Australian National University

David Pocock

I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Vice-Chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU), by no later than 9.30 am on 28 August 2025:

(a) all documents, emails/internal correspondence, internal memoranda, meeting minutes and other records of interaction from 1 April to 31 October 2024 relating to the creation, development, approval or implementation of new budgets allocated to ANU colleges (College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS), College of Asia and the Pacific (CAP), College of Business and Economics (CBE), College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS), College of Law (CoL) and College of Health and Medicine (CoHM), College of Science (CoS)) midway through 2024;

(b) all budget documents, financial statements, budget allocations, budget revisions, internal reports and associated documentation for each ANU college (CASS, CAP, CBE, CECS, CoL, CoHM and CoS), specifically relating to how each college addressed, managed or implemented decreases in recurrent budget allocations;

(c) all documents, memoranda or briefing notes, emails, meeting notes, internal correspondence and records of discussions from 1 April to 31 October 2024 regarding how the ANU colleges (CASS, CAP, CBE, CECS, CoL, CoHM and CoS) met new recurrent budget targets and any associated budget constraints or requirements;

(d) all documents, memoranda, emails, meeting notes, file notes, correspondence, financial records, transfer documentation and records of decisions from 1 April to 30 October 2024 concerning how funds may have been shifted, transferred, or reallocated from recurrent budgets to other ANU account types including Q accounts, W accounts, S accounts, E accounts or any other account types from all ANU colleges (CASS, CAP, CBE, CECS, CoL, CoHM and CoS);

(e) all documents, emails/internal correspondence, meeting notes, briefing notes, papers from Council, papers from senior management group, papers from relevant committees of Council and records of discussions from 1 April to 31 October 2024 regarding discussions about the impact on core and discretionary services of the colleges (CASS, CAP, CBE, CECS, CoL, CoHM and CoS) as a result of budget cuts or their ability to meet future core and discretionary services and obligations; and

(f) all documents, emails/internal correspondence, meeting notes, briefing notes, papers from Council, papers from senior management group, papers from relevant committees of Council and records of discussions from 1 April to 30 June 2025 regarding discussions and decisions about the impact of over-expenditure of 2024 budget on the 2025 budget of the colleges (CASS, CAP, CBE, CECS, CoL, CoHM and CoS).

Paul Scarr

I seek leave to make short statement not exceeding one minute.

Leave granted.

The opposition notes the importance of transparency for government entities, including the ANU. However, the opposition also notes that a workplace dispute was, in our respectful view, inappropriately publicised in a 12 August Senate committee hearing. The opposition is concerned that the conduct of that dispute may be impacted by the passage of these motions. The opposition would not wish to deny natural justice to the complainant or anyone else. The ANU is also currently the subject of a self-assurance compliance process scheduled to appear before Senate estimates in October and part of the aforementioned committee inquiry into university governance. These would each be, in our respectful view, more appropriate forums through which to seek more information.

Katy Gallagher

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Slade Brockman

Leave is granted for one minute.

Katy Gallagher

I rise to say the government will not be supporting these motions today—there are a number of them, from 76 onwards—for similar reasons that have been raised by the opposition. Also, when I look at the nature of the OPDs and the work that would be required in responding to them, I would prefer that ANU, at this point in time, was actually dealing with the issues that we have asked it to deal with in responding to Renew ANU. In addition, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency have been considering the minister's referral and will be appointing an independent expert to investigate those matters very soon. The minister will be briefed by TEQSA on matters relating to the ANU later this week, I understand. I've met with every person who's asked to meet with me about the ANU. I'm aware of the issues that need to be resolved, and I want the ANU to get on and resolve them.

David Pocock

I seek leave to make a one-minute statement.

Leave not granted.

Slade Brockman

The question is that motion No. 76, moved by Senator David Pocock, be agreed to.