ANU scandals during Julie Bishop’s tenure caused $100m in reputational damage, university estimates

Interim vice-chancellor of the Australian National University, Rebekah Brown told senate estimates that modelling suggested controversies at the university had caused a reputational impact of $100m. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

A series of high profile scandals and governance failures has cost the Australian National University $100m in reputational damage, the interim vice-chancellor, Rebekah Brown, has told a parliamentary committee.

Fronting senate estimates on Friday – a day after a scathing audit report found the ANU approved a controversial $250m cost-cutting program without clear evidence – Brown acknowledged it had been a challenging time for the university.