Julie Bishop refuses to resign as ANU chancellor after Genevieve Bell exit

Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has refused to say what role she played in the resignation of the Australian National University’s besieged vice-chancellor and has rejected calls to quit her own leadership position at the prestigious institution.

Almost a week after The Nightly revealed Ms Bishop had flown to Canberra to discuss Genevieve Bell’s future with senior staff, the ANU has confirmed the controversial professor will be leaving her $1-million-a-year job.

Professor Bell’s decision to resign as vice-chancellor follows months of furore from university staff over a $200 million savings drive involving mass redundancies, aimed at reducing the ANU’s crippling levels of debt.

In a statement Professor Bell said it was “not an easy decision” to resign, adding “the ANU has been a special place for me, ever since I was a child”.

Chancellor Julie Bishop confirmed the departing vice-chancellor, who is currently on “personal leave”, would return to an academic role at the ANU’s School of Cybernetics “in due course”.

The former Deputy Liberal Party leader also declined to say whether sexism or gender had contributed to the resignation of Professor Bell, who was the ANU’s first female vice-chancellor.

Both women have faced sustained criticism for their handling of the ANU’s restructuring program, but Ms Bishop has again denied bullying allegations made by prominent academic Liz Allen last month during a senate inquiry.

“I reject the allegations that I have acted otherwise. I have placed a right of reply with the Senate committee last Monday,” Ms Bishop told reporters in Canberra.

“I am waiting for the Senate committee to confirm that my right of reply will be made public. However, I will not further compromise the integrity of a workplace grievance process that has now been put in place by the council.”

Earlier in the day, Ms Bishop convened a snap all-staff town hall meeting on campus where furious staff clapped and cheered when told of Professor Bell’s departure, but insisted there were “no grounds” for her to also stand aside.

“My contract concludes at the end of 2026. (ANU) Council have confirmed that they have confidence in me to lead this period of transition to a new interim vice-chancellor,” Ms Bishop said.

During the town hall meeting the Chancellor and interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Rebekah Brown would not provide any guarantees about the restructuring program, but said more consultation would occur.

“I can’t make any statement today. What I can say is that we will be giving this very serious consideration, very careful consideration,” Professor Brown told the packed meeting.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has wished Professor Bell well for the future, but says her resignation and the appointment of her successor are “matters for the ANU Council”.

“Significant governance concerns at ANU have been raised with me. That’s why I’ve referred ANU’s governance to TEQSA (the regulator) for assessment,” Mr Clare said in a statement to The Nightly.