hd man pays $2700 to dine with greiners. - optusmembers.optusnet.com.au/jvirata/victorma.pdf · but...

Man pays $2700 to dine with Greiners. 2

Ryde candidates line-up for Saturday's election 3

Conservative leaders overstay welcome 7

Democracy limps in during semester break 8

Politics, but not as we know it 9

Doubts cast on campus election 10

Another win for Macquarie council chairman 12

Probe casts doubt on freebie votes 14

When the party's over 16

Slanging match over funds 17

O-Week anger at uni ban on politics 18

Uni student fund audit sparks probe 20

Uni politician sacked in audit 22

Uni sacks student union head 23

Sacked student leader claims targeting 24

Uni fraud questioned years before crisis 26

Student leader quits 28

Macquarie student council wound up 29

Student council wound up 30

Macquarie students ordered to return missing equipment 31

2007 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

Man pays $2700 to dine with Greiners.

HD Man pays $2700 to dine with Greiners. BY By JO CASAMENTO, AMY EWEN. WC 168 wordsPD 22 July 1999SN Daily TelegraphSC DAITELPG 13LA EnglishCY (c) 1999 Nationwide News Proprietary Ltd LP WOULD you pay $2700 to sup with Lord Mayoralty candidate Kathryn Greiner and her husband,

the former NSW premier Nick? Well, go figure, someone did.

TD An evening with the Greiners at the Marigold Restaurant was bought by an anonymous ifpolitically hungry punter at a Chinese community fundraiser on Tuesday night. And Mrs Greiner had every right to leave Stanley Yee's Chinatown restaurant Emperor's Gardenfeeling like Miss Popularity. She was caught unprepared in front of 600 guests when young entertainer Victor Ma wooed herin song at the mega banquet. The stunned campaigner who is hoping to oust Lord Mayor Frank Sartor from the big chair, wasserenaded to the tunes of One Thousand Votes For You - a take on the popular Hong Kong hitOne Thousand Dreams of You. Thirteen feels safe in assuming that Mr Sartor is hoping that's all the votes she gets. (c) Nationwide News Proprietary Ltd, 1999.

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Ryde candidates line-up for Saturday's election

HD Ryde candidates line-up for Saturday's election WC 418 wordsPD 24 March 2004SN Northern District TimesSC NORDISED 1 -PG 10LA EnglishCY Copyright 2004 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP WEST WARD

Independent

TD 1. Ryde Mayor Edna Wilde work for a safe, clean and green city. 2. Roseanne Gallo 3. Anthony Onorato 4. Lorraine Blackwood Independent 1. Environmental Consultant Councillor Terry Perram residents before developers. 2. Helge Sangkuhl 3. Jenny Noble 4. David Cocking Independent 1. Gareth Manson 2. Satnam Bachhal 3. Claudia Heidemann 4. Florence Ma Unity Party 1. Ernest Chan 2. Sarina Gennusa 3. Pauline Cheung 4. Kerrie Dillon Independent 1. Victor Taffa pedestrian safety, heritage. 2. Michael Lo 3. Maggie Lo 4. Agnes Lo Labor


1. Michael Butterworth fiscal management, consultation, accountability. 2. Geoffrey Lee 3. Susan Havyatt 4. Genevieve Pickering Ryde Reform Group 1. Eastwood Service station owner, Terry Ryan improved public parks, consultation. 2. Hyong Choi, 3. Beth Cooper 4. Jack Mackay. Ryde Action Group 1. Victor Ma, revitalise Eastwood, safety, recycling. 2. Mark Lee 3. Emma Crowley 4. Claire Ingram Christian Democrats (Fred Nile Group) 1.Lloyd Hunt CENTRAL WARD Ryde Reform Group -Independent 1. Councillor Connie Netterfield, planning reform, tree planting, heritage. 2. Marlon Guerin 3. Bill Pickering 4. Isabella Au Independent 1. Electrical Engineer, Sarkis Yedelian new childcare centres, consultation. 2. Paul Michaels 3. Vartiter Torossian 4. Albert Simoni Independent 1.Councillor Roslyn Lunsford greening Ryde, consultation, sustainability. 2. Stavi Antoniou 3. Lesley Swinton Labor 1. Nicole Campbell Top Ryde and Macquarie corridor redevelopment, consultation.


2. Seta Vartanian, 3. Siva Ranjitkumar 4. Susan Watts Greens 1.Planning Lawyer, Maha Melhem youth/seniors consultation, beautify and unify Ryde. 2. Ewen Finnane 3. James Bosanquet 4. Nicholas Szentkuti Save Our Suburbs 1. Barry Hadaway consultation, appropriate development. 2. John Haydon 3. John Hull 4. Serge Resplendino EAST WARD Independent 1. Vic Tagg youth council, seniors, childcare. 2. Ian Hardwick 3. Denis Keller 4. Valma Keller Greens 1. Ryde student Tom McCosker build community, curb development. 2. Cathy Rytmeister 3. Ghislaine Barbe 4. Mike Bate Labor 1. Councillor Gabrielle O'Donnell environment, consultation, appropriate development. 2. Brad Powe 3. Gaye Carson 4. Michael Turner Group D 1. Former Ryde councillor and hairdresser, Nino Stufano revitalise shopping areas, outdooreateries. 2.Diana Stufano 3.Chris Farrell


4.Nick Basile. Save Our Suburbs 1.Founder of Residents for Appropriate Development, Graeme Cordiner consultation, stopoverdevelopment, thorough planning. 2.Stevan Caldwell 3.Stephen Ryan 4.Ted Webber Ryde Reform Group 1.Ryde Councillor Ivan Petch, planning reform, tree planting, heritage. 2.Councillor Andy Johnston 3.John Smolders 4.Helen Zabakly Independent Journalist, Mark Warren childcare, greening Ryde, accountability.

