Advocate vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au • ISSN 1329-7295

CAE action success! Better pay & conditions, workplace rights secured

ɓɓALP reversal on dumb cuts ɓɓERA and intellectual freedom ɓɓUniversity marketing slogans ɓɓCommission of Audit ɓɓJohn Pilger’s Utopia ɓɓMembers in Australia Day honours ɓɓRecognition vs Sovereignty ɓɓTrans-Pacific Partnership ɓɓThe Great Leap Backwards ɓɓWhat to expect from Budget 2014 ɓɓGeneral Staff Conference ɓɓAcademic scattering ɓɓHumanities under attack ɓɓCanada’s war on science ɓɓ... and much more. UniHealth Insurance is launching on 1 April 2014

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Teachers Federation Health ltd. ABN 86 097 030 414 trading as UniHealth Insurance. A registered private health insurer. UHI-NTEU-03/14 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 Freedom is not just another word p. 5 p. 17 Editorial, Jeannie Rea 3 Radical conservatism reprised From the General Secretary Cover image: CAE strike supporter. UPDATE Photo by Toby Cotton. 4 ALP agrees uni cuts are dumb cuts NSW may hand unis over to Feds 5 Historic strike at CAE 6 Bargaining update Bargaining State of Play 7 New choice for those bullied at work Members vote for action at UWA UQ staff vote to strike 8 Agreement reached at ACT unis FEATURES 26 Academic scattering 9 UTS Branch President suspended The traditional academic career structure is 18 Higher education and the age of 10 Unionists show support for refugees built around a mobility that is hard to maintain uncertainty with relationships or dependants. Katie Mack is CARA in Australia Those parts of the Budget dealing with uni- still trying to figure out how to keep a pet. versity funding will be shaped by the findings 11 MOOCs still hyped, but cold reality of the Kemp Norton Review of the demand 28 Dumb cuts are still being pursued seeping in driven model (DDM). The Coalition promised one million new jobs over the next 5 years, which one would think Anna Stewart Memorial Project 20 Humanities and social science under meant that the focus must surely be turning to attack 12 Commission of Audit skills development. Yet the higher education Andrew Bonnell warns on the Government’s funding cuts are still being pursued. 13 NTEU Lecture: Prof Marian Baird plans to redirect ARC funding from ‘ridiculous’ research in the humanities and social science 29 Trading away democracy UNICASUAL NEWS to research ‘on things that really matter.’ The Government will cede power to legislate on public interest matters to corporations if the 14 I know what you did last summer 22 Is the ERA antithetical to intellectual Trans-Pacific Partnership is ratified. freedom? 15 Swinburne casual victory Jen Kwok reports the ARC is insisting it will 30 The neo-conservative war on science A measure of job security incorporate new measures on impact and In Canada, a war on science being waged engagement into the 2015 ERA exercise. But it against higher education and research; a por- National Insecure Work Conference is apparent that the new measures will be driv- tent for the new Australian policy agenda. en by metrics and protections to intellectual INDIGENOUS NEWS freedom will be missing. 32 Abolishing caps by selling off debt The UK’s planned removal of enrolment caps is 16 WIPC:E 2014 23 New Policy Advocacy website to be funded by selling student debt. TPP: A new threat to Sovereignty 24 The more things change, the more 33 IWD is more than just morning tea 17 John Pilger’s Utopia they stay the same International Women’s Day is more than morn- Previously departmentalised Indigenous ing teas and empty rhetoric; the success of COLUMNS funding programs have been folded into the Bluestocking Week shows we can do more. Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Is 34 Do marketing slogans assist choice Environment 36 A tail of two BNs this a progressive and necessary step for the ISO 14001 News from the Net, by Pat Wright achievement of the stated goals for Aboriginal of university? and Torres Strait Islander affairs, or will rhetoric We use institutional branding slogans to deter- In accordance with 37 The Great Leap Backwards and tokenism continue to rein over substance? mine whether marketing expenditure assists NTEU policy to Lowering the Boom, by Ian Lowe reduce our impact students when choosing where to study. on the natural envi- 38 Working until it’s right p. 20 p. 30 ronment, Advocate Thesis Whisperer, Inger Mewburn is printed using vegetable based inks 39 We need farsighted university with alcohol free printing initiatives councils, not myopic ones on FSC certified pa- Letter from NZ, Lesley Francey, TEU per under ISO 14001 Environmental YOUR UNION Certification. 40 Members in Australia Day honours Advocate is available online as a PDF at Professor Kate Warner AM nteu.org.au/advocate and an e-book at 41 Professor Rosemary Owens AM www.issuu.com/nteu NTEU members may 42 General Staff Conference opt for ‘soft delivery’ 44 Celebrating NTEU’s Foundation (email notification of online copy rather Members than mailed printed 46 Organising in a cold, cold climate version). Details at nteu.org.au/ Nancy Millis Medal softfdelivery New and relocated NTEU staff

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 1 Editorial Jeannie Rea, National President Freedom is not just another word*

Academic freedom is the freedom to con- Sydney Vice-Chancellor that he needs to Presumably, the Freedom Commissioner is duct research, teach, speak and publish, ‘satisfy himself that the academic standing explaining to his Coalition friends that the subject to the norms and standards of of the university and it’s international right of freedom of speech also applies to scholarly inquiry, without interference or reputation is not harmed’ by the publicly academics. Indeed, Mr Wilson should also penalty, wherever the search for truth and expressed views of academics. Other draw their attention to the 2011 amend- understanding may lead. Coalition MPs have apparently called upon ment to the Higher Education Support Act the University to discipline controversial 2003, supported by the Coalition, which Colloquium of University Presidents, 2005 academics. states that universities in receipt of public The mandate of universities in modern funds ‘must have a policy that upholds free Quoted in The Australian, Mr Pyne has democracies is to provide an environment intellectual inquiry in relation to learning, recognised that ‘each university is respon- for the development of ideas, rigorous ex- teaching and research.’ sible for its own governance, but univer- perimentation, the testing of hypotheses, sities should avoid needless controversies We can look forward to more passion- and critical analysis of existing knowl- that damage their reputation [and] also ate philosophical and practical tussles edge. Universities are here to encourage make Australia look less respectable to our over the right to free speech within and open and rigorous discussions designed potential student market.’ He also stated outside universities. It is not without con- to advance knowledge, not rubber-stamp that: ‘Obviously, many members of par- troversy, as the freedom to speak is only some ideas as good and others as bad liament are concerned to ensure that the available to those who have the means based on the personal views we may hold. reputation for high quality that Australian to be heard. Universities can provide safe Stephen Garton, University of Sydney, universities have earned over decades is spaces and voice for the most disadvan- 2014 not threatened in any way.’ taged and powerless. Universities do not always do this despite the high minded Fortunately, University of Sydney Acting rhetoric. It has not taken Vice-Chancellor and Provost Professor long for the Abbott Stephen Garton quickly jumped in to look We also need to remind ourselves that after the international reputation and intellectual freedom is more than free Coalition Government standing of Australian universities through speech. The freedom to conduct research an opinion piece in The Australian on 10 and to teach ‘without interference or pen- to demonstrate the January, challenging those urging the alty’ is undermined by current university contradictions in their disciplining of academics. policies and practices. One example is academic workload models that do not ‘Such criticisms fail to understand the count research outside university priority position on the right to nature of universities or the fact that the areas. Casualisation and the ‘unbundling’ recommended punishment would do far speak out. of academic work are leaving teaching more damage to Australia’s reputation academics without control over what and as a robust and open democracy than On the one hand, trenchant critic of the how they teach. These are the sleeper anything uttered by Lynch or Anderson,’ Human Rights Commission, Tim Wilson, issues of intellectual freedom that have wrote Garton. has recently been appointed as the Free- repercussions for the reputation and dom Commissioner. Wilson has explained Professor Garton concluded that if academic standing of Australian universi- that his job is to re-focus the Commission Australian universities do not defend the ties. on defending the right of freedom of rights of academics to controversial views, speech rather than upon anti-discrimina- then ‘students and staff in Australia and Jeannie Rea, National President tion work. around the world would rightly shun our [email protected] At the same time the Minister for Educa- university because it would clearly not be *Apologies to Kris Kristofferson tion, Christopher Pyne, has been providing committed to the cardinal principle of free gratuitous advice to the University of and open enquiry.’

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE NATIONAL OFFICE STAFF Executive Manager Peter Summers National President Jeannie Rea Industrial Unit Coordinator Linda Gale ICT Network Engineer Tam Vuong Vice-Presidents Kelvin Michael (Academic) National Industrial Officers Wayne Cupido, Database Programmer/Data Analyst Ray Hoo Lynda Davies (General) Susan Kenna, Elizabeth McGrath Payroll Officer Jo Riley General Secretary Grahame McCulloch Policy & Research Coordinator Paul Kniest Executive Officer (Gen Sec & President) Anastasia Kotaidis National Asst Secretary Matthew McGowan Policy & Research Officers Jen Tsen Kwok, Executive Officer (Administration) Tracey Coster National Executive: Terri MacDonald Admin Officer (Membership & Campaigns) Julie Ann Veal Andrew Bonnell, Stuart Bunt, Linda Cecere, Indigenous Coordinator Adam Frogley Administrative Officer (Resources) Renee Veal Stephen Darwin, Gabe Gooding, Ryan Hsu, Indigenous Organiser Celeste Liddle Receptionist & Administrative Support Leanne Foote Genevieve Kelly, John Kenny, Margaret Lee, Finance Manager Glenn Osmand Colin Long, Virginia Mansel Lees, Kevin Rouse, National Organiser Michael Evans Senior Finance Officer Gracia Ho John Sinclair, Jan Sinclair-Jones, Melissa Slee, National Publications Coordinator Paul Clifton Finance Officers Alex Ghvaladze, Tamara Labadze, Michael Thomson, Lolita Wikander Media & Communications Officer Courtney Sloane National Membership Officer Melinda Valsorda Lee Powell, Daphne Zhang Indigenous Member (IPC Chair) Terry Mason Education & Training Officers Ken McAlpine, National Growth Organisers Gaurav Nanda, Helena Spyrou Rifai Abdul, Priya Nathan page 2 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate From the General Secretary Grahame McCulloch, General Secretary Radical conservatism reprised

After six months in ments which resist the Coalition’s policy and research institutions, and the liberal objectives. The Government has already media (most notably the ABC). office it is clear that Tony announced a spill of Tertiary Education To complete the picture we also confront Quality Standards Authority (TEQSA) the inevitable fallout and challenge from Abbott’s Government is commissioners and a reduction in the the Government’s announced Royal ambit of TEQSA’s authority accompanied committed to the radical Commission into the affairs and probity of by a direct increase in the Minister’s five particular trade unions and industrial conservatism pioneered power. In combination with a review sectors, noting that the Commission’s of the higher education demand driven terms of reference can be interpreted by the Prime Minister’s model by well-known market conserv- more widely. mentor, former PM John atives, David Kemp and Andrew Norton (see report, p. 18), this change is likely For NTEU this new adverse environment Howard. to see easier access to accreditation and requires a sober appraisal and review of government subsidies for private higher our plans for the next three years. We The outlines of the Abbott agenda can education providers. will continue to intervene in the higher be discerned in the flurry of reviews and education public policy debate, but must bureaucratic changes announced by the also contend with the reality of the right- incoming Government. Across the public Presumably, the Freedom wing balance of power in the Senate from sector as a whole, the appointment of Commissioner is explaining 1 July 2014. Business Council chief, Tony Shepherd as head of the Audit Commission (see to his Coalition friends The keys to defending members’ interests report, p. 12) foreshadows fiscal auster- that the right of freedom in the short to medium term are the com- ity and a more aggressive promotion of of speech also applies to pletion of our collective bargaining round private health and education markets – a academics. (to fully protect employment conditions view likely to be echoed and reinforced from legislative attack for the whole of the by the appointment of Maurice Newman Government’s term), continued mem- as the PM’s Business Advisory Council bership expansion to build the Union’s In the schools sector the announce- Chair. presence in the workplace (noting that ment of yet another review of the na- we hope to match the annual growth rate While the Coalition campaigned on an tional curriculum, headed by well-known of over 4 per cent achieved in 2012 and election promise to bury its WorkChoices conservative education commentator 2013), and forging enduring alliances with past, new Industrial Relations Minister, Eric Kevin Donnelly, is a probable prelude to other organisations sharing our public pol- Abetz has announced measures to enable the rekindling of John Howard’s culture icy and industrial objectives. individual flexibility clauses to undermine wars. key employment standards. Grahame McCulloch, General Secretary While schools are the Coalition’s first and [email protected] In higher education we can expect to see most important battle ground in this war, the use of strong Commonwealth powers Tony Abbott is already using the bully pul- to intervene with, and where necessary pit of Prime Ministerial authority to extend override, institutions and State govern- the battle front to independent scientific

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NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 3 Update

ing the legislation, the Minister for Educa- ALP agrees tion, Christopher Pyne, conceded that the cuts would be damaging to universities NSW and students. may hand uni cuts are The Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 was introduced universities into the House of Representatives on 20 dumb cuts November 2013. Amongst other things, it sought to abolish existing Student over to the Late last year, the ALP Start-up Scholarships (two grants of parliamentary party reversed its $1,025 per year to eligible students) and Federal position on the $2.3 billion cuts replaced them from 1 January 2014 with Government to higher education. These were income-contingent student start-up loans. The following day, Minister Pyne the cuts they had announced introduced the Higher Education Support Talks have commenced in April 2013 and included in Amendment (Savings and Other Meas- between the Federal the final Wayne Swan Federal ures) Bill 2013. This Bill sought to slash and NSW governments Budget. The cuts required more than $900 million from university on shifting control legislative changes which were grants over the next four years; an average of universities to the not introduced before the $600 per government-supported student place. The Bill also cost students almost Commonwealth. election, but were taken up $300 million in lost discounts for early by the Coalition Government. repayment of HECS debts. Currently, universities are estab- When they were put to the lished and remain under State acts. These Bills were passed by the Govern- As government funding has almost House of Representatives ment majority, with higher education ad- completely shifted from the States to in November, the ALP voted vocates Adam Bandt (Greens) and Andrew the Commonwealth in the last thirty against the amendment bills. Wilkie (Independent) speaking against years, this move does make good them. The Bills were introduced to the sense. But we can cannot help but The proposed cuts were never defensible. Senate on 4 December and referred to two be suspicious of other motives in a Last April, the NTEU immediately initiated separate Senate Committees, which have climate of questioning intellectual the Dumb Cuts campaign focussing reported along party lines. The NTEU gave freedom and free speech. upon the $900 million so-called efficien- evidence on the impact of the proposals cy dividend cut to university operating on students’ access, progress and success- Do we need to remind Australian grants and the $1.2 billion cut to the ful completion of their studies. governments that the right of staff to Student Start-up Scholarships for the most participate in university governance Damage has been done to higher edu- financially disadvantaged students. The is internationally recognised in the cation with underfunding and broken campaign against garnered unprecedent- UNESCO 1977 Recommendation on promises by the Rudd and Gillard Labor ed support within and outside the sector, the Status of Higher Education Teach- Governments. In a climate of ideological and the Gillard Government was broadly ing Personnel? undermining of funding of public services condemned for cutting higher education and institutions, staff and students are an- to fund the Gonski reforms to schools UNESCO says that staff ‘should have ticipating more bad news from the Com- funding. the right and opportunity without mission of Audit (see p. 12) and the Abbott discrimination of any kind ... to take Not surprisingly, the incoming Coali- Coalition Government’s first Budget in May part in governing bodies and criticise tion Government eagerly endorsed the (see p. 18). the functioning of higher education higher education cuts and sought to push institutions, including their own ...’ through the legislation immediately. They Jeannie Rea, National President detached the university cuts from funding Below: NTEU members protesting the original dumb Over the past decade, as university the schools reforms, thus giving the ALP cuts outside Parliament House in June 2013. councils/senates have bought the the opening to oppose them. In introduc- Photo: Helena Spyrou. corporate line that a smaller, more business oriented governing body informed by a VC/CEO is the answer to university governance, staff (and students) have had to fight to hold on to representation. In 2012, the Victorian Government unilaterally abolished student and staff representation following lobbying from some Chancellors, but against the advice of others. The argument was that staff and students did not have the business and governance skills – and that they have a vested interest. Yes, they do, and that is why they should be on the Council.

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redeployment rights, and the removal of ice-cream, doughnuts, cheese and coffee Historic union representatives’ access to time-re- were given to the picketers by the public lease, equipment and communication and shopkeepers. Cars and trucks honked avenues such as notice-boards. in support, musicians came to play with picketers who brought out their own in- strike at CAE The State Government also sought the struments, lessons in samba dancing were removal of an employee’s right to ask held and songs were sung. Over 7,000 the Fair Work Commission to arbitrate a How do you keep yourself signatures on the petition were collected dispute unless the employer agreed – the occupied whilst on a picket line? online and on the street. For three weeks over November/ very same employer that an employee would be in dispute with. December last year that was Success of the strike the daily question for NTEU In a world crowded with campaigns and This strike was successful because of the members at the Centre for Adult causes fighting for media attention, social strength and courage of the members. By Education (CAE). With a quickly media limited to the short attention span, the end of the second week, everyone was and work bans and one-minute stoppages established routine of setting up exhausted, but still determined. If it was having limited impact on CAE manage- not for the hard work, persistence and per- at 7am, ready for the morning ment, the members met to consider what ceptiveness of the four delegates, the in- peak hour in Melbourne’s CBD to do. The choice was stark: either accept dustrial action would not have got off the and the gathering of signatures what was on offer from the employer or go ground. Carlos Marquez-Perez, Lay-Ping on the petition, the next on strike until something better was put Powell, Michelle McCann and Tania Daniels on the table. The overwhelming vote was question was what to do over were always there to answer questions to go on strike – indefinitely. and to keep staff informed in the lead up the rest of the day. to the strike. They got people to meetings First timers and kept members involved. Picket lines are hard work. There is a lot of This decision must be put in to its histor- standing around in all kinds of weather. Most staff had never been on strike and ical context. Apart from the one-minute Putting up with freezing cold, pouring many were understandably very nervous strikes, staff had never in the history of the rain, then baking hot with little shade over about taking this step. The delegates pro- organisation been on strike. All of the CAE the bitumen footpath and road. Breathing vided immediate support, advice and en- teachers and professional staff care deeply in the fumes and dust kicked up from couragement. In the more than two years about their students and the impact a traffic and talking to commuters going by of bargaining and countless meetings with strike would have on them. They knew this all day in their thousands. The picket lines, management, the delegates also had to would affect them. which were held outside the entrances to do their job on top of their representation the CAE, were at the busiest thoroughfares Within the first few days of the strike, over role. These four were truly amazing. for pedestrians in all of Melbourne. 200 classes were cancelled and thou- After almost three weeks on the picket, a sands of students were impacted upon. deal with management was struck. It was A lousy pay offer and an The Board’s initial response showed pure not perfect. However, it did include the anti-union agenda contempt towards the staff. They refused withdrawal of all of the anti-union cuts, to meet the Union and refused to consider Workbans, daily one-minute stoppages the right to access arbitration at the Fair our claims until their next monthly meet- and noisy marches around the block Work Commission, a better salary increase, ing. If this was an attempt to weaken the had been held by staff at the CAE in the a new classification structure for pro- members’ resolve, it didn’t work. Over the preceding months. This was in response to fessional staff, the inclusion of a teacher following week, more staff actively joined the State Government’s attempt at forcing classification structure for the first time the Union and more stood on the picket their anti-union agenda on CAE staff, and ever and pay increases for sessional teach- line every day. Soon there were more than management’s lousy pay offer. ers (accredited/pre-accredited courses) of 17,000 hits on the CAE strike action page 27% to 83% depending on qualifications. The CAE Board, implementing the on Facebook. At the time of publishing, this agreement Napthine Government agenda, insisted Public interest grew, a fundraiser for is awaiting approval from the Fair Work on the removal of the union/management financial support for the strikers was Commission. consultation committee and the require- highly successful, students joined their ment to consult the Union over changes teachers on the picket, other unions and Gia Underwood, Victorian Division to policies, removal of any reference to activists came and stood in solidarity and Industrial Officer, anti-discrimination legislation, removal of Below: Colin Long rallying members (©Hayden Golder)

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 5 Update Bargaining update Good progress at some universities, but threats of industrial action loom at others

The end of 2013 saw a number of breakthroughs in negotiations at universities including Above: Solidarity on the picket line at Melbourne University in September last year. Photo: Toby Cotton Tasmania, RMIT, Charles Darwin, Murdoch and ANU. forcing Branches to consider taking indus- academic and general/professional staff) trial action. at Curtin, Edith Cowan, the University of Seventeen NTEU-endorsed Agreements Tasmania and Murdoch University. Pay outcomes of between 3.15% and 3.5% have been finalised, with bargaining at a per annum have been achieved for Agree- Indigenous employment strategies and number of other sites progressing well. ments over the past 6 months. For the targets have been negotiated at all sites, However, there are a significant number first time, this bargaining round has also with commitments to employment targets of universities where progress has stalled, seen single Agreements (covering both either in the Agreements or in MOUs.

