There’s a bill before the Senate to stop ministers vetoing projects they don’t like and submissions are open – where they don’t come from will be interesting

Greens NSW senator Mehreen Faruqi introduced the bill last week and the Senate sent it off to a committee, which is accepting submissions (CMM February 10).

It’s a re-run of a bill which was in the last parliament’s process but lapsed at the 2019 election. But the issue that inspired Senator Faruqi then, ministers overruling research funding recommendations by the Australian Research Council continues current. For readers (presumably on sabbatical at the University of Mars) who have missed the news, on Christmas Eve Acting Education Minister Stuart Robert publicly vetoed six ARC Discovery Grant recommendations – generating outrage that continues still.

But while outrage appears universal displaying it digitally may not be.

To date objections to Mr Robert’s veto are from researchers, discipline associations, some peak bodies, including the Australian Council of Learned Academies and a few vice chancellors. But there are STEM lobbies, whose constituents will benefit from the government’s research priorities, which have stayed silent.

As to Universities Australia, it has not said much so far , (“we will be pursuing this matter, on behalf of our members, with the minister as a matter of the highest importance” (CMM January 20)).

But it’s about to. CMM understands UA will make a submission to the Senate inquiry.

That some organisations might decide to stay silent is understandable, there is a chance that the coalition might win the election.