ARC | National Security Analysis of Dr Abdel-Fattah

Question

Senator O'SULLIVAN: I refer to the ongoing matter regarding the actions of ARC grant recipient Randa Abdel-Fattah. Dr Abdel-Fattah's grant application, which is available on your disclosure log, notes her association with the Center for Islam and Global Affairs in Turkey. That centre's founding director, Sami al-Arian, notoriously pleaded guilty to terrorism offences in the US associated with fundraising for the terrorist organisation Palestinian Islamic Jihad and spent 57 months in prison. In subsequent years he was subpoenaed in relation to terrorism charges three more times by a grand jury before being deported to Turkey, where he then founded the Center for Islam and Global Affairs at which Dr Abdel-Fattah studied. Has ARC conducted any analysis of Dr Abdel-Fattah's extensive relationship with the overseas institution from a national security perspective? Prof. Shergold: We would have done that in the same way as we have done for all other applicants-hence the decisions of the minister that you have talked about. I am very happy to take on notice, however, the very specific example that you've given and examine that. Senator O'SULLIVAN: That's appreciated. In Dr Abdel-Fattah's application, which was released on your disclosure log earlier this month, she mentions her intent to bring Noura Erakat, an American academic, to Australia and requests the funding to do so. When the US committee on education and the workforce investigated antisemitism at Rutgers University, they described public online records of Erakat interviewing members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in 2016, sitting on Zoom calls with senior Hamas officials in 2020 and tweeting, on 7 October 2023, that Hamas was simply performing military tactics against Israel. Did the ARC consider the appropriateness of Abdel-Fattah's requests relating to Erakat when they approved Abdel-Fattah's project? Prof. Shergold: Who was the request for funding to? Senator O'SULLIVAN: I believe to ARC. Prof. Shergold: I don't believe so. I will check. Senator O'SULLIVAN: I'll get someone to check that. Prof. Shergold: If it was an application to do that as part of her research project, then I would be interested. I could be wrong, but it may be that the funding is coming from elsewhere and not to do with the ARC. Senator O'SULLIVAN: I'll table a document. Let me know when you've had a chance to look at it. This is an excerpt from her- Prof. Shergold: Yes, I can see. It looks to me as if it is the application for funding for 2022. Is that correct? Senator O'SULLIVAN: Yes. Prof. Shergold: Again, I am very happy to take that on notice to go through the- Senator O'SULLIVAN: So that'd be the same answer you gave before? Prof. Shergold: Yes-now that I know that is to do with the ARC project. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Can you explain why an applicant seeking funding to bring this person to Australia would've been approved? Prof. Shergold: The reason I'm hesitating, Senator, is that I'm trying to see whether we approved it or whether Macquarie University, as the authorising university, approved it. That's why I'd prefer to take the question on notice. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Take the question on notice-yes. In doing so, can you explain why, after 7 October 2023, a project seeking funding to bring Erakat to Australia would not have been cancelled? Prof. Shergold: To the extent that I can-and certainly ask Macquarie University if it's in terms of this grant. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Then if you could explain why none of the publicly available documents detailing the approval process for Abdel-Fattah's grant or the subsequent considerations show that her intention to include Erakat in her research and use of grant funding was questioned. I presume you're also taking that on notice? Prof. Shergold: I will. Senator O'SULLIVAN: In April of this year, the anticipated end date of Dr Abdel-Fattah's funding was extended from 29 July 2027 to 28 May 2028. A decision was obviously made to make that extension. Can you explain this alteration in the anticipated end date? Prof. Roessner: That's because the grant was suspended for 11 months, so that would extend the end date by 11 months. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Was there any reassessment coming out of suspension? Prof. Roessner: We suspended in February 2025 and reinstated in December 2025. That's about 11 months. By reinstating, you have to set up an evaluation to extend the end date by that 11 months. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Is this information and are these questions that I've just pointed out- Prof. Roessner: That's not- Senator O'SULLIVAN: not relevant to the suspension and coming out of suspension? Prof. Shergold: The suspension took place for 11 months. During that time, Macquarie University undertook an investigation and reported back to us that, with minor issues, there had been no breach of her grant funding. It was on that basis that we then took a decision to take her grant out of suspension, which is why it goes on for an extra 11 months. You have raised some issues here of which I am unaware in detail. I am very happy to follow that up and to find out if, indeed, in their investigation, Macquarie University did take these into account. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Is the suspension just a matter for Macquarie, or is it your decision? Whose decision is it to- Prof. Shergold: At the end of the day it is my decision. I have to be assured that the investigation undertaken by Macquarie University is adequate and meets the ARC requirements. I think we took about two months between receiving the final report and making the decision. Whilst we did examine that, I think there were some discussions that took place with the university, and that was why when we took the decision it was on the basis that there were a number of modest changes to management practices that Macquarie University would introduce. They have agreed to do so and are doing that. Senator O'SULLIVAN: At any time, was national security considered as part of the resumption of the grant? Prof. Shergold: Obviously this was considered. You can see, back in 2021-22, the environment was quite different and of course the legislation didn't exist. The process we go through now is far more rigorous in this regard than would have been the case at the time in which this grant application was considered. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Do you know whether you or Macquarie, during the suspension, considered national security matters? For example, Dr Abdel-Fattah's links with institutions overseas that have links to convicted terrorists and her seeking funding to bring Ms Erakat to Australia-were they ever considerations? Prof. Shergold: I'm not sure of that. At the moment, Senator, I'm just accepting your descriptions of what this is- Senator O'SULLIVAN: You can take that on notice. Prof. Shergold: I'm very happy to take it on notice and come back to you.

Answer

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Documents

• Question with answer (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
• SQ26-000735.pdf (opens in a new tab)