University of Queensland nepotism row: CMC tables report to Parliament, recommends legislative action - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

(As they say in Italian: tutto il mondo è paese - the whole world is a village. It is good the report is discussed in Parliament. AS)

University of Queensland nepotism row: CMC tables report to Parliament, recommends legislative action - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) 

By Stephanie Smail. Updated Fri 13 Sep 2013, 8:53pm AEST

Queensland's corruption watchdog has delivered a scathing review of a nepotism scandal at The University of Queensland, finding a former vice chancellor's daughter was given a publicly funded placement despite falling short of entry requirements.

The Crime and Misconduct Commission's (CMC) review of the case, which was tabled in Queensland Parliament today, shows no formal complaints were made for nine months despite many staff and senior executives knowing about the placement. In late 2010, the university offered a publicly funded medicine scholarship to the daughter of then vice chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield.

However, the CMC report found that while she did obtain a sufficient school result, other students ranked higher. Professor Greenfield and deputy vice chancellor Professor Michael Keniger stepped down from their positions several months later but no criminal charges were laid. The CMC has recommended legislative changes to prevent similar scandals in the future.

The allegations came to light in late 2011 and the CMC was called on to review how the institution handled the misconduct case.

It is a matter of public interest that not only did the VC's daughter not satisfy the entrance requirements for the course, but that 343 other applicants who were ranked above her based on merit did not receive an offer of a place Crime and Misconduct Commission review requirements for the course, but that 343 other applicants who were ranked above her based on merit did not receive an offer of a place," the reports said.

The CMC says the decision to make the offer to Professor Greenfield's daughter was made by his deputy and close colleague, Professor Keniger. But the report raises concerns about how many other staff and senior executives knew about the medical placement and failed to make a formal complaint for nine months after the event.

"Some senior staff members did take action to satisfy their suspicions about official misconduct by speaking with Professor Keniger," the reports said. "However, those officers would have done better to seek objective advice, rather than raise
those concerns with someone who was directly implicated in the suspected official misconduct." CMC does not recommend criminal charges The report also questions whether the university put its reputation and the reputation of its two most senior officers before public interest.

The commission's report has ruled out criminal charges against either Professor Greenfield or Professor Keniger. But the CMC is calling for legislative change to prevent future potential cases of misconduct going unchecked. It is requesting new laws be passed to make it clear who is responsible for reporting suspected misconduct where a public official is the subject of the allegations.

The report delivers yet another smear against The University of Queensland's reputation. Last week it was revealed a Parkinson's disease study by former and existing staff members may not have actually been carried out.

The university has noted and taken on board the conclusion of the CMC that it demonstrated a lack of transparency in its public statements and in its statements to its own staff.

University of Queensland statement The university and the CMC is investigating what happened there too. In a statement regarding the nepotism scandal the university says it accepts that its response was not well handled and acknowledges it lacked the transparency called for in the circumstances.

"The university has noted and taken on board the conclusion of the CMC that it demonstrated a lack of transparency in its public statements and in its statements to its own staff," the statement said. It says it has introduced a new integrity and accountability program that is overseen by eminent people from outside the university to check on its progress.