The Canberra Liberals have condemned a payout to the outgoing Canberra Institute of Technology chief executive as a disgrace.
Opposition Leader Mark Parton said the payout showed accountability was optional under the ACT Labor government and taxpayers were left to pick up the bill.
"Taxpayers are paying nearly $445,000 so CIT can exit a CEO who lasted barely a year, spent months on leave, and left under serious questions about misleading the board and failing to disclose a prior investigation," Mr Parton said in a statement.
"A parliamentary committee said she should be investigated for breaching public service standards. Instead, Canberrans get a hefty payout and a desire to 'move on'."
Margot McNeill said in a statement on Tuesday night she had made the "tremendously difficult" decision to resign as the Canberra Institute of Technology's chief executive.
Dr McNeill started in the role in June 2025 and had been on leave since June 2026.
A parliamentary inquiry found Dr McNeill had "actively misled" the board by denying there was a finding of misconduct made against her by her previous employer, TAFE NSW.
A second inquiry said Dr McNeill should be investigated for breaching public service standards after taking an "overly litigious and combative approach" to the first inquiry.
Tom Rogers, the chair of the institute's board, on Wednesday confirmed Dr McNeill would be paid a settlement of about $445,000.
Independent Thomas Emerson said he hoped the cessation of Dr McNeill's employment had not been mischaracterised.
Mr Emerson in July wrote to the institute's board to raise concerns Dr McNeill remained in her post and warn it was "equally remarkable and harmful to community perceptions of CIT's integrity that Dr McNeill remains in her role as CEO".
The independent MLA on Wednesday said it was hard to square her departure being called a resignation when she was given a $445,000 payout.
"We're seeing history repeating itself with two consecutive CIT CEOs receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in payouts after being subject to serious misconduct allegations and related investigations," Mr Emerson said in a statement.
The ACT Greens welcomed Dr McNeill's departure from the institute after the party called for her to go in May.
"While Dr McNeill's resignation can draw a line under this specific issue, unfortunately this is not the only example of the CIT failing to meet public expectations," the Greens' education spokeswoman, Laura Nuttall, said.
"Last year Canberra's college students were dealt a blow by the closure of language courses run by CIT and just this month the institution announced voluntary redundancies, but offered very few details on how these would affect workers and students.
"This is a pattern of failing to deliver as the educational institution that Canberrans deserve."
