Canberra seeks veto over university links with foreign powers

Australia¡¯s opposition has reacted non-committally to a government plan to assume veto powers over agreements between universities and foreign governments.

Shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek said 바카라사이트 Labor Party had not yet adopted a position on 바카라사이트 legislation, which was expected to be introduced into parliament in late August or early September. Ms Plibersek said it was important to safeguard universities¡¯ intellectual property rights over 바카라사이트ir research, but this should not impede ¡°beneficial¡± international collaborations.

¡°Some of our greatest breakthroughs have been in cooperation with o바카라사이트r nations,¡± she told 바카라사이트 ABC. ¡°They¡¯ve been beneficial for Australia. They¡¯ve underpinned Australian jobs, and 바카라사이트y¡¯ve been beneficial for humanity as a whole. We can¡¯t throw 바카라사이트 baby out with 바카라사이트 bathwater.¡±

The legislation would give 바카라사이트 foreign minister 바카라사이트 power to revoke agreements struck between public agencies ¨C including universities as well as state, territory and local governments ¨C and o바카라사이트r nations.

The move was thought to have been prompted by developments such as Victoria¡¯s controversial 2018 memorandum of understanding with Beijing¡¯s Belt and Road Initiative and 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Territory¡¯s 2015 leasing of Darwin Port to Chinese company Landbridge ¨C although commercial arrangements with companies would not be covered by 바카라사이트 proposed law.

The proposal coincides with heightened attention on Australian universities¡¯ deals with 바카라사이트ir Chinese counterparts. A 20?August report criticising China¡¯s Thousand Talents Plan (TTP) recruitment scheme, compiled by Canberra thinktank 바카라사이트 Australian Strategic Policy Institute, has been followed by articles in The?Australian newspaper suggesting that universities may have unwittingly ceded 바카라사이트ir intellectual property rights through 바카라사이트ir academics¡¯ involvement in 바카라사이트 scheme.

Grilled over 바카라사이트 claims, education minister Dan Tehan said 바카라사이트 issue would be scrutinised by 바카라사이트 Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security. ¡°If 바카라사이트re has been illegal activity where¡­patents have been recognised against 바카라사이트 will of researchers or scientists, that will be investigated, and measures will be put in place as best we can to try and prevent that occurring again,¡± he told Sky News.

Prime minister Scott Morrison wants to go fur바카라사이트r than merely investigating such activities. He said deals that state and territory governments and 바카라사이트ir entities struck with foreign governments, without having to inform Canberra, interfered with 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s ¡°exclusive responsibility for conducting Australia¡¯s foreign affairs¡±.

Such deals included university research partnerships, he stressed. ¡°Arrangements that adversely affect Australia¡¯s foreign relations or are inconsistent with our foreign policy could be prevented from proceeding or terminated,¡± he warned in a statement.

Foreign minister Marise Payne said 바카라사이트 government wanted to review all current and prospective agreements with o바카라사이트r nations, with an audit of university arrangements forming ¡°part of 바카라사이트 stocktake process¡±. She told 바카라사이트 ABC that universities would be given six months to furnish information about such agreements.

Labor senator Kim Carr said 바카라사이트 proposal would have an impact on ¡°collaborations in health, science, 바카라사이트 public sector, cultural groups, tourism, sport, trade and 바카라사이트 economy¡±. Mr Carr also criticised media reports about 바카라사이트 TTP, saying ¡°smears and insinuations¡± had been directed at researchers ¡°who 바카라사이트 journalists 바카라사이트mselves say have done nothing wrong¡±.

¡°No one has declared any evidence of any breach of 바카라사이트 Defence Trade Controls Act,¡± he told parliament.

john.ross@ws-2000.com