Morrison government to hold inquiry into secretive uni deals with China

The Morrison government will launch an inquiry into foreign interference in universities and how China recruited academics.

The chair of the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security, Andrew Hastie. Picture: Tony McDonough

The Morrison government will launch an inquiry into foreign ­interference in Australian universities and how Beijing has recruited academics to a secretive program that paid ­lucrative salaries and allowed research to be patented in China.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton on Sunday outlined the terms of reference for a broad-­ranging inquiry into foreign interference in the university sector in a letter to the chair of the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security, Andrew Hastie.

The move for an inquiry comes less than a week after Scott Morrison announced unprecedented national security laws giving the commonwealth the power to tear up agreements struck by state governments and councils with foreign powers, such as China, that may threaten Australian’s national sovereignty.

The inquiry will examine not only universities but all publicly funded research and grants and whether knowledge and technology were being transferred to foreign powers against Australian’s national interest.

The PJCIS inquiry was launched after The Australian’s revelations last week that the Chinese government was actively recruiting scientists to take part in a secretive program that required intellectual property to be patented in China.

An investigation by The Australian named 30 Australian academics who had participated in the Thousand Talents plan, or another similar Chinese government recruitment program.

It also revealed that some universities were unaware their academics had been named in multiple patents assigned to Chinese universities or institutions. In his letter, Mr Dutton asked the PJCIS to examine “the nature and extent to which foreign actors are interfering in Australian universities, including staff and student bodies, publicly funded research agencies and competitive research grant agencies”.

The inquiry, which will examine how other countries such as the US are dealing with the threat of foreign interference, is expected to hear testimony from senior figures in the FBI, ASIO, security analysts and high-profile figures who have fallen victim to China’s interference in the university sector such as University of Queensland student Drew Pavlou and UNSW academic Elaine Pearson.

It will delve into issues involving whether foreign actors are threatening freedom of speech at universities.

Mr Dutton, in his letter to Mr Hastie, said: “I wish to refer to the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security the matter of potential interference conducted by, or on behalf of, foreign actors, in Australian universities, publicly funded research agencies and competitive research grants agencies.

“Special focus should be given to options that reduce technological and knowledge transfer from Australia that may be detrimental to our national interests, while not undermining international productive research collaboration.”

The terms of reference include mention of the role of “publicly funded research agencies” after concerns have been raised that grants from the Australian Research Council may be funding research that could be misused under President Xi Jinping’s civil-military fusion to advance China’s military modernisation.

The Morrison government has already launched an investigation into some cases exposed by The Australian, with Education Minister Dan Tehan saying the matters were now operational.

ASIO has repeatedly briefed universities about the potential risk of programs like the Thousand Talents plan this year.

Following publication, the chair of the intelligence committee, Mr Hastie wrote to the Prime Minister requesting an inquiry into foreign interference in universities. His call was then supported by the deputy chair of the committee, Labor’s Anthony Byrne, who said “the report in The Australian would alarm any Australian concerned about our ­national sovereignty.”

“It would appear that Australian universities have turned a blind eye to their own academics selling their knowledge to a foreign power through a program that the FBI have identified as a national and economic espionage threat,” he said.

Mr Hastie said there were concerns about “the lack of transparency with Australian research” and that there was “potentially collaboration with foreign governments” that was contrary to the national interest.

“Many colleagues and I have had concerns for sometime now about the Thousand Talents program and the level of involvement with Australian researchers. The story last week demonstrated a case for greater transparency in this sector so we as a parliament will scrutinise these matters — that’s what our job is,” he said.

Mr Hastie said Australia needed to make sure that research that was developed and funded by taxpayer dollars remained in Australia and benefited our economy and national interests. “We need to make sure the national interest is being served through our ­research grants and that intellectual property is also being protected,” he said.

“We also need to ensure campus culture is not being shaped by foreign actors seeking to undermine the freedoms that make our universities places of learning and inquiry.”

The terms of reference also ask the committee to consider “the ­effectiveness of the response of Australian universities, publicly funded research agencies and competitive grant agencies to the threat of foreign interference”.

The committee will also “examine whether the current oversight and reporting requirements in response to these issues are appropriate.”

In the US, the FBI has launched more than 1000 investigations into the actual or attempted theft of American technology by foreign powers. Recent cases involved a scientist with access to NASA’s secrets who was a participant in China’s Talent programs.

Since the federal election in May last year, Mr Morrison has taken an emboldened position in protecting Australia’s sovereignty against foreign interference.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, China has escalated its aggression and, security analysts say, has tried to take strategic advantage of the pandemic in the Asia Pacific region and South China Sea.

Mr Morrison has been responding to concerns about China’s increased assertiveness, but the national security legislation announced last week had been in the works prior to the corona­virus outbreak.

Independent MP Bob Katter had been intending to move a motion to launch an inquiry into foreign interference in the university sector on Monday in parliament.