumer/learner more power over the with an unprecedented diversity of differ- In 2013, the number of TV sets sold in time, place, pace and way in which they ences led us only to very much more of Australia actually fell for the first time, receive/consume/learn the information or the same. probably indicating that infotainment entertainment. consumers are relying more and more on Pat Wright is a Foundation Member of Foremost among media for transforming the NTEU. devices such as computers, smartphones the ‘hot’ into the ‘cool’ is radio, particularly [email protected] and tablets (and hybrid ‘phablets’). Nat- since the advent of FM music stations and urally enough, the FreeView TV channels now digital audio broadcasting (DAB). The are following their customers onto the ability to set up radio stations dedicated to Internet. one specific genre or era of popular music Cable pay-TV providers such as Foxtel, has fragmented the market into multiple too, are making more and more use of the niche markets, to which listeners have page 36 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Lowering the Boom Ian Lowe TamU celebrates deregulation

Yes, it is that time of the Rs. ‘Get all this trendy crap about Asia, interests, no unions for staff or students Indigenous culture and sustainability out wasting his time with their inconvenient year again. I can hear the of education’, he snarled. ‘Waste of bloody demands, honorary doctorates for local time. How is that going to get kids off the politicians. groans of despair and streets and down the mines where they ‘We’ve stepped up to the plate’, said Cal. ‘If belong?’ reverberating thuds of the other universities don’t put their hands Advocate copies hitting the When I asked Cal about the possible up, they won’t have a seat at the table impact of the proposed deregulation of when the ship leaves the dock!’ higher education, he was almost beside waste paper bin, as staff ‘The best thing about deregulation and himself with excitement. ‘I’ve had my PVC giving universities freedom to set their realise I have again made (Academic), Prof. Ateer, and my head of fees’, Cal continued, ‘is that it reframes the marketing, Dr Saba de Todo, looking at it’, my annual pilgrimage whole purpose of education’. Impressed by he said. ‘They’re really excited. At last we’re Cal’s grasp of the recent literature, I asked going to get bureaucracy off our backs.’ to brave little Tamworth him to elaborate. ‘Well, he said, education University. Last year the Cal said his good mate Dr Ongo had told can’t be seen as a public investment in our the Minister about the scandalous waste social and economic future. It’s a private founding Vice-Chancellor, of taxpayers’ money in the current ap- investment that helps people make more proach. ‘We’ve seen money’. also President, Chief some progress, but He reminded me Australia is still only Operating Officer and ‘Well, he said, education that the changes the second-lowest in can’t be seen as a public already made had now beloved Supreme the OECD for fund- been spectacularly ing of higher educa- investment in our social and successful in getting Leader, Cal D’Aria, was in tion per capita’, he economic future. It’s a private students out of said. ‘So we should investment that helps people good heart, cheered by the unproductive areas be cutting more. We make more money’. like science, mathe- change of government and could lead the world. matics, history, phi- Team Australia, lean losophy, literature the appointment of the and mean.’ and the classics into fields that are seen as new Minister. This year He reminded me of Dr Ongo’s argument licences to make money: medicine, law, he was jubilant about the for withdrawing public funds completely commerce and business studies. ‘When and forcing students to pay the full cost I was an undergraduate’, he said, ‘the proposed deregulation of their education. ‘People only value brightest students were wasting their time what they pay for’, he chuckled. Cal also in maths and physics. Med students were of higher education and gave me an earful about the impacts of the sort of dull people who were prepared the review of the school deregulation in New Zealand, and urged to memorise every sphincter in the body. me not to be swayed by the short-sighted Now the brightest are fighting to get into curriculum. critics in the union. He waxed lyrical about medicine.’ the shining example of the USA. ‘Look at Cal thinks the Government recognises we ‘This bloke Piney has obviously been the diversity you get when you are serious need to go further. ‘There are still students listening to my good mate in the Depart- about deregulation’, he exclaimed. ‘The wasting time and taxpayers’ money in ment’, Cal chortled. ‘I had Dr Ongo up Bob Jones University of Theology, where those old fields in other universities’, he here a few years ago for a briefing, but Ian Paisley got a doctorate in six weeks so said. ‘And the deregulation agenda is the government wasn’t listening to him he could call himself Dr Paisley. The Mud- being held up by those Senators from then. Now the Dr Ongo approach is really ville Community College, where you can minor parties. What do Clive Palmer, Glenn gathering steam’. get degrees in baseball and ice hockey. Lazarus and Jacquie Lambie know about Bumcrack University, Nebraska. The list higher education?’ Cal was particularly enthusiastic about goes on!’ the curriculum review. ‘It shows Piney’s I left Cal proof-reading the brochure for political insight. You find someone who’s As we know, Tam U has pioneered many his new six-week professional doctorate in been blatting on about getting back to educational innovations. Cal ticked them diplomacy, with units on creative bullying, the basics every few weeks for twenty-five off: city centre offices so people could col- shirt-fronting and verbal abuse. As always, years in the Liberal Party house newspa- lect credits while shopping, no academic I came away from Tamworth reflecting per, then appoint him to do an impartial buildings, every assignment routinely that it now gives the nation more than the review. As Dr Ongo always says, you don’t given a high distinction to save time comforting twang of country music. set up a review unless you know what it marking, every graduate given the title of will find.’ ‘doctor’, no tenured academics, all casual Ian Lowe is Emeritus Professor of lecturers given the title of professor, help- Cal was delighted that the review went Science, Technology and Society at ing local business by consultancies giving Griffith University. further than the predictable calls for an academic veneer to their commercial Judeo-Christian values and the three M@AusConservation

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 37 The Thesis Whisperer Inger Mewburn A tribute to Gough Whitlam in four parts

Sometime early in 1975. Monash University forecourt. Market day. I am four and a half years old. My mother has my twin sister and I by the hand as we walk through an enormous plaza surrounded by towering, square buildings. The wind whips my short shirt up above my waist and flings building site dust in my face. I’m confused, tired and want to go to the toilet. I start crying and sit on the ground, refusing to move any further. My sister stops to look at a bug, uninterest- ed in my hysterics, while my mother bends down to wipe my face. I ask her where we are and when we are going home. She tells me we are at a University and that one day, years from now, I will come here to learn things. She told me that, even though I had a lot of school to go yet, she so I can still fulfil my ambition to get an time. I realise something profound: the was sure I was going to university because architecture degree. Government doesn’t care about me. a man called Gough Whitlam had changed things so kids like me had a chance. I’m living on Austudy and around $120 2009. The stage in the a week from working in a bookstore. I’m conservatorium at the Late 1975. The family lounge poor, which is not helped by the fact that I University of Melbourne. room, inside a modest, triple have taken up both drinking and smoking, fronted brick veneer in the much to my mother’s disgust. She worries A man in a floppy hat is talking and I am suburbs. I wont finish my degree, but she’s wrong. standing on the side of the stage in aca- University is amazing, scary, harder than demic robes. I’ve got the same floppy hat My mother is standing by the television, I ever thought possible. I’m hooked on as the Chancellor. The hat has been worn crying. My father is standing, stony faced, learning, even if my grades are reflecting by so many people before me that the with his arm around her. I’m deeply con- the amount of time I’m spending smoking brim has taken on an odd shape. It won’t fused – I ask them what is wrong and they and drinking with my new musician sit on my head properly. don’t answer. I lean around them to see friends. what is on the television. My name is called and I walk carefully I’m here today, on these steps, because across the stage to take the roll of paper There’s a black and white image of a whole the government is talking about cutting from his hands. He smiles and shakes my lot of men standing on some white steps. Austudy. I’m really worried that I won’t be hand, saying something I barely hear as I recognise Gough Whitlam from the news- able to pay the rent for my mouse-infested I search the crowd for familiar faces. My paper my father reads in the mornings. share house. A recession has just hit and husband, sister and son smile at me and He’s giving a speech. I know that he says people aren’t buying books. My hours at applaud loudly. It’s a good day. I am finally ‘Well may we say God save the Queen, the bookstore have been cut. So I’m pro- a doctor. There is no more university to do. because nothing will save the Gover- testing with my sister and a few friends. nor-General’ because I have it on a mug in Again. Colleen holds up a sign saying that Suddenly I remember that day in the my office, but at the time I only saw that the education minister is the new Sheriff Monash University plaza and my mother’s he was angry. of Nottingham. ‘Where is Gough?’ asks words. She has been dead now for nearly a another sign, plaintively. decade: she would be amazed this univer- ‘What will happen to our girls?’ my mother sity thing has gone as far as it has. I’m sad asks my father tearfully. He just looks at Suddenly I’m caught up in a mass of stu- she’s not here. She would have so enjoyed her. ‘I don’t know,’ he says. dents, rushing towards the front windows bragging to her friends. I send her a silent of parliament house. I hear glass breaking thank you. And I add in another silent Sometime in 1990. The steps of and then mounted police arrive. Those thanks, to Gough. Thank you for giving me the Victorian parliament house. horses are scary when you are under their a chance. I’m 19 and I’ve just started university. hooves. I actually have a moment where Dr Inger Mewburn does research on My mother has cancer. The house in the I think I’m going to die and I break away research and blogs about it. suburbs is sold. There’s no room for me from the crowd. I make it to a quiet side there, even if I wanted to move back. I street. I wonder where my sister or my www.thesiswhisperer.com barely understand this new thing called friends are as I light a cigarette with shak- M@thesiswhisperer ‘HECS’ that I’ve signed up to. It seems so ing hands. Smoking calms me and I get to thinking. These protests will gain nothing. Photo: Gough Whitlam with Patricia ‘Little Pattie’ complicated, but I’m grateful. I don’t have Amphlett in 1972. to find money upfront for university fees It’s the Labor Party who is stiffing us this page 38 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Letter from Aotearoa/NZ Lesley Francey Making a dollar

