NTU Bill an insult to staff
Tuesday, 12 August 2003
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has condemned the governance provisions of the Northern Territory Bill to create the Charles Darwin University. The Bill, which will be submitted to the Territory Assembly tomorrow, severely restricts the right to vote, and stand, for elected staff positions on the University Council.
The National Assistant Secretary of the NTEU, Mr Ted Murphy, said the Bill’s provisions that only full-time teaching staff can vote or be elected were insulting to staff generally at the Northern Territory University.
“General staff of the University in the Territory lose the right to vote and to seek election. Female academics who choose to return on a part-time basis after maternity leave are stripped of voting rights. So too are academics of either sex who go part-time to assist a financially troubled School of the University in minimizing redundancies, or as part of a transition to retirement” Mr Murphy said.
“The Martin Government in submitting this Bill is sending two messages. First, if you are a university general staff member who values democratic participation in university governance, don’t apply for a job in the Territory. Second, the so-called lower orders shouldn’t be allowed to vote. This is a twisted, 19th century view of democracy”, Mr Murphy said.
For further comment contact:
Mr Ted Murphy
National Assistant Secretary, NTEU
Ph: 03 9254 1910
Mobile: 0419 517 288