ARC | Value of 13 Research Projects

Question

Senator DAVID POCOCK: ......In May, as you would be well aware, the education minister blocked research funding to 13 projects 'for reasons relevant to the security, defence or international relations of Australia'. What was the total value of those 13 grants? Mr Murfett: The minister made a direction under section 47(8). It was across 13 projects, but any further details are being withheld as they relate to national security reasons. Senator DAVID POCOCK: I don't want any details. I just want to know how much they were worth. Mr Murfett: I'm not able to provide that. Sorry. Senator DAVID POCOCK: Why not? Mr Murfett: It's for national security reasons. On the website, we've listed the information that is public and is required to be tabled. That includes the schemes-there were four schemes-and the number of grants per scheme. The rest is not for public disclosure. Senator DAVID POCOCK: How does knowing the cost of 13 projects bundled together compromise our national security? That makes no sense. Mr Murfett: I think the way I'd characterise it-maybe I'll step back a little bit. When we're looking at- Senator DAVID POCOCK: What's the reason? Mr Murfett: The ARC has released the research security framework. It outlines the areas that are considered when providing advice to the minister. There are three broad areas that we look at. It's the nature of the collaborations. It is the- Senator DAVID POCOCK: I understand that bit. Why can't the Australian people know the value of the grants that have been knocked back on national security reasons? I get the national security reasons. Mr Murfett: I think the way we look at it is that, when we're doing those assessments where the assessment is in the national interest and on national security, it's about what the impacts are if those projects are funded, and what is disclosed is making sure that we keep the national interest front of mind. Senator DAVID POCOCK: I understand that, but you've got these 13 projects. Why can't we know how much they were worth? Mr Murfett: Because that's not information we're disclosing. Senator DAVID POCOCK: Why? Mr Murfett: I'm happy to take that on notice and come back to you with a more detailed decision, but, at the moment, what we're required to disclose as we go through those projects has been tabled by the minister. .............. Senator DAVID POCOCK: Sure. Finally, Minister, Australians are very concerned about the government reaching into university research. The government's doing that for national security reasons, we hear. How can the government justify a level of secrecy where we're not even allowed to know how much these research projects were worth? That seems like an almost comedic level of government secrecy. Prof. Shergold: We will explore- Senator DAVID POCOCK: That was for the minister. Prof. Shergold: if it is possible to allow you to know how much those programs were in total. Senator Walsh: Senator, I think it's probably worth noting that these arrangements were part of strengthening the independence of the ARC and making sure that ARC decisions are made on the basis of peer review rather than political review, which is important to us, but, at the same time as those really important reforms were introduced, this power to refuse grants based on security, defence or international relations was introduced. It is worth noting, I think, that this power is, in effect, the flip side of giving greater independence to the ARC and building up the peer review within the ARC. In relation to the information that's available about the grants that were cancelled, I can perhaps do a couple of things; one is to tell you that information has been provided to the PJCIS, and that's part of the process. Senator DAVID POCOCK: I'm not on that committee. Senator Walsh: I can also take on notice whether there is any further information that we're able to provide. I'm happy to take on notice whether there's more information that can be provided. I don't know the answer to that.

Answer

Please see the attached PDF.

Documents

• Question with answer (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
• SQ26-000733.pdf (opens in a new tab)