Two months ago, New The Government is directly transferring tertiary education landscape supporting a money from students in public polytech- comprehensive, accessible and equitable Zealand’s largest private nics to private investors on the stock public education system. exchange. It is corporate welfare at the However, as soon tertiary education expense of students. as those private company Intueri, This bizarre outcome While people investing on tertiary education announced a $1.6 million is the result of a de- the share market might be providers start com- cision several years peting with public profit, courtesy of a ago by the New Zea- celebrating the Government’s education providers, land government largesse over the last two instead of collabo- massive increase in public to ‘restore equity’ years, students in our rating with them, funding over the last to tertiary educa- regional public polytechnics they undermine tion and ‘remove saw their funding fall by $17 rather than enhance the funding gap’ public education. two years of at least $1.8 million over the same period. between public and When their focus is million. private education cherry-picking stu- providers. dents, winning gov- In effect, the Government had subsidised ernment grants or generating profit for Intueri’s private shareholders to make a business owners and shareholders, they profit off New Zealand students. miss the point of public education. Any Intueri is a publicly-listed stock-exchange government that believes education is a company that owns five private training service to be bought and sold for a profit establishments (PTEs). It is a company misses the point of public education. And with campuses at 26 locations and any government that thinks spending about 9000 student enrolments. money to help a company generate a profit on a public service that used to be Of Intueri’s five PTEs, we were able to free needs a better public education. find government funding figures for three of them in the Government’s According to its proponents, the 2014 funding data. Those three (the private sector is supposedly better than Design and Arts College of New Zea- the public sector at delivering public land, the Elite International School of services because it is more efficient and Beauty and Spa Therapies Ltd, and the responds to signals from the public. Thus, Cut Above Academy) received a com- it saves us taxpayers our money. However, bined increase of $1.8 million in public this company is not saving taxpayer money funding between 2012 and 2014. In 2012 because it is doing the educating cheaper the company received at least $6.8 million than for what it was paid and is giving the of public funding. In 2014 it received at remainder out as a dividend to sharehold- least $8.6 million. ers. This company, which either can’t or won’t The situation with Intueri, as with the Since then private providers received an generate a profit without the help of broader tertiary education environment extra $30 million of public money, while large government subsidies, is efficiently in New Zealand, is increasingly messy. The polytechnic funding fell commensurate- reading market signals. The signal it has chair of Intueri’s board, Chris Kelly, is also ly. The government also opened up to read is that the big pool of cash the gov- the chancellor of New Zealand’s largest competition funding to foundation level ernment awarded it need not be spent on public tertiary education provider, Massey courses for people entering tertiary educa- education, it can cash it up as shareholder University. That dual role appears to us tion. Polytechnics suddenly found they returns instead. to conflict with his commitment to the needed to tender to teach students they university and to promoting high quality had always previously taught. Most lost Lesley Francey is National President/ accessible public education. It is hard to their contracts to other providers offering Te Tumu Whakarae, New Zealand square such a philosophy with chairing a to do the task for a cheaper price. Tertiary Education Union/Te Hautū company that believes education is a trad- Kahurangi o Aotearoa able commercial service. Indeed Massey This transfer of money from public to www.teu.ac.nz and Intueri even offer competing courses. private education is a blatant attack on public education but it also does not even M@nzteu While people investing on the share make economic sense. market might be celebrating the Govern- ment’s largesse over the last two years, There are some great private training students in our regional public polytech- establishments in New Zealand and some nics saw their funding fall by $17 million great staff working in them. Private edu- over the same period. cation does have a place in New Zealand’s

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Much of the discussion was upon the Emerita of the University of Sydney, who National implementation of the current round of deftly took us through the history of Collective Agreements, while noting and Australian higher education, and a critique expressing solidarity with those univer- of the neo-liberal university to challenging Council 2014 sities still bargaining. Prompted by not us on what we would want in a university. only the changes going on in the sector She proposed Possible U as being a dem- already, but also the Bill before the Senate ocratic workplace, modest in demeanor, Held in the shadow of the incorporating the higher education chang- multiple in epistemology and ambitious wholesale attack by the federal es announced in the Federal Budget, intellectually. Connell was presented with Coalition Government on the there was a more overt general consensus NTEU Life Membership at the conclusion expansion and democratisation towards connecting industrial implemen- of the session (see p.44). tation with broader campaigns over policy, of public higher education, the Queensland Division President, Associate governance and university budgets. start of a new round of anti- Professor Andrew Bonnell and University worker industrial legislation The knowledge economy and of Sydney delegate Dr Patrick Brownlee and the loss of over 1500 jobs university workers responded to Connell’s address. Brown- across the sector this year, the lee commented upon the importance of Framing bigger and, hopefully, ongoing taking time and reflecting upon our cam- 2014 National Council Meeting discussions was the keynote speech of paigns as well as taking forward the analy- was a fairly sombre affair. recently retired, Raewyn Connell, Professor ses of neo-liberalism to positing where do

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New National Executive

The NTEU National Executive 2014–2016.

National President Jeannie Rea General Secretary Grahame McCulloch National Assistant Secretary Matthew McGowan National Vice-Presidents (Academic) Andrew Bonnell (General Staff) Michael Thomson Above: Terry Mason, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Policy Committee Chair, delivering the A&TSI report. National Executive Members Opposite page, top: WA delegates at National Council. Bottom left: General Secretary, Grahame McCulloch. Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Opposite page, bottom right: National President, Jeannie Rea. All photos Paul Clifton Member Terry Mason we go from here. He also appreciated the I reported upon the success of our current proposition of universities being ‘modest campaign against the Federal Budget Division Secretaries in demeanor’ rather than running on in terms of starting to shift some of the ACT Stephen Darwin marketing slogans. public discourse about the role of univer- NSW Genevieve Kelly sities and how they should be funded. NT Lolita Wikander Bonnell, a historian, welcomed the NTEU made $100,000 degrees a key and Qld Michael McNally historical perspective and while warning resonating message, but it is how we have SA Kevin Rouse against a rose coloured lens on the past, framed the debate which also matters. For noted some worth in comparisons. He Tas Kelvin Michael example, we have challenged the Govern- compared the deans of previous times as Vic Colin Long ment’s line that taxpayers shouldn’t have often a ‘harmless drudge’ in stark contrast WA Gabe Gooding to pay for others to go to university. to those of today ‘trained as jackals’ and National Executive Members charged with picking off slower members Not surprisingly, we received strong sup- (Ordinary) of the pack. Bonnell pointed to a crisis of port on this from other unions who quick- Stuart Bunt reproduction of intellectual culture and ly chimed in saying that their members Carolyn Cope scholarly practices, which impacts upon without degrees sure wanted their kids to Virginia Mansel Lees the whole university, not only academic have a chance. These views were reiterated Anne Price staff and their work. at community forums and public events. Cathy Rytmeister The Leader of the Opposition has strongly Following discussion with delegates, Con- John Sinclair swung in focusing upon these issues, and nell concluded that we must be ‘telling the Ronald Slee also spoken on the value of university truth’ of what is going on in universities. Melissa Slee education beyond immediate personal This important, but sometimes not explicit advantage and economic contribution. If Full details for all members: point, effectively wraps together our joint we are to win greater public investment www.nteu.org.au/myunion/ campaigning foci on what university man- in higher education we have to keep chal- about_us/national_executive agement is up to and what government is lenging neo-liberal assumptions. doing. It is NTEU members working in the higher education sector that know and Council passed a series of motions calling care about what is going on. We have the for ongoing vigilance and action in cam- authority and the right to speak out. paigning against the Federal Budget, not- ing the need to work in alliance with other In my President’s report to National Coun- unions and community organisations, as cil, I spoke to the responsibility of speaking well as continuing to campaign on higher out, in the context of intellectual freedom, education with others in the sector, in but also through our political campaigns. particular the National Union of Students Later in the meeting we passed a motion (NUS) and the Council of Australian Post- which strengthened our commitment graduate Associations (CAPA). to intellectual freedom and also political speech on campuses. The presidents of NUS and CAPA, Deanna Taylor and Meghan Hopper, respective- Noting that four out of five new jobs in ly, spoke to the conference, along with universities in the last decade are insecure Australian Education Union (AEU) Federal and that today one in two jobs are now Secretary and Education International insecure. I reiterated that insecure work is President, Susan Hopgood. Deputy Sec- one of the greatest threats to intellectual retary of the NZ Tertiary Education Union freedom. The NTEU must prioritise organ- (TEU), Nanette Cormack told us that there ising around insecure work.