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Conservative leaders overstay welcome

SE FeaturesHD Conservative leaders overstay welcome BY Brendan O'Keefe CR MATPWC 267 wordsPD 13 July 2005SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 1 - All-round CountryPG 33LA EnglishCY Copyright 2005 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP CONSERVATIVE student leaders at two NSW universities have upset opponents who have

accused them of stifling dissent and of overstaying their electoral welcome. The University of New England students association has sacked the editor of the campusnewspaper, Neucleus, just weeks after it sacked the campus radio station manager.

TD And about 800 students at Sydney's Macquarie University have lobbied vice-chancellor DiYerbury to remove the incumbent student council, which did not hold elections when its year wasup last October and which had itself made an incorporated body, the HES understands. At UNE, the position of Neucleus editor Seren Trump was made redundant at a weekendmeeting. Director of student media Bryan Hale also was sacked. Last month, UNESA sacked campus radio station manager Edward Campbell, but after pressurefrom the university council and a 1200-signature petition from students he was reinstated. Ms Trump said articles about the conduct of UNESA had been banned from Neucleus. At Macquarie University, activists started a campaign group, 180 Degrees, to try to unseat thecouncil, led by conservative student Victor Ma since October 2003. Mr Ma's council drafted a new constitution that opponents said would entrench his faction. Mr Mawas not available for comment yesterday. Earlier this year, Professor Yerbury wrote to students, saying that registrar Brian Spencer wascommitted to holding elections by April. John Bransgrove, of 180 Degrees, accused Mr Ma's council of calling a secret meeting last yearand voting to suspend elections "without constitutional authority".

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Democracy limps in during semester break

SE FeaturesHD Democracy limps in during semester break BY Bernard Lane CR MATPWC 391 wordsPD 28 September 2005SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 1 - All-round CountryPG 26LA EnglishCY Copyright 2005 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP AFTER a two-year hiatus, student democracy is about to return to Macquarie University.

But nominations for Macquarie University Students Council elections have come and gone whilemany students have been away on mid-semester break.

TD This "does not bode well for the future of these elections", to be held from October 17 to 19,according to student activist Phil Betts, a member of the university's academic senate. An election notice dated September 16 appeared outside the council office. Nominations forpositions on the students council closed on Monday. Asked last Friday about the timing, students council president Victor Ma said: "We've justincorporated." He asked that further questions be emailed to him as he was in a meeting "withmany people". Mr Ma did not reply to questions sent by email. The council has been incorporated with a new constitution and closer scrutiny by the university. Mr Ma's team was elected in 2003 and suspended elections last year, citing the move towardsincorporation. Before 2003, the council had been poorly managed. Macquarie registrar Brian Spencer told the HES last week the rationale of the new structure wasto promote sound management. He declined to comment on whether calling for nominationsduring the break was fair, saying he believed the election arrangements were within the rulesadopted by Mr Ma's team. If some students found these "not convenient [then] the only remedy tothat is to win office and change the rules", he said. A student member of Macquarie University Council, John Bransgrove, wrote to Dr Spencer,saying: "The [election] notice specifies only 7 1/2 hours of on-campus voting, despite the oldregulations requiring no less than 20 hours of on-campus voting ... There has been a longstandingpromise that when the electoral process is restored, it will be both fair and transparent andconducted in such a way to maximise student participation." Returning officer Tim Morison said the constitution stipulated voting occur between 8am and 8pmbut did not set the number of hours. "If we were to keep [voting] open from 8am to 8pm we'd blowout the budget." A question mark hangs over student politics with an expected end to compulsory studentunionism next year.

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Politics, but not as we know it

SE FeaturesHD Politics, but not as we know it BY Bernard Lane CR MATPWC 328 wordsPD 12 October 2005SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 1 - All-round CountryPG 25LA EnglishCY Copyright 2005 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP NO negative campaigning, no posters, no team tickets, no internet and no impromptu haranguing

of students in lecture halls. Student democracy has returned to Macquarie University but in a rather novel form.

