We, the undersigned, call upon the Prime Minister of Australia and the Federal Government to act immediately to reverse the alarming financial decline of the Australian National University (ANU).

 

The ANU is a cornerstone of Australia’s intellectual life, national security, and long-term prosperity. Its research supports innovation in science, technology, defence, health, the humanities, and environmental resilience. Despite this, ANU is facing unprecedented financial hardship, risking the loss of over 1,000 academic jobs and a devastating blow to Australia's global academic standing.

 

This decline is not the result of mismanagement or inefficiency. It is the direct consequence of decades of underfunding by successive federal governments, compounded by a tax system that allows many of the largest corporations operating in Australia to contribute little to the nation that enables their profits.

The Facts:

In 2020–21, individuals paid $593.2 billion in tax. Corporate Australia paid just $68.9 billion.

That means only 10.4% of total tax revenue came from big business, despite the corporate sector earning over $2.3 trillion in income.

More than one-third of large Australian companies pay no tax at all.

Fossil fuel companies alone received $10.3 billion in public subsidies in 2020–21—more than the total Australian Army budget.

ExxonMobil sold $56 billion worth of oil and gas from Australian territory over six years without paying a cent in income tax.

(https://www.michaelwest.com.au/revealed-australias-top-40-tax-dodgers-for-2021/

Meanwhile, our universities and public institutions are being asked to operate on shoestring budgets.

 

Australia has the wealth. We lack the political will.

 

Countries like Norway tax the sale of their natural resources at 78% and still impose a corporate tax on profits. This has enabled Norway to offer its citizens free tertiary education and subsidise the uptake of electric vehicles. Why can’t Australia?

 

We therefore demand the following actions:

 

Implement a 78% tax on all profits derived from the extraction of Australia’s natural resources, as in Norway.

Recover unpaid taxes from corporations that have evaded fair contributions over the past 40 years—especially those exploiting Australia's public assets.

Legislate a complete ban on political donations from private entities, and publicly fund political parties to restore integrity to our democracy.

Use the funds recovered and newly raised to permanently and adequately fund the ANU and other public universities, ensuring they can serve the public good without being forced into decline.

Integrity matters. Australia must invest in its brains, not just its mines.

 

This petition is a call to action. Properly funding the ANU is not just about saving a university; it’s about choosing a smarter, fairer, and more sovereign future for Australia.

 

Please sign and share widely. Let the government know we demand a better standard.