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Council voted to call on the Government ‘to axe the ERA and provide a simple but useful research funding mechanism’. Coun- cil also called on members to withhold vol- untary labour on the ERA, such as acting as assessors. Workshops Following on the success of last year, work- shops were again held. Sarah Gregson convened a workshop on ‘challenging the bullies and building the Union’, while Stuart Bunt and Lolita Wikander examined the ‘industrial and pedagogical impacts of student feedback’. The NSW Division led a workshop on organising focusing upon planning and mapping campaigns with general and pro- fessional staff. Matt McGowan facilitated a is far too much in common between the She spoke of how confronting it can be, workshop providing insight into the ‘a de- Australian Government and the recently about feeling like you have to fight the gree shouldn’t cost a mortgage’ campaign. re-elected NZ Government. system all the time, of feeling isolated and There will be a report on the workshops to silenced on campuses and how this will the next National Executive with follow-up ACTU President, Ged Kearney, once again get worse if further mainstreaming goes activities recommended. demonstrated her enthusiastic and inclu- ahead and centres are closed. She spoke of sive leadership, congratulating the NTEU the time it takes to build trust. Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA on our campaign for which she has repeat- Kate Lee, Executive Officer of Union Aid edly spoken in support and participated in The Union’s cultural competency educa- Abroad–APHEDA addressed Council noting rallies, meetings and actions. tion is about to be trialled before being the high levels of support for APHEDA over rolled out across the country. Aboriginal and Torres Strait the years from NTEU members and encour- Islanders policy matters A&TSI Policy Committee Chair, Terry aged us to continue that commitment. The Mason noted that in our New Zealand almost halving of development assistance The focus of the Aboriginal and Torres counterpart union (the TEU), mainstream- through AusAID announced in Federal Strait Islander (A&TSI) matters panel ing is called ‘whitestreaming’. (See p.16 to Budget demonstrated the callous disregard was upon implementing the bargaining read why we are not longer using the term of the Abbott Government for alleviating clauses and getting it right. As National ‘Indigenous’.) international poverty and distress. Coordinator, Adam Frogley emphasised it is about translating the clauses to jobs on Axe the ERA Apparently the remaining aid funds will be the ground. largely fostered through private compa- Amongst motions updating the NTEU po- nies. Government funding of APHEDA’s The importance of working with A&TSI sition on tuition fees, university regulation programs will be jeopardised with new members and community was empha- and accreditation and the Taylorisation of funding probably minimal, as is the case sised. National Organiser, Celeste Liddle university work, the Council decided to for other NGOs. Dozens of Council mem- provided some insight into what it is like take a tougher position on the Excellence bers who were not already APHEDA spon- for A&TSI staff and students on campuses. in Research for Australia (ERA). sors signed on during Council. You can

Above: Council votes on a motion. Below, left: Aunty Carolyn Briggs, who delivered the Welcome to Country, with Adam Frogley, National A&TSI Coordinator. Centre: Ged Kearney, ACTU President. Right: Raewyn Connell with University of Sydney delegates.

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join them at www.apheda.org.au. National Council also voted to support APHEDA’s Skillslink program through an annual block grant to a project determined by National Executive. (Nearly) paperless A weighty achievement, which went off with barely a hitch, was the move to using digital technology instead of reams of pa- pers before and during Council. Apparent- ly less than one ream of paper was needed at Council this year. Annual Report The other big shift as well as the electron- ic delivery of papers, was producing an Annual Report, rather than a collection of and Andrew have a lot of Branch and Secretary. (See box on p.41 for a full list of papers. The Annual Report, available at Division experience, and have each served 2014-16 National Executive.) www.nteu.org.au/annualreport, provides several terms on the National Executive. Retiring from the Executive were Queens- links to the supplementary documents. Dr Lynda Davies and Dr Kelvin Michael land Division Secretary Margaret Lee, Feedback has been positive, with dele- retired as Vice-Presidents and I would like as well as John Kenny, Ryan Hsu, Lynda gates reporting it was easier to find and to reiterate my thanks to them both for Davies and Linda Cecere. We will miss focus in upon issues. their consistent and excellent advocacy for Margaret Lee, not only in our Queensland The next project is to archive our massive respectively general/professional staff and Branches, for Margaret has been a both a Policy Manual of every motion ever carried academic staff. I also want to congratulate wise voice on the National Executive, and at a National Council, and produce a usa- them on the way that they have advo- a tough one – always amongst the first ble up-to-date Policy Manual that we can cated for one another’s constituency and to take up the fight and standing up for amend at Council meetings. have always seen the Union as a whole. members whatever the situation. She was They have acted in the national interest, described in her Life Membership nomina- Executive elections listening to everyone, rather than the easy tion as possessing ‘a righteous anger’ (see This was an election year and so many path of seeing things through one’s own more on Margaret Lee on p.45). university or state. new delegates were attending their first I welcome the new and returning National Council meeting. They plunged into Fortunately, there was gender balance in Executive members to their first meeting intense days of meeting, caucusing and, I the outcome of the National Executive this November, where they will consider hope, finding new friends and colleagues elections. The Women’s Action Committee the implementation plan for the deci- across the country. They also had to elect report had noted that there seems to be sions made by the 2014 National Council the new National Executive and Vice-Pres- a level of complacency in the Union over Meeting. idents. The National Executive is made keeping focused upon women and gender up of the three full time elected National issues and this has likely contributed to Jeannie Rea, National President Officers, the Aboriginal & Torres Strait slippage in the representation of women More photos at: Islander Policy Committee Chair and the in leadership positions. Division Secretaries with the balance of www.nteu.org.au/myunion/about_us/ ten members elected from the floor of New members of the National Execu- national_council Council. Out of that group were elected tive are Carolyn Cope, Anne Price, Cathy Below: Sarah Gregson, UNSW Branch President, facili- the new National Vice-Presidents: Dr Rytmeister, Ron Slee and Michael McNally. tates the Council workshop ‘Challenging the bullies’. Andrew Bonnell (Academic) and Michael I congratulate Michael McNally on his Thomson (General Staff). Both Michael recent election as Queensland Division

