Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne is being sued for failing to properly consult staff and unions before it announced job cuts in 2012. The National Tertiary Education Union started proceedings against Swinburne in the Federal Court. The union's Victorian secretary, Colin Long, reported that the university must pay for failing to negotiate over such a big announcement. The university is shedding more than 240 jobs and is closing its Lilydale and Prahran campuses.

Swinburne University of Technology will close its Lilydale campus in Melbourne's outer east, and up to 240 staff will lose their jobs. TAFE courses in hospitality, leisure, recreation and tourism will no longer be offered. Classes in low demand will also be dumped. Swinburne TAFE courses that will be closed include cookery, floristry, local government, automotive studies and recreation and tourism. This decision comes after the state government slashed $290 million from TAFE funding in the 2012/13 budget. Swinburne had $35 million cut from its budget for this financial year.

Swinburne University Presents at 4th Annual Victorian Infrastructure Summit 2012, Jul-30-2012 03:40 PM. Venue: Novotel Melbourne on Collins, 270 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia. Speakers: John Wilson, Infrastructure Report Card Spokesperson & Deputy Dean.