Murdoch University confirms it is no longer suing National Tertiary Education Union official Gabe Gooding. The university tells CMM it, “can confirm it has discontinued this action. This matter is now closed and we have no further comment.”

The university intended to sue over an article in an NTEU magazine. However, in December, Murdoch U failed to secure an injunction covering a union publication. In the WA Supreme Court Chief Justice Quinlan dismissed the application stating “In the circumstances, having regard to: (a) what I find to be a relatively weak case (including the claim that the article would be likely to cause the university financial damage); and (b) the adverse effect that an injunction would have on freedom of expression, in my view, the balance of convenience does not favour an injunction being made in this case.” The judgement is here.

At the time the university said  (CMM December 4), “the Court found Murdoch has an arguable case that the NTEU’s article as a whole conveys a meaning that could be characterised as misleading. The Court found there is some basis for maintaining that the NTEU’s statements are, strictly speaking, false,”  but MU seems to have changed its mind.

With this matter concluded it seems blues between Murdoch U and the union are finally over. The two have been in pretty much continual conflict since enterprise bargaining negotiations started to stall in August 2013.