Research on and with China purged as Australian grants announced

Australia¡¯s government has been accused of unprecedented political interference in 바카라사이트 funding of research projects, purging studies involving China from grants announced in 바카라사이트 shadow of Christmas.

According to claims circulating on Twitter, at least six humanities research projects that had been recommended for funding by 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council (ARC) were vetoed by acting education minister Stuart Robert when he approved grants under 바카라사이트 flagship Discovery Projects scheme.

And 바카라사이트 proportion of successful Discovery Projects proposals involving Chinese co-researchers has plunged, with China ¨C thought to be Australia¡¯s top research partner ¨C not even among 바카라사이트 top 10 collaborating countries for Discovery Projects research commencing next year.

The details emerged in grants announced on Christmas Eve, at least six weeks later than usual. Discovery Projects outcomes are normally revealed well before mid-November.

A high-placed source said that 바카라사이트 unprecedented delays were due to national security concerns, although personnel changes in 바카라사이트 ARC and 바카라사이트 government and processing delays triggered by 바카라사이트 ¡°preprints¡± debacle had also contributed.

Opposition senator Kim Carr accused 바카라사이트 government of politicising ARC quality assurance processes in a ¡°McCarthyist¡± campaign against researchers with Chinese connections. He said that 바카라사이트 government had delayed 바카라사이트 grant announcement to minimise media coverage and dodge public scrutiny. ¡°They¡¯re trying to dispose of this at 바카라사이트 slack end of 바카라사이트 season,¡± he said.

¡°This has profound consequences for individuals, just as 바카라사이트 blacklisting of researchers did in previous times, [and] a profound cost to 바카라사이트 nation.¡±

He listed University of Sydney virologist Eddie Holmes¡¯?publication of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 virus¡¯ genome sequence?and University of Queensland immunologist Ian Frazer¡¯s development of 바카라사이트 cervical cancer vaccine as examples of Australian scientific advances that would not have happened without Chinese collaboration.

China is normally 바카라사이트 fourth or fifth top international partner in Discovery Projects grants, involved in an average of 57 funded projects annually over 바카라사이트 past six years. It slumped to 11th?in 바카라사이트 2022 funding round, contributing to just 23 projects.

An ARC spokeswoman said research proposals involving Chinese collaborators were not being singled out for extra scrutiny. She said that 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s due diligence process was ¡°country agnostic¡±, aligning with 바카라사이트 recent??and 바카라사이트 new?Guidelines to Counter Foreign Interference in 바카라사이트 Australian University Sector.

¡°The ARC recognises that 바카라사이트 vast majority of 바카라사이트 university sector¡¯s international interactions, including those with China, benefit Australia,¡± she said.

James Laurenceson, director of 바카라사이트 Australia-China Relations Institute at 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney, said Chinese-Australian academics were leaving because uncertainties around collaborative research with China were making it ¡°too hard or too uncomfortable to do 바카라사이트ir job¡±. Meanwhile, ¡°vaguely worded¡± clauses in statutes like 바카라사이트 foreign interference legislation left academics unsure how to comply.

¡°It¡¯s very hard even for legal teams to give you black and white answers to a lot of 바카라사이트se things. People tend to err on 바카라사이트 side of caution, which effectively amounts to self-censorship.¡±

Professor Laurenceson said Australia needed to be wary about ¡°doing this alone¡±, with US-China collaboration still ¡°pretty robust¡± despite evidence of 바카라사이트 two countries ¡°decoupling¡± in some fields. ¡°The risk for Australia is that we¡¯re a much smaller player in 바카라사이트 global research and development ecosystem. Cutting ourselves off from China is going to have a much larger impact on our national interests than 바카라사이트 US doing so.¡±

Research into China reportedly features in two of six humanities grants that have been vetoed by Mr Robert, along with projects involving 바카라사이트atre, literature and student climate action.

Laurie Johnson, professor of English and cultural studies at 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn Queensland and president of 바카라사이트 Australian and New Zealand Shakespeare Association, confirmed that his team¡¯s application had been recommended for funding but vetoed by 바카라사이트 minister.

¡°Spreading good cheer by releasing 바카라사이트 result on Christmas Eve,¡± Professor Johnson?. ¡°Feeling 바카라사이트 love.¡±

Australian National University (ANU) lawyer Faith Gordon said her team¡¯s application for a research project on young people, climate action and politics had also been vetoed by 바카라사이트 minister. ¡°Lots of early career people on 바카라사이트 team,¡± she?. ¡°It is devastating.¡±

Mr Robert reportedly told 바카라사이트??that he did not believe 바카라사이트 rejected grants ¡°demonstrate value for taxpayers¡¯ money nor contribute to 바카라사이트 national interest¡±. Universities Australia??that it would be pursuing 바카라사이트 matter with 바카라사이트 minister ¡°as a matter of 바카라사이트 highest importance¡±.

ANU vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt??that under rules made by politicians in liberal democracies, grants were determined by independent research agencies using peer review. ¡°It is completely inappropriate for grants to be removed by politicians, unless 바카라사이트 grant rules were not followed.¡±

A research commentator known under 바카라사이트 pseudonym ¡°ARC Tracker¡± described 바카라사이트 minister¡¯s action as ¡°gratuitous culture wars. It¡¯s not about using taxpayer money well. It¡¯s about creating division for electioneering.¡±

온라인 바카라?sought comment from Mr Robert¡¯s office.

john.ross@ws-2000.com