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| Academic labels Julie Bishop ‘hostile and arrogant’ in tearful evidence to ANU inquiry | Academic labels Julie Bishop ‘hostile and arrogant’ in tearful evidence to ANU inquiry |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Liz Allen alleged she was ‘bullied into near suicide’ at the institution | Liz Allen alleged she was ‘bullied into near suicide’ at the institution |
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| A prominent academic has alleged she was “bullied into near suicide” at the Australian National University and has labelled the chancellor, Julie Bishop, as “hostile and arrogant” in tearful evidence to a Senate inquiry. | |
| Liz Allen, a demographer and senior lecturer at the Canberra institution, gave evidence to an inquiry considering governance in higher education in Australia, on Tuesday. Her claims have also been referred to the higher education regulator. | Liz Allen, a demographer and senior lecturer at the Canberra institution, gave evidence to an inquiry considering governance in higher education in Australia, on Tuesday. Her claims have also been referred to the higher education regulator. |
| In her testimony, Allen also said she had suffered a miscarriage in the weeks after two distressing meetings with Bishop, the former foreign affairs minister. | |
| She alleged Bishop had targeted her while she served as a member of the university council, including during meetings in February. | She alleged Bishop had targeted her while she served as a member of the university council, including during meetings in February. |
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| The inquiry has been considering leadership problems at ANU, after the education minister, Jason Clare, referred governance and management concerns to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency. The vice-chancellor, Genevieve Bell, has been criticised for her plans to cut jobs as part of a $250m restructure. | |
| Allen appeared to give evidence in a personal capacity, after resigning from the university council in April. | Allen appeared to give evidence in a personal capacity, after resigning from the university council in April. |
| A regular media commentator and author, she said since 2024 she had faced “threats, intimidation and bullying” because of her efforts to improve probity on the university council. | |
| “I was bullied into near suicide,” she told the inquiry. “I miscarried a much-wanted baby. I’ve lost the opportunity of a promotion. I fear for my job and my career has been derailed. | “I was bullied into near suicide,” she told the inquiry. “I miscarried a much-wanted baby. I’ve lost the opportunity of a promotion. I fear for my job and my career has been derailed. |
| “I believe Chancellor Bishop is hostile and arrogant to staff. The previous vice-chancellor, Brian Schmidt, kept the chancellor’s behaviour in check. | “I believe Chancellor Bishop is hostile and arrogant to staff. The previous vice-chancellor, Brian Schmidt, kept the chancellor’s behaviour in check. |
| “Council is dysfunctional and toxic under the current regime and elected council members are afraid.” | “Council is dysfunctional and toxic under the current regime and elected council members are afraid.” |
| Allen became emotional as she recounted two meetings in February, when she said Bishop alleged she had acted improperly by leaking to the media. | Allen became emotional as she recounted two meetings in February, when she said Bishop alleged she had acted improperly by leaking to the media. |
| “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. | “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. | “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.” | “Chancellor Bishop laughed incredulously at my emotional response, and at one point blocked me leaving the room.” |
| Allen denies ever leaking. | Allen denies ever leaking. |
| “I was so distressed, I couldn’t breath and struggled walking,” she said. “I felt violated and deeply humiliated. Many people in the building saw my distress. Nobody did anything to help, resulting in great shame and trauma. | “I was so distressed, I couldn’t breath and struggled walking,” she said. “I felt violated and deeply humiliated. Many people in the building saw my distress. Nobody did anything to help, resulting in great shame and trauma. |
| “It affected me so deeply that, on the drive home, I decided to kill myself. | |
| “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 own life. | “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 own life. |
| “I was pregnant at the time of these incidents. In roughly the fortnight following, my much-wanted baby died. Its heart stopped beating.” | “I was pregnant at the time of these incidents. In roughly the fortnight following, my much-wanted baby died. Its heart stopped beating.” |
| Allen said she lodged a workplace complaint after the incidents. | Allen said she lodged a workplace complaint after the incidents. |
| ACT independent senator David Pocock sought to table documents related to Allen’s case and the referral to the regulator. | |
| ANU’s chief operating office, Jonathan Churchill, told the committee ANU took the allegations very seriously but it was impossible for him to respond to Allen’s evidence because she had initiated a formal grievance procedure against the university. | ANU’s chief operating office, Jonathan Churchill, told the committee ANU took the allegations very seriously but it was impossible for him to respond to Allen’s evidence because she had initiated a formal grievance procedure against the university. |
| Churchill said, on a preliminary view, a number of the statements made to the committee in the hearing “do not appear to be correct”. | |
| “However, we will examine all of the statements made and respond with particularity, in writing to those assertions,” he said. | “However, we will examine all of the statements made and respond with particularity, in writing to those assertions,” he said. |
| He said the university would properly complete the process, including gathering appropriate evidence and forming a determination. | He said the university would properly complete the process, including gathering appropriate evidence and forming a determination. |
| Bishop was unable to appear at the hearing due to work in her capacity as a United Nations envoy on Myanmar. | Bishop was unable to appear at the hearing due to work in her capacity as a United Nations envoy on Myanmar. |
| “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,” Bishop said in a statement. | “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,” Bishop said in a statement. |
| “The witness concerned has initiated grievance proceedings and it is not appropriate for me to comment further at this time.” | “The witness concerned has initiated grievance proceedings and it is not appropriate for me to comment further at this time.” |
| Bell, who was on sick leave with the flu, had been invited to appear before the inquiry. | Bell, who was on sick leave with the flu, had been invited to appear before the inquiry. |
| In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org | In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org |
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