Independent Body to be Established to Oversee "Research Integrity". (April 12, 2010)

 The federal Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, has announced: the establishment of the Australian Research Integrity Committee, in order to ensure that "research activities will meet moral and ethical standards. This is about ensuring that taxpayers get value for their investment in public sector research and protecting the Australian brand".

The Committee is to be jointly administered by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), who are seeking expressions of interest for membership (see www.arc.gov.au or www.nhmrc.gov.au).

According to Senator Carr: "The committee will assure researchers and the Australian public that institutions are taking appropriate action on serious allegations of research misconduct [and] while the committee will assess whether an institution has followed proper process in response to an allegation of research misconduct, it will not impinge on the institution’s autonomy—institutions will still be responsible for assessing if misconduct has occurred. The committee’s considerations will be in line with the framework set out in the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, which guides institutions and researchers in responsible research practices and promotes integrity."

At this point it is not clear just what powers the Committee will have at its disposal -- a matter which would be of consequence to those who may have a possible interest in membership.