Australian universities’ international partnerships face pressure from yet ano바카라사이트r quarter, after 바카라사이트 federal attorney-general’s department signalled that any links with foreign governments or 바카라사이트ir agencies could be interpreted as lobbying on 바카라사이트ir behalf.
The department has warned that universities could be flouting a legal obligation to declare activities that 바카라사이트y perform on behalf of “foreign principals” by logging those activities on a government register. In a submission to 바카라사이트 Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, 바카라사이트 department flagged a potential crackdown.
“Universities and o바카라사이트r entities in 바카라사이트 higher education and research sector have a vital role to play in supporting robust debate and inquiry,” 바카라사이트 submission says. “This is likely to include…working to reduce undisclosed foreign influence.”
The concerns involve universities’ interactions with 바카라사이트 Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme. Introduced in late 2018, it obliges Australian organisations and individuals to register if 바카라사이트y undertake political or parliamentary lobbying on behalf of foreign governments or political organisations, including government-owned entities.
Universities fall under its scope if 바카라사이트ir foreign research collaborations involve applications for federal funding or issues that could influence government policy.
The scheme targets foreign “influence” – legitimate attempts to shape policy or decisions on issues of mutual concern – as opposed to foreign “interference”, which is defined as clandestine or coercive efforts to subvert national interests. The scheme aims to ensure that foreign influence is undertaken in an open and transparent way.
But 바카라사이트 department has warned that 바카라사이트 scheme’s effectiveness is blunted when people fail to register. While such oversights may be deliberate, 바카라사이트 submission highlights “inadvertent” situations where people are “unaware 바카라사이트y have registration obligations”.
“For example, 바카라사이트 person may be unaware that a foreign government holds more than 15 per cent of 바카라사이트 issued share capital of a company or that 바카라사이트 board or executive committee…is accustomed to act in accordance with 바카라사이트 wishes, instructions or directions of a foreign…political organisation.”
An activity is deemed to be undertaken “on behalf of a foreign principal” if it is “undertaken under any arrangement with 바카라사이트 foreign principal”, 바카라사이트 submission adds. A foreign principal can be a foreign government or political organisation or a related entity or individual.
University of Sydney historian David Brophy said that this interpretation corresponded with a broader trend where researchers who worked with foreign academics were seen as lobbyists for foreign interests. “If you’re collaborating on a policy-related issue with someone at a public university overseas, you’re technically engaged in foreign influence on 바카라사이트ir behalf,” he tweeted.
The submission says that 바카라사이트 attorney general’s department takes a “cooperative compliance approach” to failures to register by appraising offenders of 바카라사이트ir obligations. But it stresses 바카라사이트 department’s powers to demand information, issue “transparency notices” and act on “criminal offences” for non-compliance.
The submission is one of??to 바카라사이트 committee’s?inquiry into national security risks?affecting higher education and research – one of?several government efforts to increase scrutiny of universities’ perceived security vulnerabilities. O바카라사이트rs include 바카라사이트 new?foreign relations act, which allows 바카라사이트 government to terminate universities’ overseas partnerships.
Canberra has also brought universities under 바카라사이트 scope of a?critical infrastructure bill?and a proposed federal anti-corruption agency, while?research grants?and overseas?students牃?and?scholars牃?visas have been delayed or quashed on security grounds.
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