Renowned JCU Professor Professor Martin Nakata allegedly threatens staff member ‘as joke’

A senior female worker claims a leading university professor and a Member of the Order of Australia said he would “spear her” if she failed to create a dramatic increase in Indigenous enrolments. But she said he later told her it was just a “joke”.

JCU Deputy Vice Chancellor of Indigenous Education and Strategy Professor Martin Nakata.

A senior female worker claims a leading university professor and a Member of the Order of Australia said he would “spear her” if she failed to create a dramatic increase in Indigenous enrolments at James Cook University.

But the professor at the time said it was just a “joke”, she said.

The woman, 65, has been off work since January 3 after having her WorkCover claim accepted following the alleged incident.

She said Professor Martin Nakata, AM and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Indigenous Education and Strategy at James Cook University used violent language towards her and in front of others.

The woman, a Master of Business Administration graduate and senior member of the Indigenous Education and Strategy department alleged Mr Nakata said the university must increase Indigenous student numbers from 677 to more than 1000 in one year or “I will take that spear off the wall and spear you”.

Mr Nakata is accused of saying the statement in front of a staff meeting of approximately 30 people in November.

Pro Vice Chancellor, Indigenous Education and Strategy, Prof Martin Nakata, JCU Vice Chancellor Professor Sandra Harding, JCU Chancellor Bill Tweddell and Bindal elder Aunty Dorothy Savage. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR.

“That is a significant increase in Indigenous students,” the woman said.

“Personally, I would love to see that. But it is not a realistic increase. Especially at a time of such high employment, we have seen numbers fall right across the board.

“Also, he had no plan or no details on how to do that; it was all left up to me, and I was (allegedly) told that if I didn’t meet that target, he would spear me.”

The woman said she told Mr Nakata in November she felt “humiliated” by his threatening language.

She said he apologised but has since not spoken with her despite having offices next to each other.

According to the woman, Mr Nakata told her he was “only joking” to which she replied “nobody laughed and then you continued to say it two more times in three days”.

“We are in offices next to each other, and we normally speak half a dozen times a day, but since I spoke to him about his comments, he hasn’t spoken to me once.”

On January 3, the woman went on leave, and shortly after her WorkCover claim was accepted by the insurer for “acute stress”.

Professor Martin Nakata AM, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Education & Strategy at James Cook University.

Earlier this month she also made an official complaint to the university.

In many ways she said making the complaint had increased her stress as she was worried that Professor Nakata’s standing in the community would prevent the university from responding adequately.

Mr Nakata is a current Discovery Indigenous scheme grant recipient from the Australian Research Council and author of four books.

He is the first Aboriginal/Indigenous person from the Torres Strait Islands to obtain a doctoral degree.

The Australian Research Council describes Mr Nakata as being “considered one of the leading Indigenous scholars in Australia through his extensive work to improve the educational outcomes of Indigenous students in the higher education setting”.

“I don’t want to ruin anybody’s life,” the woman said – explaining that it was her and her husband’s application that led to Mr Nakata becoming a Member of the Order of Australia before their working relationship broke down.

“I love my job and I would love to stay in that job, but it’s obvious we cannot work together anymore.”

A JCU spokesman confirmed it was “aware of the alleged incident”.

“All such allegations are taken seriously and handled in accordance with the university policies and procedures.”

Mr Nakata was contacted for comment, but did not respond at the time of publication.

Originally published as Renowned JCU Professor Professor Martin Nakata allegedly threatens staff member ‘as joke’