University of Southern Queensland job losses: Blair MP Shayne Neumann blames lack of JobKeeper for cuts

Despite the cuts, USQ says it is still in a ‘strong financial position’ and is not as reliant on the international market compared to other Queensland universities.

The University of Southern Queensland’s Springfield campus.

FEDERAL Ipswich MP Shayne Neumann says job losses at the University of Southern Queensland are a direct result of public unis being excluded from the federal government’s JobKeeper scheme and lamented the “livelihoods destroyed”.

The regional uni, which has campuses in Ipswich, Springfield and Toowoomba, shed 34 jobs at the end of last year as part of a voluntary severance program.

USQ says it is still in a “strong financial position” and is not as reliant on the international market compared to other Queensland unis.

Blair MP Shayne Neumann.

Thousands of jobs have been lost in the university sector across Australia since the start of COVID-19.

“These are academics, tutors and the professional staff who keep our universities running,” Mr Neumann said.

“University staff have families and bills to pay, I just can’t understand why the Liberals are happy to see their livelihoods destroyed.

“To make matters worse, Scott Morrison’s recent budget confirms real government funding for universities will fall by 10 per cent over the next three years, while $1 billion in emergency funding to support research jobs is cut off.”

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Only 11 per cent of students enrolled at USQ in 2020 were from outside Australia.

Mr Neumann said other unis had been even more seriously affected; 299 staff were lost and 648 courses cancelled at Griffith University, the Queensland University of Technology lost 159 staff and is reviewing its courses and the University of Queensland lost 66 staff, with agriculture and engineering courses affected.

“Because of Scott Morrison’s decisions, universities have been forced to abolish courses like neuroscience, engineering, maths and Asian languages, that will be essential to Australia in coming years and decades,” he said.

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A USQ spokesperson said the job cuts would allow the uni to restructure.

“The University of Southern Queensland is in a strong financial position, despite the global pandemic,” they said.

“A voluntary severance program was held in late 2020, with a focus on enabling the university to reshape its workforce to deliver new degrees which respond to industry and workplace demand.

“The voluntary severance program accounted for 34 severances.”

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Originally published as University of Southern Queensland job losses: Blair MP Shayne Neumann blames lack of JobKeeper for cuts