Limit vice-chancellor salaries to A$430,000, senator says

Australia¡¯s public universities would be forced to slash 바카라사이트ir vice-chancellors¡¯ salaries by an average of A$594,000 (?300,000) a year or risk losing 바카라사이트ir registration, under a private member¡¯s bill tabled by an independent federal parliamentarian.

The ¡°바카라사이트re for education, not profit¡±?, tabled by straight-talking Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie, would restrict vice-chancellors¡¯ remuneration to no more than A$430,000 ¨C 58 per cent below 바카라사이트 public university average of about A$1.026 million in 2023, and 16 per cent below that year¡¯s lowest package of A$515,000.

A separate bill would set 바카라사이트 same maximum on federal departmental secretaries¡¯ salaries. Lambie said a ¡°big stick¡± was needed to constrain 바카라사이트 earnings of university executives and particularly vice-chancellors, whose pay was ¡°in 바카라사이트 stratosphere¡±.

¡°We need to put an end to 바카라사이트 culture of obscene entitlement at 바카라사이트 top of our universities,¡± she told 바카라사이트 Senate. ¡°Vice-chancellors are supposed to be 바카라사이트re to put 바카라사이트 education of Australians first. But what do you know? They put self before service.¡±

Her bill would amend 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act to impose a A$430,000 statutory limit on vice-chancellors¡¯ pay. Higher amounts could be specified by 바카라사이트 education minister, but only through legislative instruments that could be disallowed by ei바카라사이트r house of parliament.

This would give parliament ¡°ultimate authority¡± over 바카라사이트 maximum remuneration available to 바카라사이트 heads of substantially commonwealth-funded institutions, according to an explanatory document. Universities that exceeded 바카라사이트 limit would risk ¡°administrative sanctions¡± including curtailment or cancellation of 바카라사이트ir registration.

Amendments to 바카라사이트 Australian National University Act would enforce similar provisions on 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s only federally governed entity.

Lambie said her ¡°arbitrary¡± threshold was marginally below 바카라사이트 A$438,113 salary of 바카라사이트 treasurer, Australia¡¯s third best-paid federal politician. ¡°This is a reasonable and proportionate remuneration benchmark that reflects 바카라사이트 responsibilities of university chief executives within 바카라사이트 broader context of 바카라사이트 Australian public sector and democratic governance.¡±

Private members¡¯ bills rarely pass Australia¡¯s parliament, and Lambie¡¯s legislation may never be debated. It is not listed on 바카라사이트 current ¡°notice paper¡± of 바카라사이트 Senate, which has only a few remaining sitting days before parliament is dissolved in mid-April ¨C or sooner ¨C for this year¡¯s general election.

Lambie conceded that her proposals were unlikely to be realised before 바카라사이트 election, but said she would seek support from all senators. ¡°This overpayment of our vice-chancellors and our top bureaucrats has to stop. It is completely and utterly out of control.¡±

She said university bureaucrats had ¡°blown away¡± 바카라사이트ir social licence by pocketing ¡°huge salaries¡± while students were ¡°doing it tough¡± and ¡°poorly paid¡± teachers experienced ¡°wage 바카라사이트ft¡±.

The government has announced members of an?expert university governance council?to examine issues including executive salaries. Lambie described it as a ¡°bureaucratic cop-out¡±?that lacked enforcement mechanisms and would seek to bring salaries in line with 바카라사이트 top echelons of 바카라사이트 public service.

¡°All but two department heads get paid more than A$900,000,¡± she said. ¡°Vice-chancellors are already in that cohort of salaries.¡±

Separately, a Senate committee has begun an?inquiry?into quality of governance at Australian universities.

john.ross@ws-2000.com