TD "I've run a few student elections and I've never seen the rules they're throwing up," said SimonMargan, who had planned to run on a law students' ticket. Voting for the Macquarie University Students Council will take place from October 17 to 19. Afterpoor management under a previous council, a team led by Victor Ma won power in 2003,suspended elections in 2004 and presided over the incorporation of MUSC and new electoralrules. Some students opposed to the Ma team are boycotting the elections. It was futile to challenge theincumbents, said John Bransgrove, a student member of Macquarie University Council. He said vice-chancellor Di Yerbury and registrar Brian Spencer had assured students there wouldbe fair elections. By email, Professor Yerbury's office told Mr Bransgrove that "while the election process may notbe endorsed by student opinion, it is nevertheless constitutional. This means that universitymanagement has no recourse to intervene in thisprocess." Rulings by returning officer Tim Morison prohibit "negative campaigning", posters and "lecturebashings" (impromptu harangues). How-to-vote material can be handed out only during polling sessions. Use of "internet resources"is also banned because their cost "cannot be substantiated". Candidates are not allowed to spendmore than $100 on their campaigns. "No use of the internet to let people know you're running is a terrible restriction on free speech,"Mr Margan said. "My peers [other external students] wouldn't know I was running ... internet is theonly way we talk to each other." Asked about the rules, Mr Ma said he could not comment because he was a candidate. MrMorison was not available for comment.

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Doubts cast on campus election

SE FeaturesHD Doubts cast on campus election BY Bernard Lane CR MATPWC 522 wordsPD 26 October 2005SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 1 - All-round CountryPG 28LA EnglishCY Copyright 2005 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP MACQUARIE University's return to student democracy has been called into question by a

decision to give free votes to students from a private provider on campus. "What it means is that one-third of the votes are illegitimate, as far as we can see," said Phil Betts,a student critic of the Macquarie University Students Council team re-elected last week under2003 president Victor Ma.

TD MUSC gave free membership, and therefore voting rights, to students from the Sydney Institute ofBusiness and Technology, through which foreign students can gain entry to Macquarie, theinstitute's business partner. Scrutineers said votes from SIBT went heavily to the MUSC incumbents. It was unclear when andhow these postal votes werechecked against a roll of SIBT students. After poor management under a previous council, Mr Ma's team took office in 2003, suspendedelections last year and oversaw the incorporation of MUSC with a new constitution. Since 2003, adissident group known as 180 Degrees has complained of a lack of accountability and openness. Returning officer Tim Morison told the HES there appeared to be a racial element in opposition toMr Ma. "Sometimes it's [been] possibly a bit racist by those people who don't want `Victor and hisChinese mates' in [office]," he said. But Karl Grice, a scrutineer who has made a formal complaint about the elections, said this was afurphy. He said it was the team of Mr Ma, founding president of the Chinese students' society, that hadrun a targeted campaign, singling out international Chinese students. "Their how-to-vote cardswere offering language services, they've been putting a huge focus on migration services," MrGrice said. Mr Ma said he had pitched his campaign at all students without distinction. "I wasn't specificallytargeting any specific ethnic or non-ethnic group," he said. He said he had not experienced any racism during the campaign, although there would always be"cultural differences" on a multi-ethnic campus. The constitution allowed MUSC flexibility in setting membership fees for SIBT students, he said."It can be $1, it can be zero, it can be $100." The rules restrict voting in elections to those who have paid their fees. Yet elsewhere the rulesdefine the fee as "the annual fee set by the student council that Macquarie Universityundergraduate students and SIBT students may pay". Complaints about the SIBT vote have been dismissed by MrMorison, although he appeared tocontradict himself on the issue. At first he told the HES the constitution allowed free membership for SIBT students. Later he said he had "sent out statutory declaration forms making SIBT [students] sign thattheyhad paid their membership in full". Macquarie's registrar, Brian Spencer, told the HES the university had no objection to SIBT


students being members of MUSC, "provided that they met the normal conditions of membership,which, I understand, includes the payment of a fee. I am unable to identify that clause of theconstitution [that] allows free membership of SIBT."

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Another win for Macquarie council chairman

SE FeaturesHD Another win for Macquarie council chairman BY Bernard Lane CR MATPWC 455 wordsPD 16 November 2005SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 1 - All-round CountryPG 37LA EnglishCY Copyright 2005 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP STUDENT politician Victor Ma has retained leadership of the controversy-beset Macquarie

University Students Council. Office-bearers were chosen by secret ballot last Friday and Mr Ma has emerged as chairmanonce again.

TD After poor management under a previous council, Mr Ma's team won office in 2003, thensuspended elections in 2004 and this year presided over the incorporation of MUSC and thewriting of a new constitution. Mr Ma told the HES he owed his re-election to the trust and confidence of councillors. "This trustwill allow me to govern MUSC Inc wisely and diligently," he said by email. But the checks and balances of MUSC Inc meant "no one individual is all-powerful". Adam Achterstraat, the independent who topped the October elections, found it "very confusing"that he could be denied a place on the executive. He had hoped to serve as vice-chairman but that post went to Sean Garman, who polled 11th inOctober and is seen to be linked with Mr Ma. "A more democratic and representative system would have seen the actual student votesdetermine the positions of the executive," Mr Achterstraat said by email. Student scrutineer Karl Grice has sent a detailed complaint about alleged irregularities in theOctober poll to electoral arbiter Bill Carney, a barrister and Liberal mayor of Strathfield Council inSydney. Among Mr Grice's complaints was the offer of free MUSC membership -- and therefore votes -- tostudents at the Sydney Institute of Business and Technology, an on-campus private provider. Heurged Cr Carney to order to consider a range of remedies, including fresh elections. Some MUSC councillors not aligned with Mr Ma were uncertain whether they could talk to theHES, saying they had been required to sign a confidentiality agreement before elections foroffice-bearers were held last Friday. "No attempts were made to stop councillors from speaking publicly about the election of officebearers," Mr Ma said. He said the agreement was "good corporate governance". He cited a provision of the constitutionrelating to non-disclosure of the personal affairs of students. The provision also gives MUSC apower to declare matters as confidential; the limit on this power seems unclear. As chairman, Mr Ma said he would do his utmost to support the achievements of vice-chancellorDi Yerbury. She had presided over the "creation of a harmonious multicultural student body, thepromotion of research and academic excellence... "Macquarie university is truly Australia's innovative university." Last week, Macquarie announced that Professor Yerbury -- "the visionary and dynamic drivingforce" behind the university -- would be inducted into its Innovators' Hall of Fame.


