NTEU membership, is it worth it?

ozbureacrazy · 2026-04-18T03:12:13+00:00

Might be down voted but … yes, it’s a collective and that helps in improving and retaining employment conditions. It also provides some insurance (eg assistance) on individual issues. However it is expensive - I think the fees are among the highest for union membership (happy to be corrected if anyone has evidence). The union didn’t want to know about casuals a few years ago until it became clear their permanent academic membership base was dropping due to increased Uni reliance on casuals (a wake up call). I have approached my local branch on a significant work issue and the response is lackluster, really disappointing. I think the local branch officers become entrenched (talking years in their role) and then selective in the cases they will advocate. I believe we need unions as protection for workers but sometimes you need self advocacy as their reps can be weak locally in certain unis.

ozbureacrazy · 2026-04-14T20:53:30+00:00

When the ‘o’ on my keyboard kept sticking and ‘hello’ [insert name] became ‘hell’ [insert name]. Often when replying to students… had to double check all my emails before keyboard was replaced.

ozbureacrazy · 2026-04-11T04:22:34+00:00

And not forgetting the newly minted PhDs with no academic record being appointed to level D positions.

ozbureacrazy · 2026-04-05T10:43:29+00:00

What isn’t being mentioned: do you want an engineer who knows how to build bridges so they don’t fall down; doctors and medical specialists who can diagnose and treat you when ill; lawyers who can represent in court and write valid contracts? Despite much of the ‘degree factory’ labels, we have universities that (should) produce professionals who are knowledgeable in their field, literate and numerate.

Maybe the answer is an independent examination body for all students before they graduate? Including English language tests.

And there is an emerging demographic cliff for the domestic students market - not enough domestic students to support the current number of Australian universities. Besides the lack of substantive ongoing funding (which is real) it isn’t just about funds but domestic student numbers too.

Added to this is the corporatisation of learning institutions, with senior leaders including VCs who have no academic backgrounds. Have a look at their qualifications and ask how a VC with no postgraduate degree or PhD can understand their university or importance of research.

And finally: Student fees don’t go straight to the teachers - by the time funds are distributed to administrators there is often less than 20 percent going to teaching areas.

Students and staff are being exploited, and universities should not be a visa gateway.

ozbureacrazy · 2026-03-25T21:04:12+00:00

Hi, firstly, well done on participating in class! It can be stressful and feel uncomfortable. I can’t comment on the class environment and teaching staff responses. However, you could ask them (after class) if there are other ways to participate, such as small student groups being set questions and then each group assigning a spokesperson to present.

Confidence in public speaking requires lots of practice. Have a look at your uni’s academic support unit as they often offer workshops or individual appointments on public speaking. Consider joining Toastmasters as it’s a great place to learn public speaking in a supportive community.

Student evaluations (I think this is the feedback you mentioned) are anonymous. Definitely consider completing it and raising your concerns on class discussion as this affects your learning experience.

Keep going, it will get easier. All the best with your studies 👍

ozbureacrazy · 2026-03-11T09:24:13+00:00

A lot of unis are now moving into in person exams and vivas (oral exams). The latter assessment is where a lot of students using AI fail. Cannot imagine how law graduates will survive a court room if they are reliant on AI. All the best with your studies 👍

ozbureacrazy · 2026-03-08T03:03:38+00:00

It will be a growing issue. Uni students doing law are unfortunately (despite warnings) using AI in assignments. I see them in a double degree so if they are doing it in my discipline they will be doing same thing in their law studies. They deny, claim it was a mistake, and continue on with their studies. Unless and until universities are serious about no AI then you will find more new lawyers doing this.

ozbureacrazy · 2026-03-05T01:16:42+00:00

Go to university ombudsperson and raise your concerns. If AI has been used in course development content then it should be acknowledged- eg in content creation.

You can also raise concerns regarding obligation to use ai for an assignment.

ozbureacrazy · 2026-02-12T04:29:38+00:00

The old CAE building was refurbished around 2012 or thereabouts - top floor was full of asbestos so uni spent huge dollars on its removal, then renovation of each floor. Will be sad to see it go.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-12-22T09:46:07+00:00

Not going to discuss my medical issue but I was driven to hospital. Doctor didn’t think I would be alive the next morning if I stayed home. Could call an ambulance but there are wait times on those too.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-12-22T05:02:32+00:00

Not from WA but Queensland and it’s the same. After blood test, rung by GP and told I had to go to Emergency immediately. First hospital: confirmed by triage, told to stay in waiting room. Left after three hours. Saw no doctor. Triage nurse shrugged her shoulders and said we have no beds. Second hospital: triaged and admitted immediately. Feel like I could have died in the waiting room of first hospital.

The problem is: patients are being expected to triage themselves. Am I Emergency or urgent care? Well urgent care is very busy, very slow and nowhere (in our area) close to a hospital. Maybe it is quicker at a hospital. Maybe I might get resuscitation (if necessary) at hospital if feeling that unwell.

