Australian Research Council reform to go ahead after bill passes

Labor’s reform plans for the Australian Research Council will go ahead after its bill successfully passed federal parliament last week.

The bill gives the Australian Research Council an independent board

The Albanese government’s reform plans for the Australian Research Council will go ahead after its bill successfully passed federal parliament last week.

The Australian Research Council Amendment (Review Response) Bill 2023 gives the council an independent board that will appoint the chief executive, taking the body out of the direct control of its minister.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare, who is responsible for the ARC, said the new structure would “end the days of ministers using the ARC as a political plaything”.

Labor has attacked former Coalition governments for vetoing, on several occasions, research grants that have been recommended by the ARC.

In future, ministers will not be able to veto regular ARC grants (those that are part of the national competitive grants program) except for reasons of security, defence or international relations, and parliament must be informed of any such action. Ministers will retain authority over funding for “designated research programs”, such as ARC centres of excellence, which build research capability.

Mr Clare said that in past years political interference had “bedevilled” the ARC.

The ARC reforms mainly follow recommendations in a review which reported last year.

The ARC structure may change again if the government accepts a recommendation in its Universities Accord review to make it a part of the proposed Australian Tertiary Education Council.