Alleged cronyism, contracts, and cover-ups in UOW governance unit detailed
Day 1: USyd staff network links revealed
A tightly-knit network of former University of Sydney governance staff is at the centre of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) inquiry into the University of Wollongong.
Operation Scandi began its three-week public hearings in Sydney on Monday, seeking to unravel how UOW’s corporate governance framework was allegedly compromised from the top down.
Counsel Assisting Emma Bathurst used her opening address to detail how former Chief Governance Officer Alyssa White allegedly subverted UOW recruitment processes to install 10 of her former Sydney colleagues into senior roles.
The bulk of Monday’s proceedings focused on UOW’s Deputy University Secretary, Lucinda Wright, the first of White’s former University of Sydney associates to take the stand. Under questioning, Wright downplayed the extent of her personal friendship with White, describing it as a working relationship with a power dynamic, despite evidence of social outings, shared Ubers, and extensive text messaging.
Wright testified she could not recall if White had provided her with final interview questions in advance of her successful UOW job application. It was one of at least 25 times White told the hearing she could not recall or was not in a position to comment.
The inquiry’s witness list for Tuesday reads like a University of Sydney reunion. White returns to give evidence alongside two former colleagues who followed her to Wollongong — Deputy Chief Governance Officer Brenden Hook and Associate Director of Governance Stacy Oon. ICAC will examine how both came to land their roles, and who played what part in getting them there.
The $2m discretionary fund
While the alleged human resources cronyism dominated Day 1, the commission also laid the groundwork for a separate set of allegations reaching further up the chain of command.
ICAC will examine claims that UOW leadership funneled consulting contracts to favored firms. This includes allegations that former Chancellor Michael Still improperly awarded $79,000 in un-tendered work to Aspirall Consulting via a $2 million discretionary fund, and that former Interim Vice-Chancellor John Dewar failed to manage conflicts of interest regarding a restructuring contract awarded to his firm, KordaMentha.
Commissioner Paul Lakatos SC is presiding. ICAC has made no findings and all allegations remain subject to investigation.
Earlier today
The University of Wollongong’s chief governance officer resigned just two days before a public corruption inquiry into her conduct opened, the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption heard on Monday.
Counsel Assisting the Commission, Emma Bathurst, told the opening day of Operation Scandi that Alyssa White, who held the role of Chief Governance Officer and Secretary to the Council, tendered her resignation on Saturday, June 20, two days before today’s hearing began.
Read on:
ICAC has made no findings in Operation Scandi. All individuals named are the subject of allegations being examined at a public inquiry.
Check out the Operation Scandi Index
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