Three NSW universities have revealed they made political donations to major parties in a bid to "maintain relationships" with decision-makers, prompting a warning from the state's auditor-general that the use of taxpayer money to support political parties should be banned.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The majority of the state's 10 universities have a policy banning political donations but at least three, including Wollongong, have made donations since 2008, the latest auditor-general report, tabled in NSW Parliament on Thursday, reveals.
The auditor-general would not disclose which universities had admitted to making political donations, but three universities told the auditor they had paid money to attend political party functions and events. Earlier this year, it emerged that Wollongong University had donated to the major parties, mainly the Liberal Party.
"A survey of the 10 NSW universities found seven universities had made no political donations since 2008. However, some advised they need to improve their policies and systems for monitoring this area," the report said.
"Management of the three universities that made the political donations advise that attendance at political party events is designed to maintain relationships and gain a thorough and broad understanding of major public policy commitments being proposed by major political parties.
"While the value of the donations identified in through the survey was small in the context of the university's operations, the use of university finances for political donations is considered inappropriate for public entities."
It is not a breach of electoral funding rules for universities to make donations, but the auditor-general urged universities to ban political donations.
The National Tertiary Education Union national president, Jeannie Rea, said she was "infuriated" to hear the public money was being spent on political donations.
"People do not pay taxes to have their money spent on political parties, and I am stunned there is nothing that prohibits this happening," Ms Rea said.
The Greens spokeswoman on higher education, Lee Rhiannon, said state and federal governments should immediately prohibit using public money for political donations.
"It is a sad reflection on the contemporary higher education sector, as well as the state of politics generally, that universities feel as though making political donations is the best way to influence the political debate," Senator Rhiannon said.
"Despite university management attempting to justify the use of public funds in this way, the Auditor-General has made it clear these donations are an inappropriate use of public money.
"I am calling on state and federal governments to immediately move to prohibit public institutions such as universities from making political donations."