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Probe casts doubt on freebie votes

SE FeaturesHD Probe casts doubt on freebie votes BY Bernard Lane CR MATPWC 509 wordsPD 2 August 2006SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 1 - All-round CountryPG 34LA EnglishCY Copyright 2006 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP MACQUARIE University's disputed student election last year may have involved breaches of the

student council's constitution and electoral regulations. Barrister Bill Carney, who was called in by Macquarie University Students Council to hearcomplaints about the vote, said a court ruling to this effect would have obliged him to order freshelections. But Mr Carney said he simply lacked power to investigate.

TD Student politician Victor Ma and his team were returned to office after last year's campaign,during which it was revealed that students from a private provider on campus were given freemembership of the student council -- and therefore voting rights. Scrutineers said the votes of these mostly Asian international students favoured the incumbentsbut Mr Ma has insisted he did not pitch his campaign at "any specific ethnic group". In his report, Mr Carney said: "It is true that these students did not pay their [membership] feesand as such there was a prima facie breach of the constitution and electoral regulations." But he said it was not his job as electoral arbiter to question the "internal workings" of MUSC. After a period of poor management on MUSC, Mr Ma's team came to power in2003, suspendedthe 2004 elections and presided over incorporation of thecouncil. Mr Ma's critics, who include the student Left, say his council lacks transparency. But Macquarieregistrar Brian Spencer, the university appointee to MUSC, said the meetings he had attendedwere "a model of governance". Returning officer Tim Morison told the HES last year there seemed to be a racial element inopposition to Mr Ma. "Sometimes it's [been] possibly a bit racist by those people who don't want`Victor and his Chinese mates' in [office]," he said. In his report, Mr Carney said he could not test the validity of the document whereby MUSC waivedmembership fees for students at the Sydney Institute of Business and Technology. "I am obligedto find the SIBT students were entitled to vote," he said. But he suggested that those who condemned the arrangement might find a remedy elsewhere. "If an appropriate court [were] to rule the SIBT-MUSC memorandum of understanding invalid Iwould have been obliged on this ground alone to order a fresh election," he said. Asked about this by the HES, Mr Ma said of the memorandum: "I would say it's valid." Mr Carney dismissed each of the complaints made last November by Karl Grice, who was astudent scrutineer during last year's vote. Mr Grice said: "I am sure that Macquarie students will be perplexed, if not angry, that MUSC gavefree services and free voting rights to SIBT students in 2005, but then increased fees forMacquarie students in 2006." Mr Grice said MUSC had never sent him a copy of the report. Dr Spencer said Mr Carney hadtaken "an undue time to report". MUSC is believed to have had it since last month.


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When the party's over

SE News and FeaturesHD When the party's over BY Harriet Alexander WC 223 wordsPD 7 November 2006SN The Sydney Morning HeraldSC SMHHED FirstPG 6LA EnglishCY © 2006 Copyright John Fairfax Holdings Limited. Not available for re-distribution. LP STUDENT POLITICS

A STUDENT politician blew $2000 of his union's money to buy seats at a Liberal Party fund-raiserand it is uncertain if he will have to repay it.

TD Victor Ma, a Liberal Party member, bought two tables at a fund-raising dinner for the federalelectorates of Ryde and Bennelong at the Epping Club in August, as president of MacquarieUniversity Union Limited, also known as Students at Macquarie, or SAM. SAM is a not-for-profit entity that provides services such as food and shopping outlets, child-carefacilities, student publications and support services. It has its own management and board. SAM's company secretary is Kyle Kutasi, a former Liberal Party member accused of stackingbranches with right wingers. A Labor backbencher, Kristina Keneally, told State Parliament that in authorising the payment, MrMa had contravened Macquarie University Union's constitution, which rules against donations topolitical and religious groups. "Not content with hijacking the Liberal Party these right-wingextremists are now hijacking the student union at Macquarie University," said Ms Keneally. Yesterday Mr Ma hit back at the accusations, saying that spending the money on a Liberal Partydinner had been intended as a networking opportunity.

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Slanging match over funds

SE News and FeaturesHD Slanging match over funds BY Harriet Alexander WC 233 wordsPD 7 November 2006SN The Sydney Morning HeraldSC SMHHED ThirdPG 6LA EnglishCY © 2006 Copyright John Fairfax Holdings Limited. Not available for re-distribution. LP STUDENT COUNCIL

RIGHT-WINGERS are making their influence felt not only over the state Liberal Party but aremaking strong inroads into student politics.