Round 6 Bargaining – State of Play March 2014 Casual Academic General Staff Claims Indigenous Employment Super- academics workloads annuation University Expiry Date Annual wage More secure Hours-based Enforceable Development Employment Monitoring SGC increases growth (expi- positions cap on classifications & mobility strategy / Committee ry to expiry) teaching targets Curtin 30/06/16 4.25% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ CQU 30/06/16 4.3% n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ECU 30/06/16 4.25% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Sydney 1/03/17 3.2% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Deakin 30/06/16 3.5% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ JCU 30/06/16 3.15% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ CSU 31/12/16 2.75% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ ANU 30/06/16 3.15% n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ UCAN 30/06/15 3.3% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ 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 3.2% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ CDU 30/12/16 3.16% n/a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ UTAS 30/06/16 3.15% n/a ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ Melbourne 30/06/17 3.2% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ RMIT 30/06/16 3.15% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ACU 30/06/17 3.15% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Murdoch 30/06/16 3.15% ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

page 6 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Update

This round of bargaining has also seen the creation of approximately 500 secure po- tion prior to any formal hearing. sitions for which eligible casual teaching New choice for Evidence will of course be crucial if staff can apply. These are predominantly employees seek an arbitrated decision continuing or fixed term positions and those bullied at from a member of the Commission. will be specifically created to address the Since 1 January, over 40 applications sector’s reliance on an ever increasing work have been received by the FWC but we casualised teaching workforce. are yet to see a full decision emerge. Professional/general staff classifications Employees bullied in the Over time we should get some sense of procedures have been protected and workplace can now access the the approach taken by the Commission enhanced thus far and access to centrally Fair Work Commission (FWC) and the success of the new laws. funded professional development has to seek an order for It appears the main reason been included in a number of Agreements an employee would go to for the first time. the bullying to stop. the Commission is to seek an Despite the growing number of Agree- From 1 January, the Commis- efficient remedy to prevent ments across the sector, there are still sion has had jurisdiction to future bullying. The Commis- a number of university management hear matters around bullying sion has no power to award bargaining teams dragging their feet and in the workplace. The FWC compensation so employees unable to reach a fair and sensible settle- can make any order it sees fit, who have an illness or injury ment. The NTEU puts these universities including that the bullying should still seek recompense on notice and will escalate our cam- cease or, for example, that from the appropriate workers’ paign to protect and improve working training and policies be compensation jurisdiction. conditions for members over the next few implemented. NTEU is likely to lodge our first applica- weeks. The Commission may prove to be a tion on behalf of an academic employee Wayne Cupido, National Industrial speedy choice for staff, with some ac- in the coming weeks. Officer tion required by the FWC within 14 days of receiving an application. This may Susan Kenna, National Industrial www.universitybargaining.org.au Officer involve sending the parties to media-

Members vote for UQ staff vote to strike industrial action at UWA Members at the NTEU University of Queensland (UQ) Branch have voted to step up their enterprise bargaining campaign with a set NTEU members at the University of Western of actions culminating in a 24 hour strike in the Australia have voted overwhelmingly in favour second week of semester 1. of taking industrial action over their claims for a new Enterprise Agreement. Members unanimously voted for a campaign of rolling industrial action, including selective bans on email, attending Dr Jamie O’Shea, NTEU Branch President at the University of WA, university events, overtime and after-hours work, and a strike said that the results of the protected action ballot shows how on 11 March. determined University staff are to send a message to University management. ‘We took action at the end of last year and seemed to be making some progress. We’ve come back to the table and ‘University of WA management is offering a wage deal which is we’re worried we might be spinning our wheels,’ said Andrew low in comparison to Agreements already struck at Curtin and Bonnell, the NTEU UQ Branch President. Edith Cowan Universities,’ said Dr O’Shea. ‘UQ, which prides itself on being in the world’s top 100, has ‘Staff have delivered huge increases in productivity, im- little to boast about when it comes to salaries, where it trails provements in research outcomes and have boosted UWA in all the other Group of 8 Universities. Moreover its performance international rankings. In the meantime there has been a 50% on other indicators important to our members, such as rates of increase in student numbers with 0% increases in teaching staff Indigenous employment, is miserably low.’ numbers.’ ‘UQ is in the top three Universities in the country on most NTEU lodged its Log of Claims for a new Enterprise Agreement indicators but 23rd on pay. Student numbers have risen by on 22 November 2012. 20% over 5 years with no increase in teaching staff. Around ‘This has been dragging on for far too long,’ said Dr O’Shea. 50% of undergraduate teaching is now done by casuals paid by the hour.’ Dr O’Shea said that University staff are campaigning for an agreement that finds a balance between teaching and ‘More negotiations are scheduled prior to the strike, so research for Academic Staff and improves career paths for hopefully we will see some progress and avert the need for general staff. action. We are striking in the second week so we can explain to students why we are taking action, and get them on Courtney Sloane, Media & Communications Officer board.’

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 7 Update Agreements reached at ACT universities

After difficult negotiations at each institution, the NTEU finalised Agreements at the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of ployment targets and provides cultural Above: ACT Division Secretary Stephen Darwin address- Canberra (UC) late in 2013. and carers’ leave for Indigenous staff. es an ANU members meeting in November 2013. Improved UC Agreement ANU Agreement reached after The new UC Enterprise Agreement cre- protected action ballot Under the UC Enterprise Agreement, ates Indigenous Teaching Fellowships, After NTEU members’ strong vote to salaries will increase at the same rate for contracts of up to five years, to assist authorise industrial action, ANU man- as the Higher Education Grants Index in increasing the level of Indigenous agement dropped its previous insistence which determines recurrent univer- employment. It sets a firm target of in- on a below-inflation pay offer of 2 per sity funding. The Union initially had creasing Indigenous employment levels cent per year. Negotiators then reached reservations about this approach due to 1 per cent of the staff total by De- an Agreement that was acceptable to to the uncertainty of the pay outcome. cember 2015. The Agreement provides NTEU members and staff. It provides four However, further negotiations assured Indigenous staff five days’ paid leave per annual 3 per cent payrises and, for the guaranteed salary increases across the year for ceremonial and bereavement first time, a cap on academic workloads. life of the Agreement. reasons. The right of ANU professional staff to The Agreement also doubled – to two Domestic violence support always be paid either penalty rates or years – the total parental leave period For the first time, both the ANU and UC time in lieu for agreed overtime work has available to primary carers who are not Agreements provide support for people been strengthened. The new Agreement the birth mother. Parental leave provi- affected by domestic violence in order to also brings much stronger provisions sions have been extended to cover those improve their situation. for strategies to achieve Indigenous em- who become parents through surrogacy. Each Agreement also has much im- proved managing change provisions, requiring managements to consult with staff early enough in the process of considering organisational change to give them the opportunity to gen- uinely influence the decisions made. ‘These Agreements have made important improvements in condi- tions,’ stated ACT Division Secretary, Stephen Darwin. ‘We are particu- larly proud of those which increase equity for Indigenous staff and safety for people affected by domestic violence. I’m also pleased we have strengthened the right for staff to genuine consultation about changes that will affect their work lives.’

Jane Maze, ACT Division Communications Officer/ Organiser

Left: NTEU UWS members at a Board of Trustees meet- ing, demonstrating their support for a fair Enterprise Agreement. page 8 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Update UTS Branch President suspended

In December, the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) suspended NTEU Branch President Simon Wade from his position of 16 years. Despite a sustained campaign, he has not yet been reinstated.

The suspension came after months of Attempts to stifle discussion versity and is causing extremely adverse Simon being harassed in his workplace consequences for Simon in his workplace. In January, UTS management took action due to his involvement in enterprise in Fair Work Australia to try to stop the The University claims to be conducting bargaining on behalf of UTS staff. These NTEU campaign against the suspen- an investigation. However, the investi- attacks led to conciliation in Fair Work sion. They claimed that the Union had gator accepted a statement from Simon Australia in September where protocols exacerbated the dispute by holding our and proceeded to go on leave for the were established to provide for Simon’s at- December rally, by circulating a petition whole of February. The HR manager has tendance at the bargaining table. Despite in support of Simon and by seeking the approached staff mentioned in Simon’s these protocols, the attacks continued support of Unions NSW. rebuttal in a manner that may corrupt any unabated. UTS management then ramped evidence they give to any investigation. up the same so-called performance issues In conciliation, the NTEU said that we into a misconduct charge and suspended have no intention of backing away from The attack on the NTEU Branch President him from his position. our campaign in support of Simon and has clearly distracted attention from that we are happy to let the matter run its the fact that, at the bargaining table, Simon has comprehensively answered course though the disputes procedure. UTS management have an agenda to all allegations and is receiving industrial We believe our member has been targeted undermine the Union’s claims for better support and representation from the NTEU for his union activities. job security, less dependence on a casual The processes employed by the University workforce, better career paths for pro- against Simon are appalling and members Appeal to the Vice-Chancellor fessional staff and fair pay for the work of the NTEU and other unions have rallied performed for the University. in support. In December, NTEU wrote to the Vice- Chancellor seeking a meeting to attempt What can we do? Rally and petition to have the University reconsider its actions and discuss appropriate resolu- Staff and elected officials at the NTEU On 16 December, UTS staff and students tion. We expressed our concern about the Branch and Division level are working to held a vibrant and vocal snap action failure of management to implement the support Simon in refuting these allega- outside the UTS tower on the theme Agreement to support Simon’s representa- tions and to challenge the broader attack ‘Defend union rights at UTS’. They were tive role in his workplace. We said: on the rights of members at UTS to be joined by representatives from the NTEU active in their union. NSW Division, Unions NSW, CPSU, the In September 2013, Simon was the subject Teachers Federation, IEU, RBTU, as well as of unsatisfactory performance allegations The work being done by members like Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon, Greens MLC based on these difficulties. The allegations Simon – defending staff conditions against John Kaye and UTS Students Association were subsequently withdrawn after NTEU management’s attempt to avoid fair President, Andy Zephyr. NTEU Branch action in the Fair Work Commission. We process and procedures, and remove any Presidents and members from Sydney, believe this process is an extension of this accountability for its decision-making – is UNSW, UWS and Macquarie attended lack of support for his roles and we want vital to ensuring UTS is a workplace where along with student supporters. to ensure measures are put in place to staff are treated with respect. avoid these issues in future. A petition was launched with over 1,500 Please sign the petition and encourage signatures calling on management to: The Vice-Chancellor has refused to meet your colleagues (members and non-mem- the Union to discuss the matter and a bers) to do so. Check the UTS website • Immediately lift the suspension of NTEU meeting with the DVC was cancelled at for updates on actions you can attend or Branch President Simon Wade. the last minute on advice from HR. Our support. There has never been a more im- • Provide all union bargaining represent- invitation to the Vice-Chancellor to discuss portant time to come together and stand atives proper time release to participate this in a reasonable manner is still open. up to management. in the bargaining process on behalf of The allegations against Simon are unsub- UTS staff. Genevieve Kelly, NSW Division stantiated and minor. Even if substanti- Secretary • Respect the right of UTS staff to be ated, there are no allegations that in the Sign the petition: www.nteu.org.au/uts members of a union and to actively normal understanding would constitute participate in that union if they choose misconduct. This matter has been totally Photo: Genevieve Kelly and Simon Wade at the to do so. mismanaged at a very low level of the uni- December rally.

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 9 Update Union members show support for refugees

The NTEU has strong policy in support of refugees, opposing off shore processing and mandatory detention of refugees. Many NTEU members are active around refugees CARA seeks to establish issues, and have joined with other unions to form the group chapter in Australia Unions for Refugees. A group of Australian academics are Members are angered by the previous government’s setting up of Manus Island, looking to establish a local chapter and the current government’s even more of the Council for Assisting Refugee hardline and secretive approach. Academics (CARA). They are calling The aim of Unions for Refugees is to fellow academics to become CARA involve ordinary workers and union champions within their institutions, so that members in understanding refugee issues in time, those CARA supporters are able to fulfil their vital role and becoming refugee activists in their in the future rebuilding of their countries. work places and communities and to build political support for the movement to Founded by Sir William Beveridge in 1933 to help rescue and relocate academics welcome refugees. persecuted under Nazi and Fascist regimes in Europe, CARA has been a lifeline to Unions involved include the NTEU, Mari- persecuted academics across the globe for over 80 years, as and when academics time Union of Australia (MUA), Australian find themselves in the firing line – sometimes literally. Nursing & Midwifery Federation (ANMF), Those helped in the 1930s and 40s were an extraordinary group including Ernst Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU), Media Chain, Karl Popper, Max Perutz, Sigmund Freud, Nikolaus Pevsner, and Hans Krebs, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) whose legacies live on today. and the Financial Service Union (FSU). Un- ions for Refugees is seeking endorsement In collaboration with the 98 universities that make up the CARA Scholars at Risk UK from other unions. Universities Network, CARA supports periods of sanctuary in the form of university placements, but which are by no means limited to the UK. In the 1930s and 1940s, In NSW, we have a NTEU for Refugees CARA turned to the US, Canada and Australia, amongst other destinations. Karl Division working party. The aims of the Popper was relocated in 1937 to Canterbury University College Christchurch in New working party are to advertise pro-refugee Zealand, where he become a lecturer in philosophy. events, encourage NTEU members to par- ticipate, and support Branches organising Post-war, CARA worked with the Australian Scientific and Technical Mission support- refugee meetings. We will also be taking ing placements for German scientists. More recently, a group of Australian academics NTEU flags to have a visible presence at supported the CARA Iraq Program over a period of three years, partnering Iraqi refugee rallies. academics both in exile and in-country in research collaborations of direct relevance to Iraq. In the past couple of months, Macquarie University has ring-fenced a PhD NSW Branches are organising their own placement with full bursary for a CARA client. working parties and are planning to lobby their own universities for scholarships for It is to perpetuate this spirit of solidarity, that a group of Australian academics are refugees. looking to establish a CARA Chapter in Australia. The silencing of principled voices in any country is an attack on us all and it is in the interests of all universities and Michael Thomson, University of academics to understand and support the work of an organisation like CARA. Its Sydney Branch President mission goes to the heart of the things we should all hold dear and it is salutary to For more inmformation, or to take part: be reminded how fragile our comforts and privileges can be. [email protected] To learn more or become a part of CARA in Australia, please contact John Photo: Union members rally for refugees in Sydney in Simons, [email protected]. February. www.cara1933.org

page 10 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Update MOOCs still hyped, but cold reality seeping in

While the massive open online courses (MOOCs) advocates and critics predictions that MOOCs would be the end of bricks and mortar universities have crumbled, there is still good cause for concern. Internationally, and specifically in the US, dents being stuck with the online courses the MOOCs have fairly rapidly lost their while the privileged still enjoy full service open aspect with universities and the university education. Staff employed to A number of Australian universities are in- MOOC companies entering into purchas- tutor/coach/mentor students are increas- tent on pursuing MOOCs and are partner- ing arrangements that close the courses ingly distant from identifying with, and ing with the big international companies. for both delivery and credit. This has being considered, academics or university These initiatives combine commitment to alarmed university staff and unions as the teachers, which also means that their enabling access to university level learning implications for intellectual freedom and working conditions and pay rates are often with reputation and marketing purpos- working conditions are further contracted. outside collective agreements. es. Clearly, such courses give a taster for The issues around online university edu- the university and may be an attractive cation in a climate of massive contingent / Jeannie Rea, National President recruitment tool for staff and students, precarious employment of academics are Follow MOOCs, online teaching and particularly internationally. Consequently, not new. intellectual freedom on our website: significant funds are going into develop- ing subjects with high production values The gap between who writes and teaches www.nteu.org.au/policy and, hopefully, high quality pedagogy. courses has clear implications for control of one’s intellectual freedom as a univer- However, the problem is diversion of The NTEU is developing a sity teacher. There is much concern about scarce learning and teaching development discussion paper on Australian the constrictions imposed by the online resources into these exclusive areas. The online higher education and environment of having to teach to the consequence is an increasing squeeze on is seeking members’ input program with little opportunity to explore the people, space and materials available and engagement. Contact the issues or even adapt to the student cohort. for the core university business of teaching National Policy and Research Alarm bells are ringing about the most ill undergraduates. prepared and financially struggling stu- Unit at [email protected].

Anna Stewart Memorial Project turns 30

Launched in 1984 to honour the life and work of an inspiring union activist who fought for women’s rights at work and in the union movement itself, the Anna Stewart Memorial Project is now in its 30th year of mentoring women unionists.

The Victorian Trades Hall Council runs the project twice a year, bringing women from all unions together for three weeks of intensive immersion in the work of unions. Participants spend some time together at Trades Hall, learning from a variety of women leaders about union responses to the challenges facing women in the workplace. The remainder of the program places the participants with trade unions, where they work-shadow union staff and officers, gaining hands-on experience in how unions work. These placements may be with the participants’ own unions but more often are with a union from another industry sector. Over the last 30 years, close to 40 NTEU members have participated in the Anna Stewart Memorial Project. All have found the ex- perience valuable and inspiring, and most have gone on to take up more active roles within the NTEU. Anna’s example continues to inspire greater participation by women in Australian unions, and the ASMP builds the capacity of women new to union activism, empowering them to move confidently into what can still feel too much like a male domain.

www.vthc.org.au/your-rights-at-work/vthc-womens-officer/anna-stewart-memorial-project Photo: 2013 ASMP group

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 11 Update

contained in its broad Terms of Reference As noted earlier, another issue around Commission (ToR). These stipulate that the Commis- transparency emerged when it was sion is to review the scope, efficiency, learned that the Commission’s reports size and functions of the Commonwealth would not be released publically, but of Audit: Government and, where appropriate, instead the Commission would report di- recommend cuts to jobs, services and rectly to Government. It is therefore likely outsourcing opportunities. that the first the Australian public will hear of any of the Commission’s recommenda- one-sided, It is hardly a blueprint to encourage public tions will be in the 2014 Federal Budget. engagement, but rather reads as a precon- secretive and ceived, politically nuanced ‘to do’ list from Given the important role of the Com- the Government. mission and the potential impact of its recommendations, the shroud of secrecy, While it is clear that the audit is a whole of lack of transparency and non-existent political government review and intended to pro- opportunity to query and debate its rec- vide vital advice on future public services ommendations is most alarming. In October, the Federal and spending, it is not clear whether any Government announced the areas are being specifically targeted. It is NTEU concerns commencement of the National also unclear as to what extent expenditure While NTEU’s own submission to the Commission of Audit, intended cuts (as opposed to increases in revenue) are expected to contribute to the overall Commission focused primarily on higher to be a whole of government target of achieving a budget surplus of 1% education and research, we argued that review for the purpose of of GDP prior to 2024. the broad impact of public expenditure cutting expenditure and should be considered when determining We do know, however, that one of the key reducing the size of public the value of any public service, be it in recommendations of the Commission will education, health, welfare, defence, quar- service. be its own continued existence, as it seeks antine, climate, policing, human services, to roll out a broader review of government local government etc.