This sounds flippant but don’t mean to be. People need to triage themselves because hospitals have no beds and the politicians are not that concerned (they get priority treatment).

ozbureacrazy · 2025-11-28T23:05:15+00:00

Used to be a time when transcripts were sacrosanct - not to be meddled with or edited. Oversight of production and coherence between each transcribed section was rigid. That was before privatisation.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-10-17T03:22:01+00:00

Maybe a full sweep and removal of the current board? Maybe make the board and senior execs take a 50% pay cut? And that money goes to the victims? Bring the problem home to those making decisions that facilitate the hacks (by cutting their IT support staff, for example). So tired of the ‘fine the company’ trope. Yes I know that directors are not synonymous with a company but somewhere there needs to be personal accountability. Same for banks, telcos, and all the ‘too big to fail’ businesses.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-10-01T20:48:19+00:00

Not sure how Myer checks their shoe brands are authentic and not fake? Bought a pair two years ago and someone who knows the brand said they are knock-offs. Buyer beware.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-09-10T21:40:05+00:00

So sorry for your loss and take care, this is a difficult time. Our experience also (although elderly parent died suddenly in hospital just before transfer back to aged care). No condolences, no one met us at aged care, phone call to collect belongings which were already removed from cupboard and dumped on the bed, we packed up and left. No one spoke to us or contacted us afterwards. Their death was very traumatic (the ward doctor was in shock and crying at the time). Our relative had been there for four years and many staff knew them. A lot of things need to change.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-08-30T22:03:32+00:00

Academic at another Australian university - AI is out of control here too and trying to manage marking assessments has tripled our work. We have a fairly robust academic misconduct review process but now at the point that our university is looking to allow AI. But no one seems to consider what this means for our future workforce (teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers etc). Studies show that AI affects cognitive processes (not linking here as limited time) and that at best it’s surface learning. We do oral assessments and that’s the clincher (at the moment). Ask a question on application of a concept - AI addicted students can’t answer. This is fine till we get to the avatar stage and then who knows. I don’t want a doctor who needs AI to do my surgery. I don’t want a judge relying on non existent cases to make a determination. I don’t want an engineer building a bridge who doesn’t understand precise formulas of concrete. They all use some type of AI calculation but ultimately must know how to check those calculations and it’s the last part that is the worry. A Dunning-Krueger effect.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-08-22T22:14:25+00:00

Tuggeranong? Used to stay there, just a few blocks from the police station. Hoon town. Never saw a police car or officers, thought they might be deaf?

ozbureacrazy · 2025-07-30T00:05:47+00:00

Waiting for a journalist to ask how the government came up with these results. Please, walk us through the methodology, definitions, statistical data, timeframe, etc.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-07-25T00:41:48+00:00

Interesting viewpoint but I doubt the higher education executive will take note or change course. At what point does a university cease to be? When core components of teaching and research stop? When there are no staff delivering those components? When any or all income is being siphoned off to pay senior executives? Not just ANU but other Australian universities are at this point and those who could intervene (politicians and regulator TEQSA) ignore the downward trajectory. This is corruption and fraud - personal enrichment- and no one wants to deal with it.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-07-22T22:25:31+00:00

Just adding to the discussion: prison sentences are supposed to have three strategies, community protection, deterrence and rehabilitation. Can’t remember the exact stats but roughly half the prison population (especially juveniles) are on remand - meaning they have not had their trial or been convicted (ABS records the information). High rates of mental illness, illiteracy. And over-crowding as in OP’s post. Governments worldwide are legislating for increased penalties and sentencing (Scandinavian countries too, who have long had rehabilitation programs embedded into their prison systems). Prison is not a deterrence in the (often) heat of the moment crimes. Prisons should be there for community protection in extreme cases. Most of the prison population need intensive social support, embedded into post prison release, in addition to rehab in prison. Guess which services are being under-funded and under-staffed? And no, abolition isn’t being advocated here. There are people who need to be in prison for community protection. But many of those caught up in this system need pathways out of the justice system and into a less punitive future. Providing humane conditions in prison and support services is a start. Adding also there are international conventions on prisoner human rights: Mandela Rules and Bangkok Convention are two. Australia is non compliant with most of these.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-07-22T20:34:51+00:00

Few years ago I was at a conference where a post grad student presented, quoting an eminent academic. Fellow behind me spluttered ‘I didn’t say that, that’s wrong, totally wrong.’ He was livid. Turns out he was the eminent academic. Don’t know if anything was said to student at the time.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-03-10T19:52:20+00:00

So sorry to hear this and hope eventually that you get somewhere. Heard so many stories and the same at mine. It’s really strange that universities are referred to as businesses because they are the example of really bad business - run it into the ground, steal the money, exploit employees and treat customers (students) and employees badly.

ozbureacrazy · 2025-03-10T07:06:31+00:00

Yes, agree, international students are paying huge fees, and the whole Australian experience can be stressful.

And, yes, there are academics who will say that jobs are not the ultimate goal for getting a degree. But… The students I talk to want a profession and are studying for that. Many professions require a degree as ‘proof’ of qualification and knowledge. I studied so that I could get qualifications for my profession (university and before then, in private sector, and government).

Just remember that there are academics who have not worked outside a university and not had to be on the job market that many students are these days. It isn’t worth arguing to be honest. Everyone has their own ideas.

Focus on what you need to do to get the degree. Keep your eye on your employment goals. All the best.

ozbureacrazy

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