TD At Macquarie University the conservative student council president, Victor Ma, and his supportershave gained control of the student council. Mr Ma has engaged a public relations firm to defend him in a slanging match with the Labor partyback bench MP Kristina Keneally, who has accused him of blowing $2000 of his student union'sincome on a Liberal party fund-raiser. It is unclear whether he has to pay the money back. Mr Ma, a member of the Liberal Party, bought two tables at a fund-raising dinner for the federalelectorates of Ryde and Bennelong at the Epping Club in August as president of MacquarieUniversity Union. Its company secretary is Kyle Kutasi, a former Liberal Party member accused of stackingbranches with right wingers. Mr Kutasi's partner is Anne Marie Clarke, the daughterof the NSWLiberal party powerbroker David Clarke. Ms Keneally told Parliament last month that in authorising the payment Mr Ma contravened theunion's constitution, which did not allow donations to political groups. Yesterday Mr Ma said that spending the money on a Liberal Party dinner had been intended as anetworking opportunity.

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O-Week anger at uni ban on politics

SE News and FeaturesHD O-Week anger at uni ban on politics BY Harriet Alexander Higher Education Reporter WC 441 wordsPD 16 February 2007SN The Sydney Morning HeraldSC SMHHED FirstPG 5LA EnglishCY © 2007 Copyright John Fairfax Holdings Limited. Not available for re-distribution. LP CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY will prevent political groups setting up stalls during Orientation

Week, but Macquarie University has backed down from a ban on the academics' union during theweek-long festival. The head of Charles Sturt's Bathurst campus, Greg Walker, said yesterday political parties wouldnot be allowed to pitch to students during O-Week because it was "inappropriate" for first-yearstudents' introduction to the university with their parents.

TD "I've told the students that they should defer until around March when all students are on campusfor a forum on political debates and issues, especially with respect to the elections coming up,"Associate Professor Walker said. "On Monday we have first-years coming to get accommodation with their parents. I've said it'sinappropriate to have some of these activities." The groups would be invited onto campus for a "market day" in March, he said. The president of the student representative council, Jon Childs, emailed Mr Walker on Monday tosay students were "incredibly disappointed" with the decision. "We are disappointed with the attitude [the O-Week co-ordinator] has shown, and the actionstaken," Mr Childs's email said. He declined to comment yesterday. Associate Professor Walker said the university would also ban a "Your Rights at Work" stall fromO-Week next year because it contravened the new enterprise agreement, which requires unionsto have permission to be on campus. The Federal Government last year began demanding universities comply with certain workplaceregulations - including on union activity - if they wanted access to funding. But Mark Dolahenty, an industrial office from the National Tertiary Education Union, said a stall onwork rights would not breach the agreement because it was to be set up by students and staffmember of the union, not the union itself. "It has nothing to do with funding, it's to do with academic freedom and freedom of speech forstaff members of the union," Mr Dolahenty said. Macquarie University students and officials yesterday overturned a decision not to allow theeducation union to set up a stall during O-Week, which starts on February 26. The commercial arm of the students' association - which is governed separately to the university -had earlier told union officials that they and other political groups would not be allowed stallsbecause they were not authorised to participate in O-Week, the union said. But the student president, Victor Ma, said yesterday that political clubs and societies would beallowed stalls.

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Uni student fund audit sparks probe

SE LocalHD Uni student fund audit sparks probe BY Bernard Lane CR MATPWC 519 wordsPD 4 May 2007SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 1 - All-round CountryPG 5LA EnglishCY Copyright 2007 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP MACQUARIE University has called in police after an audit raised serious questions about

management of hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds by student organisations. Student politician Victor Ma has been asked by auditors Deloittes why he wanted to transfer"some $400,000" from one student body to another.

TD Deloittes also raised the issue of the $76,555 salary paid to Mr Ma's wife, Wendy Kwai, a full-timeMacquarie University Students Council staff member. Mr Ma leads both the MUSC and the student services union, Students at Macquarie. He has alsobeen asked about $2400 spent on a Liberal Party fundraising dinner and whether there werefictitious employees on the MUSC payroll. Mr Ma did not return The Australian's calls yesterday. Eastwood police confirmed they had been "called out to a tertiary institution in relation to the fraudmatter (and were) currently conducting inquiries". The audit is the third ordered by vice-chancellor Steven Schwartz since he took over last yearfrom Di Yerbury. Previous audits have focused on travel and entertainment spending within theinternational office and the apparent intermixing of art owned by Professor Yerbury andMacquarie. A whistleblower within student politics is believed to have alerted the university to irregularities atMUSC, which has a history of disputed elections. Macquarie had no comment but it is understoodthat its governing body, the University Council, will move today to remove Mr Ma from his post aspresident of SAM but lacks the power to unseat him as MUSC chairman. One of the 16 questions put to Mr Ma asks whether the $2400 spent on sponsoring a table at aLiberal Party fundraiser last August had been repaid to SAM. SAM's constitution prohibits politicaldonations. Kyle Kutasi, SAM company secretary and formerly a rising star in the NSW Young Liberals, toldThe Australian he was "unaware" whether the money had been repaid but he believed the SAMboard had never ordered its repayment. Asked whether it was a political donation, he said: "It's atough one -- that's why we sought (legal) advice." Sean Garman, a former Macquarie University Liberal Club president who boasted last year that"we have whipped the Left (at Macquarie) like how sadists whip masochists", resigned last weekas vice-chairman of MUSC. "I have been helping the university in some ways with theirinvestigation," he said yesterday. Other questions put by letter last month to Mr Ma by Deloittes include whether MUSC is solvent;why MUSC revenue dropped from $689,384 in 2005 to $218,762 in 2006 while salaries rose from$277,501 to $322,509; why MUSC and SAM sent 11 delegates to a conference in Perth last yearwhen most universities sent one to three delegates; why Mr Ma refused to supply the universitywith MUSC audited accounts for 2006; and whether a collapse of voter turnout in SAM electionswas due to only a short time being allowed for nominations and the staging of elections duringexams.