The Commission is headed by Tony Shep- expenditure and structures into the future. herd, former President of the Business The NTEU shares a widespread concern

Council of Australia. Its members are that the Commission of Audit’s predom- drawn from big business interests and/or inant focus on cost cutting and privati- conservative politics: Dr Peter Boxall, Tony ✁ sation, together with the absence of a C community representative from civil Cole, Robert Fisher and Amanda Vanstone. E U The Commission’s head of secretariat and ER society or from the trade unions, H T economic adviser is conservative mac- T H risks that the Commission will ro-economist Peter Crone. U E miss the broader, yet important, C R benefits bought via public The Commission is tasked with reporting E investment. to Government in two phases: the first, due mid-February 2014, focused on public Furthermore, we have great sector performance and accountability. concerns over the Commission The second, to be delivered in May, is of Audit process and the political ✁ motives underpinning it. This designed to inform the Government’s CU considerations for the 2014–15 Budget. T H risks not being a whole of govern- E ✁ment review but instead a mechanism Neither of the Commission’s reports are to Transparency RE by which a pro-big business, anti-gov- be made publically available. and structure ernment privatisation agenda can be pursued. A short time frame The appointment of three external pro-business, non-government The ACTU, NTEU and other unions are The short time line allocated for the audit advisers as Commissioners, and the ex- currently formulating a campaign focus- is of huge concern. The wide-ranging, clusion of representatives from unions or ing on the Commission of Audit and the whole of government audit, tasked with community organisations, raises questions Government’s agenda to strip back and reviewing some $350 billion worth in over both the transparency and balance. privatise public services and assets. With expenditure, the employment of tens of It does nothing to allay fears that the the involvement of union members and thousands of Australians nationally, and Commission is a political mechanism for the broader community, the union move- complex multi level government financial the slashing or mass privatisation of public ment believes now is the time to examine and regulatory arrangements, has less services. our values and what we want from a fair than five months to produce its reports. and equitable society, and the role that In an unusual move, the Commission has It will be impossible for the Commission unions play in this. elected to not publically release the 300 or to use an evidence-based approach, or to so submissions it has received as part of its Ultimately, the purpose of this broad be able to take the full measure of the task public consultation. While many organi- based, long term campaign is to build at hand. sations (including the NTEU) have made public support for an alternative econom- Possible recommendations their submission public, others such as the ic vision for Australia and challenge the Business Council of Australia (BCA) have Government’s neo-conservative agenda. The difficulty in addressing what the not. This is a departure from standard More information on this broad based Commission may, or may not recommend, practice in relation to government inquir- campaign will be released shortly. is compounded further with the absence ies, where organisations and individuals of an issues paper. The only guide to must request that their submissions be Terri MacDonald, National Policy & what the Commission might address is kept anonymous or confidential. Research Officer page 12 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Update NTEU Lecture 2013: Professor Marian Baird

Professor Marian Baird, Professor of Employment Relations, Director of the Women and Work Research Group, University of Sydney Business School and a long- standing and active NTEU member, delivered the third current Productivity Commission’s enquiry into child care. The annual NTEU Lecture annual NTEU Lecture to a provides a public forum Professor Baird stressed the point that packed theatre at the University for eminent Australians to her and others’ research doesn’t occur in of Technology, Sydney on 5 present unique perspectives December. Her topic was ‘A a political vacuum; moreover, academic researchers have a unique opportunity to on aspects of higher Positive Tension: The Academic contribute directly to political develop- education and its impact and Policy Debates.’ ments and real outcomes through their on the economic, social and work. She argued that academics who cultural frameworks of our Professor Baird’s lecture examined the contribute to these policy debates are part question of what is the role of the aca- of a larger group, and that ‘it is the work of society. Previous lectures demic in contemporary Australia, and how the collective, rather than the individual, have been given by Chief should this role extend beyond the intel- that makes policy change happen.’ Scientist Professor Ian Chubb lectual (and political) confines of teaching (2011) and leading playwright and research within the university? But in the real world of politics the contri- butions of academics are not always pos- David Williamson AO (2012). For Professor Baird, the issue is clear. ‘As a itively viewed or received. Professor Baird university lecturer and eventually profes- noted that, on the one hand, researchers If this means at times we disagree with sor, I believe I have an obligation to give are often criticised by policy makers for public policy, then so be it.’ At the same back to the community. Not just in teach- doing research that takes a long time and time, this particular research attracted ing students, but in a more active role that is poorly targeted and communicated. wide media coverage, and provided aca- hopefully educates and influences beyond On the other hand, the research that is demic gravitas to the Your Rights At Work the lecture theatre.’ produced is not always well received by campaign. Unarguably, it was a significant policy makers. component of the overwhelming com- Challenging the notion of the university as munity momentum that was built, which the ivory tower divorced from the realities She outlined the experiences of a group then swept the Howard Government out of contemporary life, Professor Baird’s view of researchers in which she was involved of office. is that ‘universities are real worlds with that analysed the potential effects of the real issues to contend with.’ They are the changes on low paid women that were Which brings us to Professor Baird’s final engine rooms of ideas and a space where brought in by the Howard Government’s point, that unions are significant agents people of different ages, religions and WorkChoices legislation. In a short few for positive social change in Australian backgrounds interact in ‘wonderful social months, the research team produced state public policy, and ‘can be the channels hubs emblematic of society, rather than and federal reports that indicated that low for the research we do.’ The campaign for being cut off from society.’ paid women would be severely disadvan- paid maternity leave is a good example, taged; they would have less job security, particularly in the higher education sector. Professor Baird is an academic who tries suffer reductions in pay and conditions, to influence public policy debate and Professor Baird concluded that her experi- and have less say in determining their development, and engages in advocating ence has been a positive tension between working lives. for those who are trying to change and her contribution to public policy debates improve public policy. The research was immediately criticised and her teaching and research. ‘The work- by Howard Government ministers who load has been high but the outcomes have Her area of expertise over many years has attacked the researchers’ methodologies been tangible.’ been paid parental leave. A pioneer of and tried to undermine their personal the original round table on paid mater- The 2014 NTEU Lecture will be delivered in credibility. But as Professor Baird said, ‘As nity leave in 2001, Professor Baird has the second half of the year. academics who value academic freedom contributed to parental leave enquiries it is also valuable for us to recognise and conducted by the Human Rights Commis- Michael Evans, National Organiser endorse this – that is, not to feel the need sion and the Productivity Commission, For further information and to read the or pressure to produce academic research consulted on reviews of various iterations full text of each Lecture: that fits with the government of the day. of industrial relations legislation and the www.nteu.org.au/lecture

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 13 Casuals News I know what you did last summer

Most people look forward to the summer break. What’s not to love? There’s the beach, the Boxing Day Test and copious amounts of honey-glazed ham and vino to be consumed on Christmas Day. But for many casual academics the summer break can be a time of hardship and stress.

From the first week of November to the first week of March, many casual academ- sick pay or holiday pay and they receive repayments. In another disturbing phe- ics must either find alternative employ- half the superannuation of permanent nomenon, it is by no means atypical to ment or rely upon government welfare staff. An enormous amount of unpaid hear younger casual academics seriously payments to simply make ends meet. work is expected to be performed by question whether or not they can afford to Others find themselves drawing upon casuals ostensibly in the interest of fur- start a family. thering their own academic standing. It is their savings or those of their partners and It is also important to note that women not unusual to be ‘invited’ to deliver guest family. In a disturbing trend, many more are disproportionately represented in the lectures on very short notice without a are maxing out credit cards or taking high cohort employed as casual academics and commensurate increase in pay. interest short-term personal loans to get it is women who therefore are the most through the break in employment. disadvantaged. After a decade of research Of course, a small number of casual It is the personal training, and a history of peer-reviewed academics are able to scrape together a experiences of casual publications, many women are forced to leave academia due to the insecure nature modest salary by teaching a few hours per academics that reveal the week of summer intensive classes. But in of casual work and lack of access to paid doing so most are only marginally better insidious and negligent core maternity leave. These women simply off than their colleagues who are receiving of casual work. have no choice but to change careers in welfare payments. pursuit of more permanent work. So, as you might now understand, the It is the personal experiences of casual University departments are also summer break for many casual academics academics that reveal the insidious and saving significant amounts of money by is not much of a break at all. Permanent negligent core of casual work. Imagine for refusing to pay casuals who are required staff members enjoy a well deserved few a moment what it would be like to have to attend staff meetings or complete com- weeks of leave while casual academics next to no money to buy groceries at the pulsory online training modules. Class are staring down the barrel of an insecure local supermarket. Now imagine how the sizes are now so large that casual tutors working future. According to the latest stress would be compounded if you had a and lecturers are swamped with emails data, the casualisation of our sector is partner and children to support. from students and have to respond after increasing at a rapid rate and if we as a their working hours have concluded. Such accounts are not fabricated and they Union do nothing to address this situation do not need embellishment. Too many All of the casual academics I know then the future of tertiary education in casual academics find themselves barely genuinely love their profession and go Australia will be bleak. surviving as they are suspended in a state well beyond their position descriptions in Union members employed as casual aca- of near constant poverty. order to assist their students. Recently, a demics are passionate and hard working. number of colleagues of mine were even It is the employment uncertainty They care deeply about their profession joking that the only time they could find confronting casual academics that is and want to see the very best for all to respond to student emails was during a most distressing. Casuals are cheap and academics. Will you support the most mar- sporting fixture at the MCG. provide the flexibility craved by university ginalised group of workers in our sector? management. They are paid by the hour Tragically, this uncertainty and insecurity Now is the time for action. and can have their working timetables is severely impacting the future plans changed at any moment. Indeed, most and opportunities of casual academics. Dustin Halse, Swinburne University casuals nervously wait until just prior to When the summer and mid-year breaks Dustin (pictured above) teaches politics the commencement of a semester to find are taken into account, casual academics and history at Swinburne University out if they even have job! are often employed for no more than 26 and is a member of the Swinburne Insti- tute for Social Research. He is an NTEU It doesn’t get much better for casuals weeks of the year; as a consequence many are struggling to secure finance to buy Branch Committee member and has a when the conditions of employment are passion for organising casual academics. considered. Casuals do not have access to a home or are unable to meet mortgage page 14 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Casuals News

ation meetings at the University. Given Ongoing jobs for the words in the Agreement – which are difficult to enforce – and the traditional National sessionals won at reluctance of the Commission to interfere in managerial prerogative, the eventual Insecure Work Swinburne outcome was an extraordinary win for Swinburne Branch. Conference NTEU has held Swinburne Management were finally convinced they University to account for relying could no longer avoid remedial action Planning is currently far too heavily on casual and and eventually agreed in settlement of underway for a national sessional staff. the dispute to create fifty ongoing and NTEU conference fixed-term positions for sessional staff who on insecure forms of had worked at Swinburne for more than employment in higher The Swinburne Enterprise Agreement 2009 four years. put a cap on casual employment, with a education. provision that the University would ‘use This defeat is one reason Swinburne are its best endeavours’ to reduce casual pushing to a non-union ballot on their Higher education managers have re- employment to 20% FTE over the life of draft Agreement which removes existing sponded to the government funding the Agreement. By 2013, this figure was commitments to limit casual employment. gap by short changing staff and stu- up to 32%. Their original agreement to such a clause dents. The proportion and numbers appears to have been contingent on the of staff in precarious work – casual The NTEU lodged a dispute with the Fair NTEU never being so crass as to seek to and contract just keeps increasing. Work Commission which was heard by enforce it! Vice-President Catanzariti over several Students are increasingly reliant months. The Vice-President took a hands Elizabeth McGrath, National Industrial upon the commitment of casual and on approach, conducting many concili- Officer contract, as well as ongoing, staff who are often giving excessive hours of voluntary labour as lecturers, tu- (with many starting at A6- B2), and tors, demonstrators, lab technicians, A measure most provide for promotion. librarians, education developers, student advisors, counsellors, admin- Where fixed-term, most STFs explicitly istrators, HR officers etc. The pattern provide for the right to convert (after is that formerly ongoing academic of job 3 years) and maximum teaching loads and general staff positions are being to provide time for scholarship and abolished or casualised, which leaves research. security people out of a job, a career and At some universities these provisions income while the remaining staff pick The battle to reduce long-term operate in conjunction with existing up the workload. clauses aimed at reducing or capping casual employment continues Australia’s world renowned research casual employment. For example, the effort is reliant upon researchers in bargaining with good Swinburne University Agreement com- struggling from contract to contract, outcomes at most universities. mits the University to not increasing without any confidence in employ- ‘overall usage of casual staff’ above lev- ment continuity and the opportuni- The NTEU’s Scholarly Teaching Fellow els at a fixed date in 2009 (which were ties to consolidate a career or make (STF) claim has a goal of providing 21.5% of FTE at the time), and to con- life choices. on-going jobs for work previously done currently attempt to reduce the number by casuals. of FTE casual positions as a proportion This conference will examine the of total academic staff by 1% over the Most of the 17 Agreements made professional and industrial impacts of life of the Agreement. The University of so far include this proviso. Only the insecure employment upon staff and South Australia Agreement commits the Melbourne University Agreement does the consequences for the ongoing University to limiting casual employ- not set a target, although the University quality of university teaching, re- ment to 25% of its academic workforce. and NTEU have agreed to a target of search and engagement. The objec- tive is to further develop the NTEU’s 60 new positions for the two forms of Many Agreements also include a con- organising and industrial strategies employment which will replace casual version to on-going work clause and and campaigns. work, and to agree the detail of how some provide facilities for casual staff this will work. – a provision we are seeking to extend The focus will be upon three groups throughout the sector. The STF targets approximate 20% of of staff caught in precarious em- ployment arrangements: academic the current casual employment within The NTEU encourages casual and non- casuals, researchers (academic and an enterprise. NTEU has so far achieved casual members to assist in talking to general) on limited term contracts 402 STF positions for the sector. sessional/casual staff within their work- and academic and general staff fund- places, to sign them up and to spread So what do these jobs look like? Each of ed through ‘soft money’. the word on what the Union is doing to the STF clauses provide for continuing improve job security for workers in the work. Around half also provide for fixed Interested members are invited to sector. term jobs, but most of these must fit join a reference group to advise the conference organisers. Contact the into a current fixed term category. The Susan Kenna, National Industrial majority have a salary scale of Level A- B National President, Jeannie Rea at Officer [email protected].

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 15 Indigenous News WIPC:E 2014 An opportunity for international exchange

This year’s World Indigenous People’s Conference in Education (WIPC:E) will be held in May in Hawai’i. Furthermore, there is the potential Trans-Pacific challenge to the ability to protect (as Over the course of five days, this triennial custodians of the land) the landscape global conference brings together some of Partnership a and biodiversity and ward off attacks the world’s foremost Indigenous educa- to the integrity of the environment that tional practitioners to discuss the many new threat to have been hard won, such as the Wild issues impacting Indigenous research, Rivers legislation in Far North Queens- the trials and tribulations of the various our sovereignty land. sectors and other things such as inclusive community learning spaces. Sacred sites would also be at greater There are some concerns for risk than they are currently. WIPC:E also serves as a vital networking Aboriginal and Torres Strait opportunity, as well as an amazing and Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) completely unique cultural space. To see Islander People in the current would enable foreign investors the so many Indigenous cultures represented secret negotiation of a new right to sue the Australian government in the one spot and have the ability to free trade agreement, the for lost profits. Currently, El Salvador experience these cultures is truly a gift. Trans-Pacific Partnership is being sued because the Indigenous population is opposing a gold mine This year, the NTEU will deliver two papers (TPP). that would pollute their water supply. at the conference. The first seminar NTEU will deliver will be based on the two Accusations of loss of sovereignty by It has been said about TPP that ‘It’s not reports we have released following Indig- nation states have been raised as has free, it’s not about trade and there isn’t enous members’ surveys – I’m not a racist, the threat to everything from intellec- much agreement on it’. One might add but… and Whole-of-University’ Approach to tual property to the pharmaceutical that it is also not fair and needs to be Indigenous Student Support. They will draw benefits schemes. fought vigorously and urgently. specifically on racism, discrimination and Of particular concern to Aboriginal lateral violence within the academy, as Terry Mason, Chair, people is the attack on intellectual Indigenous Policy Committee. well as the mainstreaming agendas afoot property of a cultural nature and the at many campuses. Read more about the threat of the loss of ownership and flow-on benefit TPP on p. 29. The second seminar will feature a from traditional medicines. cross-union panel bringing together Indig- enous representatives from the NTEU, New Zealand’s Tertiary Education Union (TEU) and the Canadian Association of Univer- sity Teachers (CAUT) to discuss the many issues facing Indigenous union members on a regional scale. This seminar will be promoted to other unions sending delegates and it is our hope that from this an ongoing network of Indigenous higher education unionists can be established to foster exchange as well as set the groundwork for an Indigenous Caucus at Education International. The National Indigenous Unit looks for- ward to engaging with Indigenous union activists, as well as discussing Indigenous education on a global level. We also hope to see many NTEU members in attendance The most important trade and look forward to touching base with you there. negotiation you’ve never heard of The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a secret trade treaty that threatens your consumer rights. wipce2014.com For more information visit www.choice.com.au/tellmemore

page 16 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Indigenous News John Pilger’s Utopia

John Pilger’s latest film, and therefore Utopia is unlikely to draw a The Indigenous Policy Committee (IPC), mainstream crowd. in light of the fact that the NTEU has Utopia, an important long recognised the right of First Peoples Within the two hour film, Pilger covers a to assert sovereignty, both within the lot of ground. He explores Australia Day look at Indigenous Union and externally, felt it was timely to and the reinforcement of a hegemonic reinforce the NTEU’s stance on Indigenous Australia and the issue of nationalist culture at the cost of acknowl- sovereignty and therefore takes the posi- edgement of Indigenous dispossession. sovereignty, was released tion that recognition of sovereign peoples Pilger investigates deaths in custody and who have never ceded that sovereignty how these continue to occur despite the locally in January. needs to come first. Royal Commission held 27 years ago. Not of public interest... He looks at the extraordinary wealth in This too is the final argument that Pilger this country and juxtaposes this with the makes within his film: that sovereignty Utopia, which was released initially in extreme poverty and lack of basic services needs to be recognised and a treaty needs the UK to generally rave reviews, has had found in many remote communities. to be negotiated. That due to the current a great deal of trouble being state of play, policies affecting picked up for screenings at most Indigenous lives are imposed cinemas in this country. Some rather than negotiated and this major cinema chains have ex- needs to change in order to pressed that Utopia is not of pub- create a fairer society. lic interest or is too confronting and/or controversial for release Screenings for members with them. Therefore, it has been The National Indigenous Unit mostly reliant on activist groups and the IPC would like to encour- and not-for-profit organisations age people to see Utopia at the holding community screenings limited community screenings to get its message out there. being held around the country. Screenings will be happening Additionally, we would like on SBS soon, and a few NTEU Branches and Divisions to con- branches have shown prelimi- sider holding screenings for their nary interest in holding screen- members and students, giving ings for members and students, them the opportunity to engage but it’s pretty safe to assume that with the material and draw their the majority of Australians will own conclusions from it. not be seeing this film, despite the fact Pilger investigates the ongoing conflict To this end, members of the National that they should. with regards to land rights, and how the Indigenous Unit and the IPC are available interests of the mining industry tend to The reason why it is felt that Utopia is not to attend screenings and answer ques- win out time and time again with little of public interest is that it tells the story of tions on the sovereignty motion and other benefit going to first peoples. He exam- Aboriginal Australia, drawing on historical stances that the National Indigenous Cau- ines years of failed policy or policy geared facts and footage but showing some of cus has taken over the years. Should you around acts of assimilation. In short: this the key issues as they are right now. be interested in organising a screening, is an incredibly dense film, and tells an please email [email protected]. The hidden truth ongoing story of dispossession, disparity and neglect. Celeste Liddle, National Indigenous In creating Utopia, John Pilger has created Organiser a film that many Australians would prefer Indigenous sovereignty did not exist because it paints a picture For further information on Utopia: At NTEU National Council in 2013, a so contrary to the ideals of egalitarianism utopiajohnpilger.co.uk motion of Indigenous sovereignty was and the ‘fair go for all’ that many feel are passed. This motion was in response to the To read a more in depth review on the the cornerstones of this country. In fact, mounting Australian government cam- film written by Celeste Liddle: his material shows nothing new. paign to have Aboriginal and Torres Strait tracker.org.au/2014/01/ Anyone who has some knowledge of Islander peoples recognised within the Utopia-an-aboriginal-perspective the Aboriginal political situation in this Constitution and was in recognition of the More information about the NTEU’s country would have a reasonable grasp fact that at this point in time, this proposal Sovereignty motion is available in the of the issues Pilger presents. The majority has bipartisan support in the Australian November 2013 issue of Advocate: of people in this country, however, do not parliament and there has therefore been have real knowledge of the Indigenous little space to discuss the counterpoints to www.nteu.org.au/advocate political situation for a number of reasons this proposal.

