Senate Inquiry into Academic Freedom
The Australian Senate has finished an inquiry into bias at universities and schools. This inquiry was instigated by Sen. Mitch Fifield, a Liberal senator long associated with partisan attacks against academics and teachers.
Read the NTEU submission to the Inquiry.
Read the complete Senate report (pdf, 400kb)
The report found there was no basis for allegations of academic bias at universities. There were also suggestions that the entire enquiry was politically motivated on the part of Sen. Mitch Fifield.
The NTEU is supporting a Charter for University Renewal, which would make universities a central plank of the Commonwealth’s Education Revolution. The NTEU’s proposed charter would promote significant re-investment in the sector; and create a discrete funding and planning framework.
Australia has no legislated protection of academic freedom. The NTEU is campaigning for a statement on academic freedom and university independence. This would enshrine independence of universities from political interference.
