Education Minister Simon Birmingham found the leader’s chair
Education Minister Simon Birmingham tasted leadership for a day. But his future is uncertain.
In today’s Higher Ed Daily Brief: Birmo’s civics lesson, Curtin’s new chancellor
Principal for a day
As Education Minister Simon Birmingham would be well acquainted with the Principal for a Day idea, where selected students shadow the boss of the school and hopefully learn from the experience. Yesterday Birmingham was leader for a day in the Senate, after Mathias Cormann resigned from the Turnbull Cabinet, and his position as Government Leader in the Senate. It was a lonely job, the government front bench in the Senate also having lost other anti-Turnbull ministers Mitch Fifield, Michaelia Cash, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, James McGrath and Zed Seselja.
Still, Birmingham batted on, and favoured his fellow senators with a civics lesson. Asked by Labor “Who is the Prime Minister?” he was able to reply “Malcolm Turnbull”. It was true then.
The big question for Birmingham is whether he will be much longer in the education minister job, which he’s held for nearly three years. This is some kind of a record in recent times. Not since Brendan Nelson held the post in the Howard years (from 2001 to 2006) has an education minister exceeded Birmo’s 2 years 11 months in the role thus far.
New chancellor
Western Australian business figure Andrew Crane will be the next chancellor of Curtin University. The former CEO of the CBH Group will take over at the end of the year from retiring chancellor Colin Beckett. Dr Crane has experience in the university, being in his second term on Curtin’s council.
Curtin vice-chancellor Deborah Terry thanked Mr Beckett for his service as chancellor. “He has overseen many projects including the establishment of our law and medical schools, the university’s expansion into Dubai and Mauritius, and our plans for the development of Greater Curtin,” Professor Terry said.
Make quantum great again
UNSW physicist Michelle Simmons, whose quantum computing research is getting world attention, was a guest at Donald Trump’s state dinner for PM Scott Morrison.
New research leader
Macquarie University has picked the CEO of the Australian Wine Research Institute, Dan Johnson, to be its new pro vice-chancellor for research innovation.