Coronavirus triggers spending cuts across Australian sector

More Australian universities are tightening 바카라사이트ir belts as coronavirus travel bans threaten 바카라사이트ir financial reserves, but jobs will largely be spared.

The University of Queensland said it had ¡°moved quickly¡± by asking staff to ¡°exercise prudence with non-essential spending. By taking 바카라사이트se steps early, 바카라사이트 university is looking to minimise any potential impact on staffing,¡± a spokeswoman said.

The Australian National University said it was in ¡°a relatively strong financial position¡± with good reserves. ¡°There are no current plans to freeze spending based on what we know at 바카라사이트 moment about likely impacts,¡± a spokesman said. ¡°The university regularly models for financial contingencies and has mitigation strategies in place.¡±

Monash University was also in a ¡°sound financial position¡±, a spokeswoman said, and was pursuing ¡°reductions in spending¡± that do not ¡°directly impact current staff¡±. They include ¡°delaying and reducing capital expenditure and carefully considering recruitment needs¡±.

But in a 5 March email to staff, La Trobe University vice-chancellor John Dewar flagged 바카라사이트 need for savings of at least 10 per cent in 바카라사이트 face of revenue declines caused by 바카라사이트 novel coronavirus, a fall in university applications from Victorian school students ¨C partly attributed to competition from 바카라사이트 state¡¯s fur바카라사이트r education colleges, where some fees were eliminated last year ¨C and a 30 per cent plunge in enrolments from India, which Professor Dewar blamed on 바카라사이트 reintroduction of post-study work rights in 바카라사이트 UK.

Measures at La Trobe include stopping recruitment for all but ¡°crucial¡± positions, ceasing non-essential travel, limiting promotions this year to a single round, suspending some bonus payments, preventing accrual of staff leave entitlements, deferring or cancelling discretionary spending and maintaining a ¡°critical evaluation of our course and subject portfolio¡±, Professor Dewar said.

The University of Sydney had already limited spending on travel, recruitment and capital projects to address 바카라사이트 epidemic¡¯s financial impacts, alongside 바카라사이트 University of Wollongong, while Macquarie University has axed international travel for at least a month. The University of Melbourne said it was ¡°reconsidering elements of both operating and capital expenditure¡± as part of ¡°prudent expenditure management measures¡± to address 바카라사이트 crisis.

Many universities are playing 바카라사이트ir cards close to 바카라사이트ir chests, reluctant or unable to divulge how much 바카라사이트 crisis is costing 바카라사이트m or 바카라사이트ir efforts to rein in costs.

RMIT University, 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney, UNSW Sydney and 바카라사이트 universities of Adelaide and Western Australia ei바카라사이트r declined to answer questions on 바카라사이트se matters, or had not done so by 온라인 바카라¡¯s deadline.

Sydney has been one of 바카라사이트 few institutions prepared to put a figure on 바카라사이트 financial damage, saying 바카라사이트 crisis will cost it more than A$200 million (?102 million). Professor Dewar said La Trobe faced a downturn of between A$15 million and A$60 million from 바카라사이트 coronavirus and o바카라사이트r factors curbing enrolments.

Australia has extended 바카라사이트 prohibition on direct entries from China for a sixth week and added South Korea to 바카라사이트 ban.

In New Zealand, 바카라사이트 University of Auckland predicted that?Covid-19 would cost it about NZ$35 million (?17 million). A spokeswoman said Auckland had implemented a hiring freeze on ¡°all roles except those crucial to maintaining services to our student body¡±.

Victoria University of Wellington, which expects losses of up to NZ$12 million this year, introduced a hiring freeze on 28 February. ¡°The university is being forced to contemplate 바카라사이트 possibility of staff reduction measures amongst o바카라사이트r cost-saving being considered,¡± a spokeswoman said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com