THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

UOW academic 'shocked' by council research, inquiry hears - PS News A University of Wollongong academic has addressed the NSW Government inquiry into the university sector. Photo: UOW. A University of Wollongong academic has told a NSW Government inquiry university councils across the state are dominated by white people with corporate backgrounds. The inquiry’s terms of reference requires the committee to “inquire into and report on the crisis in the NSW university sector” and is looking into the structure, powers and responsibilities of university councils, governance practices, reporting obligations and how universities engage in commercial activities. Professor Corinne Cortese’s research expertise is in regulation and regulatory structures applied to contexts including accounting and reporting practices and corporate boardrooms. She teaches undergraduate and postgraduate accounting with a focus on financial accounting. Prof Cortese told the inquiry she was conducting research on corporate boardrooms and diversity when she decided to apply the same consideration to university councils. “This began as a diversity project, but as I repeatedly observed the prevalence of unive…

ICAC day 12: Ex-UOW chancellor retracts sworn testimony 'I think I deny it': Former UOW chancellor faces false evidence claims at inquiry Michael Still walks back sworn evidence Janine Graham Jul 07, 2026 1 Share Former UOW chancellor Michael Still, centre, fielded questions from Counsel Assisting ICAC Emma Bathurst and Commissioner Paul Lakatos SC on Tuesday. Image by Google Gemini Former University of Wollongong Chancellor Michael Still faced a brutal morning at the state’s corruption watchdog, directly accused of giving “false evidence,” forced to formally retract his own sworn testimony, and criticised for running a “behind the scenes” procurement process. The Independent Commission Against Corruption’s Operation Scandi inquiry spent Tuesday morning probing Mr Still’s involvement in awarding a lucrative, un-tendered diagnostic contract to KordaMentha - the firm of his hand-picked Interim Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Dewar. Tensions boiled over when Counsel Assisting Emma Bathurst pressed Mr Still on whether he had properly engaged rival consulting firms Deloitte and Partners in Performance before KordaMentha won the diagnostic contract. When Mr Still testified he had spoken…

Job applicants got interview questions in advance, ICAC told A former University of Wollongong executive repeatedly helped friends and associates secure lucrative jobs by reviewing their résumés and supplying them with interview questions and answers, it has been alleged at a corruption hearing. The Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry on Monday heard how the university’s chief governance officer Alyssa White gave her high school friends and other associates jobs at least 10 times. “The evidence is expected to show that Ms White created various positions, including highly paid roles, which she intended to be filled by her friends and colleagues,” counsel assisting Emma Bathurst said in her opening statement to the corruption watchdog’s Operation Scandi inquiry. The three-week hearing is also investigating whether White, university chancellor Michael Still or other staff had improperly awarded consulting work worth tens of thousands of dollars to a firm called Aspirall Consulting. Additionally, it will also probe whether staff failed to manage a conflict of interest relating to the employment of Professor John Dewar as interim vice chancellor (who was paid a salary…

ICAC probes former Wollongong University boss's KordaMentha links Policy Health & Education ICAC Print article Maani Truu Education correspondent Jun 22, 2026 – 6.21pm Wollongong University’s former vice chancellor participated in a process that saw consulting firm KordaMentha win a $300,000 contract that later ballooned to $3.7 million while he was on a leave of absence from the firm, NSW’s corruption watchdog will allege. The Independent Commission Against Corruption will examine three separate allegations during a three-week public probe into the conduct of senior leaders at the institution centred on whether chancellor Michael Still and other university staff members acted improperly when recruiting staff and awarding contracts. Loading... Save Log in or Subscribe to save article Share Copy link Copied Email LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Copy link Copied Share via... Gift this article Subscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Subscribe now Already a subscriber? Login License article Read More ICAC Universities in crisis Fetching latest articles

