Independent Member for Kurrajong Thomas Emerson MLA has welcomed the resignation of the Canberra Institute of Technology’s (CIT) CEO, Dr Margot McNeill.
On 15 April 2026, Mr Emerson led calls for Dr McNeill’s resignation following revelations she had failed to disclose TAFE NSW’s misconduct findings against her on a statutory declaration to the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). Mr Emerson has since called for Dr McNeill to be dismissed after two separate Assembly Committee inquiries raised serious concerns about her conduct. He wrote to the CIT Board Chair on 9 July 2026 detailing concerns with her ongoing tenure.
Mr Emerson has also consistently called for CIT’s governance arrangements to be reviewed, and the ACT Government has since announced an independent governance review.
Quotes Attributable to Mr Emerson:
“It’s a relief that Dr McNeill has finally done the right thing and resigned as CEO of CIT.
“This will be welcome news for the many dedicated staff at CIT whose hard work has been undermined by repeated failures and controversies at the executive level over recent years.
“Canberrans deserve a guarantee that any investigations into Dr McNeill’s conduct and the serious public safety allegations raised during her tenure will continue despite her resignation.
“Now it’s time to fix CIT. There’s a lot of rebuilding to do, starting with cultivating a strong organisational culture grounded in integrity and accountability, and providing the best possible experience for students. Resourcing for program delivery needs to be prioritised ahead of runaway expenditure at the senior and executive management level.
“Tinkering around the edges with governance tweaks won’t cut it. A public institution should be run like one, but that’s not what’s happened at CIT since the independent board was established in 2015.
“We need clear ministerial accountability for CIT and strong parliamentary oversight of what happens there.
“It’s crucial we get the next CEO appointment right.”
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