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 17 Higher education and the age of uncertainty

At 7.30pm on Tuesday 13 May 2014, Treasurer Joe Hockey While both the Commission of Audit and the Kemp Norton Review will have report- will deliver the Abbott Government’s first Budget. While ed to the Commonwealth well before the Budget is delivered, the first the Australian we do not know what impact the Budget will have on public is likely to know about either is on higher education, we do know that the Government’s Budget night. Based on public statements to date, however, neither is likely to rec- general policy framework will be strongly influenced ommend the significant increase in public funding per student that our universities by the Commission of Audit and that those parts of the desperately need. Budget that deal specifically with university funding Higher education is not likely to be quar- will be shaped by the findings of the Kemp Norton antined from any general cuts to gov- ernment spending recommended by the Review of the Demand Driven Model (DDM). Commission of Audit. We would expect the size of recommended cuts to go be- yond the $2.3 billion in savings announced in April 2013. Increasing fees Kemp and Norton might well let the Gov- ernment off the hook if they recommend allowing universities to increase Com- monwealth supported student place (CSP) contributions (HECS fees). When HECS was first introduced, students paid on average 20 per cent of the cost of their education; today this is 40 per cent. Any recommendation to increase student fees without a matching increase in public Paul Kniest investment will shift the burden even Policy & Research Coordinator more heavily onto the shoulders of univer- sity students and their families. Regret- tably, a number of universities and their peak bodies are actively promoting such a

page 18 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate change in the funding mix and advocating Participation and Partnership Program While the Government might argue that for a deregulation of HECS fees. (HEPPP), while minimising the very real changing market share simply reflects risks associated with this greater contest- students voting with their feet, NTEU Any significant increases in student fees ability. would question whether students’ choices will make attending an Australian public are based on better information or just university the most expensive in the While the DDM was only fully implement- superficial marketing and branding world. However, an equally if not more ed in 2012, the Government’s intention to exercises which amount to little more than problematic out- introduce it togeth- sloganeering (see article on university come of the DDM re- er with transitional slogans, p. 34). view is the prospect arrangements was that the Government Any significant increases announced in 2009. If anyone doubts the possibility of will adopt the very in student fees will make Therefore, in addi- misleading and or deceptive marketing likely recommenda- attending an Australian tion to the demon- practices in tertiary education in Australia, tion for CSP funding public university the most strably detrimental they only need to read an Australia Skills to be made more expensive in the world. impacts of greater Quality Authority (ASQA) 2013 report enti- contestable, and contestability in VET tled Marketing and advertising practices of opened up to private funding on public Australia’s registered training organisation non-university pro- TAFE colleges, the (see www.asqa.gov.au). viders. transition to the DDM has also provided For example, the report found that almost very strong clues as to the real risks of an We know that the open market approach one in two (45%) of registered training open market in higher education. to Vocational Education and Training organisations could be in breach of the (VET) has been riddled with a myriad of One of the more significant threats of the nationally legislated standards required for fiscal and regulatory problems, including DDM is related to its fiscal or budgetary registration with respect to their mar- budget blowouts, false and misleading sustainability. The proposed $900 million keting and advertising. One of the more advertising of courses and failure of some cut to university grants (efficiency divi- common breaches was providers claiming providers to meet minimum standards. dend) and conversion of student start-up a student could complete a course in an In a recent article in The Australian, John scholarships to loans (saving an extra $1.2 unrealistic time. Ross (‘VET in crisis as pressure mounts’, 15 billion) announced in April 2013 were a January) noted that Victoria ‘has seen nu- direct response to a blowout in Common- DDM affect on casualisation merous overhauls as the government tries wealth spending on higher education, However, from the NTEU’s point of view to contain rorting and budget blowouts because of a larger than expected increase what is of greater importance is the by rejigging market settings’. in Commonwealth supported enrolments. impact the introduction of the DDM and Demand driven model There is also evidence to suggest that any further deregulation will have on the the increasing competition associated nature of employment at our universi- In the NTEU’s submission to DDM we with the transition to and introduction ties. Greater uncertainty leads to greater strongly argued against further dereg- of DDM has resulted in higher levels of reliance on casual employment. ulation and contestability of university uncertainty about future CSP loads. For This outcome is overwhelming demon- funding, and proposed a ‘flexible but example, while the growth in the number strated in Chart 1, which shows the more coordinated approach’ to allocating of CSPs has increased by about 25 per cent reliance of casual employment since 2009. university places. between 2008 and 2012, this varied signifi- The rapid increase in reliance on casual Our proposal was to use strengthened cantly between universities, with growth employees since 2008 just happens to mission-based compacts and funding being less than 10 per cent for ANU, UTS correspond to the announcement to intro- agreements to allow universities to pursue and UniSA, but more than 50 per cent at duce the DDM. The slight decrease in 2013 their own individual missions while Swinburne, Macquarie and ACU. Notre simply adds to the uncertainty. giving the government a higher degree of Dame, the University of the Sunshine We must learn lessons from the impact certainty over the level and distribution Coast and non-university providers also that greater contestability of public of funding. This model would allow the had very large increases, but it must be funding has had on public TAFE colleges. community to enjoy all of the benefits acknowledged this was from a very low Can we afford to have the viability of our (including increased participation by tra- base. Greater competition has resulted internationally competitive universities ditionally underrepresented groups) that in significant shifts in CSP market share undermined by a contestable funding sys- might flow from the DDM in combination between universities, and such shifts will tem introduced on the basis of an unques- with policies, such as the Higher Education only become greater under a more con- testable market model. tioned faith in the operation of markets, despite considerable empirical evidence to the contrary? 17% 16.6 16.3 16.2

16% 16.0 16.0 15.8 15.7

15.2 15.1 15.1 15.1 15% 14.8 14.9

14% 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Chart 1: Estimated casual FTE as share of total university workforce, Australian universities, 2001–2013 Source: Higher Education Selected Staff Data 2013 (Tables 1.3 and 1.4)

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 19 Humanities & social science under attack

The Abbott Government has announced it plans to ‘Redirecting’ funding redirect Australian Research Council (ARC) funding from The Australian Research Council (ARC) has a broad mission, as stated on its ‘ridiculous’ research in the humanities and social science website: ‘to deliver policy and programs that advance Australian research and to research ‘on things that really matter.’ innovation globally and benefit the com- munity’. Its national competitive grants scheme supports high quality research, both fundamental and applied, ‘across all disciplines’, except for clinical medical and dental research, which are the province of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). In 2012–13, the ARC administered $879 million in national competitive grants (including around $530 million to 1168 Discovery grants, and $130 million to 267 Linkage grants). In December last year, the Abbott Government’s mid-financial year budget statement announced $103 million of funding for the ARC would be ‘redirected’ over four years, along with a cut of $10 million over four years to the Centres of Excellence program. The Government uses the weasel word ‘redirected’, rather than ‘cut’, specifying that some of the funding being cut from the ARC’s Discovery and Linkage programs Andrew Bonnell will go to diabetes and dementia research: areas which fall under the remit of the Associate Professor in History, UQ NHMRC, rather than the ARC, so it is effec- President, NTEU Queensland Division tively a very substantial hit for fundamen- tal and applied research to all disciplines except medical research. Photos: ‘The Past’ (above) and ‘The Future’ (opposite), National Archives, Washington DC, by D B King DC, by Washington Archives, National (opposite), Future’ ‘The and (above) Past’ ‘The Photos: page 20 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Right vs wrong research dently ridiculous, especially by conserva- Trashing Australia’s reputation tives who claimed to esteem the Western This announcement was foreshadowed in cultural heritage and who insist on the While cuts to humanities and social science September last year, during the election importance of the family. research may thus have a limited degree of campaign, when a Coalition politician political logic behind them, they are clearly identified by sycophantic media as a ‘rising Culture Wars counter-productive in policy terms. They star’ attacked what he called ‘ridiculous’ and have the capacity to affect our universi- wasteful grants in the humanities, and the It would be easy to dismiss such attacks ties’ precious international reputations, figure of $103 million was already specified. on the humanities and social sciences as reducing Australian scholars’ capacity to philistine, because they obviously are. But engage in international conversations on ‘We want research in Australia but we that response might lead one to overlook disciplines which have been at the centre want it focused on things that really mat- the faux-populist political manoeuvre of universities’ life for centuries. ter,’ the rising star stated. Topics singled going on here. out as supposedly ‘ridiculous’ included At a time when the Government claims research into sexuality and Islam and a When a political party, like today’s Liberal to be promoting engagement with Asia couple of projects in philosophy. Party, is essentially committed to making through a so-called ‘New Colombo Plan’, the richest one per cent even wealthier scholarly research on Asia will suffer, and The Coalition has form when it comes and more powerful, it needs to garner with it our capacity to understand our to attacking research in humanities and political support by pretending to sym- region. At a time when the government the social sciences. In 2004–05, the then pathise with ordinary suburban voters, in claims to be promoting understanding of Education Minister Brendan Nelson vetoed this case by claiming to protect hard- the Western tradition in schools, the living four Discovery grants in the only case of earned taxpayers’ dollars from supposed- scholarly engagement with that tradition ministerial censorship of grants that has ly self-indulgent intellectual and cultural will be curtailed. And research into Aus- ever become public in Australia (so far). elites. tralia’s own culture, history and society will Nelson then appointed a committee of be hampered. right-wing ideologues including the late This was the logic behind the culture wars Quadrant editor P P McGuinness to vet waged by the Howard Government, with Disciplines such as philosophy are also, of applications. the assistance of the Murdoch media. It course, valuable in themselves, not just on is a political strategy copied from the US utilitarian grounds, but for what they tell After the Coalition attack on humanities Republican Right, who have been success- us about the human condition. It is to be grants in September 2013, Nobel Prize ful in the past at advancing the interests hoped that university vice-chancellors will winner Professor Peter Doherty recalled of large and predatory corporate lobbies start to speak out in their defence. this episode, saying: by addressing the cultural anxieties of the people whose very jobs are being In the meantime, the ARC is playing a dead I hope we’re not moving back to the destroyed in the process. bat to questions about the future funding Howard era where a committee of su- of humanities disciplines, saying that all premely unqualified people scrutinised It also reflects an increasingly ideological- disciplines will continue to be able to ARC grant titles for ‘political correctness’, ly-driven form of winner-takes-all politics, apply for funding. But the pot is shrinking that is, in terms of the politics of the right. in which public spending is subject to a significantly, and either the current 20 per partisan spoils system. Public resources Back in the late 1980s, when the Coalition cent success rate for Discovery grant ap- are to be redirected from academics were in opposition, they set up a Waste plications will get even lower, or the sums (who are assumed to be left-leaning) and Watch committee that also singled out disbursed will shrink, or both. industries with unionised workers, and humanities projects funded by the ARC for redistributed instead to the Coalition’s And then there is still the potential for ridicule, including one on ‘Motherhood in constituencies. ‘ministerial discretion’. Will Christopher Ancient Rome’. I could never understand Pyne be able to resist the temptation to why such a project was deemed self-evi- act as an ideological censor?

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 21 Is the ERA antithetical to intellectual freedom?

A year after the release of the Excellence in Research Based upon existing public debate, there appears to be fierce disagreement about Australia (ERA) 2012 National Report, the Australian the appropriate balance between metrics and peer review. From some quarters Research Council (ARC) is preparing for the 2015 ERA the assessment of impact is unnecessary exercise, though clouds remain over the assessment of unless buckets of funding are allocated through the assessment. research impact, and whether it will still be a metric At the start of 2014, draft ERA 2015 driven approach. submission documents were made available for public comment, though the guidelines are currently bereft of any reference to the intended new measures of impact and engagement. Notably they also fail to reform or repudiate the kinds of institutional game-playing that the NTEU warned about in our 2013 report Impact of ERA Research Assessment on University Behaviour and their Staff. One of the NTEU recommendations was intended to address the fact that some ad- ministrators had been clearly empowered to designate, reallocate and hide research outputs without touching base with the relevant researchers. The complaint was that this was also leading to implications (often badly matched) in the way central finance units apportioned research funding. With the new draft guidelines, the failure Jen T Kwok to ensure that eligible researchers provide Policy & Research Officer consent means the lack of transparen- cy about these kinds of strategies will worsen.

page 22 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Acil Allen Review the anticipated performance of a staff Policy member in an ERA assessment exercise If there is any policy development that re- is considered’ and that ‘the roll-out of a Advocacy flects the NTEU’s ongoing concerns about unified academic staff classifications and university adaption to the ERA, it is the promotions policy in which research track ARC-sponsored ERA Benefit’s Realisation record is of primary importance’. Many of website revamp Review which inadvertently confirmed these expectations sit outside the purview that the ERA has been instrumental in of collective agreements. The NTEU has revamped modifying not only university behaviour the policy area of our but also conditions of employment. In Who protects your intellectual national website to make what many might see as a direct response freedom? to the NTEU’s recommendations, this was our vast range of policy an assessment, conducted by Acil Allen On another note, the Review states that resources more user- Consulting, on the benefits the ERA had the ERA influenced the management and friendly to members. generated for publicly-funded research in coordination of research activities, such as their longer term strategic planning Australia. If you blinked at the end of 2013, In the new Policy Advocacy area process at 80 per cent of universities. Inter- you may have missed it. there are six sections covering areas estingly, this included the ‘discontinuance of ongoing higher education policy There were some fundamental problems of areas of research activity’ at almost 78 work: Workforce Issues, Funding, Reg- with the Acil Allen Review. Even though it per cent of institutions. was about ‘benefits realisation’, and con- ulation and Governance, Learning stantly repeated a mantra about ‘costs sav- How such measures can remain consistent and Teaching, Research and Interna- ings’ and ‘cost effectiveness’, it was unable with one of the strategic national aims tional Education. of sustaining the breadth of research to demonstrate an increase in the social Each of these contains news about excellence is not clear. In fact, all that rate of return, let alone the actual cost of what’s happening in the sector, remains clear is that on matters of research the ERA to the ARC. A separate opinion as well as issue-specific resources management the ARC’s relationship with piece by Professor Byrne stated that the and dedicated information to assist the sector is primarily guided by the desire ERA cost the ARC $43.5m for the trials and members. two full audits in 2010 and 2012 (and how to ‘focus research effort’ and ‘improve much did it indirectly cost the sector?). resource allocation’. For example, in the Workforce Issues section you will find information This is how the ‘realisation of benefit’ is Though positively portrayed by the ARC, on intellectual freedom, workplace coded. These kinds of benefits are to be the Review corroborates the NTEU’s stress, casual and insecure work, and pursued whether or not they result in concern that the ERA has influenced staff the professionalisation of general increased social rates of return, and irre- recruitment and retention. For instance, staff roles. In the Funding section you spective of whether they damage either it states the ERA influenced recruitment can learn how to understand your the autonomy or productivity of individual decisions at three-quarters of universities, institution’s financial statements. In researchers. With these policy goals in and that ERA results informed decisions International Education you will find mind, we can continue to expect a lack about staff retention in over half. These useful guides on offshore teaching. In of respect for intellectual (or academic) kinds of decisions were typified by the Research section you will find an freedom within the ERA process, within targeted academic redundancies at the in-depth IP FAQ guide, or more about relevant ERA documentation, and in the University of Sydney in 2012, humanities the Defence Trade Controls Act. and social sciences at La Trobe, and the changing employment conditions of staff. There are also two sections dedicated music program at ANU. We would encourage more voices of mem- to outlining the breadth of member bers in public debate. If you would like to The ERA is portrayed throughout the Re- resources. In the Legislation and share your experiences around research view as having an active role in changing Submissions section you can browse performance expectations, please feel free the very nature of the academic employ- chronologically through a list of to contact your Branch or the National ment relationship. Surveyed universities NTEU submissions, or look for higher Office at [email protected]. stated that ERA results were used in education legislation currently before decisions relating to: Jen T Kwok, Policy & Research Officer parliament. In the Resources section you can find links to key organisa- • Staff performance (39%); Download the Acil Allen Review at: tions and higher education data • Professional development (36%); www.arc.gov.au/era/era_brr.htm sources. • Promotion (34%); Download the 2013 NTEU report ‘Impact Considering that the employment of ERA Research Assessment on Univer- conditions of Australian university • Remuneration (8%). sity Behaviour and their Staff’ at: staff are steered by the allocation Comments in the Review highlighted www.nteu.org.au/policy/research/era/ of Commonwealth funding and a that ‘Staff recruitment and retention documents host of overlapping Commonwealth now involves an ERA component, where regulatory environments, the work of the NTEU depends upon its capacity to affect public policy on behalf of members’ interests. We are hoping that these resources make policy knowledge more readily available too.

www.nteu.org.au/policy

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 23 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Affairs The more things change, the more they stay the same

The announcement by In formalising this administrative change, low William Sanders, writing on the topic it can only be assumed that the Govern- of Indigenous affairs after the Howard the Abbott Government ment expects that the transfer of over decade, said: $2 billion dollars of Indigenous specific Th(e) right for Indigenous peoples to be that the Department funding from other departments and port- recognised as enduring political entities folios will see a much needed alignment of Prime Minister and is something which Howard, individ- and coordination of Aboriginal and Torres ually, and the Howard Government Cabinet would now be Strait Islander programs. more generally, has always had trouble the new one-stop-shop Will this truly be the case, or will the transfer accepting. of funding be used to create a wall of good The need to be seen to do ‘something’ in for a range of previously intentions with no substance? How can we the Indigenous affairs portfolio during be confident that this model for Indigenous departmentalised any government’s time in office is usually affairs does not simply play to a continua- informed or overridden by pure ideology tion of a flour, sugar and tea approach to Indigenous funding or changes in the political wind – the con- Aboriginal and Torres Strait issues? programs, may be viewed sequences are not always positive. For too long now, governments of all per- As with any significant change in the as a progressive and suasions have used Aboriginal and Torres Indigenous affairs or other portfolio areas, Strait Islander affairs as a political football. the usual explanations from the relevant necessary step for the In recent years the Indigenous community government ministers seem to placate any has been kicked through the unjustifia- achievement of the stated concerns from the wider voting popula- ble actions taken as part of the Northern tion. Without further thought and consid- goals for Aboriginal and Territory Emergency Response (the eration, this new one-stop-shop approach Intervention), to (as the game progressed) will be touted as being the new ‘best Torres Strait Islander handpassing the Indigenous community practice’ and the most financially sound to the moral high ground of the Apology. affairs – but will the reality approach to ensure the gap is closed, the If history is to be a guide, the record of budget is adhered to and that ultimately match the rhetoric or will the former Coalition Government cannot Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peo- be held up as the benchmark for building ples will reap the benefits. tokenism continue to rein better relations with the Aboriginal and over substance? Torres Strait Islander community. Should Defying colonisation we be concerned? The full title of William Sanders 2006 paper Coalition’s track record is ‘Indigenous affairs after the Howard decade: An administrative revolution while Unfortunately, the two major achieve- defying decolonisation’. I have chosen to ments of the previous Coalition Govern- highlight the sub-title of the paper as I feel ment in Indigenous affairs were to disman- that this description is entirely appropriate tle the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and describes in a very apt way, recent Commission (ATSIC) in 2004, thereby moves by the current Coalition Govern- destabilising Aboriginal affairs for the next ment. It is not reality to assume that a three year period and, in 2007, introducing realignment of Indigenous funding will the Intervention. lead to better outcomes; it may be a first Adam Frogley While ATSIC was not perfect, governments step, but it must not be the only step. This National Indigenous Officer of the day do not necessarily act to put is where the new Coalition Government ideology to one-side to ensure the best must break with their ideological tradition, outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait but the likelihood of this occurring is, at Islander communities. In 2006, ANU Fel- best, unlikely.