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the Vice-Chancellor as a lesser being shaping the curricula of the University–es- Life among his peers and galvanised much pecially in theology and philosophy but of the academic community as it showed also throughout the work of the Faculty of how collegiality could work to pressure Arts and Sciences and bringing a degree Members management. of precision and care that have benefitted the University. Raewyn’s contributions during the most Fourteen exceptional NTEU recent campaign also included a public In teaching and learning Raymond helped members received Life lecture on the threats to the University to write the curricula for Religious Educa- Membership at the 2014 as a social good, and in separate fora tion, Theology and Philosophy, but also argued for the role of public intellectuals in diverse areas of Arts and Social Work National Council. as essential to Australian democratic life. through his work with Peter Camilleri to Throughout, Raewyn has been able to po- pioneer the Bachelor of Theology/Bachelor sition her academic leadership (not a term of Social Work course. He also led teams that Raewyn might use for herself!) in ways to develop the Master of Arts (Theolo- that encourage colleagues to consider gy) and Master of Arts (Spirituality and Raewyn Connell their own activism in the workplace and in Pastoral Ministry) programs; the Graduate Sydney community. Certificate in Interfaith Relations marked a substantial turning point for ACU in de- There are many more reasons for recom- Raewyn began her academic career in veloping a partnership with the Australian mending Raewyn as a Life Member. In the early 1970s. She retired officially from Catholic Bishops Conference and brought fact, it is an impossible task to do justice the University of Sydney in July 2014–a together groups of young women funded to her level of commitment to trade union- career of more than 40 years. The NTEU to undertake a course of study and forma- ism in higher education. It would be far has only existed for around half that time tion in Interfaith Relations. For its initial more appropriate for Raewyn to be receiv- but Raewyn has been an active Union five years Raymond served as the Director ing a recommendation of life affiliation member for all of the NTEU’s 22 years of of the Centre for Interreligious Dialogue. from the NTEU for her singular purpose of operation and beyond. In fact, Raewyn Not only has he been a leader in curric- justice for all, one which has never ceased was a member of the Sydney University ulum development but has also been a and predates significantly the NTEUs Staff Association executive committee formidable teacher–always well-regarded proud but comparatively shorter history. in the 1970s, along with Ted Wheelright, by students for the thoroughness of his among other many notable left activists teaching, the depth of his knowledge and and scholars of the time. Prior to that, one the generosity of his assistance. of Raewyn’s first political contributions to higher education was the Free University Raymond has built up relationships be- counter-movement in Sydney in 1969. Raymond Canning tween the University and the Church and Raewyn was among a group of activist ACU the wider community in a variety of ways. scholars and students attempting a home He led the ground-breaking initiative with Professor Raymond Canning joined the grown approach to democratising higher CSU to enable cross-institutional study of staff at Signadou College in 1986. Ray- education. The Free University movement theology between St Mark’s National Theo- mond has played pivotal roles in shaping pursued a home grown strategy of collec- logical Centre and the Canberra Campus. In the discipline of theology, the Signadou tivist education akin to the radical teach- recent years, he has fostered relationships Campus and also the University. In terms ing made famous in the USA during their with a number of other religious groups, of the three elements of the University’s Civil Rights and anti-Vietnam movements. especially with representatives of Islam, formal operations: teaching and learning; Raewyn published a piece of advocacy in working with groups such as the BlueStar community engagement; and research, the then Sydney University Staff Associ- organisation and the Australian Intercultur- Raymond has been a leading contributor. ation’s newsletter in 1969, Vestes entitled al Society for special conferences, lectures Raymond was a foundation member of the ‘On the autonomy of universities’. and for community and other faiths’ University Senate; a foundation member experience of Iftar dinners during Rama- of the University Goals Committee (now A world renowned sociologist on class, dan. His assiduously prepared speeches the Identity and Mission Committee); gender and power, Raewyn’s intellectual and leadership for gatherings such as the a foundation member of the Academic work has always been connected with po- Canberra launch of the film ‘Tackling Peace’ Board of the University; a foundation litical struggle for social justice. Her work (a program for a combined Israeli-Palestin- member of the Faculty of Arts and Scienc- more recently has attempted to describe ian football team) have lived long in the es Board and the Sub-Faculty of Theology the neo-liberalisation of education, both Canberra community’s memory. in schools and higher education. This was and Philosophy Board. acutely powerful in the recent enterprise Research has also been a particular In each of these major committees of bargaining campaign at the University of commitment and love for Raymond. He the University Raymond played a role Sydney. As University management took was the initiator of the Canberra Faculty in helping to form the University as we a hard line against the Union, Raewyn Research Seminar which has become understand it today. He was the prime participated willingly in all picket lines as a bench-mark of peer-support and developer of the original University expected, but she also used her profile intellectual encouragement for staff and Mission Statement which stood from and standing as a University Chair to post-graduate students alike. His multi-lin- 1998 to 2014 renowned for its accent on ‘a write one of the most influential detailed gual skills and close attention to reading community characterized by free inquiry ‘Open’ letters to the Vice Chancellor and have endeared him to HDR students he and academic integrity guided by a fun- the university community explaining has supervised. Raymond is internationally damental concern for justice and equity.’ what was wrong with the way education recognised as one of the world’s leading For a number of years he was the Chair was being managed and fetishized as a scholars of St Augustine. In two areas–Au- of the University’s Institutional Research consumer good. A simple and genuine gustine’s insights around the common Ethics Committee and served a number of effort became a catalyst for others to do good and his perspectives on the nature of times as Head of the School of Theology, the same but that letter eruditely exposed catechesis (learning in the faith) — he is a page 44 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate My Union

to nominate for the Margaret Lee Division Secretary position in 2006. Margaret Lee has retired as Under Margaret’s Queensland Division Secretary leadership, the after 8 years. Division has gone from strength to When Margaret, then a lecturer in Indus- strength. Margaret trial Relations, joined the Griffith Univer- led the difficult, sity Branch Committee, she brought with and sometimes her a wealth of expertise as an industrial gruelling, bargain- relations expert and labour lawyer, with ing round that significant publications on labour market rolled back the regulation, industrial disputes, union HEWRRs across rights, and bargaining and negotiation, Queensland workplaces. Margaret was intensely and a wealth of experience of working Branches, leading negotiations herself collegial in her approach, eager to adopt with and for the union movement. More at several Branches. (A highlight of this constructive proposals from the Council. importantly, she brought with her a round was an 8-hour hearing in the Fair On National Executive, Margaret was al- solid core of strong union values which Work Commission in Brisbane in 2009 in ways a vital contributor. Her sound sense would be a great source of guidance and which UQ management sought to pre- of judgement and expert knowledge of strength for everyone in the Division who vent the UQ Branch from even conduct- labour law were often invaluable in Na- has had the privilege of working with her. ing an industrial action ballot, alleging tional Executive meetings, and her sense ‘pattern bargaining’. Subjected to lengthy Following a term as Branch Secretary, of humour (and style) also made the cross-examination, Margaret made meetings more enriching and enjoyable Margaret served as Branch President at mincemeat of the UQ management case.) Griffith University from 2004 to 2006. This than they might otherwise have been. was a testing period for the Union, given As Division Secretary, Margaret showed For those who have had the privilege the Howard Government’s assault on a strong sense of priorities, taking impor- and pleasure of working with Marga- university staff’s workplace rights under tant initiatives in areas such as Aboriginal ret in union roles at Branch, Division, the HEWRRs regime. It was also a time & Torres Strait Islander rights (the NTEU in and National levels, it has been a great of transition for the Griffith Branch and Queensland had already been instrumen- education in union values as well as the Queensland Division. When Howard tal in getting the Queensland Council of applied industrial relations knowledge. Guille retired from the position of Unions to treat the Stolen Wages Issue As a marvellously unpretentious and Queensland Division Secretary, there was as a priority – Margaret enlisted the down-to-earth (but always stylish!) per- concern about succession. Howard had invaluable assistance of the CFMEU in son, Margaret may not be aware of the built up the Division as a very effective the related issue of compensation for extent to which she has educated those organisation, well-run, with a strong and below-award wages), and the recruiting around her. The Queensland Division in stable group of staff, and with a strongly of Aboriginal and Torres Islander mem- particular is in her debt, as she leaves collegial spirit prevailing on its Council. bers. Margaret made workplace health the Division bigger and stronger than it No doubt there were less strenuous op- and safety a particular priority, leading has ever been. We look forward to a con- tions open to Margaret at the time, but to important campaigns on the issue and tinuing association in her Life Member our great good fortune, she stepped up intervening in critical situations at some capacity.

pre-eminent scholar. With the opportunity of the faith, and leading its management She has been an active and steadfast now to read and reflect, we look forward to the modern paths of righteousness and member and leader within NTEU up until to continuing insights and contributions. not being bogged down in whether the her retirement in 2014. Christina’s official This will soften the immense sense of loss University should submit to the Canon Law, roles include serving four consecutive that the campus is feeling at news of his and the rigours of a Pontifical University terms as Branch Vice President (General retirement. in twentieth century Australia. It seems Staff) from 2007 to 2014, WA Division bizarre now, but when the first gathering of Vice-President 2012 to 2014, National/Divi- Raymond’s support and promotion of the unions and the management that was the sion Councillor 2010–2014, Division Assis- Union through his commitment to social legacies of the four Uniting Colleges and tant Secretary (General Staff) 2011–2012. justice and fairness has been evident in his the supporting religious institutes, these work, participation in rallies and dealings Christina represented NTEU at General were live issues. Time moves on, and as with a diverse population at ACU as well as Staff Consultative Committee on a variety such we take this moment to honour one outside the University. of issues, including: change management, of our respected colleagues as he takes his asbestos removal, smoke free campus Addendum: Professor Canning was leave and moves onto other things. and a multitude of other issues that involved in the establishing of the role were raised on behalf of staff. She has and presence of the NTEU in the new represented NTEU General Staff in three Australian Catholic University. His calm and bargaining rounds between 2008 and considered manner, a sound knowledge of Christina 2013. Christina earned the respect of those the Catholic Church and its philosophical Ballantyne on both sides of the bargaining table with traditions went a long way to ensure that Murdoch her well researched and well prepared ap- the newly formed institution was of this Christina Ballantyne transferred from proach to each issue negotiated. But most world and not another. The University and CPSU/CSA to NTEU in 2005 when General importantly, she genuinely reflected and its staff were uniquely blessed to have Staff were first invited to be a part of NTEU. represented the best interests of staff. One Professor Canning speaking the language

