Federal Government slashes $31m from UQ’s research funding
The University of Queensland — responsible for lifesaving medical innovations such as the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil — has had millions ripped from its budget by the Morrison Government. And they aren’t the only institution affected by the $56m cut.
QLD Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE University of Queensland — responsible for lifesaving medical innovations such as the cervical cancer vaccine — has had $31 million ripped from its research budget by the Federal Government.
Vice-chancellor Peter Hoj has condemned the cuts and said the shortfall would have a significant impact on the university’s reputation and international ranking.
In a case of giving with one hand and taking much more with the other, the cuts in the Federal Government mid-year budget update coincided with Health Minister Greg Hunt’s very public announcement of $10 million in funding for human trials of a UQ-developed dementia treatment.
While celebrating the dementia research boost, Professor Hoj criticised the Government’s university research cuts, worth $328.5 million across Australia over four years, including $56 million from Queensland institutions.
“The giving hand that Minister Hunt extended to us is soured by the simultaneous big claw that came out and took $56 million out of Queensland research, which includes $31 million from UQ,” he said.
Professor Hoj said the hit to research would mean that breakthrough innovations and “investable research outcomes”, such as the UQ dementia treatment, would be less likely in 10 to 15 years’ time.
“Research is an investment with high returns,” Professor Hoj said. “The Government is treating it as an expenditure with no return. It’s unwise. When you don’t have the money to do the research, we don’t have the innovations.”
Celebrated UQ innovations include Ian Frazer’s cervical cancer vaccine and technology used in most of the world’s MRI machines to produce faster, clearer and more accurate images.
Professor Hoj also predicted the research cuts, double what were flagged last month by Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan, would result in a reduction in the numbers of paying international students wanting to study at our universities.
“When you don’t have the research outcomes, a university’s global rankings drop,” Professor Hoj said.
He said that would diminish UQ and other universities as a prized destination for overseas students, putting a dent in one of the nation’s largest export earners — international education.
“We have so many Asian students that have lived in Queensland. They go back to Asia and they become strong proponents for Australia and Australian products,” Professor Hoj said.
“We should not assume that this is an insignificant future benefit for Australia, both in terms of trade, but also in terms of a more culturally fluid way of resolving differences. The world needs more of that now, rather than less.”
Mr Tehan said the Federal Government was “reprioritising” funding to ensure more students from regional, rural, remote, indigenous and low socio-economic backgrounds had an opportunity to get a higher education.
$135m health bungle: Minister’s apology to affected businesses
Health Minister Steven Miles has apologised to businesses that have suffered delays because of the new Queensland Health payment system.
Hundreds of staff underpaid at Queensland utility
A Queensland Government-owned utility corporation has underpaid hundreds of its senior staff for more than a decade in a bungle that could have ripped off up to a quarter of its workforce.