page 24 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Let me propose a scenario for you. For the next few years the treaty promise was Exploring the second question, consider those fortunate to be born in this country, watered down to become reconciliation, now the issues pertaining to constitutional I can only assume that your family has and the Council of Aboriginal Reconcilia- recognition for Indigenous peoples. The and continues to live in the same manner tion (CAR) was formed. CAR’s mandate was current Government and Opposition that previous generations have. We all live to achieve reconciliation by the year 2000; advocate for inclusion of Aboriginal under long-established law (or lore) and fourteen years on, it is clear that we still and Torres Strait Islander peoples into have particular customs and ways of doing have a long way to go to achieve that goal. the Constitution. This may be achieved business. We also have implemented time through inserting a paragraph or two Nineteen years after Hawke’s treaty prom- honoured ways of educating, healing and detailing the fact there were people here ise, the election of the Rudd Government accommodating and caring for members prior to invasion/settlement, as well as in 2007 was viewed as a new dawn for of our society. replacing those race-based sections of the relations between Indigenous and non-In- Constitution (Sections 25 and 51(xxvi)). How would you feel then, if tomorrow digenous Australians. Prime Minister Like others, I also have many questions your way of life was immediately restricted Kevin Rudd led the charge, ratifying the pertaining to this vexed topic. Will consti- and regulated, over and above that of United Nations Declaration of the Rights tutional recognition be achieved and what other citizens? Imagine you and your fam- of Indigenous Peoples and, on 13 February will this mean? If constitutional recog- ily were instructed that you will now no 2008, delivering the historic Apology nition is achieved, does this fit into the longer live how you wish to live; you were that recognised the hurt, pain, loss and tokenistic or substantive basket and what restricted to living in an area deemed by suffering of the Stolen Generation. After happens next? And, finally, if achieved, will authorities as prescribed; that you would 220 years it was long overdue. Unfortu- Australian society be willing to move to no longer have total control of your in- nately, the new dawn did not last long – in the next step in the process of healing and come and that income would be managed fact we barely hit morning tea before the recognition: a treaty? in an ‘appropriate’ way. symbolic rhetoric disappeared and the practical intentions of the Labor Govern- Constitutional recognition is not a treaty; This is neither an imaginary scenario nor a ment were made known. so from my perspective a question must fictional tale from a century ago; this is the again be asked: will constitutional recogni- way of life for many Aboriginal and Torres The Apology & the Intervention tion really be appropriate for the long- Strait Islander families today. To quote an term benefit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait oft used analogy, the more things change Despite what appeared to be intentions Islander peoples and culture? I know that the more they stay the same. to the contrary, the Rudd Government deemed it appropriate to continue the despite the best intentions, the outcome Lessons of history Howard Government’s Northern Territory of any referendum will only ensure that a Intervention, despite speaking out against certain section of Australian voters get a Less than 50 years ago Indigenous peoples it while in Opposition and highlighting ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling, whilst ensuring were considered part of the Flora and the substantial ideological policy failures those voters who don’t support consti- Fauna Act and, until 1962, had no rights to of the Coalition in Aboriginal affairs. At tutional recognition do not feel overly vote. Less than a century ago, Aboriginal that time, the cynic in me reconsidered my threatened by the whole thing. and Torres Strait Islander peoples were view of the Apology, away from an historic confined to missions, settlements and Some may say that a treaty is also not a occasion with real outcomes, to my view reserves, where the blood rule of classifica- cure all, just ask the Maori, but in terms of as it stands today – more rhetoric and a tion was pioneered. If you were deemed truly righting a wrong, the path to a treaty continuation of a long established tokenis- to be a half-caste (as it was then known), (although a much longer journey) may be tic approach; but it got worse, not better. you were not only excluded from wider more effective and productive than spend- society, but you could no longer live with By twilight of the new dawn, instead ing vast swathes of money on a referen- your family and extended family on that of celebrating positive outcomes from dum that, if agreed, will do little to improve mission, settlement or reserve. Effectively, the Apology, we were asking a series of the daily lives of Indigenous people. you were an outcast. different questions. In particular, why were We tout ourselves to be a fair and just Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peo- Indigenous people have a long connection society, so we must move beyond an ad- ple singled out for income management and history to this land. Conversely, many ministrative revolution. Indigenous people and how were the COAG goals to Close the of the issues raised for consideration in will view this as pure tokenism that will do Gap going to be achieved? the scenario occurred within my life-time nothing to bring change to daily life. and that of my mother and grandfather. Moving forward to today we have seen Another dawn The impact of invasion/settlement, raced- little from the new dawn. Instead of based policy development and exclusion walking down the path, we seem to have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs is profound and something that resides doubled back. Old topics of conversation is polemical and encapsulates a range of not in the pages of history, but in the lived are raising their head, including what differing portfolio areas, that in the sphere experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait version of history should be taught to the of government would be administered Islander people – it is part of who we are. next generation – the true version or the by a single department. This announced palatable one? Here we go again… re-alignment of Indigenous program As members of a fair and just society, we funds and responsibility into the Depart- need to acknowledge that these issues Sovereignty vs recognition ment of Prime Minister and Cabinet has are the reality and to that extent, we must now been implemented, yet as we head work to ensure this situation is correct- What I am keen to understand are answers down the road toward another dawn I can ed. As part of our journey together, we to questions that will have impact on the only hope we have a clear understanding also need to acknowledge that while the lived experience of Indigenous peoples, of the game we are in and what is needed progressive side of Australian politics has including why do Aboriginal and Torres to achieve ‘victory’. made an impact to the Indigenous affairs Strait Islander people seem to encounter landscape in recent years, the Labor Party inordinate roadblocks preventing commu- If we are confused at this point there is the is not immune to the wind-sock approach nity from having an appropriately elected potential that we may all end up playing to politics. and funded body that can represent the the game of tokenism with the administra- interests of the Indigenous community? tive revolution as the coach. Playing the Some may remember Prime Minister Bob And why should the Aboriginal commu- game is one thing, but in attempting to Hawke’s speech at the Barunga Festival in nity accept with open arms their inclusion kick goals, the well-worn game plan that 1988, at which he promised a treaty with into what could be viewed as a document relies on ideology as the motivator will no Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that established this country on the prop- longer do. within the life of that parliament. Over osition of forced invasion/assimilation?

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 25 Academic s catt er i ng

The life of an untenured researcher

A couple of years ago, I was gathering my things after I doubt any selection committee would admit on-record to thinking a family-free a seminar at a top physics research institution when I candidate is ‘perfect’. Nonetheless, the traditional academic career structure is overheard two senior professors discussing a candidate built around an assumption of mobility for a senior lectureship. that is hard to maintain with relationships or dependants. I’m still trying to figure out if I can manage to keep a pet. Prof A was asking Prof B if the candidate had a partner, Right now I live in Melbourne, working which might make him less able to move internationally. as a postdoc. My first postdoc was in England. Before that I was in grad school in New Jersey, and an undergrad in my B replied happily, ‘No, he has no family. He’s perfect!’ native California. Halfway through grad school I studied for a year in England. I’ve done two- or three-month stints in Japan, Germany, Australia and the UK. Each of these moves or visits has been, while not strictly required, extremely helpful for my career. And in a field where job competi- tion is fierce, if you want any hope of land- ing that coveted permanent academic job, how many of these ‘helpful’ moves can you really consider optional? If mobility is such an advantage, how does having a family or a partner affect your chances? Don’t have a baby A couple of months ago, Slate published an article with the headline, ‘Rule Number Katie Mack One for Female Academics: Don’t Have a Baby.’ The point of the article wasn’t University of Melbourne actually to discourage women in academia from having children. The article provided statistics and anecdotes to illustrate how having children, or being suspected of page 26 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate the intent to have children, could harm around the world is the key to solving all you have a REALLY good pitch about the a woman’s progress in academia – from relationship problems. Anyone can be joy of imminent mystery relocation. You the necessary pause in research output, unlucky in love, even if they stay in the could date another academic, and resign to the unconscious or explicit biases that same city their entire lives. But academic yourself to a relationship that will probably act against ‘working mothers’ but have no shuffling is particularly hostile to romance. be long-distance for far longer than it was similar effect on ‘working fathers’. ever face-to-face, with no guaranteed The short-term contracts mean that when reunion in sight. Personally, I found the piece deeply dis- you arrive in a new country, if you’re inter- heartening, but my dismay was somewhat ested in finding a long-term partner you You could swear off serious dating until detached. In order to worry about the have something like two years to identify you’re close to landing a permanent job, effects of having children, one has to and convince a person you’ve just met to then negotiate with your future employ- be in a position where that seems like a agree to follow you wherever you might er for a spousal hire, with the necessary remote possibility. As a single woman with end up in the world, and you won’t be career compromise that will be required of a short-term contract and no idea which able to tell them where that will be. one or both of you to be at that institution. hemisphere I’ll be in two years from now, Or you could just wait till you’ve scored a If you happen to have different citizen- children are not exactly at the forefront of permanent faculty job somewhere, prob- ships (which is likely), you have to take my mind. ably in your mid-to-late 30s, and (if you’re into account immigration issues as well a woman) hope that you meet someone At the moment, I spend a lot more time – your partner may not be able to follow soon enough that starting a family is still thinking about the ‘two-body problem’, you without a spousal visa, which can an option. the problem of maintaining a commit- mean a rather hasty life-long commit- ted relationship between two individ- ment, or, depending on the marriage If you decide to prioritise where you want uals who are trying to have careers in laws of the country in question, a total to be (or who you want to be with), one academia. When the two-body problem impossibility. I had a friend in grad school or the other partner will have to make a proves unsolvable, it’s sometimes called who, at the end of her PhD, faced a choice big career sacrifice, and gender norms will ‘academic scattering’. It is by no means between living with her wife in Canada, suggest that if you’re a woman, the one to unique to academia, but the internation- and becoming a tenure-track professor make the sacrifice really ought to be you. al nature of the field, the frequency of at one of the most prestigious research I confess I haven’t figured it out. I have short-term (1 to 3 year) contracts, and the universities in the USA. two years left on my contract in Australia low wages compared to other similarly and no idea whatsoever which country intense career paths make it especially I’ll end up in next. I’m applying broadly, bad for academics. If you decide to prioritise and there’s no guarantee I’ll have a choice Of course, solving the two-body problem where you want to be (or about location if I want to stay on the is not impossible. I have many colleagues who you want to be with), academic path. When it’s not unusual for a who have done it, either through spousal one or the other partner will single postdoc job to have 300 applicants, hires, fortuitous job opportunities, extend- have to make a big career and faculty jobs are even more selective, ed long-distance relationships, or various getting even one offer is considered a sacrifice, and gender norms degrees of compromise. But couples just huge win. beginning a relationship while building will suggest that if you’re a I don’t know if there’s a solution. Having two academic careers might find the odds woman, the one to make the a pool of early-career researchers who stacked against them. Academic careers sacrifice really ought to be move frequently to different institutions are structurally best suited to people with you. unquestionably advances research and no relationships or dependants, who travel keeps the ideas flowing. It is also usually light and have their passports at the ready. great for the development of post-docs’ research abilities, exposing them to new The long and winding road The timing doesn’t help, either. The ideas and work styles. But the prospect of postdoc stage, when you’re doing your For physics and astronomy, a ‘typical’ ten- a nearly decade-long period of lifestyle best impersonation of a human pinball, ure-track career path looks something like limbo between graduate studies and the usually comes about in your late 20s or this: 4–6 years in grad school, a postdoc- start of the tenure track is, understandably, early 30s. It’s a time when it seems like toral fellowship for 1–3 years, then usually a significant discouragement to many fine all your non-academic friends are buying another (and maybe another), all followed researchers who might otherwise bring houses, getting married, having babies, by a tenure-track or permanent job, which their unique insights to the field. may or may not be the job you end up in and generally living what looks like a for the long-term. There’s no guarantee all regular grown-up life. Meanwhile, chances And, statistically, more of these lost these steps will be in the same country – are you’re residing in a single room in a researchers are likely to be women. It very often they are not. short-term rental, wondering which coun- may not be the dominant force keeping try you’ll be living in next year. women out of science or academia, and it For me, it’s been an international move may not affect all women, but any slight If you’re a woman, you might be keeping every time so far, and it’s very possible statistical skew that disadvantages women an eye on the latest research on fertility the next one will be, too. When I took more than men contributes to the inequal- in older mothers, and mentally calculat- up my first postdoc, I left my country of ity we see. And that makes academia a ing how long you actually need to know origin, most of my worldly possessions, all little bit more lonely for everyone. my friends and family, and a committed someone before deciding to reproduce relationship, to start all over in England. with them, because by the time you’re in Katie Mack (@AstroKatie) is a postdoc- When I took up my second postdoc, I left one place long enough to think about set- toral researcher in theoretical astro- my newly built life in England and another tling down you’ll be, at best, pushing 40. physics with an interest in dark matter, black holes, the early universe and committed relationship to start all over The dating game yet again on the other side of the world. science communication. I’ve moved internationally several times There are lots of ways to make it all work This article was originally published at chasing the prospect of permanent aca- out, of course. You could refuse to date The Research Whisperer (@research- demic employment. I have yet to convince other academics, and instead make whisperer) where you’ll find this and anyone to come with me. sure you are spending enough time on many more quality articles: hobbies outside of the university to attract theresearchwhisperer.wordpress.com I’m not trying to convince anyone that someone’s interest, while making sure avoiding academia or refusing to move

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 27 Funding Dumb Cuts are still being pursued

At the Universities ment would exhibit ‘masterly inactivity’ in the higher edu- Australia Conference in cation arena. Canberra in February, Since that speech, we have seen the new government Education Minister commit to push through Christopher Pyne the $2.3 billion cuts first pro- posed and then opposed by delivered a speech the ALP before and after the election, respectively. But of designed, no doubt, to be the new Government’s own reassuring and downplay accord, they have so far intro- duced cuts to the Australian the sector’s concerns Research Council (see article, p. 20), implemented a return about the direction the to ministerial oversight in the Abbott Government selection of grants, provided ‘friendly advice’ to the Univer- is likely to take in the sity of Sydney’s Vice-Chancel- lor to consider his institution’s higher education sphere. reputation when deciding ‘Freedom and autonomy what to do with academics expressing unpopular views will be the hallmarks (see editorial, p. 2), and given further advice about more of this Government’s aggressively pursuing online the higher education funding cuts are still approach to universities,’ education. being pursued. he declared. It is little wonder that the Minister sought Calling on the history of the Menzies to calm the waters with an audience that Government for the second last time in his had the memory of these actions, and of speech, Minister Pyne stated that his Gov- Autonomy does not mean absence of the last Coalition Government’s aggressive ernment would bring active support to the accountability, the Minister reminded, nor interventions. sector. Yet the higher education funding does it prevent advice being given. How- cuts are still being pursued. ever, this early in the Governments term it The Abbott Government has been trumpet- hard to properly gauge how genuine the ing an end to the era of entitlement, while The campaigning priorities for the NTEU Minister’s assurances can be treated. seeing off thousands of jobs in manufactur- must be to continue oppose the ‘dumb ing and in Qantas. In the process, the peo- cuts’. They are even dumber cuts now with It was a speech that relied heavily on the ple working in these jobs have themselves the thousands of Australians needing to track record of former Prime Minister, been blamed for the decline of their indus- change their careers. Sir Robert Menzies, with no less than 37 tries; they are apparently paid too much references to the Menzies and his govern- (most under $50,000 per year). At the same The full implementation of the cuts is not ment. This was in stark contrast to the five time, we are seeing further announcements yet guaranteed as there are legislative references to the current Prime Minster, about record company profits. changes required to give effect to them. Tony Abbott. It was a clear attempt to Labor and the Greens are currently holding signal a return to a more traditional hands The Government has been withdrawing them back, but the change in the Senate off role for government and to downplay from industry support, resulting in job in July will create an uncertain dynamic. If the interventionist approach taken during losses being announced almost daily. Yet we finally succeed in this effort, we will still the Howard years, where direct interference the higher education funding cuts are still have an underfunded university sector to in university affairs became the norm. being pursued. fight for. It was a speech that was reinforcing the The Coalition had promised one million The Union’s efforts will continue. message delivered last year at the same new jobs over the next five years, which conference by the then Opposition Leader one would think meant that the focus must Matthew McGowan, National Assistant Tony Abbott that his prospective govern- surely be turning to skills development. Yet Secretary

page 28 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Trans-Pacific Partnership Trading away democracy

Do you care about ency and accountability in the negotiation the leaked intellectual property chapter process and had strong views on what of the TPP is adopted. Its provisions may environmental protection, should and should not be included.’ The directly impact upon the interpretation little we know about the TPP has come of exceptions to copyright legislation and domestic manufacturing, through WikiLeaks, which, in the past six what is considered to be fair use or deal- ‘buy local’ campaigns, months, has released the draft Intellectual ings. It could be especially problematic for Property chapter, the draft Environment Australia if the TPP limits the implemen- access to affordable health chapter and a partial snapshot of the then tation of any recommendation to amend state of negotiations. copyright law contained in the Australian care and the right to know Law Reform Commission final report on In December 2013, the Government Copyright and the Digital Economy which where and how your food refused to provide the Australian Senate was released on 13 February 2014. is produced? If you do, you with access to the text of the draft agree- ment. It will only be made public when A Ministerial meeting is scheduled for may be in for a very bad Cabinet signs the agreement, after which late-February where there will be pressure it cannot be amended. If Parliament pass- to wrap up the deal and have it signed off surprise. es the implementing legislation for the by April. However, US domestic politics agreement, the TPP will then be ratified. may also be a factor in when the agree- The Federal Government is in the process ment is settled due to growing momen- Of particular concern is that Investor-State of ceding many of its powers to legis- tum in the campaign to oppose Trade Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms are late on such public interest matters to Promotion Authority (also known as Fast proposed for enforcement of the agree- multinational corporations during current Track) for President Barak Obama. Without ment. This means that foreign investors free trade negotiations. The Trans-Pacific Fast Track it is unlikely the TPP would pass, can sue governments in an international Partnership Agreement (TPP) has 29 chap- as politicians would be able to pick apart tribunal if a law or policy harms their ters that reach into most sectors of the the agreement in the interest of domestic investment. Disputes would be heard in economy. With 12 Pacific Rim countries constituencies rather than being forced secret by trade lawyers, outside of our involved in the negotiations (Australia, into a straight up or down vote on the domestic legal framework, and could lead Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, final text. There is speculation that a vote to settlements in the order of hundreds of Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the on Fast Track will be deferred until after millions of dollars. Future governments US and Vietnam) the TPP captures some the November mid-term elections in order would be bound to the same conditions 40% of the world’s total output. to protect vulnerable Democrats from an unless they are prepared to risk being electoral backlash. The negotiating process and the draft sued without a right of appeal. Such agreement reflect a complete imbalance provisions clearly undermine democratic Unions need to take a leading role in the between corporate rights and the demo- governance and national sovereignty. campaign to expose the TPP to public cratic rights of citizens. scrutiny and step up pressure on the Aus- Even the Howard Government rejected tralian government in the coming months The TPP is being negotiated behind closed ISDS in trade agreements but the current before it trades our democracy away. doors yet 605 corporate advisers are work- Trade Minister, Andrew Robb, has made it ing closely with the US Trade Representa- clear that he is prepared to agree to its in- Serena O’Meley, Industrial Organiser tive on the agreement, whereas public ad- clusion claiming that there will be certain vocacy organisations the world over have public interest ‘carve outs’. His willingness been denied access to the text. Activists to concede on this major issue appears TPP Australia has set up an innovative have been reduced to hanging out in the to be due to pressure from Australian online forum with academic experts and consumer rights advocates who are lobbies of buildings where negotiation agribusiness, which is aggressively seeking ready to answer your questions: rounds have taken place in the hope of further market access to the TPP trading catching snippets of information about partners. www.tppaustralia.org its progress. The lack of transparency The Conversation has created a ‘topic’ surrounding the TPP is deeply concerning The vast scope of the agreement and the secrecy of the negotiations make it diffi- area on its website about the TPP which as it is a deliberate ploy to frustrate public contains many excellent articles by cult to identify all of the potential risks to debate. Australian academics: the public interest. To highlight just one A recent survey by the Australia Institute issue of concern to many NTEU members, theconversation.com/topics/tpp revealed that only 11% of Australians had both as creators and users of intellectual See also: Trans-Pacific Partnership a heard of the TPP but ‘the majority, once property, is the potential repercussion if new threat to our sovereignty, p. 16. informed of it, supported greater transpar-

