Peter Shergold is the first chair of the newly independent ARC

Former Western Sydney University chancellor Peter Shergold is the inaugural chair of the new-look, independent Australian Research Council.

Peter Shergold is the first chair of the independent Australian Research Council. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Former Western Sydney University chancellor Peter Shergold is the powerful new chair of the Australian Research Council which, following a review last year, will make independent decisions about most research grants.

Professor Shergold will head a new nine-member board to govern the ARC, which distributes over $800m in research grants to universities each year.

Education Minister Jason Clare said the new governing arrangements for the council would end the political interference and ministerial delays on approving research grants which had “bedevilled” the organisation and frustrated university researchers.

Ministers in the former Coalition government used ministerial powers to veto numerous research grants which had been recommended by the ARC, although some vetos were eventually reversed.

Mr Clare said the actions had made it harder for universities to recruit and retain staff and damaged Australia’s international reputation.

“That’s not good for our universities. It’s not good for businesses either, who work with our universities,” he said.

“I promised to end the days of ministers using the ARC as a political plaything and today, with the appointment of the new independent board, that’s what we’re doing.”

Under the new arrangements the responsible minister will not be able to overturn ARC decisions on its regular research grants (that are part of the national competitive grants program) except for reasons of security, defence or international relations. Parliament must be informed of any such actions.

However the minister will retain control over the funding of “designated research programs”, such as ARC Centres of Excellence, which generally involve larger amounts of funding.

The minister will also set the guidelines for ARC research funding, which will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

Professor Shergold has long experience in education and administration as a former head of the federal Education Department and the Prime Minister’s Department.

Deputy chair Susan Dodds was, until recently, senior deputy vice-chancellor at La Trobe University and was on the ARC review panel which recommended the changes. Other board members are Maggie Walter, Cindy Shannon, Paul Wellings, Margaret Harding, Mark Stickells, Sally-Ann Williams and Lisa Kewley.

Under the new arrangements two other committees will advise the board – an advisory committee to guide strategic direction and an Indigenous forum. One of the board’s first tasks will be to appoint a permanent CEO.