Lead

A former University of Wollongong (UOW) interim vice-chancellor has acknowledged there was a "perception" of a conflict of interest over a multimillion-dollar consultancy contract awarded to a firm where he remained a partner, as a NSW parliamentary inquiry examines university governance and transparency.

John Dewar, who served as interim vice-chancellor from 2024, faced questioning from the inquiry about his links to consulting firm KordaMentha. The inquiry is also scrutinising UOW's overseas operations and its legislative obligations to the Illawarra region.

Coverage Comparison

Two reports from ABC Australia, the country's public broadcaster, have detailed the inquiry's proceedings and interim findings. The first report focused on Dewar's testimony regarding the KordaMentha contract, while the second highlighted broader concerns about UOW's overseas expansion and governance. Both reports adopt a critical tone, using language such as "perception" and "neglecting" to frame the issues.

Key Claims

  • John Dewar was interim vice-chancellor at UOW during 2024. At the time, he was a partner at KordaMentha, where he focused primarily on higher education.
  • Four days after Dewar took up the role, UOW invited KordaMentha to tender for a $3.8 million operational review, a contract the firm ultimately won.
  • Dewar told the inquiry he had "nothing to do" with the decision to invite KordaMentha or the supervision of its work, and denied any involvement in the procurement process.
  • Dewar worked one day a fortnight for KordaMentha while at UOW, unpaid, to provide leadership to a team of consultants in the Higher Education practice. He said he was entitled to a fixed percentage of remuneration from the firm.
  • Greens MLC Abigail Boyd described Dewar's separation from KordaMentha as a "fiction" and a "direct conflict of interest," as reported by ABC Australia.
  • Australian universities spend around $1.8 billion a year on external consultants, according to the inquiry's context.
  • UOW has a legislated mandate to support the Illawarra region, which the inquiry raised concerns about.
  • The inquiry's interim report made four recommendations for immediate action at UOW and the University of Technology Sydney.
  • UOW's commercial arm, Global Enterprises, operates overseas campuses in Dubai, Hong Kong, Malaysia, India, and Saudi Arabia, and employs more than 1,500 staff.

Perspectives

Dewar's Testimony

Dewar acknowledged the "perception" of a conflict of interest but maintained his separation from the procurement decision, emphasising that the process was conducted with "a high degree of probity." He said it was his idea to bring in external consultants, telling the inquiry he told Chancellor Michael Still that the university's challenges would "take more than me to come in and fix."

Inquiry's Concerns

The inquiry, chaired by Sarah Kaine, expressed concerns that UOW's governance and reporting arrangements do not provide "the level of transparency, accountability and assurance expected of the sector." Kaine warned the university was at risk of "sacrificing fundamental social benefits in the pursuit of corporate outcomes," particularly regarding its overseas operations.

Critics' View

Greens MLC Abigail Boyd was more pointed, labelling Dewar's arrangement with KordaMentha a "fiction" and a "direct conflict of interest." Former UOW National Tertiary Education Union branch president Fiona Probyn-Rapsey questioned whether the university was fulfilling its legislative mandate, noting that while UOW shrinks its local offerings, it continues to open overseas campuses.

Context and Subsequent Developments

The interim report from the NSW parliamentary inquiry, released this week, made four recommendations for immediate action at UOW and the University of Technology Sydney. The inquiry is set to continue examining university governance, with a focus on the use of external consultants and the balance between commercial interests and public obligations.