The Australian Research Council Amendment Bill 2006, Introduced in the House of Representatives. (March 31, 2006)

    Yesterday the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS) issues the following media release.

Diminished Australian Research Council

 

    Today the Government introduced legislation that diminishes the capacity of the Australian Research Council to provide high level, independent analysis and advice to Government and the broader community on research issues.

 

The President of FASTS, Professor Tom Spurling said the proposed legislation removes an important power of the ARC – the capacity to undertake inquiries on matters related to research of its own volition.

 

“The legislation removes the Board of the Australian Research Council as recommended by the Uhrig Report on governance of Government agencies.

 

“However, in removing the Board, the Government has also removed the power of the ARC to initiate inquiries.” (refer section 9(1)(b) of the Australian Research Council Act 2001 AND )

 

“This means the ARC could only undertake inquiries or reviews at the explicit direction of the Minister.”

 

“There is an important principle at stake – the ARC should have such a power if it is to be a credible, high level organisation providing independent advice and analysis to the Government and the community”.

 

“This power existed prior to the current ARC Act (2001) and has been used by the ARC to initiate inquiries from time to time.

 

“The legislation introduced today raises an important question as to why the Government did not take the opportunity to carefully examine the full operations of the ARC to ensure it is well placed to ensure high quality Australian research is identified and supported.”

 

“FASTS calls on the Government to first, amend the current legislation to restore the capacity of the ARC to initiate its own inquiries, and secondly, take the time to carefully consider the role of the ARC and work towards streamlining the grants processes”, concluded Professor Spurling.

Unfortunately the ARC Board, unlike the National Science Board (NSB) which oversees the US National Science Foundation (NSF), has seldom taken the opportunity to initiate independent inquiries. Were the Coalition government serious about seeking to obtain high level, independent analysis and advice both for itself and for the broader community on research issues, it would not only continue the ARC Board but look to having it raise a proactive voice in helping to form Australian research policy -- admittedly an unlikely development.