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Uni politician sacked in audit

SE LocalHD Uni politician sacked in audit BY Bernard Lane CR MATPWC 316 wordsPD 5 May 2007SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 1 - All-round CountryPG 2LA EnglishCY Copyright 2007 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP MACQUARIE University has removed the president of a key student organisation after he failed to

answer auditors' questions about the management of hundreds of thousands of dollars. "If I had taken (any money) from the student union do you think I would be standing right heretalking to you," Victor Ma said yesterday while a closed session of Macquarie's governing bodymoved to sack him as president of the student services union.

TD "I know the Corporations Act ... I wouldn't do anything illegal." The university, which appointed Deloittes to audit student funds, called police on Thursday. MrMa, a student politician, said police had not spoken to him. Late yesterday, provisional liquidator Trevor Pogroske was appointed to take control of Studentsat Macquarie following an application by Macquarie before Federal Court judge Kevin Lindgren. University auditors Deloittes has asked Mr Ma about the solvency of the other student body thathe leads, the Macquarie University Students Council. Macquarie is understood to lack the powerto remove him as chairman of MUSC and as a student representative on the university'sgoverning body. Other auditors' questions put to Mr Ma on April 19 include: why he wanted to transfer about$400,000 from SAM to MUSC; and why MUSC revenue dropped from $689,384 in 2005 to$218,762 in 2006 while salaries rose from $277,501 to $322,509. Last night, Mr Ma said MUSC had hoped the university would make up the revenue shortfall afterthe Government abolished compulsory student unionism. He denied urging a $400,000 transferbetween student bodies. "There are no financial problems with SAM or MUSC," he said. He suggested he had been targeted by the university after resisting pressure to help Macquariemanagers carry through a take-over of independent student organisations on campus.

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Uni sacks student union head

SE News and FeaturesHD Uni sacks student union head BY Harriet Alexander WC 274 wordsPD 5 May 2007SN The Sydney Morning HeraldSC SMHHED FirstPG 3LA EnglishCY © 2007 Copyright John Fairfax Holdings Limited. LP MISSING MONEY

MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY has sacked the president of its student union following allegations offinancial mismanagement and a police investigation into missing funds.

TD The university council decided yesterday to remove Victor Ma and other student office bearersfrom the board of the student union, Students At Macquarie (SAM), even though he has yet to beinterviewed by police about $100,000 missing from the organisation's accounts. There is no suggestion Mr Ma took the money. The Federal Court appointed a provisional liquidator yesterday to oversee the organisation atleast until a review on Tuesday. The university said in a written statement that the sackings were necessary "to ensure thatstudent fees collected by SAM were not misused". Mr Ma spent nearly two hours waiting outside closed doors while the university council, on whichhe sits as the elected student representative, deliberated his fate. "I think there's a bit of character assassination going on," he said. "I can only wonder who's doingit. "If I had taken $100,000 away from students, how do you account I would be standing right heretalking to you? How could that be possible? "I believe there's certain intentions and motivations behind these issues." He said he would stay on the university council and as chairman of the student representativecouncil, which is insolvent. It is understood that the student representative council spent $322,509 on salaries last year,including more than $76,000 for Mr Ma's wife, Wendy Kwai, but received only $218,762 inincome. Harriet Alexander

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Sacked student leader claims targeting

SE FeaturesHD Sacked student leader claims targeting BY Bernard Lane CR MATPWC 476 wordsPD 9 May 2007SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 1 - All-round CountryPG 43LA EnglishCY Copyright 2007 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP MACQUARIE University's council and former vice-chancellor Di Yerbury were warned about

student politician Victor Ma but did nothing, it has been claimed. John Bransgrove, a 2005-06 student member of the university's governing body, said: "Councilshould have acted against Ma no later than 2005."

