WA premier suggests land sales could help fund university merger

Western Australian Premier Roger Cook said universities could sell land for housing to help finance a possible three-way merger, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The government is preparing a business case for combining Curtin University, Murdoch University and the University of Western Australia. Cook said taxpayers should not fund the entire project and that self-funding was an objective for the steering committee. A merger has not yet been approved.

The National Tertiary Education Union released a survey of 936 staff on October 12, with 68.7% opposed to the proposal. Opposition among surveyed Curtin staff reached 75%. The results describe respondents' views, rather than those of every employee.

Opponents cited potential job losses, transition difficulties and costs, pointing to Adelaide's university merger. Union representative Scott Fitzgerald said he would bring those objections to the steering committee.

Murdoch University also urged reconsideration, arguing that the state was better served by four public universities with distinct characteristics. Cook said subsequent decisions would depend on the business case.