Julie Bishop berated, laughed at and blocked academic leaving room, Senate inquiry hears

A former member of the Australian National University’s governing council has sensationally described how its chancellor, former federal deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop, berated, laughed at and blocked her from leaving a room when confronting her with allegations of leaking confidential information to the media.

“I believe chancellor Bishop is hostile and arrogant to staff,” Dr Liz Allen told a Senate inquiry before describing how Bishop falsely accused her of leaking sensitive information.

The bullying allegations are the latest chapter in a year-long public relations nightmare for the institution, which began when it revealed plans to axe scores of jobs in a bid to put it on track to financial sustainability. Others say poor management decisions and failure to disclose conflicts of interests have created a reputational crisis at the once-prestigious institution.

“During a lengthy, near two-hour disciplinary-like lecture in February, the chancellor made significant allegations of improper and illegal activity relating to leaking of confidential matters, specifically naming me and the undergraduate student representative,” Allen said.

“At no time have I leaked confidential council business.

“When I defended myself in this meeting, the chancellor suggested I defamed her. The repeated public allegations and increasing aggression was so distressing I cried.”

“Chancellor Bishop later got me in a private room with another elected member. The chancellor further berated me, suggested commencing a legal investigation and calling a journalist to confirm I wasn’t leaking.

“I became further distressed with the continued pursuit of false leaking allegations.

“Chancellor Bishop laughed incredulously at my emotional response, and at one point blocked me leaving the room.

“I cannot tell you just how traumatising this was for me. It affected me so deeply that on the drive home, I decided to kill myself. And I pulled over to write final goodbyes to my children and my partner. I emailed my supervisors so they knew I hadn’t done anything wrong. A call from my husband stopped me taking my life.”

In a statement, Bishop said: “I reject any suggestion that I have engaged with council members, staff, students and observers in any way other than with respect, courtesy and civility. The witness concerned has initiated grievance proceedings and it is not appropriate for me to comment further at this time.”

Allen quit her post on the council this year because she believed that press releases put out on behalf of the university’s council were “factually incorrect”.

She told the hearing she lodged a workplace complaint after the February incidents but the human resources department told her boss she “simply needed to reframe my thinking”.

“She implied I had mental health problems and dismissed the dysfunction of council,” Allen said. “But yet further bullying and threats occurred.”

Allen also outlined a series of concerns around conflicts of interest pertaining to council members, including her allegation that Bishop had failed to declare her association to Murray Hansen’s firm, Vinder Consulting, to the university council.

The academic’s comments were made in a Senate hearing investigating the quality of governance at Australian higher education providers.

The hearing also heard that staff suspected of leaking to the media have been interrogated, tracked on CCTV and their email inboxes have been searched, National Tertiary Education ACT division secretary Dr Lachlan Clohesy told the inquiry.

“I mean, the vice chancellor told a senior leadership group meeting that she would hunt down leakers,” he said.

The vice chancellor, Genevieve Bell, previously told The Australian Financial Review she did not remember saying that. “Not in those precise words, no,” she told the publication.

She has faced calls to resign over a series of scandals, including that she kept a paid role with Intel while working at the university.

Australian National University Students’ Association president Will Burfoot, who was also on the university council, told the hearing decisions made by ANU was having a direct impact on students.

“With so many people in the class, they are forced to sit on the ground … Students are angry that their time at university is getting worse and that there’s been no meaningful consultation on the cuts or the university’s future direction. Make no mistake, the ANU is in crisis,” he said.

ANU chief operating officer Jonathan Churchill appeared at the inquiry on Tuesday afternoon. He said he could not comment on Allen’s allegations because grievance procedures were under way.

“We take what has been said very seriously on a preliminary view, a number of the statements do not appear to be correct, and we will examine all of the statements made and respond with particularity in writing to those assertions in relation to Dr Allen,” he said.

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