TD Last week the council sacked Mr Ma as president of the student services union, Students atMacquarie, after he failed to answer auditors' questions about the management of hundreds ofthousands of dollars. Yesterday Professor Yerbury told the HES: "The things that are [now] alleged to have happeneddid not happen on my watch." She was succeeded by Steven Schwartz as vice-chancellor in February last year. The letter sentto Mr Ma by auditors Deloittes focuses on 2005-06. Issues covered include the solvency of theother student body that Mr Ma leads, the Macquarie University Students Council. But Professor Schwartz said the problems of 2006 had been pointed to by a 2004 audit of studentorganisations. "The current management finally decided to do something about them. I have received a dozenemails from students today expressing relief that something has been done about thislongstanding problem." Mr Bransgrove said: "When I and others brought allegations of electoral fraud and financialimpropriety to the attention of council, it accepted the advice of [Professor Yerbury] and registrarBrian Spencer that the university had no right to get involved." After poor management under a previous council, Mr Ma's team took office in 2003, suspendedelections in 2004 and incorporated MUSC with a new constitution. Professor Yerbury acknowledged a history of complaints about Mr Ma and others but these were"not uncommon" in student politics. "All allegations that came to us were looked at properly andseriously," she said, adding that there were times when students called on Dr Spencer to exercisepowers he did not have. Mr Ma told the HES he had been targeted by the university after resisting "huge pressure" to helpMacquarie managers carry through a takeover of independent student organisations on campus. Professor Schwartz said the troubles on campus had convinced him of "the urgent need to reformMacquarie's main student bodies to ensure that they are transparent, accountable and properlyrepresent the needs of students rather than the self-interests of elected officials". By June 30 the university hopes to fold all three student bodies into a single new organisation. MUSC general secretary Sai-Chung Chiang said that under the draft constitution for the new bodyall directors would be appointed by the university rather than elected by students. A university spokeswoman said the new organisation would have "significant studentrepresentation" but it was too early to say whether these representatives would be appointed orelected.


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Uni fraud questioned years before crisis

SE LocalHD Uni fraud questioned years before crisis BY Bernard Lane CR MATPWC 403 wordsPD 11 May 2007SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 1 - All-round CountryPG 3LA EnglishCY Copyright 2007 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP AN anti-fraud accountant raised serious questions about management standards and apparent

cronyism under Macquarie University student politician Victor Ma more than two years ago. Forensic accountant Brett Warfield, who has worked for NSW royal commissions, warned inSeptember 2004 that the problems at the Macquarie University Students Council, chaired by MrMa, were causing "ongoing collateral damage" to the university's reputation.

TD Last week the university sacked Mr Ma as president of the student services union, Students atMacquarie, after he failed to answer questions put by auditors Deloittes about the management offinances at SAM and MUSC. Vice-Chancellor Steven Schwartz told The Australian he had decided to do something aboutstudent organisation problems inherited from his predecessor Di Yerbury, whose term ended inFebruary last year. Professor Yerbury denied this, saying: "The things that are (now) alleged to have happened didnot happen on my watch." The NSW Supreme Court ordered yesterday that MUSC not dispose of any assets without theuniversity's permission. In July 2004, the university called in Mr Warfield, who criticised financial management at MUSCand the employment of Mr Ma's wife, Wendy Kwai, as a senior manager (HR and financeadministration) earning $67,153, despite her lack of any accounting qualifications. Deloittes 2005-2005 audit also questioned the governance of MUSC and asked Mr Ma this year toconfirm that his wife -- paid $76,555 as a full-time MUSC staffer -- "does not hold paidemployment elsewhere." MUSC advertised in January 2004 for a manager with "a substantial financial background", MrWarfield said. Of three candidates, one did not turn up, the second "did not meet the requirement of being ableto speak Cantonese and Mandarin" and the third was Ms Kwai, MUSC minutes said. Ms Kwai did not answer her phone yesterday. Mr Ma said he did have "discussions" withMacquarie University about the issue but there was no problem because he had not taken part inhis wife's appointment. Asked yesterday about Ms Kwai's continued employment at MUSC, Professor Yerbury said: "Thatsurprised me because we had expressed the opinion (to Mr Ma in 2004) that it was inappropriate". She said that she, registrar Brian Spencer and Macquarie's governing body had done everythingwithin their power to respond to Mr Warfield's report.

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Student leader quits

SE News and FeaturesHD Student leader quits BY Harriet Alexander Higher Education Reporter WC 315 wordsPD 16 May 2007SN The Sydney Morning HeraldSC SMHHED FirstPG 3LA EnglishCY © 2007 Copyright John Fairfax Holdings Limited. LP PURSUED in the courts, by the police and humiliated beyond repair, Macquarie University's

embattled student president will resign from all his political positions. Victor Ma announced last night he would step down as the student representative on theuniversity council less than a week after he was elected to the post, and also quit as president ofthe Macquarie University Students' Council. "I don't see any point in keeping up the fight," he said.

TD His departure follows an investigation by the university into the management of student fundscontrolled by Mr Ma and the transfer of more than $200,000 from the accounts of student bodies.The university says Mr Ma moved $115,000 from a student-funded catering body, Venues atMacquarie, and $118,000 from the students' union, Students at Macquarie, to a lawyer's trustaccount. It has reported the matter to police. In the wake of the scandal, the university council sacked Mr Ma as president of the union earlierthis month, but his re-election to the council last week meant he would have to sup with hisexecutioners again. Mr Ma said the vice-chancellor, Steven Schwartz, had already proposed a motion to expel himfrom the council. Mr Ma also admitted he moved the students' money into the trust account so he could fund a legalbattle against the university to preserve the independence of each student body - and ensure hispolitical survival. The university plans to amalgamate the student council with the union and the sport union in arestructure that will hobble the influence of student politicians. "I [knew] that they were going to toss us all out and I had to think of the consequences ... like, wehave no resources, we're nobody, absolutely nobody," Mr Ma said.

