Charles Sturt University vice-chancellor must resign over robo-debt findings 

16 September 2024

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has called for Charles Sturt University Vice-Chancellor Renee Leon to resign after she was found to have breached public service rules as part of her role in the robo-debt disaster.
 
Ms Leon, who was the secretary of the Department of Human Services between 2017 and 2020, has been in charge of CSU since 2021.
 
In a damning report, Public Service Commissioner Gordon de Brouwer found Ms Leon breached public service rules 13 times.
 
The breaches included misrepresentations of the department's legal position on income averaging, failures to correct or qualify that position and failures to "expeditiously" inform the responsible minister of advice on the lawfulness of the robo-debt scheme.
 
NTEU General Secretary Dr Damien Cahill said:
 
“Renee Leon must resign immediately. Her role as vice-chancellor at CSU is untenable after these damning findings. 
 
“The chancellor’s claim that Ms Leon has the full backing of the university completely ignores the fact staff want the vice-chancellor to resign.”
 
NTEU National President Dr Alison Barnes said:
 
“A public university should not be run by someone found to have breached public service rules more than a dozen times through their role in one of the greatest public policy disasters in Australian history.
 
“The chancellor’s immediate defence of Ms Leon after the public service commissioner’s report was released raises serious questions about university leadership’s attitude to governance, integrity and accountability.”

Media contacts:
Matt Coughlan 0400 561 480 / [email protected]