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 29 A Canadian cautionary tale for Australia The neo-conservative war on science

In 2013, former Australian It’s well known that Howard was close trustworthy, and which purposefully and to Harper. Leaving aside the infamous steadfastly and methodically sets about PM John Howard took the plagiarising debacle (whereby a Harper’s delivering on our commitments,’ is not staffer copied a 2003 Howard speech dissimilar to Harper’s promise of a ‘strong, stage at a conference of verbatim), there exists a sense of common- stable, national Conservative majority conservatives in Ottawa. ality between the Australian and Canadian government.’ conservatives that extends beyond a ‘Can I start by saying Commonwealth-centric neoliberal ide- Effect on climate policy you have no reason to ology. Indeed, in a 2006 article, ‘Harper’s The Guardian reported that the Australian Aussie Advisor’, Richard Warnica reported Liberals have recently turned to Harper be concerned about the that Harper’s campaign team borrowed and his team for guidance on a range of ideas and were advised by Howard’s policy areas, such as climate change and state of conservatism own political advisers. Harper’s political environmental management. Indeed, late in this country,’ he told strategic planner, Patrick Muttart, studied in 2013, Harper’s party issued a gushing Howard’s ability to covet the working statement of support commending Ab- the crowd. ‘I can’t find and middle-class, adapting it to eventu- bott on the move to the scrap the carbon al success. Following the demise of the tax, with Paul Calandra, Parliamentary Sec- a better conservative Howard Government in 2007, a number retary to Canadian Prime Minister, stating: of conservative Australian policy strate- leader anywhere in the gists found refuge in a range of portfolio Canada applauds the decision by Prime world than [Canadian PM] areas within Harper’s new conservative Minister (Tony) Abbott to introduce government. legislation to repeal Australia’s carbon Stephen Harper. I really tax. The Australian Prime Minister’s de- Skipping forward to 2013, and there cision will be noticed around the world can’t.’ have already been comparisons drawn and sends an important message ... Our between Abbott and Harper. Both studied government knows that carbon taxes economics, both are relatively young (in raise the price of everything, including their fifties), and both grew into leaders gas, groceries, and electricity. after long-term grassroots apprenticeships in conservatism. Just as easily linked are It is already easy to see the results of what the messaging strategies borne from appears to be a close working relationship Terri MacDonald continued and very close relationship in matters of policy between the two con- Policy & Research Officer between the Canadian Conservative and servative parties. In November 2013, Can- the Australian Liberal parties. Abbott’s ada and Australia were jointly responsible election night promise of guaranteeing for blocking a Commonwealth initiative to a government ‘that is competent, that is establish a climate fund for poor nations in Ben Powless ©2012, www.flickr.com/photos/powless, via rabble.ca ©2012, www.flickr.com/photos/powless, Ben Photo: Powless page 30 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate the developing world, effectively denying Anti-environmentalism How will Australia fare? them a path to low-carbon development. Both Harper and Abbott have positioned Since his Government’s election last Sep- So the answer to the original question, can themselves politically in the hands of tember, Abbott has abolished Australia’s what has happened in Canada happen big business, with Harper attempting to publicly-funded Climate Commission, here? In many respects, it already is. The rebrand Canada as an energy superpower, repeated his ‘blood oath’ to scrap the more important question is (if we are to and Abbott recently stating his vision of carbon price legislation and continued take what has happened in Canada as a Australia as the ‘affordable energy capital with attempts to end the $10 billion Clean virtual crystal ball) what is in store for us of the world’ . Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC). here in ten years time? Both governments are intent on focus- His Government has green-lighted the Canada’s own Science, Technology and sing on the expansion of the resource dumping of dredge soil from the Abbot Innovation Council found that, between extraction industries and in the interests Point coal expansion in the Great Barrier 2007 and 2013, Canada had dropped in of corporate energy giants, promoting Reef Marine park, is attempting to remove rank from 16th to 23rd in public expendi- publicly funded research into projects 74,000ha of old growth forests in Tasmania ture on research and development relative that support these industries (while at the from UNESCO’s World Heritage listing (less to GDP compared to other economically same time, withdrawing public funding for than a year after it was approved), has developed countries and worsened its renewable energy research and seeking to defunded the Environmental Defenders performance on a wide range of science axe renewable energy targets). Office (a network of community legal cen- and innovation fronts. But there has been tres providing free advice on environmen- far more broad spread damage done to Not surprisingly, an examination of tal law), is in the process of dismantling Canada though the systematic disman- Harper’s public policy record reveals Australia’s world leading marine protec- tling of scientific institutions and practices. much about where Abbott is likely to go, tion system, scrapped the COAG Standing While Canadian scientists and researchers either intentionally or by virtue of having Council on Environment and Water (while have been driven to public protest, it is by a similar political dogma. While Abbott’s overturning the ‘critically endangered’ no means certain that Harper’s Govern- decision to remove the post of Science listing of the Murray Darling Basin), and ment will lose the next election and that a Minister from his government – the first is attempting to wind back ‘green tape’ new government will restore the integrity time since the creation of the portfolio in environmental protection legislation and independence of Canada’s scientists 1931– sent alarm bells ringing for the sci- (including effectively downgrading natural and researchers. Even in a best case situ- ence and research sector here, Harper had environment legislation by giving approv- ation, it will take time and great political already set a precedent when he abolished al powers to the states). will to rebuild – it is far easier to tear down the position of National Science Adviser in than to restore. 2008, a role that created an important link Further cuts are likely as a result of the between scientists and political leaders. artificially inflated austerity measures to There is a relationship between science be undertaken in the 2014 Budget and and democracy; science and research is Indeed, since his election in 2006, through recommendations of the Govern- integral in our ability to knowledgably Harper’s war on science has included ment’s Commission of Audit. engage with the natural world. In other weakened or abolished environmen- words, scientists act as interpreters for the tal protections, funding cutbacks that Veil of secrecy natural world, revealing vital facts that we have closed scientific labs, science and Leaving aside the legislative and fund- simply would not know otherwise. Thus, environmental libraries, and staffing re- ing cuts, both Abbott and Harper have where scientists are muzzled and public ductions in key scientific organisations. attempted to restrict media access to gov- funding restricted or withdrawn, neither This includes the potential shutdown ernment staff and information. While there the public nor political leaders have of the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA), a has been media outrage here in Australia sufficient knowledge to make informed research station that produced critical regarding directives to both Ministers and decisions. evidence to help stop acid rain. By government officials requiring clearance Indeed, public policy becomes an exercise February 2012, only five of Canada’s from the Prime Minister’s office before ten LiDAR (light detection and ranging) in ideology and political game playing. Yet, speaking to media, Harper has gone much a functioning democracy relies upon the observation stations, which had been further. conducting weekly ozone and fossil fuel interplay of fact, rationality, and a well-in- pollution measurements since 1966, In 2007, the Harper Government estab- formed public. Political leaders should be were still in operation. This followed the lished new protocols restricting Environ- making public policy decisions based on removal of Canada’s CORALnet website ment Canada scientists’ interactions with robust evidence that is precise, clear, and which distributed crucial ozone and pol- the media and requiring government informative. lution data to research laboratories and approval to speak publically. A leaked The unimpeded application of science scientific organisations across the globe. internal Environment Canada document and research, and the evidence-based dis- revealed the new policy had reduced the Cuts to environmental research funding course it enables, is essential to democra- department’s engagement with media cy. Conversely, the suppression of science were followed by Harper’s anti-science on climate change by 80 per cent. That Omnibus Budget Bill C-38 in June 2012. leads to the suppression of the democracy, same document also revealed employees and all become blind. The Bill effectively cut funding to, dis- felt the intended purpose was to silence mantled, or weakened 13 environmental climate scientists. This article explores the issues raised bodies or pieces of legislation, including at a recent NTEU Victorian Division the Canadian Environmental Assessment Loss of science positions Seminar when David Robinson from Act and Agency, the Canadian Environ- Finally, there is the removal of environ- the Canadian Association of University mental Protection Act, the Kyoto Protocol Teachers (CAUT) spoke on the ‘War on ment and science positions in Government Implementation Act, the Species at Risk Science’ being waged by Canadian Prime departments and publically funded or- Act, the Energy Board Act, Canadian Oil Minister Stephen Harper on higher and Gas Operations Act, Parks Canada ganisations; in August 2011, the Canadian education and research. It reinforced Agency Act and the Nuclear Safety Control Government announced 700 Environment the strong concerns of those watching Act. In addition, the Bill granted funding Canada positions would be terminated in the Australian Government’s change to a to investigate the charitable status of order to pursue ‘government-wide fiscal neo-conservative policy agenda. environmental groups while water pro- restraint.’ In Australia, the Government has grams, wastewater surveys and emissions signalled cuts of up to 600 jobs at CSIRO monitoring programs were cut. via a hiring freeze that bans the renewal of contract and temporary positions.

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 31 UK higher education Abolishing caps by selling off debt

In a surprise investment that our global rivals take for of quality particularly without more granted.’ funding. They are also concerned about announcement late last the softness of the UK and European The Government’s plan is to fund the graduate job market. year, the UK Government scheme by selling off the last of the ‘stu- dent loan book’, which like the Australian The sell-off has run into controversy with declared its intention to HECS debt is the funds owing on their financial commentators noting that the remove enrolment caps. income contingent student loan scheme. proposed sale does not look as lucrative as predicted. Labour has challenged the Thirty thousand new student places will Government on where the money would However, the University be funded in the next financial year, and come from for the uncapped places. the caps removed the following year. and College Union (UCU) Student groups had already criticised The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon the Government on a previous sale of has focused upon how Osborne, argued that there are still about a student loans book with a face value 60,000 young people missing out on of £890 million for just £160 million last the extra places will be university places each year because of November. funded. an ‘arbitrary cap’. He was confident that these potential students are prepared to The Guardian noted that the subject of The UCU warns that using the sale of take out a loan to pay for university. With government asset sales is particularly the student debt to fund more student the rapid increase in student fees and sensitive after the Tories were criticised places, while encouraging more students living expenses and consequent decline by Labour for ‘botching’ the stock market to take on debt through a loan scheme in enrolments attributed to the costs of flotation of Royal Mail. The company’s that is widely recognised to entail huge university education, this may not be the shares are now trading at 70% above public costs, looks like an unsustainable, case. Osborne said ‘Access to education is their sale price. Osborne has now con- short-term fix designed to create good a basic tenet of economic success in the ceded that the sale of the student loan headlines. global race’. book will not be able to fund the new places. He noted that the UK now has a lower pro- UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said portion of students in university compared Jeannie Rea, National President ‘Using the proceeds from the privatisation to the US and much lower than South The NTEU contributed to a recent of student loans to pay for extra student Korea. (Australia sits within a cluster of places is a classic example of robbing feature on the Australian experience, northern European counties and the US.) ‘Lifting the cap: can more mean better Peter to pay Paul.’ While appreciating the objective of too?’ in the Times Higher Education ‘While expanding student numbers is vital increasing and diversifying the pro- (UK), 23 January 2014, pp 38-9. to our country’s social and economic fu- portion of UK graduates, university www.nteu.org.au/article/University- ture, what universities need is a long-term, commentators have expressed concern funding-15845 sustainable plan built on the kind of public about increasing numbers at the expense

page 32 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate International Women’s Day It’s more than just morning tea

International Women’s (which fell on 8 March on the Gregorian calendar). Four days later, the Czar abdi- Day (IWD) is more than cated and the provisional Government morning teas, empty granted women the right to vote. Since 1975, IWD has been mainstreamed, speeches from managers not in the usual sense of knocking gender about valuing their out, but in ignoring that women’s working rights underpin the celebrations and women staff, and media struggles. editors righteously telling Bluestocking Week Australian women to stop In reviving Bluestocking Week two years ago, the NTEU and NUS pointed to the whingeing and look at need to once again make space on univer- other useful professions. Many of those sity campuses to both celebrate women’s how good they have got early Bluestockings were not looking to a achievements in higher education, and life of luxury and privilege (like too many to mobilise around current and ongoing it compared to women in of the men). issues from safety on campus, to employ- Afghanistan. ment equity, to solidarity with women If they wanted to – and most were around the world. expected to – pursue a career they had IWD did not start on 8 March 1975 as a to make hard choices about marriage Bluestocking Week events in 2012 and bureaucratic declaration of the United and motherhood. They had to work for 2013 focussed not only upon women’s Nations’ International Women’s Year. half the pay of men and they often could rights to higher education, but also how International Women’s Day, as the UN itself not get a start or promotion, including as and what we learn and research. Class, notes, ‘first emerged from the activities academics. It is not at all surprising that race, sexuality, age and other aspects of of labour movements at the turn of the most of the Victorian Government doctors identity have been the focus of activities twentieth century in North America and through the first half of the 20th century with a significant consciousness of not across Europe.’ were women. Without connections and talking about firsts for women without supporters women could not get a start in The first National Women’s Day was acknowledging their specific contexts. For private practice or even a hospital career. observed in the USA on 28 February 1909. example, the first white and first Indige- The Socialist Party of America designated nous women graduates were both from By the end of the 19th century, though, this day in honour of the 1908 garment the University of Melbourne, but 75 years there were enough women doctors to workers’ strike in New York. In 1910, the apart (Bella Guerin in 1884 and Margot found, with shilling donations of the Socialist International, meeting in Copen- Weir in 1959). women of Victoria, the Queen Victoria hagen with delegates from 17 countries Hospital – a hospital by and for women. There has been some debate about including the first three women elected The Bluestockings repeatedly spoke of whether recognising and celebrating the to the Finnish parliament, proposed an in- recognising their good fortune and the Bluestockings, the first generations of ternational day to support the movement need to give back to their communities. university women, is blind to the privilege for women’s rights and universal suffrage. Some were campaigners for children’s of those women who were able to study Consequently, International Women’s Day and women rights to health, housing and at the elite universities of the past. This was marked for the first time (19 March) in education, and they number amongst deserves further interrogation as it was Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzer- the white advocates for Aboriginal and (and is) a privilege to go to university land, where more than one million women immigrant rights. and men attended rallies. In addition to and it opens up opportunities denied to the right to vote and to hold public office, others. However, it should not be assumed Bluestocking Week 2014 will be celebrated they demanded women’s rights to work, that the Bluestockings just took their good on 11–15 August. Contact your Branch for to vocational training and to an end to fortune for granted. Reading the histories details and to suggest events. Meanwhile I discrimination on the job. of the Bluestockings in Australia and Eng- hope that women’s working rights are the land reveal many that women from not so focus of IWD in your workplace. During the First World War, IWD became a privileged backgrounds were supported focus to protest the war. In 1917 women by their communities to go to university Jeannie Rea, National President in Russia protested and striked for ‘Bread with the expectation that they would give www.nteu.org.au/women/ and Peace’ on the last Sunday in February back as teachers, scientists, doctors and bluestockingweek

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 33 Do marketing slogans assist choice of university?

The latest university financial reports show that in 2012 When recommending the introduction of a demand driven model (DDM) the Bradley Australian universities spent $230m on advertising and Review of Australian Higher Education promotional activities, which represented about 1 per (2008) concluded that: In such a system, choice, underpinned cent of total income for the sector. We used institutional by good information and stronger branding slogans to determine whether this significant quality assurance, will drive both a higher quality student experience and expenditure has resulted in providing students with institutional diversity. better information when making decisions about where In the NTEU’s submission to the Kemp Norton Review of the DDM, we ques- to study. tioned whether a DDM would create real institutional diversity and greater student choice, or result in superficial attempts at institutional differentiation through branding and advertising. To test the hypothesis, we have used university brand ‘slogan’ as a high level filter – slogans are central to institutional marketing, and thus likely to have an influence on a student’s decision making process. While students wishing to study histo- ry might be put off by the number of universities with slogans emphasising the future, those students with an economics bent may be encouraged by the fact that universities understand that choosing Paul Kniest what to study and where to study is one of Policy & Research Coordinator biggest investment decisions most people will make in their lifetimes.

page 34 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Management at Australia’s newest uni- versity, Federation University, decided to boldly go (sorry about the split infinitive) with the slogan, Your future has a new name. And that name is FU. Swinburne’s Think forward slogan also gives a blatant FU (sorry for mixing my abbreviations) to historians, but for many potential students it must also raise the very real possibility of this institution not learning lessons from the past, like considering what the impact of closing At the University of Technology, Sydney Monash University is obviously promot- campuses might have on some students (UTS), the Own the future slogan is sending ing humility as an important attribute of and communities. a strong signal to potential students that its students with its understated Where Edith Cowan’s slogan must be promoting UTS has really become the ultimate corpo- brilliance begins slogan. The University of its research into the anti-ageing gene or its rate university. Western Australia’s Achieve international excellence is equally modest. CQU’s Be human genetics major with its slogan, The The University of Queensland’s Your future you. If not, it is just reminding po- what you want to be might be problematic advantage slogan also has corporate for some aspiring to be a lion tamer. tential students of a fatter, greyer version undertones. UQ has been the beneficiary of their future selves. Macquarie (in what of numerous donations from US business- It would be inappropriate to finish this might be an act of ambush marketing) man and philanthropist Chuck Feeney, article without making special mention is encouraging its students to own and whose generosity to UQ was facilitated of Deakin University’s much publicised be proud of this feeble future by inviting by former Australian tennis player Ken Worldly slogan. The $17.2 million Deakin them to Frame their futures. Fletcher. Game, set and more donations. spent on advertising and promotion in Curtin University wants to Make tomorrow It is also worth asking whether RMIT has 2012 was the highest in the sector. This better but according to the University of any association with IKEA based on its Self tells students that less is more Tasmania Tomorrow starts today. Taken to- made slogan. and that succinctness is gether these clearly create a temporal par- valued at Deakin. adox. If tomorrow starts To come back to our original question, has the opening up of our universities to greater competition result- ed in better information for potential students or the public about what universities offer, how they are different and why you should study there? Or has greater competition amongst our universities UNSW has decided to take a scatter gun resulted in little more than attempts by approach to attracting students. On universities to differentiate themselves UNSW’s postgraduate business pages, on the basis of superficial branding and today then students at Curtin University students are being encouraged to enrol marketing? who want to make tomorrow better would if they want to be The cat in the rat race. All images sourced from university websites. have to travel back in time by one day This is a strange marketing strategy for a every 24 hours. On that reckoning Curtin university because we all know what killed students would never graduate and they the cat. Therefore, someone with a UNSW would accumulate a HECS debt the size of MBA needs to be very careful of graduates the universe. Students wanting to attend from Charles Sturt where Curiosity chal- UTAS need to be warned that they must lenges thinking. always submit their assignments one day early to avoid penalties for being late. La Trobe University’s Future ready slogan is neither original nor unique. It is shared by a number of other organisations including Australia Post and the Future Ready Dairy System. Therefore, is La Trobe promising to deliver all of its courses on time, or just milking every cent out of its marketing dollar?