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of the university bargainers commented negotiated with a usually male dominated naive and/or deceitful. On occasions this that none could doubt Christina’s integrity hierarchy. would surface at Branch and Division and commitment because she clearly meetings as policy, politics and tactics As Branch President during the major 2010 understood and cared for the University were debated, however on an almost daily Murdoch University restructure, Marian as a whole and she was not motivated by basis the recipients of Carol’s tongue-lash- worked tirelessly to support and protect self-interest. Her intelligence, common ings would be the Director of Monash HR, the interests of those members who sense approach, her even handedness the Director of workplace relations, more were affected by the dramatic changes. and her ability to speak with authority on lowly HR operatives who had failed to read Marian’s compassion and concern for behalf of general staff were invaluable. or understand the EBA, recalcitrant aca- the impact that such changes have on demic heads, and of course the plethora Christina’s involvement in NTEU was individuals and their work is well regarded of hired HR consultants brought in to deal not limited to her official roles. She throughout the university community. with industrial relations. This seeming en- consistently assisted with various NTEU At an institutional level Marian was a joyment of the battle arena extended into campaigns, such as the ‘Dumb Cuts’, Blue strong advocate for promoting a work- her role on University Council (2006–2012) Stocking Week and bargaining. She regu- place culture that would enhance the where she was always a strong advocate larly assisted and participated in the NTEU teaching, learning and research environ- for the rights of staff and students, a de- at a grass roots level including phoning ment for which decent working conditions fender of universities as public institutions, members, assisting with mail outs, vol- for all staff were a key. The nexus between and she never shied from probing and unteering on stalls and helping organise decent working conditions and good querying the manoeuvrings and decisions Union events. She tirelessly promoted teaching, learning and research led her to of management that acted against these NTEU to those she came into daily contact advocate strongly for a legitimate place instincts and beliefs. with and assisted those members who for unions within University structures at approached her with issues. Two other things made Carol a formidable all levels. friend and foe. Firstly, she has an impecca- Perhaps most importantly, throughout her NTEU Murdoch Branch Committee voted ble grasp of Latin, grammar, and history. long and active membership of the NTEU unanimously in favour of Marian Kemp’s Her simplest and effective ploy is to disarm Christina continued to be a staunch advo- nomination for a Lifetime Membership in her opponent by correcting their written cate for improving the working conditions February 2014. It was with deep sadness or spoken English, and - if they dare - and status of general staff both within the that the Branch announced at National their poor use of Latin phrases. Secondly, Murdoch University community and with- Council that Marian had passed away just she made copious notes. The transcript in the Union at a state and national level. a few days earlier. of every meeting she was involved in exists in Carol’s voluminous collection of notebooks. It is a practice that can be simply unnerving. It meant there was no Marian Kemp useful convenient forgetting of details Carol Williams post-meeting, and in constructing her Murdoch Monash thoughts on paper before speaking it gave Marian Kemp was an active and stalwart her the perfect anticipatory pause and Carol was one of the most dedicated, te- member since NTEU’s inception (1992). scaffolded logic to launch her argument. nacious and some would say pugnacious Marian was also an active participant members of Monash Branch over her long In her real life Carol is a musician and an in the Murdoch University Academic career at the University. She served on the historian of music. This is the domain Staff Association. Marian held multiple Branch Committee from 1998 inspired by in which she taught, practiced and leadership positions including Murdoch a long battle between members in the published. She also refused to see her Branch President 2008–2010, Murdoch Arts Faculty and University management Union role separate from politics and Branch Vice President (Academic Staff) over the sweeping cuts foisted on the was engaged in various political parties 2006–2007, National /Division Councillor Faculty on arrival of the plagiarist VC David and movements, from Labour to Socialist 2004–2010. As well as leading the Branch Robinson in 1996. Carol quickly took on Alliance to the Greens. With a passion for as President, Marian was a leader in the leadership roles, becoming an inspiration social justice she found herself not only on Academic Staff Consultative Committee to a new wave of Branch activists. Within picket lines but also at rallies against war and conscientiously raised our members’ the Branch she became Vice-President and racism (remember Pauline Hanson), concerns to management over a long pe- (Academic) (2000–2002) and then Branch and for refugee rights. riod of time. She raised such issues as: the President (2004–2008). She was a National non-payment and poor payment of casual Councillor from 1998 onwards, was a academics, the safe removal of asbestos National Executive member (2004–2006), and she championed general staff reclassi- and was Victorian Division Vice-President fication application processes. (Academic) (2004–2008). (Her combative Jeffrey Bender Marian is renowned for her ethical and nature saw her lead the Branch success- Monash even-handed responses to issues and her fully through two fractious EBA negotia- Jeffrey Bender was a Union member all his ability to see through to the heart of a tions, where she never shirked the need working life. Now that his tenure as a for- dispute. She pro-actively engaged with to engage in industrial action to further mal wage slave is over it was the pleasure Murdoch management to resolve prob- the Union’s cause. Members will always re- of Monash Branch to nominate him for life lems. These included the massive change member her leading the way in her purple membership of NTEU. management processes that took place in NTEU regalia, inspiring them at stop-work the lead up to the infamous 2010 overhaul meetings and on the picket lines around Jeffrey started his union life as a delegate of the University structures. Clayton campus. in the Victorian Teachers Union in 1974. A decade later, Jeffrey found himself em- Marian was involved in the Women’s Those who know Carol understand she ployed at Monash University for the first Action Committee and was a strong role does not tolerate fools well, especially if time (1984–1991), becoming a member model for women on campus as she she believes they are being wilfully foolish, page 46 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate My Union

of the Monash General Staff Association, Centre, volunteer worker in Tonga, mem- This committee has played a pivotal role in which he became the Branch Vice-Pres- ber of the local Labor Branch and more in ensuring that management continue to ident, and the Victorian Colleges and recently of the Greens, regular marcher adhere to the negotiated EBA. Universities Staff Association, forerunner and campaigner over political and social During the years where Curtin NTEU has of NTEU. Before returning to Monash in justice issues. It is highly unlikely that his been negotiating Enterprise Bargainin- 2000 he collected memberships of and level of activism and enjoyment of life will gAgreements and taking industrial action paid dues to a number of other unions; diminish on leaving the University. (which was most times in the recent Australian Services Union and Victorian past), Kay has been a committee member Public Service Union among them. He was to count on. She was always forward in notably one of a small group of staff in the helping to organise protest action and Australian Public Service who stayed on certainly in the front row of any protests. a Collective Agreement despite efforts by Kay Sauer the Kennett Government to move workers Curtin Much of Kay’s Union activity on this cam- onto individual contracts. pus has been at the expense, sometimes, It is with much regret that Kay has recently of her family and career. She has been Jeffrey joined the Branch on returning to been made redundant as part of the an outspoken advocate for staff rights, Monash in early 2000, and was elected ‘Curtin Academic Restructuring’ program. at all levels, which has won her very few to the Branch Committee in 2002. He Kay’s academic career has stretched over friends with senior Curtin management brought to the Branch a great sense of 26 years as a lecturer and senior lecturer over the years. Her departure from the Monash union history, a healthy scepti- with the School of Public Health. During University has left a very large hole in the cism of management edicts (which never the entire time she has been employed at Branch committee, in terms of passion and waned), strong political motivations, and Curtin University, Kay has been an active collective memory, that will be difficult to an unnervingly sharp analytical mind that member of the Union. Her initial involve- replace. Kay is currently planning to retire often allowed the Branch to find clarity ment was as a member of the Curtin from academia and pursue other interests among industrial, financial and logisti- University Academic Staff Association and in life. cal fog. In 2005 he took over the role of her membership transitioned in 1994 to Vice-President (General staff) and was the NTEU as a founding member. then Branch President from 2008–2010. In October 2001, Kay was elected to the Jeffery is not a table banger and is rarely Curtin Branch executive committee and known to raise his voice in anger. He has been a constant member of this Graeme Byrne led through dialogue, clarity of ideas, body up until her departure from Curtin and by creating a sense of inclusiveness, La Trobe University. In 2005 Kay was elected to the belonging, and of collective strength. Graeme joined the Union of Australian National and Division Councils as the aca- In the face of management provocation College Academics on 12 February 1991 demic representative by the Branch Mem- or stupidity his response was a snort of and proceeded to become involved in the bership. Again she held this position until exasperation followed by a laugh, letting Union which he continued with the merg- her departure in July this year. During this ‘them’ know in no uncertain terms what he ing of the former Union into the NTEU in period Kay also took on the role as the thought about their latest schemes, plans, 1994. In both arenas he was active within WA representative on the Women’s Action positions, and/or actions. their respective Branch Committee and Committee (WAC) from 2006 to 2011. has given counsel to many members over Jeffrey was an NTEU National and Division Kay’s involvement on the Curtin Branch this period. Councillor from 2004, but he was also a has extended to serving on the Curtin member of Monash University Council Once the Bendigo CAE became part of Academic Board for a number of years from 2005 until the orchestrated removal La Trobe University Graeme continued throughout her tenure while an exec- of staff representatives by collusion of his involvement in the Sub-Branch and utive committee member. In addition the State Government and the University the main Branch activities. From 2001 he Kay has also served on numerous Curtin Chancellor in 2012. In this latter role he stepped in as Sub-Branch President when promotional committees, Curtin appeal was a steadfast voice for staff and students the incumbent was unable to continue. committees and the important Academic of the University. Serving on the Finance He was Treasurer of the overall Branch Workload Monitoring System committee and Resourcing Committee he gave the and was able to support the Branch from 2009 to 2012. Union important insights into financial in understanding the changes in how aspects of the University that they tried Kay’s commitment to unionism and the finances were to be undertaken which was hard to mask. members of Curtin University over the beneficial for all members and particularly past 12 years has been nothing but inspir- the Committee who were not always up- As a measure of the commitment of ing to the people around her. She is, and to-speed with the finer detail. Jeffrey to unionism and the strength of his always has been, an outspoken advocate backbone, he did all this while working Graeme has been on the Branch commit- for fairness and equity in the workplace. in the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancel- tee of the NTEU since 2003 and in that Kay has consistently challenged manage- lor (Education), in the heart of the main time has been the Lead Negotiator for ment on these issues - from the Curtin administration building – a place where three rounds of Bargaining, the Vice Presi- Academic Board, to her Faculty Board and many union members don’t actually own dent (Academic) for three terms; a Nation- through to her School Board of Man- up to being a member. Daily he crossed al Councillor since 2003 and someone who agement. She has also been an ardent the paths and shared the corridors of the has been a committed member prepared recruiter and area delegate over the years managers and administrators he duelled to go the extra mile so that members and her School currently has the highest with in his leadership role in the Branch, could be well served by their union. membership rate across the University. on Council, and on the negotiating team For the past two years Kay has been an for the new EBA. Graeme was part of a small team of active contributing union member of the members who worked with consultants Jeffrey has also led a rich life away from Implementation and Monitoring Consulta- and university management to develop a Monash: Board of the local Childcare tive Committee (IMCC) for the current EBA. workload Management System whereby