As the University of Wollongong was courting KordaMentha partner John Dewar to act as its interim vice-chancellor in May 2024, chancellor Michael Still told him it was “very likely” that his consulting firm would win work at that very university. The Independent Commission Against Corruption is mid-way through a multi-pronged public hearing investigating the university, including its appointment of Dewar as the acting vice-chancellor and whether the conflict of interest between his appointment and that of KordaMentha was adequately managed. Dewar told his KordaMentha boss Henriette Rothschild in an email in May 2024 that Still had said “they are running it in a way that makes it very likely we will win” work with the university. There were two other contenders, the email tendered to the ICAC said – a big four that “won’t get it” and a smaller outfit which had done work for the university with which it was displeased. At this stage, Still was trying to get Dewar to leave KordaMentha on secondment to the $1 million a year job at the university, which was at that time facing a legion of problems including poor financials, disengaged staff and a $169 million debt to a developer over…

UOW exec gave 'preferential assistance' to at least 10 job candidates ... ICAC’s Operation Scandi inquiry is looking at the University of Wollongong’s recruitment and procurement policies. Photo: UOW. The University of Wollongong’s former chief governance officer, Alyssa White, allegedly created new job positions and, on at least 10 occasions, filled them with friends and former colleagues, ICAC has heard. In some cases, she allegedly provided the applicants with interview questions and answers, edited their resumes – including once removing her name as a referee after the CV was submitted – and allowed one application even though it arrived after the closing date. On the opening day of the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s Operation Scandi inquiry into UOW, counsel assisting Emma Bathurst said she “understood” Ms White had tendered her resignation just two days before the hearing started, on Saturday, 20 June. In her 90-minute opening statement, Ms Bathurst outlined evidence to be heard before Commissioner Paul Lakatso in relation to three allegations concerning executive staff at the university, including Ms White, Chancellor Michael Still and former interim vice-c…

UOW boss interrogated about controversial interim VC appointment Former UOW interim Vice-Chancellor John Dewar was held in “high regard” by Chancellor Michael Still. Photo: UOW. University of Wollongong Chancellor Michael Still has come under fire at a NSW Government inquiry over his appointment of former interim vice-chancellor John Dewar. Mr Dewar is a business partner at KordaMentha, a business consultancy firm later appointed to conduct operational reviews of the university. The firm was paid $3 million for the service, which led to more than 100 job cuts. The inquiry’s terms of reference requires the committee to “inquire into and report on the crisis in the NSW university sector” and is looking into the structure, powers and responsibilities of university councils, governance practices, reporting obligations and how universities engage in commercial activities. Former head of school at the university, Professor Fiona Probyn-Rapsey took a voluntary redundancy when her position was disestablished as part of the cuts. READ ALSOUOW execs grilled at NSW parliamentary inquiry She told the NSW Government inquiry there were concerns of a conflict of interest regarding Mr Dewa…

'Loyalty, perhaps favouritism': probe into uni nepotism - AAP News Allegations of improperly awarded contracts worth millions, high-paying jobs doled out to friends, and conflicts of interest at a university are being aired during a corruption probe. An inquiry by NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption into alleged nepotism at the University of Wollongong began on Monday to examine whether the supposed rot went all the way to the top. The state's anti-corruption body is examining whether chancellor Michael Still, the university's chief governance officer Alyssa White or other staff and contractors improperly awarded or influenced a contract to Aspirall Consulting International. The watchdog is additionally scrutinising whether Ms White, a former University of Sydney administrator, subverted recruitment processes or governance roles to benefit her friends and former colleagues at the Illawarra university. The first hearing kicked off on Monday with counsel assisting Emma Bathurst outlining recruitment practices that Ms White actively oversaw using her social and professional connections. "Ms White's objective (was) to stack the university governance and policy division …

