This analysis of 34 cases conservatively found a collective $83.4 million that was owed to staff across the higher education sector. A further three ongoing cases will almost certainly break the $90 million threshold - a shameful indictment that demands a major response from governments and universities. 

More than $80 million in underpayments have been uncovered since 2020 across public universities. The NTEU alone has recovered many millions of dollars in stolen wages. Some universities have admitted wrongdoing, while others choose to pursue expensive litigation to fight against the staff that they owed wages.