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 47 My Union

every element of academic work would be education. As a key member of the WA bal- Ron was an NTEU member for over 20 allocated a time fraction so as to stand- lot organising group he threw himself tire- years. Serving as Branch President, Vice ardise how work was performed. This was lessly into the campaign for a ‘pro-choice’ President and as the NTEU representative ground breaking in that it separated out vote and was one of the first general staff on the Faculty of Business Workload Refer- for the first time teaching from teaching members to sit on the UWA Branch Com- ence Group. related duties and was an attempt to have mittee. As many who have long memories He was a stalwart of the UOW Branch and workload distributed fairly. Unfortunately will know, it was not always smooth sailing continues to mentor members of Faculty the system was not acceptable to the cur- at UWA, and Tom’s longevity on the Branch Workload Reference Groups. rent university management who hacked Committee is testament not only to his the system until it looked very little like commitment but also his optimism and the original proposal. willingness to see the good in people. As so often happens in our sector there Tom has served on many NTEU commit- was a ‘changing of the guard’ who then tees and groups over the years holding of- Kim Draisma determined that workload should be fice as a UWA Branch Committee member, Wollongong assigned in points so as to ensure that no UWA Vice President (GS), National Council- Kim has been a member of the NTEU since one was able to work out their allocation. lor, Division Vice-President and a member its inception two decades ago. Prior to Perhaps the masterstroke for all staff was of the National Executive. Tom has been that she was involved in the University of in Graeme being able to take apart the at the coal-face of Union activity at UWA Wollongong Association of Staff. Kim has Workload Management Points System, for many years being a key member of served in various committee executive po- develop a matrix within which staff could the collective bargaining team for more sitions for as long as anyone can remem- submit their workloads so that they could rounds than is possibly safe for one’s men- ber. Faculty of Education staff in particular then work out how many points they tal health! He has also represented NTEU site Kim’s dedication to her delegate had been allocated and at the same time on numerous internal university commit- duties with some lecturers still citing Kim’s explain to management what it all meant. tees including the reclassification appeal advocacy as the reason they were able to No mean feat that’s for sure. committee and consultative committees in various forms. Tom is also a member of get permanent jobs in the faculty. In submitting a nomination such as this it the UniSuper Consultative Committee. Kim served as Branch President and led is important that some of the ‘behind the the Branch through years of arduous bar- scenes’ actions of Graeme are shared. He It is hard to imagine life at UWA without gaining rounds and strike actions. Along has been heavily involved in uncovering Tom’s ever smiling presence. Many mem- with Ron Perrin she was a formidable force the vagaries of the financial status of La bers have benefited from Tom’s advice, at the bargaining table. Kim also served on Trobe University where again he is often assistance and support over the years–he NTEU state and national councils. asked by management to explain their has always thrown himself fully into the documentation and in many cases has had support of those who have found them- As one of the UOW Branch’s longest to point out errors that they have made. It selves in trouble at work. His keen sense of standing and most tireless activists, Kim’s has been a pleasure working with Graeme justice and his overwhelming compassion contributions to the Union are inimitable. and he will be missed by all of us because make him a passionate and tireless advo- his sense of humour has often bridged a cate for those who have been wronged. difficult situation. Most recently Tom has been an essen- tial part of the WA effort in the national Rick Kuhn campaign against university cuts and has been a ubiquitous presence at rallies, ANU Tom Stewart protests and polling booths in the past 18 The ANU Branch nominated Rick Kuhn months. It is not, and never has been, a for Life Membership for his career-long UWA question of how we will replace Tom for he role as a passionate, active, vocal, militant It is with much sadness that the School of is simply irreplaceable. The University and unionist at every level: as member and Animal Biology at UWA recently farewelled the Union will be poorer places without workplace delegate, as Branch Committee Tom Stewart when his position was made his contributions, and while we wish him member, Division Council and National redundant after three decades of service well in his future life, we hope (and fully Councillor and as NTEU delegate to Unions to the University, the staff, Zoology stu- expect) to see him popping up in support ACT over many years. dents and the Union. of NTEU whenever he is needed. Rick was been a member of the NTEU and Tom was an early member of the Universi- its predecessor unions from 1987 to 2013, ty Salaried Officers Association which was over 26 years. He joined the Federation eventually consumed by the Civil Service of Australian University Staff Associations Association and which was then itself con- Ron Perrin (FAUSA) when first employed at the ANU sumed by the State Public Services Feder- in early 1987 and within the year was on ation and ultimately the CPSU. At no stage Wollongong the FAUSA Committee. He served on the of his working life has Tom ever not been Ron Perrin was the described ‘backbone’ of Committee until FAUSA amalgamated not only a member of the relevant union, the bargaining team for as many bargain- with other unions to form the NTEU, and but an active supporter of his workmates ing negotiations as the current UOW com- then on the NTEU Branch Committee through his union membership. mittee can remember. Ron, along with Kim until the early 2000s, including a term Draisma, famously negotiated and won a as Branch Vice-President. On the Branch When the opportunity arose for non-aca- 35 hour working week for the grounds and Committee he was a strong supporter of demic staff (in those days still defined by maintenance crews. They had previously bringing in the HREA members and later exclusion) to join the NTEU, Tom was a key been subjected to 38 hours when the rest AMWU members into the NTEU at ANU, figure in the campaign in WA to ensure of the university staff were set at 35. This which eventually was achieved. He stands that we could become a truly national made lifelong members out of some of the strongly with the workers at the base of union representing all who work in higher men on those crews. page 48 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate My Union

