Education minister intervenes to address crisis unfolding at ANU – as it happened

The education minister, Jason Clare, has launched an ‘unprecedented’ intervention into the leadership of ANU. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

8.27am BST

What we learned, Friday 20 June

And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines.

• The Minns Labor government is arming itself with new powers to terminate the public-private partnership (PPP) with bankrupt Northern Beaches hospital operator Healthscope in the event that it cannot reach an agreement.

• Israel’s deputy foreign affairs minister said her country’s war with Iran is an “Israeli mission” and that the country is capable of fighting Iran without America’s direct involvement.

• Australia’s embassy in Tehran has suspended operations and the government is ordering officials to leave Iran, Penny Wong, has said.

• Wong said it will be extremely difficult for Australians to leave Iran because the country’s airspace is closed. There are about 2,000 Australians and their family in Iran and around 1,200 in Israel who want to evacuate. Wong said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is sending a response team to Azerbaijan to help Australians who can get to the border.

• Anthony Albanese will not attend the Nato summit, with the defence minister and deputy PM, Richard Marles, likely to attend instead.

• NSW Health said Sydneysiders should be on alert for signs and symptoms of measles after a confirmed case travelled through Sydney international airport.

• The former Coalition minister Simon Birmingham has been appointed the head of Australia’s influential banking lobby group.

• The committee for the inquiry into the NSW government’s handling of information about the caravan “fake terrorism plot” has agreed to seek arrest warrants for five Minns government staffers in a bid to force them to appear before an inquiry.

• The education minister, Jason Clare, has launched an “unprecedented” intervention into the leadership of the Australian National University by writing to the vice-chancellor and referring governance and management concerns to the higher education regulator.

Thank you for spending part of your day with us. For those having one, enjoy your weekend!

Updated at 8.31am BST

8.15am BST

Australia National University to request Clare and Pocock provide clarity on compliance act concerns

The vice-chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU), Prof Genevieve Bell, says she is “disheartened” by concerns raised by the education minister and independent Senator David Pocock over the university’s governance.

Both Jason Clare and Pocock have written to Bell taking issue with the university’s restructuring process and alleging ANU of giving wrong information to the Senate in a breach of the Public Interest Disclosure (PID) and Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (PGPA) acts.

Bell said the allegations were something the university took “very seriously”.

To date, no allegations of any breach of ANU’s responsibilities under either the PID Act or the PGPA Act have been made to the university.

We are particularly disheartened to hear a public assertion that we have breached our obligations under the PID Act. This is something that the University and the team involved take extremely seriously, not least because a breach of that act can attract significant penalties, including imprisonment.

Bell said ANU would be writing to Pocock and Clare today requesting clarity on the issues and would work with the regulator on addressing any compliance concerns.

Updated at 8.24am BST