Hundreds of CQUni staff attracted by exit packages

NTEU Division Secretery Michael McNally calls on the Government to protect CQU jobs

The National Tertiary Education Union is holding the Federal Government responsible for incoming job loss at Central Queensland's largest regional university, accusing it of 'deliberately attacking' the higher education sector.

CQUniversity vice chancellor Nick Klomp said a significant number of university jobs could be slashed due to the financial burden of COVID-19 and the Federal Government's failure to provide adequate funding to offset the damage.

With about 955 permanent and part time positions attached to the Rockhampton campuses, loss on a large scale would be devastating for the region.

According to Professor Klomp, 200 staff members across CQUni had already submitted expressions of interest in voluntary separation packages.

"As things currently stand, I have no option but to proceed with a program of forced redundancies over the coming weeks," he said.

For NTEU Division secretary Michael McNally this is worrying.

While he acknowledges the university is carrying out the only course of action it can right now, he argues ­downsizing now would be premature.

"Downsizing too quickly is not a good idea, we're hopeful that we might get a rescue package from the Federal Government," he said.

Despite holding out hope, Mr McNally is far from optimistic when it comes to the Federal Government's assistance thus far.

"We've been calling on the government to come forward with a genuine rescue package," he said.

"They've got this figure of $18 billion which they trot out when everyone asks them what they're doing about ­higher education, but this is mainly money that was ­already promised to the sector, so it's not additional funding."

"They've changed the regulations around JobKeeper three times to prevent universities from accessing it, to me that seems like a deliberate attack on the higher education sector."

"It's very disappointing to see the Federal Government not chipping in to support regional people."

Capricornia MP Michelle Landry has been contacted for comment and is expected to provide a response tomorrow.