university hierarchies, for casual staff and Rick retired from the position of Reader in Howarth reported to NTEU Advocate on non-management professional staff. the ANU School of Politics and Internation- the anti-nuclear protests in Tahiti. al Relations at the end of 2013. We wish Rick Kuhn has been an NTEU workplace Ewan was a key figure in the struggle to him well for a long retirement mixing con- delegate for the entire period during save the Noel Butlin Archives Centre, an tinued political and intellectual engage- which there have been NTEU delegates important archive of labour history in Aus- ment with rest, enjoyment and friendship. at ANU, and would possibly regard this tralia, when it was threatened with closure as his most important union role. He has and dissolution during enterprise bargain- been an active and activist delegate for his ing under ANU VC Dean Terrell in 1997. colleagues in the Department of Politics, Ewan, with others, established the Friends School of Social Sciences and School Ewan Maidment of Noel Butlin Archives Centre which coor- of Politics and International Relations, dinated activity both here and overseas to recruiting them to the Union, encouraging ANU preserve the Archives. Ewan was Secretary them to come to Union meetings and to After coming to the ANU to work in what of the Friends from its inception in 1997 get involved in Union campaigns, talking was then called the Archives of Business to 2003, when the Archives were secured. to all those around him about how crucial and Labour (now the Noel Butlin Archives That was a difficult struggle, one that was unions are in the fight for social justice, Centre) Ewan joined the Health and Re- supported by the NTEU and many of its standing at the front of every picket line, search Employees Association (HAREA), a members who joined the Friends. and vigorously representing members New South Wales based health union with Ewan was always very active on the ANU when their rights were attacked. a rump of university general staff from Branch Committee of the NTEU until his three universities. When HAREA merged Rick has also been a highly visible retirement in 2011 and also as an ANU with the Victoria Health Employees Fed- presence in the NTEU, holding out to National Councillor. He always remained eration to form the Health Services Union members and officers of the Union a a vigorous defender of the interests of of Australia (HSUA), the university general strong, public expectation that the Union general staff. staff component of the new union was should act with integrity and boldness, even smaller. not accepting a compromise deal when by organising and mobilising members Ewan was elected to the national exec- Merit Awards we might do better. Rick’s stated view was utive of HSUA and pushed strongly for that ‘compromise is siding with the bosses’. more recognition of university general He has been an advocate for grassroots staff, but to no avail. University general organising since before it became union staff were marginalised. Ewan became orthodoxy in the 1990s (again). so frustrated by the intransigence of the Andrea Brown HSUA leadership that he walked out of an Rick Kuhn’s analysis and ideals spring from executive meeting and went straight to VU a strong ideological base in Marxism, but talk to Di Zetlin at FAUSA about getting Andrea Brown first joined ACUSA in 1995 it is not a dry theoretical perspective. His university general staff into a tertiary and has been a member of the NTEU VU motivation is the well-being of his fellow education industry union. Fortunately the Branch Committee continuously since humans. He is a person acting not only NTEU was already coming into being. So 1998. She has been a key part of the local to realise socialist ideals but to take steps the first approach of bringing ACT general union leadership group and has worked towards improving the state of the world staff into what was to be the NTEU was tirelessly to support members’ rights, and and helping others in the here and now. made by Ewan. the Branch over a long period. In all her This has led him to activism on behalf of roles she has put in many hours work and Palestinians and refugees, among others. Members particularly at the ANU began service to the Union. After a long period of calling for general staff to get out of the In some ways we are honouring Rick for sustained union commitment, Andrea has health union and into a tertiary education performing the difficult and important left VU following a restructure. union. The ACT Branch Committee of HSUA role of a ‘thorn in our sides’, who acts with was unanimously in support of this and Andrea was instrumental in leading key integrity and courage himself and demands went ahead with a referendum of members negotiations around general staff classifi- integrity and courage from union leaders. on the question of joining the NTEU. Ewan cation at VU, has been a member of several Rick has played a crucial role in promoting was heavily involved in this process. Enterprise Bargaining teams and has been active debate on proposals, policies and a highly committed bargainer who has campaigns. He has provided a voice in all Over 50 per cent of members voted and always pushed staff rights to the forefront. important discussions, speaking for unions the vast majority supported moving to as crucial to the broad fight for the rights of the NTEU. In the final period of the ACT Andrea has been part of the glue that has the working class and for a just society. Branch, Ewan took over as Secretary and held the VU Branch together and has been organised the difficult process of getting critical in ensuring that the big decisions While Rick might argue strongly for a HSUA members to resign from the HSUA on the local Branch have been followed particular course of action, if the final and then join the NTEU, once the NTEU through and implemented. Throughout, decision of the Union as a collective had won coverage of general staff in the her good humour, tolerance and commit- went a different way, as a good, militant ACT. It had to be done individual member ment to working through difficult problems unionist he would always act in support by individual member. which have confronted the Branch have of the decision the collective made. Rick come strongly to the fore and have been was honoured with the 2003 ACT Trades By this time Ewan had moved to the appreciated by everyone on the Branch and Labour Council May Day Award in Pacific Manuscripts Bureau and began to Committee. She has played a vital role on recognition of ‘his significant contribution do extensive travelling to Pacific Islands, many University, Union and joint un- to improving and advancing the social microfilming the archives of many organ- ion-management committees to negotiate and industrial conditions of ACT workers’, isation there; these paper records were better conditions for professional staff. including during the great campaign by always at risk from the humid climate the NTEU against Vice-Chancellor Dean and his job was to preserve them. On an Andrea has immense commitment and Terrell over pay and conditions. early trip to Tahiti, in 1995, Ewan and Barry passion for the things she believes in, and

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 49 My Union

at the same time also possesses the rare ability to see an issue from several sides and people from several angles. During Introducing new 2006-2010 when the Branch faced mass retrenchments, Andrea helped organised Qld Division picket lines with great energy, industrial action, three day strikes and other actions Secretary, including bans on results. These efforts were instrumental in reducing job losses Michael McNally at VU and getting agreement for a new Enterprise Agreement. Andrea was central Young(ish) new, non-smoking, Queens- to these Union campaigns and they clearly land Division Secretary with a GSOH would not have been as successful with- looking for LTR with an intelligent, di- Turn-offs: obscene VC salaries, per- out her involvement. verse, caring, active union membership. formance management, Christopher With yet another restructure and a move Must be engaged in tertiary education. Pyne, pointless restructuring, bullies, of Andrea’s Equity and Diversity role to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders underfunding, KPIs, shiny new build- People and Culture, it became especially welcome. Physical appearance not ings, nepotism, university rankings, difficult for Andrea to play a public role important. Social drinkers welcome. managementspeak, shoddy journalism, in Union activities. Despite these difficul- Commitment to union values essential. hierarchies, journal rankings, free-mar- ties Andrea continued to remain highly GSOH preferred. ket solutions, spin. involved in the Union, participating on the Turn-ons: solidarity, evidence-based I am looking for an interesting mem- Union side in general staff classification policy, activism, collegiality, intel- bership to engage and communicate committees, helping write union bulletins, lectual freedom, professional staff with in good times and in bad. I see organising meetings and recruiting recognition, equity and diversity, trust, unionism as a way to protect and pro- members. capacity-building, career paths, budget mote the living standards of an active This has been at some personal cost, yet transparency, teaching-research nexus, membership and their community. I Andrea’s work for the Union has contin- healthy workplaces, research funding, am willing to work really hard on our ued to be exemplary and outstanding. In training, student union activism, honest relationship, but make sure it’s fun. addition, Andrea has provided valuable communication. Follow me @NTEUQldDivSec support, information and advice to many members, and non-members, across VU for many years, combining her passion ing team to a very favourable outcome, in galvanising the members and keeping for industrial fairness with her forensic reaching an early Agreement with tangible them engaged over three bargaining knowledge of negotiated Agreements gains before the arrival of the Abbott rounds. Not only was Michele brilliant at and University policy. Her efforts have Government. getting members to attend meetings and gone above and beyond the call of duty keeping them informed, she was very and have made a significant difference to Time and again, Geoff’s deep corporate effective at the bargaining table, with a people’s lives. knowledge has been vital in Branch comprehensive knowledge of TESOL pay successes. Geoff can be relied upon to Despite leaving VU, Andrea has contin- and conditions around the country at her know the history behind every decision, ued to recruit members to the Union and fingertips. every strategy, every position; his knack Branch Committee. She is now working for recalling every detail would surely rival Industrial disputes in a small institute, with part-time for the NTEU National Office that of Barry Jones! staff and management occupying one assisting with a research project on profes- building together, had its advantages and sional and academic staff award variations Perhaps even more striking is his dedica- its difficulties. Michele was always fearless and is continuing in this new role to pro- tion to members, as shown by his direct when it came to standing up to manage- vide dedicated support to the Union. involvement in so many personal cases. ment when she believed it was necessary Geoff always throws himself completely to defend her colleagues’ conditions. into every case, often while simultane- Strikes at ICTE had a flavour all their own: ously taking on extra responsibilities in strike placards were prepared in several academia; this has frequently come at the languages. Thanks to the dedication Geoff Lummis expense of his time and even his health. and professionalism of Michele and her ECU colleagues, they were cheered on by their ECU Branch President Dr Geoff Lummis is students when holding protest meetings stepping down from office in October. This (which sometimes included a choir). term of office has not been an easy one, Michele Feinberg Over the ten years Michele was with the from the very start. When the previous Branch, no-one was more important in elected Branch President had to step UQ building up and maintaining a high level down suddenly only weeks after taking Michele Feinberg has been one of the of unionisation and activism among ICTE office, Geoff agreed to step into the role at most active and committed members of a teachers. Michele retired from UQ (way short notice. His leadership and nego- very active and engaged section of the UQ too young, Michele!) at the end of 2013, tiation skills proved useful immediately Branch membership: the TESOL teachers and her constant active contributions will and have been called upon many times of the Institute for Continuing and TESOL be much missed by the Branch and her since, not least during the latest round of Education (ICTE). colleagues. bargaining. Michele became the lead delegate in Geoff’s ability to strategise and see the big 2010, having already been a key activist picture saw him lead the NTEU bargain- in ICTE since 2004. She was instrumental page 50 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 3 • November 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate My Union

