Judi Zielke has a five year term as chair of the Australian Research Council

Acting Education Minister Stuart Robert announced her appointment first thing Saturday morning, the day before the election was called and two before caretaker conventions kick in.

It was the last research-related decision made by ministers in the lead-up to the election being called (CMM April 8), including the appointment of the new ARC advisory committee, Mr Robert called for in December (CMM April 6, February 17).

Ms Zielke became acting ARC head at the beginning of the year, filling the gap caused the resignation of Sue Thomas, who chose to leave five months before her first term concluded. A career bureaucrat, Ms Zielke was previously COO of CSIRO and is well-versed in the politics of policy-making – she has successfully played the straightest of bats in Senate Estimates this year.

reaction: Universities Australia was quick to congratulate Ms Zielke, stating that as acting CEO, she has “has displayed a spirit of collaboration and consultation, and we look forward to continuing to work with her.”

“There is a significant opportunity to ensure the ARC has robust governance, robust peer review and real transparency in everything it does.”

The Group of Eight commented, “Judi brings  to the role a strong mix of  experience both  in the research community, across industry and government  which we hope will  ensure that we position the ARC to its rightful place as the premier  research funding  organisation in  the nation.”

As per its standard operating procedure the Eight used the opportunity to state its members’ research prominence and reiterate its call for a review of the ARC.

CMM comment: given the timing of the announcement, this is an appointment that Mr Robert should have left to whoever is minister after the election.