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One attendee who asked not to be named described the event as “very lavish”,with a few hundred guests enjoying “food,wine and cocktails all night”.

“Kate was one of[Gardner’s] favourites apparently,so she and other artists played. There were lots of bigwigs there,like politicians. Not heaps of staff,though. At least not outside management.”

Margaret Gardner (left) and Monash chancellor Simon McKeon with her portrait at the NGV event.Credit:Twitter

It comes as the university contests a multimillion-dollarwage theft claim from casual academics in the federal court. The university has already settled a previous $10 million backpay bill from staff but lost a bid to head off this second claim – byretrospectively altering its staff agreement – last year.

Monash University said staff,alumni,donors and others with a connection to the university were among those invited,to celebrate Gardner’s “significant impact during her nine years” as VC. It was also a chance to acknowledge staff contributions too,a spokesman said.

The university council wasn’t required to sign off on the party budget and venue. But the spokesman said all the usual expenditure protocols were followed,and the cost “was commensurate with the last vice chancellor Professor Edward Byrne’s farewell”.

Gardner’s portrait was commissioned separately by the university and will hang in Robert Blackwood Hall on campus,alongside other artworks of former vice chancellors.

Ben Eltham,Monash branch president for the National Tertiary Education Union,said staff were surprised that the party was held at the gallery and not Blackwood or one of the university’s other entertainment venues,which are themselves often hired out.

“Management has completely lost touch,” he said. “Student satisfaction isstill down,wage theft happenedunder their watch but here they are having glitzy parties.”

The university’s internal policies for spending are strict,and Eltham said a number of staff had been “hauled over the coals” of late for even minor infractions. “Like buying $11 gifts or previously approved spending as part of their research grants,” he said.

The office of the governor said Gardner was not involved in organising the event and referred questions to the university.

At Monash,Gardner wasamong the country’s highest-paid vice chancellors,whose salaries regularly double or triple that of prime ministers and premiers.

The universityposted a $113 million deficit last year,but also donated $116 million to its own Monash Foundation,a charity that generates investment income for the university.

Among the speakers praising Gardner at the farewell do was Monash Chancellor Simon McKeon AO,also a non-executive director at Rio Tinto,who haspreviously spoken of her “significant legacy of growth and achievement”.

Margaret Gardner speaking at her farewell party at the NGV in July 2023.Credit:Twitter

Gardner “elevated the university’s international standing”,the Monash spokesman said,seeing it rise through world rankings to break into the top 50 universities globally.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has been pushing for an overhaul ofuniversity councils,which are at times accused of running public institutions like corporations,and a new plan to make universities “exemplary employers” will be presented to state education ministers by an expert working group in April.

Meanwhile,at Monash,another strike is brewing on campus,Eltham said,as staff push for improvements to pay,workloads andjob security during long-running negotiations for the next enterprise bargaining agreement.

Kate Ceberano’s management has been contacted for comment.

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