The government has asked learned persons, lucky devils that they are, to check how the national science and research priorities apply to the Australian Research Council’s competitive grants.

The what? you ask. The Department of Education and Training did not name them yesterday but CMM recalls in April 2015, the then National Science Council agreed to then Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane and Chief Scientist Ian Chubb’s proposal for eight research priority areas. In a win for somebody or other in some long-forgotten policy battle, the council also added an extra. The nine announced were; food, soil and water, transport, cyber security, energy, resources, manufacturing, environmental change and health.

The review panel is below, in appointments.