Australian Research Council Amendment (Ensuring Research Independence) Bill 2018

This submission to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee’s inquiry into the Australian Research Council Amendment (Ensuring Research Independence) Bill 2018 responds to the Acting Minister for Education’s decision on 24 December 2021 to decline funding for six Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Projects. Research Australia notes that the ARC funds much of the basic research underpinning health and medical research. It accepts the Government’s right to set program criteria and funding levels, but maintains the Minister should not reject individual proposals recommended by the ARC Chief Executive Officer. Citing the Haldane Principle in the UK Higher Education and Research Act 2017, it supports removing the Minister’s power under section 53(4) of the ARC Act to approve individual proposals.