Most respondents were positive about NTEU surveys NTEU’s performance around traditional core union work – negotiating salaries and ex- members conditions, and providing industrial and employment advice. NTEU’s intensive campaigning However, there is a reduction in how effec- around public policy issues in tive NTEU is perceived around enterprise the higher education sector bargaining categories since 2011, reflect- over the last 18 months is being ing the generally tougher circumstances experienced by most Branches during the positively recognised by the recent bargaining round. people working in universities, Athan judging by the results of a While there has been an increase in the perception of the effectiveness of the recent survey of former NTEU work done around Aboriginal and Torres McCaw members. Strait Islander issues since 2011, this is still not well known or clearly recognised by Athan McCaw, NTEU Compared to the last major former mem- the large majority of former members. Branch Industrial ber survey done in 2011, the perception of Organiser at Federation NTEU’s ‘effectiveness at advocating on pol- The survey showed a big increase in the icy issues affecting the higher education numbers of members who have retired University Australia, sector’ was significantly higher in 2014 since 2011, continuing the growing trend Ballarat, was tragically than in 2011. of ‘baby boomer’ generation members killed in a motorcycle reaching retirement age. Nearly all have accident on 26 October. This shows that the Union’s work on the very positive views about their NTEU expe- 2013 ‘Dumb Cuts’ campaign, the 2013 riences, with many expressing regret that Athan was only 36, had a election ‘Vote Smart’ campaign, and their retirement meant ending their Union large and loving family and the current ‘A Degree Shouldn’t Cost a membership. Mortgage’ campaign in opposition to the two young children. He had Abbott Government’s proposed changes In response to this, there are moves to previously worked for the NTEU announced in the 2014 Budget has been invigorate the NTEU Past Members Associ- at Monash and RMIT, and had both recognised and well received by ation, to enable former members to keep recently become the President higher education staff. in touch with the Union’s activities and get of the Ballarat Trades and involved where appropriate. Around 90 Labour Council. The survey’s aim was to seek the views of survey respondents expressed interest in An admired and well liked former members about their experiences joining the Association. as an NTEU member, and the reasons why colleague, Athan will be sorely missed by the NTEU and FUA they left the Union. Michael Evans, National Organiser communities.

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CITY/SUBURB |STATE |POSTCODE HOME PHONE WORK PHONE INCL AREA CODE | INCL AREA CODE | MOBILE EMAIL |DATE OF BIRTH | MALE  FEMALE  OTHER ______HAVE YOU PREVIOUSLY BEEN AN NTEU MEMBER?  YES: AT WHICH INSTITUTION? |ARE YOU AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL/TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER?  YES YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYMENT DETAILS  PLEASE USE MY HOME ADDRESS FOR ALL MAILING INSTITUTION/EMPLOYER |CAMPUS MAIL/ FACULTY DEPT/SCHOOL | |BLDG CODE

POSITION CLASSIFICATION STEP/ ANNUAL MONTH NEXT | LEVEL LECTB, HEW4 | INCREMENT | SALARY | INCREMENT DUE IF KNOWN YOUR EMPLOYMENT GROUP  ACADEMIC STAFF  GENERAL/PROFESSIONAL STAFF I HEREBY APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP OF NTEU, ANY BRANCH AND ANY ASSOCIATED BODY‡ ESTABLISHED AT MY WORKPLACE.  TEACHING & RESEARCH  RESEARCH ONLY SIGNATURE DATE  RESEARCH ONLY OTHER:  TEACHING INTENSIVE You may resign by written notice to the Division or Branch Secretary. Where you cease to be eligible to become YOUR EMPLOYMENT CATEGORY & TERM a member, resignation shall take effect on the date the notice is received or on the day specified in your notice, whichever is later. In any other case, you must give at least two weeks notice. Members are required to pay dues and  FULL TIME  PART TIME HOURS PER WK  SESSIONAL ACADEMIC levies as set by the Union from time to time in accordance with NTEU rules. Further information on financial obligations, including a copy Office use only: Membership no. CONTINUING/ FIXED TERM  GENERAL/PROFESSIONAL STAFF CASUAL of the rules, is available from your Branch.   DATE OF EXPIRY PERMANENT CONTRACT IF YOU ARE CASUAL/SESSIONAL, COMPLETE PAYMENT OPTION 4 ONLY OPTION 4: CASUAL/SESSIONAL 1. Choose your salary range. 2. Select 6 month or 1 year membership. IF YOU ARE FULL TIME OR PART TIME, PLEASE COMPLETE EITHER PAYMENT OPTION 1, 2 OR 3 Membership fees = 1% of gross annual salary 3. Tick the appropriate box. OPTION 1: PAYROLL DEDUCTION AUTHORITY Office use only: % of salary deducted 4. Pay by cheque, money order or credit card. Salary range 6 months 12 months I hereby authorise the Institution or its duly authorised I INSERT YOUR NAME STAFF PAYROLL NO. IF KNOWN servants and agents to deduct from my salary by regular $10,000 & under: $27.50 $55 | instalments, dues and levies (as determined from time to   time by the Union), to NTEU or its authorised agents. All $10,001–$20,000:  $38.50  $77 OF YOUR ADDRESS payments on my behalf and in accordance with this author- ity shall be deemed to be payments by me personally. This Over $20,000:  $55  $110 authority shall remain in force until revoked by me in writ- HEREBY AUTHORISE INSTITUTION ing. I also consent to my employer supplying NTEU with updated information relating to my employment status.  PLEASE ACCEPT MY CHEQUE/MONEY ORDER OR CREDIT CARD:  MASTERCARD  VISA SIGNATURE |DATE NAME ON CARD OPTION 2: CREDIT CARD Processed on the 16th of the month or following working day I hereby authorise the Merchant to debit my Card account with the amount and at NAME ON CARD intervals specified above and in the event of any change in the charges for these goods/ CARD NUMBER services to alter the amount from the appropriate date in accordance with such change. This authority shall stand, in respect of the above specified Card and in respect of any Card CARD NO. issued to me in renewal or replacement thereof, until I notify the Merchant in writing of its — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — cancellation. Standing Authority for Recurrent Periodic Payment by Credit Card. EXPIRY $ EXPIRY |  MASTERCARD  VISA |PAYMENT:  MONTHLY  QUARTERLY  HALF-YEARLY  ANNUALLY | SIGNATURE SIGNATURE DATE | Description of goods/services: NTEU DATE Membership Dues. To: NTEU, PO Box OPTION 3: DIRECT DEBIT Processed on the 15th of the month or following working day 1323, Sth Melbourne VIC 3205 I hereby authorise the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) APCA ‡Associated bodies: NTEU (NSW); Union of Australian College Academics I INSERT YOUR NAME User ID No.062604 to arrange for funds to be debited from my/our (WA Branch) Industrial Union of Workers at Edith Cowan University & Curtin account at the financial institution identified and in accordance with the University; Curtin University Staff Association (Inc.) at Curtin University; Staff terms described in the Direct Debit Request (DDR) Service Agreement Association of Edith Cowan University (Inc.) at ECU FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Full text of DDR available at www.nteu.org.au/ddr MAIL TO: BSB |ACCOUNT NO. REGULARITY OF PAYMENT:  MONTHLY  QUARTERLY NTEU National Office BRANCH NAME & ADDRESS  HALF-YEARLY  ANNUALLY PO Box 1323, South Melbourne VIC 3205 T (03) 9254 1910 ACCOUNT NAME 5% DISCOUNT FOR ANNUAL DIRECT DEBIT F (03) 9254 1915 SIGNATURE |DATE E [email protected] Protect your creature comforts.

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