ICAC hears former University of Wollongong vice-chancellor declared ... Other News ICAC hears former University of Wollongong vice-chancellor declared Korda Mentha conflict but kept role By Neha · Published 02 Jul 2026 Wollongong, NSW · New South Wales News Source note: reviewed public report from the 19News.au editorial workflow. ICAC hears former University of Wollongong vice-chancellor declared Korda Mentha conflict but kept role - Wollongong, NSW Smart summary The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has heard former interim University of Wollongong vice-chancellor John Dewar declared a conflict of interest over his links to consulting firm Korda Mentha, but... University Icac Inquiry Korda Mentha The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has heard further evidence in its public inquiry into governance at the University of Wollongong (UOW), focusing on how the university managed a potential conflict of interest involving former interim vice-chancellor John Dewar and consulting firm Korda Mentha. The inquiry is examining whether senior university officials properly managed conflicts of interest when Dewar was appointed interim vice-chancellor whil…

Woman at centre of university corruption claims fronts ICAC inquiry Former University of Wollongong chief governance officer Alyssa White takes the witness box at the ICAC inquiry after weeks of evidence examining her role in recruitment decisions, governance reforms and a proposed executive position.

UOW Prof Sean Brawley axed after raising concerns, ICAC hears A former University of Wollongong executive wasmade redundantafter clashing with Alyssa White and refusing a pay rise to a favoured friend, acorruption hearingheard on Friday. Loginor signup to continue reading Professor Sean Brawley was UOW's deputy vice-chancellor (strategy and assurance) until he was "disestablished" in October 2024. TheIndependent Commission Against Corruptionis investigating whether Ms White, UOW's former chief governance officer, subverted proper processes to give jobs to her former colleagues and friends. Professor Brawley was giving evidence about a job - called associate director, governance - that was offered toDr Stacy Oon, who also appeared before the ICAC on Friday. Professor Brawley said he found it unusual that the UOW chancellor, Michael Still, had appeared on the selection panel for the job. "I was unaware in all of my experience of a case where a chancellor would chair an employment panel for a position so far down the leadership chain," he said. After interviews in mid-September, 2024, the job was first offered toLucinda Wright, a work friend and colleague of Ms White's from th…

University of Wollongong ICAC: John was courted for a $1m a year job ... As the University of Wollongong was courting KordaMentha partner John Dewar to act as its interim vice-chancellor in May 2024, chancellor Michael Still told him it was “very likely” that his consulting firm would win work at that very university. The Independent Commission Against Corruption is mid-way through a multi-pronged public hearing investigating the university, including its appointment of Dewar as the acting vice-chancellor and whether the conflict of interest between his appointment and that of KordaMentha was adequately managed. Dewar told his KordaMentha boss Henriette Rothschild in an email in May 2024 that Still had said “they are running it in a way that makes it very likely we will win” work with the university. There were two other contenders, the email tendered to the ICAC said – a big four that “won’t get it” and a smaller outfit which had done work for the university with which it was displeased. At this stage, Still was trying to get Dewar to leave KordaMentha on secondment to the $1 million a year job at the university, which was at that time facing a legion of problems including poo…

ICAC hears uni executive sacked the day he rejected colleague's pay ... The ICAC inquiry has heard a former University of Wollongong executive was dismissed on the day of a disputed salary increase. The ICAC inquiry has heard evidence about recruitment practices, governance appointments and conflicts of interest at UOW. Former UOW deputy vice-chancellor Sean Brawley told ICAC a higher salary package he refused to approve was later signed off on the day he was dismissed. The inquiry also heard evidence about recruitment practices, governance appointments and concerns raised in a cultural review. A former University of Wollongong deputy vice-chancellor says he "utterly" rejects allegations he ignored recruitment concerns within the university's governance division. The Independent Commission Against Corruption is investigating allegations former chief governance officer Alyssa White improperly influenced recruitment processes to benefit associates and friends. Sean Brawley served as UOW's deputy vice-chancellor from 2022 until his role was abolished in October 2024. Returning to the witness box for a second day, Professor Brawley was questioned about his response to a 2024 cultural …