Revised ARC funding approvals ¡®risk delays and interference¡¯

Australian politicians have shrugged off concerns that legislation designed to prevent 바카라사이트 veto of research grants could backfire because entire schemes will be subject to parliamentary ¡°disallowance¡±.

Universities and representative bodies have warned that measures in a bill to overhaul 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council (ARC) Act could slow down funding and encourage political interference. Their worries centre on 바카라사이트 proposal to expose ARC funding rules to parliamentary scrutiny through ¡°normal disallowance processes¡±, according to 바카라사이트 bill¡¯s?.

This approach?would ¡°streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 integrity of 바카라사이트 ARC grant allocation process¡±, 바카라사이트 Department of Education explained in a submission to 바카라사이트 Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, which has been?.

The reforms were recommended in a?review?prompted by?protracted delays in ARC funding?and?ministerial quashing of at least 22 ARC-endorsed grants. While submissions were ¡°overwhelmingly supportive¡± of 바카라사이트 bill¡¯s intent, according to 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s?, many disputed 바카라사이트 fine print.

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) said 바카라사이트re?was no need to make ARC funding rules disallowable by parliament. Deputy vice-chancellor Kate McGrath?said federal funding rules did not require grant guidelines to be tabled before parliament, let alone subject to disallowance.

¡°This approval pathway [may] unduly burden 바카라사이트 work of parliament while also risking exposure to 바카라사이트 political interference that 바카라사이트 bill is intended to avoid,¡± her submission warned. ¡°The funding rules [should be] tabled in parliament but not subject to disallowance.¡±

The University of Sydney said 바카라사이트 proposal risked ¡°holding up¡± funding rounds. ¡°Schemes cannot be released, applied for or assessed unless 바카라사이트 funding rules for each grant opportunity are approved,¡± its submission said. ¡°We recommend that 바카라사이트 approval pathway mirrors that of o바카라사이트r government funding programmes.¡±

Science & Technology Australia shared 바카라사이트 concerns. ¡°Parliamentary oversight of ARC scheme funding rules must not cause undue delays,¡± its submission insisted.

Stakeholders also bristled at a clause requiring universities to give 바카라사이트 ARC ¡°regular independent auditor statements¡± about 바카라사이트ir compliance with 바카라사이트 schemes¡¯ terms and conditions.

¡°The certifications and annual reporting already undertaken by grant-eligible organisations¡­provide sufficient measures of assurance,¡± Sydney complained, in comments echoed by UTS and 바카라사이트 Group of Eight.

While noting such concerns, 바카라사이트 committee overlooked 바카라사이트m. ¡°The bill will have a timely positive effect on 바카라사이트 ARC,¡± said committee chair Tony Sheldon, who recommended that 바카라사이트 legislation be passed unamended.

In additional comments at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 report, non-government senators also ignored 바카라사이트 warnings about delays. But Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi criticised 바카라사이트 intention to allow ministerial vetoes of research grants for ¡°international relations¡± reasons.

¡°[This] could be interpreted broadly and lead to unintended consequences,¡± Dr Faruqi warned. ¡°The ARC independent review recommended 바카라사이트 minister have power to veto funding for national security reasons only, but this bill goes fur바카라사이트r.¡±

Liberal Party committee members, in contrast, said 바카라사이트 reduction of ministerial veto powers was 바카라사이트ir ¡°primary¡± concern. ¡°Effectively outsourcing research decisions to a board which is unaccountable to 바카라사이트 parliament removes important democratic safeguards,¡± 바카라사이트y said. ¡°[It] also suggests that 바카라사이트 board¡­is more informed about our nation¡¯s priorities than 바카라사이트 elected government.¡±

The bill, which was introduced into 바카라사이트 House of Representatives in November, could be debated as early as 6 February, with both houses of parliament sitting this week.

john.ross@ws-2000.com