Bradley, Holmes, Hoj want education fund to stay

Senior academics strongly oppose the idea of tipping the Education Investment Fund into the NDIS.

A preliminary concept image of the Australian Tropical Science and Innovation Precinct at James Cook University.

The author of a report on university infrastructure has slammed a proposal to dismantle the sole remaining fund to pay for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, saying it proves “governments can’t be trusted”.

Denise Bradley, who co-authored the report with Phil Clark that was handed to the minister in mid-2015 but released only in December, said the newest plan to raid the $3.7 billion remaining in the Education Investment Fund to fund the NDIS was another chapter is a sorry tale of various governments pillaging the funding pool.

Professor Bradley, who was on the original EIF committee, said the recent decision to shut the EIF down confirmed that “governments can’t be trusted”.

“The decisions, first to raid the EIF during the global financial crisis and shift funding to a range of educational purposes not originally envisaged and thus run down the capital and second, to close down the program in the first Coalition budget were both decisions that reinforce the view that governments can’t be trusted to maintain policy coherence and focus,” Professor Bradley told the HES.

“It was always clear this was a long-term initiative to assist higher education to fund projects of national and international significance. The latest decision just confirms that short-termism reigns supreme in Canberra.”

Mr Clark, who separately authored a report on research infrastructure that suffered the same fate as the Bradley-Clark review, has told the HES of his disappointment at the newest proposal. His report recommends the creation of a research-specific infrastructure fund that would ­remain true to the EIF’s original intention.

While submissions to the draft National Research Infrastructure Roadmap closed on Monday, peak groups representing the science and higher education sectors are drawing up battle plans to counter the proposal to redirect the funds from the EIF to the NDIS.

Insiders say the government has created a “false dichotomy” or political wedge, which will require the crossbench senators to choose one over the other when the legislation comes up for debate.

Andrew Holmes, president of the Australian Academy of Science, said it was essential the nation have a capital fund for research infrastructure.

“The government cannot achieve its vision under the National Innovation and Science Agenda without funding research infrastructure, nor can it create an equitable society without funding the NDIS. It is a false dichotomy to suggest one be funded at the other’s expense,” Professor Holmes said.

Group of Eight chairman Peter Hoj said he would “argue very strongly for the retention of EIF for its original purpose”.

Universities Australia has also called on the Turnbull government to reconsider the plan, with acting chief executive Catriona Jackson saying 35,000 researchers worked in the nation’s research facilities.

“National research facilities are built and maintained for the public good. As such there is a fundamental role for government in investing in this critical infrastructure,” the UA submission to the road map says.