ICAC hears Still say White was 'just doing what Professor Lu asked'
Michael Still defends Alyssa White's role in preparing papers for a proposed executive position, saying the proposal originated with incoming vice-chancellor Professor Max Lu.
Former University of Wollongong Chancellor Michael Still has denied Alyssa White was conflicted when she drafted the proposal for a new $388,000 executive role she hoped to fill, telling the Independent Commission Against Corruption she was simply carrying out the wishes of incoming vice-chancellor Professor Max Lu.
Questioned by Counsel Assisting Emma Bathurst on Monday, Mr Still repeatedly rejected suggestions that Ms White’s involvement in developing the proposed Vice President Strategy and Executive Affairs role created a conflict of interest, despite agreeing that she wanted the position and had prepared draft papers recommending that the role be created and that she be directly appointed to it.
Asked whether it crossed his mind that Ms White, who was the University of Wollongong’s Chief Governance Officer and University Secretary at the time, was conflicted while preparing organisational structures, position descriptions and council papers for the role, Mr Still replied: “Well, no, because it was Professor Lu’s decision.”
“He was asking her for options, I think. I never saw her as being in any position to approve anything.”
When Ms Bathurst suggested Ms White was advocating for her own appointment, Mr Still maintained: “She was just doing what Professor Lu asked her to do.”
The inquiry heard Ms White had sent Mr Still draft position descriptions, organisational charts and council papers for review as plans for Professor Lu’s new Vice-Chancellor’s Office were developed in late 2024 and early 2025.
Mr Still said he knew Ms White wanted the role but maintained the proposal originated with incoming vice-chancellor Professor Max Lu, who had asked her to prepare options.
Text messages shown to the inquiry revealed Ms White told Mr Still newly appointed Chief People Officer Alison Bourke believed she was conflicted and wanted to discuss the issue directly with him.
Mr Still replied: “This is a little silly.”
He later told the inquiry he believed it was unreasonable Ms Bourke had not first raised her concerns with Ms White.
The inquiry was also shown a later exchange in which Mr Still wrote: “Hope she hasn’t drunk too much Kool-Aid.”
Mr Still said he was referring to what he described as a perception within the university that the People and Culture division had become “very difficult to deal with and restrictive” and hoped Ms Bourke would provide “a fresh start”.
Counsel Assisting Emma Bathurst repeatedly suggested that the conflict should have been obvious, noting that Ms White had prepared a paper recommending the creation of a new executive role with a remuneration package of $388,443 while advocating her own direct appointment.
“You must have known there was a conflict,” Ms Bathurst said.
Mr Still disagreed.
“She wasn’t recommending,” he said. “She, in my view, was just doing what Professor Lu asked her to do.”
Earlier in the day, Mr Still defended his broader approach as chancellor, describing himself as an “engaged” rather than “hands-on” leader who believed stronger council oversight was necessary to address serious financial and cultural problems at the university.
Asked to describe his approach after taking the role in December 2023, Mr Still said he inherited a university facing significant challenges.
“I wanted to have it fixed,” he told the inquiry.
Mr Still defended approving governance positions through a $2 million council discretionary fund, chairing recruitment panels for professional staff and maintaining frequent contact with Ms White, whom he agreed became his “eyes and ears” within the university executive.
A significant portion of Monday’s evidence focused on his close working relationship with White.
Mr Still agreed he communicated with Ms White frequently by phone, email, text message and in person, describing her as hardworking, knowledgeable and someone he trusted with highly confidential governance matters.
Mr Still also confirmed he supported Ms White during a 2024 cultural review into the Governance and Policy Division.
The inquiry heard he participated in the investigation, telling external investigators governance at the university required substantial improvement and describing Ms White as “softly professional”.
Mr Still agreed the University Council’s role was to oversee the university’s performance and strategic direction, while also accepting council members were required to act in the university’s best interests, disclose conflicts of interest and lead by example.
Operation Scandi is examining recruitment, governance and procurement practices at the University of Wollongong, including whether recruitment processes were manipulated to benefit associates of Alyssa White and whether conflicts of interest were appropriately managed.
ICAC has made no findings in Operation Scandi. All named individuals are the subject of allegations at a public inquiry.
