Tight-lipped La Trobe University backs off ARC accusation

La Trobe University has backed away from its explosive claim about federal funding agency the Australian Research Council.

La Trobe University vice-chancellor John Dewar. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

La Trobe University has backed away from its explosive claim that federal funding agency the Australian Research Council gave the university false information to hide the fact that former education minister Simon Birmingham had vetoed research grants.

Twelve days ago, in the wake of the discovery that Senator Birming­ham had quashed a $926,372 Fut­ure Fellowship the ARC had recommended for one of its researche­rs, vice-­chancellor John Dewar attacked the ARC, accusing it of giving “untrue” feedback to the researcher.

After talks last week with the ARC, La Trobe now declines to repeat the accusation. The Aust­ralian understands the university has accepted an explanation by the ARC which shows there was no intention by the council to mislead and that the university had misunderstood its processes.

But neither the university nor the ARC will clarify, on the ­record, the substance of their talks. And La Trobe University has not withdrawn the accus­ation. which leaves the damaging allegations hanging in the air.

Universities remain furious at Education Minister Dan Tehan’s decision to respond to the grant veto furore by introducing a new “national interest” test for ARC research grants, even though some grant applications are alread­y judged against national interest and others are judged against economic, commercial, environ­mental, social and cultural benefits.

In an article in The Australian today, Mr Tehan says the new nationa­l interest test is “specific”, not just part of the broader benefit criteria as before.