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 35 News from the Net Pat Wright A tail of two BNs

The National Broadband some people in 2019 who would have still be replaced every ten years or so, and will been waiting for the real NBN. be unable to cope with demand beyond Network (NBN) proposed 2025, so the CBN’s FTTN network should So, the CBN would cost only two-thirds as be considered a work-in-progress beyond much as the NBN, and provide 1/20th of by the former Labor 2019 with continuing costs, rather than a its download speed (but probably enough completed project, whereas the aborted Government was one to download a movie, on a good day) and FTTP network would have had a capital 1/40th of its upload speed (but you prob- of the world’s biggest value of $240 billion by 2025, industry ably won’t want to upload much, anyway, experts claim. infrastructure projects, Malcolm says). Since the optic fibre cable in an FTTN The slow upload speed suits the big media aiming to provide a new network is different from the optic fibre moguls, who can continue to cash in on cable in an FTTP network, it is extremely digital data network of flogging consumer content to us relatively wasteful in the long term to persist with quickly, but not worry too much about an FTTN roll-out – as Germany, the UK optical fibre to the (home product competition from those pesky and New Zealand are finding to their creative small-business innovators. Given or business) premises cost, as they gradually replace their FTTN the slow upload speed, we can probably networks with FTTP networks. (FTTP) across the nation. forget about videoconferencing that extra tutorial from our home offices, and cer- With any luck, the current wave of senior The NBN was to be tainly forget our GP sharing her diagnosis executives resigning from NBN Co will completed by 2021 at a of our X-rays with that specialist in real continue, the FTTN roll-out will suffer time for a decade or so. further delays and debacles, and it won’t total cost of $44.1 billion be too great a future-proofing leap-frog to When the Coalition came to power, Com- rip out the FTTN cable and replace it with munications Minister Turnbull ‘refreshed’ and provide 93 per cent FTTP cable. Whether this occurs under the the membership of the now mis-named current Federal Government or the next of the population with NBN Co board of directors, installed How- probably depends on whether Minister ard-era Telstra chief, Ziggy Switkowski, as download speeds up to Turnbull sees the project as an albatross or Executive Chair, and commissioned private a launching-pad. As the voting public be- consultants to conduct a strategic review 1,000Mbps (1Gbps) and come more aware of the enormity of what of the NBN roll-out. Surprise, surprise, it they have done, Minister Turnbull can upload speeds of 400Mbps. found that the Labor plan now would have vaingloriously toe Abbott’s party line and cost $73 billion and, according to Turnbull, lose all leadership credibility (as his PM no The Coalition’s Broadband Network (CBN) take 20 years to complete. It also found doubt hopes), or find good reason to pri- policy at the 2013 federal election was to that the CBN now will cost $41 billion oritise the roll-out of the 24 per cent of the cobble together a multi-technology mix (though government expenditure remains CBN which is FTTP to greenfield sites such (MTM) daisy-chain of existing copper tele- capped at the original $29.5 billion – the as new housing developments, ‘discover’ phone and cable television networks with rest hopefully to come from private sector cheaper ways to roll out FTTP, such as clip- a new, smaller optical fibre to the node investment) and that the target download ping optic fibre to overhead power lines, (FTTN) network to upgrade the digital speed of 50Mbps for all now will not be and campaign on a new, improved NBN data network across the country. The CBN reached until 2020. was to be running by 2019 at a cost of only platform for a return to the leadership late $29.5 billion and provide 91 per cent of The major problem with the CBN’s MTM in the term, rather like Rudd. network is the huge number of junction the population with download speeds of Meanwhile, you can help speed up the boxes, or kerbside cabinets, where the 50Mbps and upload speeds 10Mbps. process by joining Friends of the National speed of the optic fibre is choked down Broadband Network on Facebook, and The two proposals are poles apart. Labor’s to switch to copper telephone wire or tel- support the March in March against the NBN is a nation-building vision of the fu- evision cable (where available). Not only depredations of the Abbott Government. ture, somewhat akin to the first electricity will this slow down the whole network, networks, designed to provide electric but also it will greatly diminish network light but amenable to support a vast range reliability, particularly for those on the tail- Pat Wright is Director of the Centre for of electrical appliances unenvisaged at end of a copper wire, and will consume Labour Research at the University of the time of their construction. The CBN is as much electric power as the City of Adelaide. a worthy extension of the existing system, Launceston. Copper corrodes, especially [email protected] an improvement on Abbott’s 2010 plan to when water gets in to Telstra’s pits and scrap the NBN, but hardly visionary. It will pipes, and performance degrades the Friends of the National Broadband Net- be cheaper by a third – at least until 2019, longer the copper wire has to travel from work www.facebook.com/FriendsOf after which continuing costs of main- the exchange – that’s why FTTN needs TheNationalBroadbandNetwork taining the copper network will make it hundreds of thousands of kerbside cab- March in March ultimately more expensive. It will be ready inets polluting the suburban landscape. www.facebook.com/marchinmarch sooner – if one accepts its much lower Even high-grade copper wire, well-main- standard of readiness. And it will be faster tained in underground conduits, has to than the real NBN would have been – for page 36 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Lowering the Boom Ian Lowe The Great Leap Backwards

It is hard to imagine how That is nonsense; the Australian Bureau of about 3–4 per cent of the price of power, Statistics confirms that the economy has depending on which state you live. The a shiny new government been booming while almost all significant Government also, remarkably, asked the environmental indicators are going south. review to consider how the target reduces with a massive mandate With legal challenges pending to the ap- costs for business. That is as silly as asking could so thoroughly proval of contentious projects in Queens- how paying tax reduces costs for business. land, the Government is trying to shift the The bottom line is that the Abbott Gov- alienate so much of the goal posts by changing the law to give ernment is driven by a simplistic ideology, retrospective justification for the Minister’s with clear central myths: the economy is community in so short decisions. With the previous government paramount, economic growth is essential, proclaiming the world’s largest network a time. Those of us who government should allow market forces to of marine protected areas, the Abbott prevail, economic might is right. live in Queensland had team sneaked through a revoking of the management plans in the holiday season, From the standpoint of this ideology, a preview when the effectively undoing the protection of the science provides very inconvenient Newman Government ocean species. truths. The climate is being changed by human activity, principally the burning While those sorts of policies might have was elected; they effected of fossil fuels. Biodiversity is being lost at been expected, it was less obvious that a frightening rate. Most of the significant the new government would attack new what I called The environmental indicators for Australia technologies. Though they are saying show that the activity of the present popu- Great Leap Backwards, that hard choices have to be made about lation is degrading natural systems, but public spending, they are proposing to emulating Mao Zedong the Government persists in encouraging waste money on an inquiry into the health a population growth rate more like that impacts of wind turbines. Several studies, by arbitrary policies that of a desperately poor country than an most recently one by the NHMRC, have advanced nation. undid 25 years of progress shown that there are no significant health from the bad old days problems associated with wind power – If there is a conflict between science and although there is evidence that people ideology, one or the other must be aban- of the Bjelke-Petersen can be persuaded that the aches and doned. Since our leaders are committed to pains of everyday life are due to nearby their ideology, the science must be wrong. Government, a time when developments, just as the placebo effect So we have government members ad- airline pilots sometimes can persuade people that their ills are vancing the ridiculous hypothesis that the cured by tablets with no active pharma- world’s climate scientists and the scientific advised passengers ceutical ingredients. academies are all engaged in a conspiracy to hold back progress. Peddlers of dubious What the recent announcements about landing in Brisbane to pseudo-science that suits their ideology climate change and clean energy make are hailed as experts. Wild theories that turn their watches back clear is that there is a much more wor- volcanoes are changing the climate or that rying theme behind the Government’s it is all due to sunspots are embraced. With 20 years. Now, the Abbott approach. It is nothing less than an attack the hottest summer ever recorded exac- on science. Government is emulating erbating the impact of drought in rural this dismal example at the Where the legislation establishing the Re- Queensland, the Prime Minister doctors newable Energy Target required a review a quote from CSIRO to claim that climate national level. in 2014 by the Climate Change Authority change is not a factor. to determine if the target is a sufficient With science continuing to show up the Nobody would have been surprised by a response in the light of the latest science, Government’s ideology, we can expect Coalition Government attacking workers the Government has decided to instead further attacks on university science. in general and unions in particular. Every have the review conducted by business CSIRO is losing hundreds of science jobs. corporate failure is blamed on unreason- interests with no scientific credentials. The Even Geoscience Australia, essentially a able pay and conditions, by Ministers review is to be chaired by a company di- public subsidy of the mining industry, is enjoying six-figure salaries and generous rector who told ABC radio that he doesn’t facing cuts. expenses. The only deficiency of managers believe that carbon dioxide produced is their unacceptable generosity to their by humans is the main cause of climate This Government shows every sign of workers. change! doing irreparable damage in its occupancy of the Treasury benches. Perhaps equally predictable has been the The terms of reference for the review attack on environmental protection. The require it to examine the impact of the Ian Lowe is Emeritus Professor of campaign against ‘green tape’ is predicat- target on electricity prices – a waste of Science, Technology and Society at ed on the assumption that the outra- time and effort, since independent studies Griffith University. geous level of environmental standards have shown that the need to use more is holding back economic development. expensive renewable energy contributes

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 37 The Thesis Whisperer Inger Mewburn Working until it’s right

I was trained as an them why they don’t leave they confess and love to do research and the freedom that they can’t because, deep down, they to think for a living. But, Kate argues, the architect and was taught, still love it. things that make academia a pleasurable place to work are also traps. We don’t It makes sense doesn’t it? Love will make both in school and in want to let our colleagues or our students you stay in any relationship long beyond down, we value our freedoms such that: offices, that architects its use-by date. As it is for architecture so should care deeply about it is, I’ve noticed, for academia. You have … as we flip open the laptop on Sunday to wonder if our love for what we do, is mornings: we tell ourselves that the ‘the work’. All night all that stops the higher education world boundarylessness of our time and from collapsing altogether. service is a privilege. drawing sessions to Recently a colleague I know through Twit- Kate then goes on to compare academic finish tender documents ter, Kate Bowles, has been writing a series over-work with doping in cycling, we do it of highly affecting blog posts on academic … because everyone does it, because were nothing unusual; work. In the first one, ‘Beyond a boundary’, it’s what you do to get by, because in Kate talks about being diagnosed with working weekends was the moment we argue to ourselves that cancer and wonders why her work was so it feels like health and freedom. just expected. This ethos important to her that she didn’t find time of caring was one way we for a vital health check. Blogger Plashing Vole takes this argument further noting that, just like a dentist can- Kate’s story resonated with me because, not clock off half way through a root canal, distinguished ourselves like her, I would not characterise myself as you cannot ignore a student or colleague particularly academically ambitious. Like from other building in need just because time is up. Just as Kate I blog and play around on Twitter, in architects’ offices you work till you get professions. I heard more both activities which don’t count in it right. I’m sure I’m not alone in relating metrics around promotion. I have a child, to Plashing Vole when she says ‘I feel bad than one architect criticise which, statistically, sets me behind my when I don’t overwork because I’ve been male colleagues (who, apparently, don’t engineers for working by trained to see overwork as normal’. suffer as much career damage by pro- the hour, not ‘until it was creating). Like Kate I enjoy the company Plashing Vole’s final point really hits home: of like-minded colleagues and students we live in a ‘social web we don’t want right’. to break’. Higher education is now nine times bigger than when I started in 1989, Working until it’s right is, of course, not I have a child, which, without the corresponding increased in sustainable. The breaking point for me statistically, sets me behind staff. Everyone in academia depends on came while working for Lyons Architecture my male colleagues (who, everyone else’s willingness to overwork, in Melbourne. I’d been working for two just to make the whole system sustainable. weeks straight on a design competition in apparently, don’t suffer as London and went straight from my inter- much career damage by I’ve been sick this week. The kind of sick national flight to the office to drop off the procreating). where you lie in bed, stare at the ceiling drawing set. I was stumbling through the and feel miserable about all the emails car park on my way home when I ran into piling up. I’m beginning to dread what my one of the partners of Lyons getting out friend Katherine Firth calls ‘the electronic of his sports car (yes, really). He asked why walk of shame to the end of the inbox’. I I was leaving when there was still work care about ‘the work’, but I think we can to do. Instead of giving him what my son all learn from those engineers who, by calls ‘the rude finger’, I turned around and the way, tend to have far more profitable went back to my desk and pulled another businesses than architects. all nighter. Working until it’s right is not a sustaina- Whenever I think of this moment, I have ble business model – for employers and the urge to go back in time and slap my- employees alike. So next time you open self upside the head. the laptop on a Sunday ask yourself: is this really the kind of freedom I want? The next day I collapsed with the flu. Then a post-operative infection from my Dr Inger Mewburn does research on wisdom teeth extraction re-surfaced. I research and blogs about it at honestly thought I would die as I lay in www.thesiswhisperer.com bed, doing a lot of soul searching. It wasn’t Kate Bowles blog long before I quit architecture altogether musicfordeckchairs.wordpress.com and began teaching full time. Plashing Vole blog Some of my friends still work in architec- ture – and complain about it. When I ask plashingvole.blogspot.com.au page 38 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate Letter from Aotearoa/NZ Lesley Francey We need farsighted university councils, not myopic ones

The NZ Tertiary Education university councils comprise a group of and conscience of society, they need three people who represent the communities things: Minister wants to cut away of that university. They include staff, stu- 1. They need enough independence dents, representatives of the Minister, local from the Government and from other the independent voices on employers and workers, and often other powerful organisations so that they can communities, such as former students or university councils. This safely challenge those in power without the local city council. Many of those repre- coming under undue pressure from is not an esoteric debate sentatives, such as staff and students, are those organisations to back down. elected democratically by the people they about good governance represent, or are chosen by democratically 2. They need to be as democratic and though, it is a very elected bodies. representative as possible so that they have the internal support and strength Under the Minister’s new law only the real debate about New of their communities when they do ministerial appointees will remain. The choose to challenge those in power. Zealanders’ democracy and councils will shrink in size, meaning the ministerial appointees will make up a 3. They need to reflect all the people that freedom to speak up. larger percentage of the council. The re- make up their local communities so that mainder will be appointed based on their it is not just one voice that dominates Universities take great pride in their inde- ‘governance experience’ rather than the those councils – whether it be ministe- pendence from government, and often communities they represent. rial appointees or the spokespeople for with good reason. Few public bodies have big business. A strong council needs to a duty to stand up and challenge govern- comprise all these voices, not just some. ments when governments act outside This duty to contribute the best interests of the people who elect to democratic debate – by The Minister intends to pass this law this year. So far, his only justification is that them. Universities and their cousins, pol- actively practising academic ytechnics and wānanga, are some of the he wants councils to be more nimble and few public bodies that do have this duty. freedom – ... means the agile. He has produced no evidence that current Minister’s proposals the type of councils he proposes will be Our universities have a legal and moral to cut the independence of more nimble and agile. In fact, some of the duty to act as a critic and conscience for university and wānanga most highly regarded universities in the society; examining, thinking about and world have much larger councils than New councils are dangerous. commenting upon the real world things Zealand universities, made up of dozens of happening in our communities. Their duty Very dangerous democratically elected representatives. to speak truth in the face of power is simi- lar to the duty journalists hold, and it is an Students, staff, council members and important facet of our democracy. The consequence of this change will vice-chancellors all say they do not want the law. The Vice-Chancellor of the Sometimes that duty comes with great be that the Minister’s voice at the council table will grow stronger, because his University of Auckland says the proposed danger. In many parts of the world, changes will harm the reputation New governments throw academics in prison, appointees represent a greater proportion of the council. Meanwhile, democratically Zealand universities have overseas. New beat them, exile them from their friends Zealand’s universities all rank very well and family or even kill them for fulfilling chosen, independent people who have traditionally spoken for academic freedom by world standards, especially given their their duty to academic freedom. In recent comparatively small size and recent lack of weeks, Ukrainian academics shed their and the duty of institutions to be a critic and conscience (i.e. staff and students) will government support. It is bizarre that the blood on the streets, and academics Minister would want to change a govern- in Egypt went to prison for using their lose their seats to people with ‘governance experience’. ance structure that has served the country academic expertise to question their so well for such a long time. respective governments. The Government imposed a similar law Smaller councils with fewer voices are This duty to contribute to democratic upon polytechnic councils in 2009. Since then it has become clear that governance not more nimble or agile. They are simply debate – by actively practising academic more myopic. We sincerely hope that freedom – that staff and students in uni- experience is a euphemism for big busi- ness directors, lawyers and accountants. the Minister has made a mistake and will versities, polytechnics and wānanga have, choose independence and democracy means the current Minister’s proposals to All those people have a crucial role to play on university councils, but our existing rather than deliberately choosing myopia cut the independence of university and and bias. wānanga councils are dangerous. Very councils already make spaces available for them. Their contribution should not come dangerous. Lesley Francey is National President/Te at the expense of the democratic voice of Tumu Whakarae, New Zealand Tertiary The Minister is proposing to change the staff, students and communities. Education Union/Te Hautū Kahurangi people who sit on the governing councils o Aotearoa of universities and wānanga. Currently For universities to fulfil their duty to academic freedom, and to being the critic www.teu.ac.nz

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 39 My Union

NTEU Law educator members Kate Warner Professor Kate Warner from in Australia the University of Tasmania was awarded an AM for Day honours significant service to the law, particularly in the areas of NTEU congratulates the legal education and reform members honoured in the and to the community. 2014 Australia Day list by the Governor-General, Quentin Professor Warner teaches Criminal Law, Bryce. Criminology, Sentencing and Evidence at the University of Tasmania and has an extraordinary list of achievements • Professor Phyllis Butow, University of including being Foundation Director Professor Warner was the first female Sydney, for significant service to med- of the Law Reform Institute in 2002, a Dean of the Law Faculty from 1992-94 icine in the field of psychology, as an Fellow of the Australian Academy of and the Head of School from 1994-97. academic, researcher and author, and to Law since 2007, a member of various professional organisations. Tasmanian legal boards, and a prolific ‘The Law School has been an excellent place to work. I’m proud to have made a • Professor Ruth Fincher, University of author and researcher. contribution to it. The Melbourne, for significant service to Strongly encouraged by opportunity allowed education, particularly geography and ‘I became aware her family to go to univer- me to be a mentor urban studies, and to national and inter- sity, she chose the law be- that justice wasn’t for both law students national geographic associations. cause ‘being such a badly just about offenders. and members of staff,’ • Winthrop Professor Cashel D’Arcy behaved school girl, I Justice involved she said. Holman, UWA, for significant service to had the thought that I gender issues and Last year Professor medicine in the field of epidemiology didn’t want to become a issues of social class.’ Warner received the and public health. teacher and be subjected to similar behaviour. Yet, Biennial Achievement • Professor Peter Newman, Curtin now I love teaching.’ Award for Tasma- University, for distinguished service to nian Women Lawyers and said ‘going science education as an academic and A graduate of the University of Tasma- through law at a time when there researcher, through contributions to nia, Professor Warner completed an weren’t many females in law, I felt it im- urban design and transport sustainabili- honours degree in law in 1970, an LLM portant to show leadership as a woman’. ty, and to the community. by thesis in 1978, and began lecturing in the Law Faculty in 1981. In the past two years, Professor Warner • Professor Rosemary Owens, University received two Australian Research of Adelaide, for distinguished service to Her interest in law reform began early Council grants, both involving public the law, particularly to legal education in her career. ‘When I was studying opinion and sentencing. The latest as an academic and administrator, to criminology, I became aware that justice grant is a national survey of sex offence national and international employment wasn’t just about offenders. Justice sentencing. Professor Warner is excited and labour organisations, and to wom- involved gender issues and issues of about both grants. ‘It’s great to get two en. (See interview, p. 41.) social class,’ she said. grants like that to finish off my working career,’ she said. • Scientia Professor Deo Prasad, UNSW, Throughout her career, Professor for distinguished service to architecture, Warner has made a significant impact ‘The research I’m doing in public opin- particularly in the field of sustainable on law reform, particularly in changing ion and sentencing involves surveying urban design, as an academic and the definitions of rape and consent and and interviewing jurors to find out how researcher, and to the solar renewable in making reforms to evidentiary laws. they respond to offenders and what the energy sector. She joined the Federation of Australian informed members of the public really Universities Staff Associations (FAUSA), think regarding sentencing so that this • Professor Kate Warner, University of one of the NTEU’s predecessor unions can be can be fed back into the crimi- Tasmania, for significant service to the nearly 30 years ago and has been a nal justice system,’ she said. law, particularly in the areas of legal union member ever since. ‘I’m conscious education and reform, and to the com- of the need of staff to not be exploited. Very attuned to the unacknowledged munity. (See interview this page) In the late 1970s, I taught two courses and valuable achievements of so many for a number of years and, employed people who do amazing work in the The late Dr Paul Mees, whose obituary world, Professor Warner is a humble and appeared in the December 2013 Advocate as a casual, I didn’t even earn enough to pay income tax,’ she said. ‘It is so a little uncomfortable recipient of her (vol. 20, no. 3) was awarded an OAM for latest award. service to public transport and urban important to have a Union that fights planning as an academic and advocate for for greater job security for employees Helena Spyrou, National Education & creating sustainable cities. and I think job security is a good focus Training Officer for the NTEU.’ Photo courtesy of UTAS

