Alison Barnes
Running for re-election as NTEU National President
People working across tertiary education understand the pressures facing the sector: insecure work, excessive workloads, and constant restructuring. While institutions promote quality teaching and research, too often these outcomes rely on staff goodwill rather than work that is properly resourced, fairly organised, or sustainable.
At this critical moment, NTEU needs strong national leadership that can unite members across the entire tertiary system and deliver real change. As National President, I led the Union’s governance campaign which has now secured important wins for accountability and transparency. But these gains are fragile. We must continue to embed reform, challenge managerial excess, and ensure decisions are made in the interests of staff, students, and the public good – across universities, VET and private education providers alike. We must also continue the fight to scrap the failed Job ready Graduates policy and replace it with a fully funded model that supports quality education, staff, and students.
My priority is to build a proactive, organising-focused union with the capacity to win. Under my leadership the Union has grown; however, sustaining membership growth, developing leaders, and coordinating powerful national campaigns remain essential if we are to tackle job insecurity, excessive workloads, and the erosion of professional and academic autonomy.
Contact: alison@strongertogether2026.com | 0466 144 384
Sarah Roberts
Running for election as NTEU General Secretary
I’ve spent more than 25 years in our great Union fighting alongside university and TAFE members, and I know what winning looks like. I also know why it’s so important.
Our union is truly unique. Our members teach and support the next generation, and produce the research that changes lives. Their work is critical to our society. That’s what makes our union special, and what makes our struggle matter so much.
As Victorian Division Assistant Secretary and then Secretary, I led the campaign that recovered over $100 million in stolen wages for casual staff, and secured a $450,000 contrition payment to the Union from Monash University. I coordinated our biggest statewide strike in decades, built Victorian membership by over 1,200, and led the team that won a state parliamentary inquiry into university governance.
At the bargaining table, I’ve negotiated sector-leading outcomes across the country, including 36 weeks’ paid parental leave, the best standard anywhere in the Australian economy; 17% superannuation for fixed-term staff; paid domestic violence leave; and sector-leading gender affirmation leave. I also led the first-ever multi-employer TAFE agreement in our sector, delivering pay rises of up to 19% for a workforce that is overwhelmingly women.
As National Industrial Coordinator since 2006, I coordinated bargaining strategy across the country. As UniSuper Deputy Chair since 2025, I’m protecting members’ retirement security at the highest level.
I’m standing for General Secretary because our union has the power to be so much more. Not just defending what we have, but winning what members deserve.
Winning takes a clear vision, real solidarity across National Office, Divisions and Branches, the discipline to execute, and the capacity to work hard when it counts.
It also takes genuine belief in our mission. Helping members win better lives, and build a better society, is an enormous privilege, and it’s what makes our union truly special.
I’m proud to be standing alongside Alison and Lachlan on the Stronger Together ticket, and I’m excited about our Union’s future. I ask you to elect me as your General Secretary.
Contact: sarah@strongertogether2026.com | 0412 495 146
Lachlan Clohesy
Running for election as NTEU National Assistant Secretary
I strongly believe that every union victory is a collective victory, and that our members as a collective deserve the credit. Over more than a decade as an NTEU member, I have been proud to organise alongside other members to improve our working lives.
In the ACT I have worked with members to build strong and effective Branches, ready to take action to ensure that staff are valued, supported and respected. At the University of Canberra, I worked with members to organise the UC Branch’s first strike in two decades. Then, at the Australian National University, I worked with members to organise the ANU Branch’s first strike in two decades. Together, we have managed to win sector-leading conditions, including workloads protections, improved job security, and significant pay outcomes.
When the ANU’s leadership proposed mass redundancies in October 2024, I worked with members to launch a strong and effective campaign against ‘Renew ANU’. This campaign was pivotal in ensuring that university governance became a topic of national significance. We successfully brought together a comprehensive campaign of member organising, industrial and legal strategy, media and communications, and lobbying and advocacy. Our Vote of No Confidence had a galvanising effect on our membership through a difficult period, and our campaign ultimately led to the departure of the ANU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Genevieve Bell.
However, the real win was the announcement – one week later – that there would be no more forced redundancies. Together with members, we prevented over 150 forced redundancies. Our success put other universities on notice and helped to bolster strong campaigns by members elsewhere. We saw Western Sydney University (WSU), Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and University of Technology Sydney (UTS) abandon or significantly reduce forced redundancies soon afterwards. This is the strength of a unified, national union moving together with purpose.
I’ve been shaped by my experiences of working in the sector at Victoria University, Swinburne University and for the ANU’s Postgraduate Association, as well as my experience as an Organiser and as NTEU ACT Division Secretary since 2021. Over that time I’ve developed significant skills, knowledge and experience in organising, industrial and legal work, and strategic planning.
Now it’s time to put those skills to use at the national level, which is why I’m asking for your support to become our next NTEU National Assistant Secretary as part of the Stronger Together team with Sarah and Alison.
Contact: lachlan@strongertogether2026.com | 0418 493 355
