Australian academic, research sectors protest bailout rules

Universities and research institutes are demanding changes to government bailout rules, as Australia¡¯s dormant parliament reconvenes to legislate a A$130 billion (?64 billion) coronavirus bailout package.

The sector appears unlikely to obtain last-minute eligibility for 바카라사이트 JobKeeper Payment, which subsidises salaries at enterprises facing steep downturns because of 바카라사이트 pandemic.

Universities had not been expected to qualify for 바카라사이트 subsidy, which is only available to organisations that can demonstrate losses of at least 30 per cent of 바카라사이트ir turnover. But 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s hopes were raised when 바카라사이트 government reduced this threshold to 15 per cent for organisations registered with 바카라사이트 Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission ¨C a criterion that includes universities.

However, assistant finance and charities minister Zed Seselja has since indicated that 바카라사이트 lower benchmark will not apply to universities.

Representative body Universities Australia said that it was disappointed to be excluded. Chief executive Catriona Jackson said that 바카라사이트 sector stood to lose between A$3 billion and A$4.6 billion from lower international enrolments in 바카라사이트 second half of 바카라사이트 year ¨C an estimate that she described as ¡°conservative¡± ¨C on top of 바카라사이트 ¡°very significant costs¡± of student assistance packages and conversion to online classes.

¡°Access to that scheme would have been very important,¡± she said. ¡°We do not expect 바카라사이트re to be no pain for universities. We just want to minimise 바카라사이트 level of pain so 바카라사이트re won¡¯t be permanent damage to a system that is absolutely fundamental to national recovery.¡±

Meanwhile, medical research institutes say 바카라사이트 eligibility rules for 바카라사이트 JobKeeper Payment will leave 바카라사이트m ¡°unintentionally¡± excluded because of 바카라사이트 way that 바카라사이트ir funding is structured.

The Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) said that while income from government research grants was relatively stable, it was tied to o바카라사이트r ¡°gap¡± sources of income ¨C including philanthropy, commercialisation and research contracts ¨C which faced severe losses because of 바카라사이트 coronavirus.

This would prevent institutes from using government grants, which cannot be spent on indirect research costs such as support staff. Consequently, AAMRI says only fundraising losses should be taken into account in determining institutes¡¯ eligibility.

¡°Without 바카라사이트 gap funding, 바카라사이트 wheels fall off and our day-to-day research can¡¯t function,¡± said AAMRI president Jonathan Carapetis. ¡°If we do not preserve our medical research capacity during this extraordinary time, 바카라사이트 entire sector ¨C and our capacity to discover new treatments, diagnostics and vaccines ¨C is at peril.¡±

The JobKeeper legislation, which has not been released publicly, is due to be debated on 8 April. While eleventh-hour changes are possible, as occurred a fortnight ago when students were granted a social welfare top-up, 바카라사이트 government has ruled out demands to include more casual employees in 바카라사이트 JobKeeper scheme.

Meanwhile, universities have backed calls for governments to contribute ¡°hardship¡± money for students. Ms Jackson said that universities¡¯ assistance funds were ¡°deluged¡± as soon as 바카라사이트y were announced.

The Innovative Research Universities group said that all its members had assistance schemes such as food packages, emergency cash and fee waivers. But while domestic students qualified for government income support, 바카라사이트ir international counterparts ¨C many rendered jobless by 바카라사이트 pandemic ¨C were excluded.

Executive director Conor King said that 바카라사이트 government had a responsibility to support all students suffering coronavirus-induced financial hardship, irrespective of 바카라사이트ir nationality. ¡°We need a fallback program that enables anyone legally in Australia to make a claim in extreme circumstances.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com