The ever-understated regulator has had it with institutions not paying casual staff correctly

In a new message the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency states it has “engaged closely” with 15 universities over issues with staff pay and reports “some … have been proactive in addressing the issue.” However;

“a number of universities either do not appear to recognise the seriousness of the issue or are not responding in the way TEQSA would expect of a well governed and well managed quality higher education provider. For example, some providers have undertaken only limited, internal reviews of identified problem areas.”

The agency announces that not complying on pay is covered by four of the Higher Education standards and it specifies the five things it expects providers to address including, reviewing payroll, time and record-keeping practises, monitoring legal compliance and,  “have rectified any instances of underpayments and demonstrated how underlying issues will be addressed.”

But, given TEQSA told everybody this  last year (CMM October 11 2021) why make such a point of telling them again?

In a couple of Senate inquiries Labor and Green senators have been unimpressed by university performances and in March Victorian higher education minister Gayle Tierney  – told the state’s universities to report to her what they were doing to stop casual underpayment (CMM March 21).

If Labor is elected on Saturday the apparent continuing underpayment problem will likely come up in Canberra – which makes it wise of TEQSA to warn universities now. That the agency will be able to show a new minister it was on the case won’t hurt it either.