Defend jobs, support staff and fix university governance
Petitioner:
Mr Vince Caughley
| Member:
Kaine, Sarah
| No. of Signatories:
2,619
| Date closed:
04/08/2025
| Status:
Presented 07/08/2025
To the President and Members of the Legislative Council the petitioners of New South Wales state that the higher education sector in New South Wales is in crisis. Public universities across New South Wales including the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Macquarie University, the University of Wollongong, Western Sydney University, and Charles Sturt University are facing drastic restructures that have already put over 1,200 jobs at risk. These cuts are happening now, affecting both academic and professional staff, and threatening the quality and accessibility of public higher education. The sector is experiencing widespread course cuts, increased workloads, and growing reliance on private consultancy firms for decision-making, often with little transparency or accountability. SafeWork NSW is currently investigating psychosocial hazards at UTS, reflecting the human cost of these changes. These developments signal systemic governance failures and a departure from the public mission of universities.
The petitioners request that the House call on the Government to urgently engage with university leadership and affected communities to prevent further harm, support staff facing job losses, and explore all options to protect jobs and courses in the public interest.
