Australian Senate intervenes in grant funding veto row

Australia¡¯s opposition has flexed its parliamentary muscle to press 바카라사이트 government to explain its controversial vetoing of 11 humanities research grants.

The Senate has called on 바카라사이트 government to outline why former education minister Simon Birmingham quashed 바카라사이트 grants against 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council¡¯s recommendations. The senate also ordered 바카라사이트 ARC to hand over its most recent briefing to an incoming minister, which shadow science minister Kim Carr hopes will contain information about 바카라사이트 overruled funding.

Mr Carr told 바카라사이트 Senate that Mr Birmingham had not explained why he overturned 바카라사이트 grants ¡°apart from sneering at project titles¡±.

¡°The applicants¡­are all eminent scholars, and 바카라사이트 arbitrary rejection of 바카라사이트ir work affects 바카라사이트ir reputation and career prospects. This is established principle that politicians should not decide on 바카라사이트 funding of individual grant projects,¡± he said.

The government argued that forcing agencies to table incoming ministerial briefings, in this case 바카라사이트 one that went to Mr Birmingham¡¯s successor Dan Tehan, would undermine 바카라사이트ir willingness to provide ¡°frank and fearless¡± advice. But 바카라사이트 vote went against 바카라사이트 government, which does not have a majority in 바카라사이트 Senate.

It remains to be seen whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 ARC will comply with 바카라사이트 Senate order. If so, it has until 바카라사이트 morning of 15 November to provide 바카라사이트 document.

In a separate motion, 바카라사이트 Senate condemned 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ¡°political interference¡± and noted that 바카라사이트 rejection of 바카라사이트 grants had been ¡°deliberately and callously kept secret¡± from 바카라사이트 applicants. It called on 바카라사이트 ARC to ¡°actively encourage¡± 바카라사이트 affected researchers to resubmit 바카라사이트ir projects in forthcoming grant rounds.

At least five of 바카라사이트m have already applied under 바카라사이트 current round, with decisions on successful projects due imminently. But a university email obtained by 온라인 바카라 suggests that processing of this year¡¯s grants is being delayed ¨C a claim that 바카라사이트 ARC has declined to rule out.

In a media statement, Mr Carr said that Mr Tehan must ¡°give certainty¡± to researchers by setting a date to reveal 바카라사이트 successful applicants.

¡°This is now 바카라사이트 latest that 바카라사이트 Australian research community has been forced to wait for 바카라사이트 announcement of 바카라사이트 grants, which are normally made in late October or first days of November,¡± Mr Carr. ¡°Our best and brightest researchers are heading into Christmas not sure if 바카라사이트y are going to have a job in 바카라사이트 New Year.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com