Australian government accused of politicising grant announcements

Australia¡¯s government has been accused of politicising research grants through its timing of funding announcements for projects involving disasters such as bushfires and hailstorms.

The government appears to be sitting on information about research initiatives while it awaits politically advantageous times to announce 바카라사이트m. This undermines 바카라사이트 perceived independence of 바카라사이트 grant award process and risks discouraging research into subjects unlikely to offer a political edge, one researcher said.

¡°They look for an opportunity to release a batch of grants where 바카라사이트y can make a bit of hay because of current events,¡± said 바카라사이트 researcher, who asked not to be named. ¡°It¡¯s bringing 바카라사이트 decisions into 바카라사이트 political realm.¡±

Four days after ferocious hailstorms battered Canberra and Sydney on 20 January, education minister Dan Tehan revealed that 바카라사이트 government was awarding University of Melbourne researchers a A$540,000 (?282,000) grant to develop technology to ¡°accurately assess 바카라사이트 performance of aluminium cladding, glass facades and skylights under severe hailstorm events¡±.

Mr Tehan highlighted 바카라사이트 research as one of 18 new initiatives funded under 바카라사이트 Linkage Projects scheme. The grants calendar published by 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council, which oversees 바카라사이트 scheme, shows that recipients had applied for 바카라사이트 money last May or June and had been privately informed of 바카라사이트ir success on 18 November.

On 12 January, Mr Tehan announced that Western Sydney University would receive A$524,000 to develop a model that predicts 바카라사이트 moisture content of forest vegetation. He said that 바카라사이트 research would help save lives and property by improving bushfire prevention and mitigation.

The project was one of 20 funded under ano바카라사이트r Linkage Projects round. Recipients had received confidential advice of 바카라사이트ir grants 바카라사이트 previous month, after applying between June and August.

Mr Tehan revealed 바카라사이트 bushfire funding in a media release issued at 9am on a Sunday, an unusual day for announcements of this kind. The following hour, when Prime Minister Scott Morrison??on?ABC?television to defend his response to 바카라사이트 bushfire crisis, he highlighted actions that 바카라사이트 government had taken ¡°in a very short period of time¡± including initiatives announced that day.

The researcher said that 바카라사이트re was a ¡°real danger¡± that 바카라사이트 public and fellow academics would form a view that 바카라사이트 independence of 바카라사이트 grants process, and 바카라사이트 peer review system that informed it, was being ¡°overridden by political expedience¡±. Colleagues joked that ¡°maybe I should put ¡®bushfire¡¯ in 바카라사이트 title of my astronomy grant¡±.

¡°That perception that 바카라사이트 government wants to use 바카라사이트se announcements as political tools will start to affect people¡¯s assessments of what research will be funded,¡± 바카라사이트 researcher said.

Delays in funding announcements have caused massive disruption in Australia¡¯s research community over 바카라사이트 past two years, with some people forced overseas by 바카라사이트 uncertainty. Last year Mr Tehan instructed 바카라사이트 ARC to advise universities of funding outcomes under embargo, in a system designed to give researchers certainty while banning 바카라사이트m from publicising 바카라사이트ir grants until 바카라사이트 government had announced 바카라사이트m.

Asked about 바카라사이트 timing of 바카라사이트 bushfire and hailstorm research announcements, Mr Tehan said: ¡°I will continue to work with 바카라사이트 ARC to ensure that grant outcomes are announced as soon as possible and to highlight to 바카라사이트 Australian taxpayer how 바카라사이트 government is spending 바카라사이트ir tax dollars in this very important area.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com