In a speech to Parliament on Tuesday, she said the cutting of 350 jobs across the entire university would have a “significant impact on teaching, learning and research grants”.

“Where we need growth, development and innovation, we are facing contraction and reduction,” she said.

“One of the causes is the efficiency dividend, which will severely reduce funding to La Trobe by $30 million between this year and 2017.

“It is my belief that, of all the investments a community can make, investment in education gives some of the best returns.”

The 36-hour strike organised by the National Tertiary Education Union began at noon yesterday with about a quarter of the campus’ 85 staff attending a video conference with their colleagues at other campuses.

The same number of staff picketed the entrances at the Wodonga campus yesterday, speaking to students about why they were fighting the cuts.

The union’s La Trobe branch president Virginia Mansel Lees said she didn’t know exactly how many staff took part in the action, but she was happy with the turnout.

“We’re trying to get some job security for staff and it’s about certainty for them and students,” she said.

“For each job loss in the sector there’s at least four or five lost in the region.”

Ms Mansel Lees said she wasn’t yet sure how many classes would be affected during the strike.

She said some students they spoke to had offered their support, while others had complained about the disruptions.

A university spokesman said it was too early to determine the impact of the industrial action.