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Macquarie student council wound up

SE LocalHD Macquarie student council wound up BY Bernard Lane CR MATPWC 230 wordsPD 21 May 2007SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 1 - All-round CountryPG 2LA EnglishCY Copyright 2007 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP FOUR decades of sometimes turbulent history in student politics have come to an end at

Macquarie University in Sydney with the liquidation of the elected student council. The Macquarie University Students Council, presided over by Victor Ma, was "no longer viable",according to NSW Supreme Court judge Clifford Einstein, who made a winding-up order onThursday.

TD The university went to court after Mr Ma failed to answer auditors' questions about finances atMUSC and the student services union, Students at Macquarie. Mr Ma had led both organisations.The university sacked him as SAM president on May 4. Mr Ma declared last week he would resign as MUSC chairman, saying he had been a scapegoatfor university managers determined to merge and control all student bodies on campus after 40year of independent representation. In his decision, Justice Einstein said MUSC would have no cash to pay debts once it returned$95,000 transferred from SAM's catering business, Venues at Macquarie. Venues' provisional liquidator, Trevor Pogroske, told the court he could find "no legitimate reason"for the transfers. Macquarie's registrar, Brian Spencer, told The Australian the university would have to finance anew, merged student organisation. Students would have a voice but Macquarie would have amajority on the board to ensure accountability.

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Student council wound up

SE LocalHD Student council wound up BY Bernard Lane CR MATPWC 346 wordsPD 21 May 2007SN The AustralianSC AUSTLNED 2 - All-round FirstPG 5LA EnglishCY Copyright 2007 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved LP FOUR decades of sometimes turbulent history in student politics have come to an end at

Macquarie University in Sydney with the liquidation of the elected student council. The Macquarie University Students Council, presided over by Victor Ma, was "no longer viable",according to NSW Supreme Court judge Clifford Einstein, who made a winding-up order onThursday.

TD The university went to court after Mr Ma failed to answer auditors' questions about finances atMUSC and the student services union, Students at Macquarie. Mr Ma had led both organisations. The university sacked him as SAM president on May 4. Mr Ma declared last week he would resign as MUSC chairman, saying he had been a scapegoatfor university managers determined to merge and control all student bodies on campus after 40years of independent representation. In his decision, Justice Einstein said MUSC would have no cash to pay debts once it returned$95,000 transferred from SAM's catering business, Venues at Macquarie. Venues' provisional liquidator, Trevor Pogroske, told the court he could find "no legitimate reason"for the transfers. These and two other transfers to an unnamed lawyer's trust account -- $115,000 from Venues and$118,000 from SAM -- were still being investigated, Mr Pogroske told The Australian. Macquarie's vice-chancellor, Steven Schwartz, said transactions early this month by Mr Ma andother directors had put Venues and its employees at risk. Mr Ma said he had made legitimate use of a trust account "to protect the student organisationfrom the university's planned hostile acquisition". Justice Einstein said MUSC had "very few fee-paying members" and "no real prospect of anyfurther income" following the abolition of compulsory student unionism halfway through last year,which levied students and financed student politics and services. Macquarie's registrar, Brian Spencer, told The Australian the university would have to finance anew, merged student organisation. Students would have a voice but Macquarie would have amajority on the board to ensure accountability.

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Macquarie students ordered to return missing equipment

SE News and FeaturesHD Macquarie students ordered to return missing equipment BY Harriet Alexander Higher Education Reporter WC 392 wordsPD 26 May 2007SN The Sydney Morning HeraldSC SMHHED FirstPG 4LA EnglishCY © 2007 Copyright John Fairfax Holdings Limited. LP MACQUARIE University students have been ordered to return $70,000 worth of equipment after

being filmed removing it from their offices shortly before their representative council wasliquidated. The besieged student president, Victor Ma, and other former councillors, moved furniture,computers, books and records from the Macquarie University Students' Council offices before theSupreme Court ordered the organisation be wound up last week.

TD The liquidator, Trevor Pogroske, said he arrived at the offices on the afternoon he was appointedby the court to discover them bare. "Clearly, assets had been removed," Mr Pogroske said. Later, the university discovered from closed-circuit television footage that Mr Ma and the formercouncillors had cleared the office 11 days earlier, Mr Pogroske said. Mr Ma denied yesterday the students had stolen the equipment. They had put them into storageto protect student assets in the case of a university takeover, he said. "The liquidator was quite angry," Mr Ma said. "He said things were illegally removed. I said, 'Wait, wait, wait. Please refrain from suchaccusations. Things were removed before you were appointed as a liquidator, therefore it waslegal at the time.' " The university said it had begun legal proceedings to retrieve the equipment, but Mr Ma said thecouncillors returned it last night. Eastwood police said it was a university matter. Earlier this week the Federal Court ordered that the university's union, Students at Macquarie, bewound up, after its directors returned more than $200,000 they had moved out of theorganisation's accounts. Mr Ma, who was also the union president before being sacked last month, said he and the otherdirectors had moved the money to pay for a legal fight against the university's planned takeover ofthe student organisations. But as both student organisations are in liquidation, the way is clear for the university to create anew company to run student activities, catering, sports and shops on campus. The new structure means the end of student politics at Macquarie University. The company will be managed by the university, and the students sitting on the board will beappointed by the university. A spokeswoman for the university said the board may hold student elections at a later date.

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