Mark Vaile won’t be next Newcastle university chancellor following backlash over coal links
The former deputy prime minister Mark Vaile won’t become the next chancellor of the University of Newcastle following a backlash over his links to a coal company.
The university released a statement on Monday afternoon confirming Vaile, who is the chairman of Whitehaven Coal, had advised he intended “not to proceed” with the appointment.
“Based on feedback from some of the university’s constituents, he believes that the best course of action is not to proceed with the appointment,” the university said.
Vaile, a former leader of the federal National party, was due to take up the position in July. The university council voted to appoint him in early June but within 48 hours one member had resigned in protest.
Luka Harrison, the president of the University of Newcastle Students’ Association, said the association had been planning a rally to protest against Vaile’s appointment on Friday.
“We welcome Mr Vaile’s decision,” Harrison said on Monday. “We are thankful to all the staff, students and members of the university community for coming together to oppose this appointment.”
Prof Jennifer Martin, the chair of clinical pharmacology at the university, resigned from the university’s council over the appointment. She said on Monday staff were concerned Vaile’s position as the chairman of a coal company did not match the institution’s strategic plan.
The university’s plan includes a target to be carbon neutral by 2025, with a corporate investment strategy to divest from all fossil fuel companies that are “not demonstrating a transition to a low-carbon economy”.
“I feel that this shows leadership that Mark Vaile has realised this is not a good fit for the university,” Martin said.
She said the university would now need to find a leader who could reflect the need for a “post-coal future”. “Many members of the community, the staff and students felt this would not be aligned with our strategic plan and aims for a post-coal transition,” she said.
Last week several high-profile philanthropists wrote an open letter saying Vaile’s appointment meant they could not donate to the university in the future.
Newcastle is the world’s biggest coal port in the coalmining heartland of the Hunter Valley.
The university on Monday said: “We respect Mr Vaile’s decision and recognise that he has made this decision in the best interests of the university.”
The university said it would hold a meeting of its council on Tuesday “where it will now consider the process for the appointment of a new chancellor, cognisant of the need for continuity of appropriate governance”.