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best thing at the time, but can be real Rosemary Owens: opportunities to grab.’ champion for Professor Owens has served as the Chair of the South Australian Government’s Min- isterial Advisory Committee on Work/Life women, workers Balance, and since the early 1990s has also worked with the Working Women’s Centre and work/life in Adelaide, which helps local women with balance workplace issues. Owens believes vice-chancellors, deputy vice-chancellors and deans have an im- It’s not often one has the portant role to play in making universities opportunity to talk to someone more woman-friendly and assisting fami- as interesting and impressive lies to achieve that work/life balance. as NTEU member, Rosemary ‘If you’ve got women who are successful Owens, but following her in their career – they can’t do it alone,’ recognition in the Australia she said. ‘Frankly, I think there have to be Day Honours list, I was lucky programs that are particularly targeted enough to learn more about this God for Gough Whitlam! If there were fees at assisting women coming back to work and extra costs I would never have gone after parental leave.’ champion for women, workers back to university to do another degree.’ and the work/life balance. In her own sphere, Professor Owens, her Throughout her career, she has been husband and children have all pitched in In this year’s Australia Day awards, Profes- recognised internationally as a leader in to share responsibilities in their home, ‘you sor Owens was appointed Officer for the her field, having held many significant ap- have to have support at the personal level, Order of Australia for her distinguished pointments throughout that time. In 2010 whether that is from friends or family.’ she was appointed to the International service to the law, particularly legal edu- She thinks that workers and organisations cation as an academic and administrator, Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions are still struggling with achieving the ideal to national and international employment work/life balance, despite there being and labour organisations, and to women. and Recommendations (CEACR), which comprises 20 world experts who are cho- more women in the workplace. ‘If there’s ‘It was very, very humbling,’ she said of sen on the basis of their independence, going to be profound change, then it mat- the recognition. ‘Accepting the honour integrity, and expertise in their field. ters who’s at the top and what decisions was a way of highlighting all the people they’re making. You need commitment and organisations I have worked with. The from those at the top and they tend not to honour is as much theirs as it is mine.’ ‘If there’s going to be be women.’ It was Professor Owen’s parents who first profound change, then Despite this, she thinks everyone is trying instilled her with an interest in education, it matters who’s at the harder, ‘when it comes to the younger ‘I was the first person in my family to go to top and what decisions generation of men, a lot of them are university and they led me to that. Educa- they’re making. You need responding to the personal challenge of tion was a gift that they emphasised. Not a commitment from those at taking a greater role. This is essential.’ lot of people had the opportunity to go to the top and they tend not to When it comes to addressing these issues university during that time.’ be women.’ using the law, Professor Owens sees it as Professor Owens has been based at the a blunt instrument: ‘There are laws that Adelaide University Law School since require large firms to report on gender 1987, serving as the Dean of Law between equality and I think these things are very Working at a research university, Profes- 2007 and 2011. During that time she has important.’ She says that progress will not sor Owens’ interest in the impacts of glo- witnessed some of the seismic shifts that be made without intervention and be- balisation, the work women carry out, as have occurred in the sector and across lieves quotas and targets are useful in this well as what the prospects of regulation of industry more broadly; growing class sizes, regard, ‘The United States is way ahead of work internationally are, naturally married changing technology, and the changing Australia on these things. It is possible!’ with the mission of the ILO. ‘Decent work face of workplaces. for everybody is key to social justice and Professor Owens highlighted that ‘When I began work there, there were a has always resonated with me,’ she said, ‘I achieving equality for women is not about number of women but only one other was humbled to be on the Committee of overcoming individual attitudes, but large had children. Academia was not an area Experts.’ systemic issues, not just here, but also women with children were a part of. That’s overseas. ‘We have a long way to go for Surprisingly, it was by chance that Profes- changed drastically.’ achieving equality for women. Perhaps the sor Owens fell into the area of labour law. next generation will be more sophisticated It was during the 1970s, after having three A colleague was on leave and Owens was in their ways of dealing with this. I often children in quick succession, that Owens’ asked to fill in, subsequently falling in love think they are doing extraordinary things interest in law began. Having trained as a with the ‘intellectual excitement’ that the while also rejecting the label of feminist. I teacher, she later resigned to care for her research brought. embrace that label as it signifies there is a children in the absence of any meaningful ‘It think it’s an important theme,’ she lot of work to do.’ child-care. Volunteering for Amnesty Inter- said, ‘your career doesn’t always develop national piqued her interest in law and her Courtney Sloane, National Media & according to plan. Sometimes it can take husband encouraged her to study. ‘Thank Communications Officer turns that may not initially seem like the Photo: Keryn Stevens © News Limited

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 41 My Union General Staff Conference

November 2013 saw an important and unique gathering of general staff in Adelaide. Admirably hosted by the NTEU SA Division, the Union held our first national General Staff Conference, attended by over sixty general staff from across the country. Who are the General Staff? Women generally start at a lower classi- The key themes of the conference were: fication than men, and on average, NTEU Analysis indicates that there are about analysis based on the distribution of • The roles of general/professional* staff. 83,000 general staff in Australian uni- classifications of staff suggests the gender versities, including about 20,000 casual • Career development and goals. pay gap remains at about 11% across the employees. There is a large concentration sector. Leaving aside casual general staff • Change and continuity in mass higher (around 54%) of general staff in the HEW (about which there is little reliable data) education. 4-6 classifications, but the average classifi- there is still a significant gender-job-secu- cation has crept up over the past 20 years, rity gap; 29% of women are on fixed-term The objectives of the conference were to: so that at some universities HEW/HEO 6 is contracts as compared to 24% of men. 1. Expand the conversation and research the most common classification. on the contribution that general and Most interestingly, analysis of data from Making healthy workplaces professional staff make to higher edu- the Commonwealth Staff Statistics Collec- According to research, 33% women re- cation, particularly in terms of quality tion indicates that the progression of staff ported harassment at work in last 5 years, assurance and enhancement. based on age or even on the length-of-ser- as well as 27% of men vice is remarkably small. For example, the 2. Look at how to support general staff in Award classification their career development (e.g.., resourc- fact that the average age general staff exit es, networks). the industry- 39 - is only 3 years higher descriptors than the age they join, indicates that many Discussion at the Conference, along with 3. Analyse the NTEU’s current policies and general staff do not see universities as a the results of survey and research, indicat- positions on general staff about both place to have a career. industrial and professional issues. ed it was likely that staff in higher classifi- As to where general staff work, about one cations were more likely to have had their 4. Review how the classifications of gener- third each work in academic units, in a classification reviewed , and that there was al and professional staff roles should be central administration, and in academic more diversity in approaches to classifying regulated. support. general staff between universities than within universities. Kuarna Elder Uncle Lewis O’Brien wel- Issues of equity and security comed the participants to the country of Only 50% of staff whose positions had the traditional owners, and pointed out About 55% of vacancies are filled from been reviewed considered that the review that people had been conferencing on this outside recruits, which raises serious had been conducted properly. land for thousands of years. concerns about the extent to which gen- eral staff receive real staff development Small group workshops helped inform The conference got down to sessions opportunities. deliberations on to the approach the NTEU covering the following themes: should take to the 2014 Modern Award Review, which will look at what changes need to be made to the Award safety-net against which Enterprise Agreements must be compared. Professional identity There was some discussion about the changing roles of general staff, most participants agreed that the type of work was changing rapidly and that whole job groups existed now that did not 20 years ago. Protecting the industrial and career interests of staff during these changes is core union work. The Conference discussed examples of where lines were blurring between academic and administrative work, and

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the existence of new types of ‘third space’ jobs such as in curriculum and instructional design. The discussion also identified the re- lationship between professional autonomy and increased work demands for many staff. Future Union work Conference participants identified several important areas for future NTEU work: • A focus on combating the outsourcing of jobs such as cleaning, maintenance, gardening, security, IT, marketing etc. • Find ways to share information across different Branches issues. • Fight creeping job insecurity. • Encourage initiatives to improve recog- nition and reward for general staff. Feedback Some of the feedback from participants included: ‘The conference was good and was a great motivator. It can only get better in the future. We must continue to have more.’ ‘One of the main points I took away from it, both from the presentations and from communicating with the other delegates, is that career stagnation is widespread among general staff in the sector and that it especially affects women’ Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity (and challenge) to share, hear, discuss, debate and work through issues important to us. We have so much diversity and variety in our group as well as facing many common issues and situations. Thank you to everyone involved – this was a great step forward in the work we do!

Lynda Davies, NTEU Vice-President (General Staff) Conference website: www.nteu.org.au/general/conference2013 * The terms ‘general’, ‘professional’ and ‘support’ staff are variously used to describe the staff employed in administrative, technical, scientific and professional capacities. The term ‘general staff’ is used in this article and means the same thing as all of those. Photos by Kate Gale and Jen Tsen Kwok.

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 43 My Union

Celebrating I received, out of the Congratulations on turning blue, my NTEU Foundation 20 this year, NTEU. Thanks Member badge the other day, for encouraging solidarity NTEU’s and it reminded me of just across the higher education how valuable a union is... I sector to achieve good Foundation know that staff value the conditions for the members. work of the union. Keep up – Mary, VIC the great work! Members – Bill, NSW On 1 October 1993, the National Tertiary Education Union came into being. This made It was not a perfect day for 2013 a special year as the Union me yesterday then arrived celebrated our 20th Anniversary. home to a package from the NTEU, it contained my The momentous occasion was marked Foundation Member badge through a range of special commemora- tive events around the country. At these, and signed testamur, made members identified as having maintained my day – in solidarity we continuous membership over the 20 year stand, in solidarity we shall life of the Union were presented with a continue, well done everyone. special badge and certificate commemo- - Jon, NSW rating their status as Foundation Mem- bers. Foundation Members who could not attend one of these events were sent their Right: Cake cutting at the ACT ceremony. gifts in the mail. Below: A collective of NTEU University of Newcastle Many Foundation Members sent us kind Branch Presidents, past and present (L-R) Bill Warren, messages of thanks, some of which are Wayne Reynolds, Suzanne Ryan, Bert Groen, Rod Noble. reprinted here. Functions were conducted at the 2013 National Council meeting in Melbourne, in the SA, ACT and Tasmanian Divisions and at Ballarat, UNE, Macquarie, UNSW, JCU, CQU, USC, UQ, Melbourne and Monash. More news and photos: www.nteu.org.au/myunion/about_us/ history

Below: Evening celebrations at UQ Branch.

page 44 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate My Union

Above: National Office Foundation Members receiving their certificates: (L–R) Grahame McCulloch, Ken McAlpine, Paul Kniest, Jeannie Rea, Matthew McGowan, Peter Summers and Linda Gale. Below: Cake cutting at the WA Division 20th Anniversary cocktail party.

20 years is truly a significant milestone! Congratulations to you and other members of the Executive and Union on the many achievements during this time. In particular, the work involved in representing and supporting staff and negotiating conditions of employment on our behalf is greatly appreciated. Best wishes for the years ahead. – Janet, ACT

Right: Jeremy Smith presents Rose Counsel her Foundation Member certificate at Ballarat. Below: SA Division presentations: (L–R) Rick Sarre & Marike Tiggemann; Lynn Walsh & John O’Brien; Bill Lucas & Robert Iseman.

NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate • page 45 My Union

movement, to make it more difficult to Organising defend against the attacks that will come New and through the Budget via the Commission of Audit, the review of the Fair Work Act and relocated NTEU in a cold, cold the attacks on penalty rates, pay equity and job security. staff The tertiary education sector will not be climate immune. There is already a foreshadowed A new year sees new faces in $2.3 billion cut to university funding offices across the Union. PLease The winter of 2014 may well and students that is likely to pass when welcome our newest staff. be the Australian trade the new Senate is installed in July, along union movement’s ‘winter of with any other changes contained in discontent’, with the Royal the Budget. Fortunately, the NTEU is in a reasonable position as we enter the fray. Commission kicking in, savage Courtney Sloane Membership grew by 4% in the year to cuts across the board predicted December 2013, to reach the highest it Media Officer for the May Federal Budget that hass ever been at over 27,700. National Office will threaten jobs and services, But it’s not just raw numbers. During this Courtney joined the NTEU in January and a combined attack on wages tough bargaining round members have 2014 as the National Media Officer having and employment conditions by worked and campaigned collectively to previously worked as a media adviser in the Abbott Government and the achieve the best possible outcomes in the previous federal government. business sector. very difficult circumstances; hundreds Prior to that, Courtney worked at UN of members who haven’t previously Women Australia and Advocacy for Inclu- In what is becoming a common theme of been involved contributed to the Union’s sion developing policy recommendations the Abbott Government’s various Royal Dumb Cuts and Vote Smart public policy in line with human rights frameworks. Commissions and enquiries, they’re as campaigns before and during the 2013 In 2012, she co-founded the pro-choice, much about payback as anything else – election. youth organisation, Vocal Majority, which whether it be to the ALP with the Pink The old adage is still true: the Union is campaigns on reproductive rights in Aus- Batts Commission releasing Cabinet its members, not a ‘third party’ group of tralia and overseas. documents, or to the union movement for people. We need to maintain our focus the defeat inflicted in 2007. Courtney has previously served on the on organising and engaging with our ACT Minister’s Advisory Council for Wom- While the Royal Commission is unlikely to members and other university staff to en and the board of Canberra’s YWCA. In be an issue for the NTEU, the Union will defend the sector and the living standards 2011, she was nominated for the Young suffer from the same attack on our public of tertiary education staff. Human Rights Medal for her work in rais- credibility and standing as the rest of the Ultimately, it is the collective membership ing the issue of sexual assault on campus movement by the regular media focus on strength and organisation that makes or while at the National Union of Students. the Commission’s proceedings, with News breaks the NTEU. The best way to build She holds a Bachelor of International Ltd and the extreme right-wing shock that strength is to persuade your col- Relations from the ANU. jocks, as well as the Government, leading leagues to join and get involved. the charge. Michael Evans, National Organiser Clearly one of the main reasons for the Deborah Wilson Royal Commission is to weaken the union Organiser Tasmanian Div an Australian university, and co- Deborah has been appointed to the newly Inspiring women wrote the standard text Biochemi- created role of northern Tasmanian organ- cal Engineering. iser at UTAS. She is based in Launceston, in science AAS President, Professor Suzanne and will work closely with NTEU members Cory, said the medal is intended as at campuses in Launceston, Beauty Point The Australian Academy of a tribute to Professor Millis and to and Burnie. inspire future generations of female Science (AAS) has created Deborah brings to this role wide-ranging scientists. ‘This medal honours the the Nancy Millis Medal to contributions to science by Professor experience in numerous work settings. Of recognise outstanding research Millis and recognises her importance particular relevance is her experience as and exceptional leadership by as a role model for aspiring female an official with CPSU (including coverage scientists in Australia.’ of UTAS members), and through under- early- to mid-career Australian standing of university life as a student. women who have established ‘I encourage all universities and independent research in the institutions to nominate outstanding She recently completed a PhD in history, female researchers for the Nancy and her thesis explored the contributions natural sciences. Millis Medal.’ of unionists and communists to the Abo- riginal rights movement post-WWII. Debo- The late Professor Millis, an Academy Nomination details and guidelines for rah has recently submitted this manuscript Fellow who passed away in September the Award: to a publisher. She and her supervisor, 2012, introduced fermentation tech- www.science.org.au/awards/ Prof Henry Reynolds, are very hopeful that nologies to Australia, created the first awards/millis.html applied microbiology course taught at her thesis will be released as a book. continued on next page... page 46 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 21 no. 1 • March 2014 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate My Union

Staff movements Shannon Harwood Brianna Parkins In NSW, Cat Coghlan has returned from maternity leave and is the Branch Organis- Organiser Organiser er at Sydney University. She is joined there Tasmanian Div UoW by Kaylene Field, who has moved from Shannon joined the Tasmanian Division in Brianna joined the union movement as a UWS. early December last year as an organiser disgruntled checkout chick at 16. As the Sharon Bailey has moved from UTS to take based in the southern part of the state. daughter of two proud unionists, she is a up the UWS Branch Organiser role. veteran of rallies and May Day marches. She has come to the NTEU after four years Emma Clancy has moved over from the working as an organiser at the CPSU, and While studying Politics and Journalism at WA Division to the Branch Organiser 18 months prior to that as a delegate for the University of Wollongong, she secured position at UTS. the CPSU when she worked for the public a place in the Union’s NSW Union Summer sector in disability services. program, placing her in the excellent Victoria has undergone a reorganisation hands of the South Coast Labour Council of staff at Branch and Division levels. Most of her life Shannon has represented where she gained an interest and appreci- Clare Danaher is now Division Industrial those who don’t have a voice, supporting ation of trade unionism in the Illawarra. Officer based at La Trobe University, with them in accessing their rights. Shannon is Liz Schroeder (previously at Monash) the passionate about campaigning in a smart She worked there until joining the NTEU Branch Industrial Organiser. way to seek great outcomes for the sector. as the University of Wollongong’s Branch Organiser. Brianna hopes to maintain the Serena O’Meley is now the Branch Indus- Shannon has said that working at the Branch’s solid legacy of activism and unity. trial Organiser responsible for RMIT. NTEU’s Tas Division is proving to be one of the most positively challenging and Last year she studied at the University Chris Latham moved to Monash as Branch rewarding roles she has held. She also of Miami where she worked with Dream Industrial Organiser, and Branch Organiser commented that for her, ‘the fact that we Defenders to help African American Sam Maynard moved from RMIT to the represent and fight for the rights of those hospitality workers unionise. Her goal is to University of Melbourne. who value education and lifelong learning continue to support the effort every way www.nteu.org.au/contacts dearly is just the icing on the cake.’ possible despite being in a different time zone. get edXpress! Subscribe to edXpress, NTEU’s monthly free e-news service www.nteu.org.au/edxpress

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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] Member Benefits

Members saved $14,441* last year

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Save $3001 per year Save $4672 on Save $723 per year on restaurant bills packaged tours on movie tickets

Enjoy great savings on dining at Explore the world with Intrepid Pre-purchase your movie tickets hundreds of participating restaurants Travel and save 10% off all land through Member Advantage (via throughout Australia. Simply display tours2. Trek through the jungles of phone or web) to enjoy big discounts the Ambassador Card logo on the Borneo, marvel at the Taj Mahal or every time you go to the cinema. front of your NTEU member card. experience the gourmet delights Tickets available for all major Offers include two for one meals or of Europe with a range of trips to cinemas, including Village, Hoyts, percentage discounts. cater to every style and budget. Greater Union, Event and more.

For more information: 1300 853 352 | memberadvantage.com.au/nteu

* Savings made by NTEU members using their Member Advantage benefits during March - September 2013. 1) Indicative only. Dining saving based on on 12 restaurant visits with a discount of $25 applied. 2) Indicative only. Saving deducted from full trip cost of $4675, for Vienna to Dubrovnik Intrepid Travel tour departing 26/07/2014. Tour price valid 30/01/14 and subject to change without notice. Terms and conditions apply. 3) Indicative only. Savings based on the purchase of 6 Adult and 6 Child tickets for Hoyts Cinema through Member Advantage website. Hoyts public ticket prices for Melbourne Central cinemas: $19.50 per adult, $14.50 per child current as of 30/01/2014 and subject to change. You’re in the right place with UniSuper

Since 1983, we’ve been Australia’s only superannuation fund dedicated to higher education and research sector professionals. We offer competitive fees, high quality products and services and a diverse range of investment options to fulfil the unique superannuation and retirement needs of more than 450,000 members.

www.unisuper.com.au [email protected] 1800 331 685 @UniSuperNews

Figures quoted are at 30 June 2013. Issued by UniSuper Management Pty Ltd (ABN 91 006 961 799, AFSL 235907) on behalf of UniSuper Limited, ABN 54 006 027 121 the trustee of UniSuper (ABN 91 385 943 850). Level 35, 385 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.