Arabic version: استقالة الرئيسة التنفيذية لمعهد كانبيرا للتكنولوجيا مارغو ماكنيل

According to ABC News, Canberra Institute of Technology chief executive Margot McNeill has resigned after months of scrutiny over her appointment and evidence given to ACT Legislative Assembly inquiries. CIT’s board accepted her resignation, the institute said.

Dr McNeill was appointed chief executive in June 2025. Her appointment was questioned after revelations that she had not disclosed an investigation into misconduct in her previous role at TAFE NSW. In May, an assembly inquiry found she should have disclosed information about the misconduct investigation or findings to the CIT board in a timely manner.

Dr McNeill had said she was under a strict obligation not to reveal the existence of the investigation, but TAFE NSW publicly contradicted that position. Her evidence before the initial committee led to another assembly probe into whether she had misled the assembly. Findings released last week described her as “deliberately obstructive” and “combative”.

In her resignation statement, Dr McNeill said the decision had been “tremendously difficult” but was in the best interests of the CIT community, herself and her family. She said it had been a source of pride to lead the Canberra institution and described the position as a “dream opportunity”. Her legal case against TAFE NSW remains ongoing in the NSW Supreme Court.

Dr McNeill had been on extended leave during the controversy. Mitch Pirie, previously the ACT government’s acting deputy under treasurer, was appointed acting CIT chief executive on Friday last week. CIT said Dr McNeill led the institute for 13 months, during which enrolments rose 10 per cent and new diploma-to-bachelor pathways with the University of Canberra saw strong uptake.