The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) inquiry has revealed that Alyssa White, the former head of governance at the University of Wollongong (UOW), boasted about hiring former colleagues during a time when the university faced financial difficulties. The inquiry has also heard that recruitment procedures were compromised under her leadership.
During her testimony, Ms. White acknowledged that several candidates were given preferential treatment and admitted to violating university policies and conflict of interest regulations on multiple occasions.
Ms. White’s testimony will continue on Friday, marking the 15th day of the inquiry.
At the heart of serious corruption allegations against UOW, Ms. White sent a message expressing pride in securing jobs for former associates while the institution was experiencing financial strain. Over the course of her second day as a witness, the ICAC continued its investigation into claims that she had filled the university’s Governance and Policy Division with friends and former colleagues.
The commission has heard that certain candidates received “preferential assistance,” which included support with job descriptions, resumes, cover letters, and interview preparation.
These recruitments took place during a tumultuous period at UOW, characterized by governance reforms and a major restructuring that resulted in significant layoffs.
By December 2023, just four months into her tenure at UOW, Ms. White had arranged positions for former University of Sydney coworkers, including Lucinda Wright, Brendan Hook, Stacey Oon, and Joanne Chen.
On December 16, Ms. White sent a text to her high school friend Matthew Dawkins, celebrating her recruitment successes. She described securing new jobs as her “greatest achievement” in her career, humorously noting the university’s dire financial situation.
Ms. White reflected on her optimism at that time, stating that she felt supported by the vice-chancellor and chancellor in her recruitment efforts and believed that the mood within her team was improving.
The inquiry’s legal counsel, Emma Bathurst, focused on the appointment of Dr. Oon, to which Ms. White conceded that Dr. Oon had received an unfair advantage and acknowledged that her actions had significantly compromised the integrity of the hiring process.
Ms. Bathurst then reviewed a series of additional appointments made in 2024, and by April, Ms. White admitted she was aware of an ongoing investigation by UOW regarding her previous recruitment actions.
One of the contested appointments was Lachlan Wood, the spouse of a close friend, who was hired as a governance and policy coordinator. During the inquiry, an email titled “my big dumb resume” was presented as evidence of Ms. White’s assistance to Mr. Wood in preparing for his job application.
The inquiry noted that Ms. White had stepped back from the recruitment panel for Mr. Wood after concerns about earlier appointments arose, although she denied that this decision was directly influenced by the investigation.
While Ms. White admitted to appointing Dr. Oon as the panel chair, she acknowledged that she remained engaged in the process, providing input on interview questions, references, and hiring decisions, ultimately admitting she had compromised the integrity of the process.
Additionally, she confirmed that she had aided the applications of her high school friend Kayla Powell, former colleague Rosetta Biasi, and another high school friend, Matthew Dawkins, who lacked relevant experience before being recruited into the division.
Ms. White conceded that the recruitment practices were “entirely lacking in transparency” and favored a select group of candidates who were primarily her friends or acquaintances. She recognized that she had “knowingly and repeatedly” violated the university’s recruitment policies, conflict of interest guidelines, and code of conduct.
The inquiry also revealed that it had become a common practice for Ms. White to provide interview questions to friends and associates prior to the hiring processes.
Ms. Bathurst questioned Ms. White about her rationale for assisting candidates she believed could have succeeded based on merit alone. In response, Ms. White expressed that the challenges of retaining staff in UOW’s work environment clouded her judgment during the recruitment processes.
Ms. White admitted to deleting the WhatsApp application several times, including before the ICAC seized her phone, suggesting it was primarily used for dating and travel purposes.
As the hearing concluded, Ms. Bathurst indicated that Ms. White had consistently failed to manage conflicts of interest appropriately. “By repeatedly undermining recruitment processes, you’ve breached your duty, correct?” Ms. Bathurst asked. Ms. White replied affirmatively.
She will continue her testimony on Friday.
