The price of the inquiry into merging the state’s public universities is in the WA budget papers – $400 000 this financial year and $289 000 next

Sandra Harding (ex JCU VC), Peter Shergold (ex head, PM&C and recently departed Western Sydney U chancellor), Ian Watt (also former head, PM&C) and John Williams (Uni Adelaide) are doing the reviewing.

WA appears to be a getting a good deal. The SA state government’s 2022 budget allocated $1m for a commission to advise on a universities merger (although it does not look like being needed – with Uni Adelaide and Uni SA working on terms.)