The new approvals process will provide certainty that research proposals will be assessed by experts on their scientific and research merits.
 
Restricting the Ministerial veto and requiring transparency for such decisions, as we outlined in ATSE’s submission, is a critical recommendation of the Review.
 
ATSE calls on the Australian Government to conduct a broader review of national research funding with an aim to bring total R&D funding to levels comparable with our international competitors, around 3% of GDP.
 
The review also fails to address funding the full cost of research, relegating this to the concurrent Universities Accord process. This issue must not be allowed to fall through the gaps. We call on the Universities Accord panel to develop a plan for sufficiently funding the indirect costs of research.
 
ATSE is disappointed that the Panel did not seek to address the uncertainty caused by irregular and unpredictable grant outcome dates. Legislated grant announcement dates would provide greater certainty to researchers – particularly those who are most vulnerable in the system; junior researchers employed on short-term contracts whose careers have been dependent on announcements made at the directive of the serving Minister.

For a small population, Australia’s world class research sector performs incredibly well internationally. To maintain this position amid increasing global competition, Australia must use the opportunity provided by the ARC review to build the foundations for our future as a world-leading research nation.
 
Any reforms to the ARC can and should leverage the incredible intellectual power already working in Australia’s research sector by cutting red tape and providing a lighthouse for the entire federally funded research ecosystem. The ARC must be appropriately resourced to achieve this.

The ARC plays a crucial role in supporting Australia’s economy-boosting research sector. We’re delighted to see the expert panel have listened to the challenges faced by the sector and responded thoughtfully and cleverly. 

The proposed changes would create stronger guardrails to prevent future political interference in the awarding of grants, safeguard the crucial investment in discovery breakthroughs, and profoundly relieve one of the major stresses on Australia’s research workforce.

Shifting to a two-stage application would be a gamechanger for productivity, wellbeing and morale in Australia’s brilliant research workforce, which is why STA has championed this shift for several years.

It can free up researchers who currently spend hundreds of hours writing full funding applications - when around only one in five of those applications gets funded.

We also welcome the recommendations to create stronger guardrails against political interference in awarding research grants, and to safeguard Australia’s investments in discovery breakthroughs.

Australia has long benefitted from having one of the world’s best research systems – keeping it that way is in the nation’s best interest. A strong and independent Australian Research Council is central to this.

We are best served by a system with strong governance, peer review and genuine transparency at its core and we are pleased that the recommendations to government support these needs.

Past interventions have eroded confidence in our research program and our reputation for research excellence. We have an opportunity now to right those wrongs.

The panel has acknowledged this and backed a rigorous process with the establishment of an ARC Board with decision-making power on grant funding in response to merit-based recommendations.

The panel has struck the right balance in limiting the ‘ministerial veto power’ for use only when national security is concerned – with an appropriate level of transparency.

Universities are partners of government in supporting Australia’s interests and this is no exception.

Australia is in a period of uncertainty. Our ability to navigate what’s in front of us hinges on our capacity to undertake world-class research – from tackling the energy transition to supporting AUKUS.

The expert panel, led by Professor Margaret Sheil with Professors Mark Hutchinson and Susan Dodds, has provided a path forward for the ARC and we look forward to a favourable government response.

We thank the panel for its hard work in preparing and delivering this report and look forward to engaging with government to support our research future.

The Australian Academy of Science welcomes the release of the Australian Government’s ‘Trusting Australia’s Ability: Review of the Australian Research Council Act 2001’.

The underlying theme of the review is that of trust with a strong emphasis on the critical role of the ARC in Australia’s research system.
 
The role of the ARC, its leadership and the execution of its functions, should reflect our aspirations for the research landscape, for research excellence and how they can best support our national ambitions.
 
The recommendations in the review provide a strong basis to support this purpose and the ongoing effectiveness of the ARC.
 
The Academy welcomes the recommendation that the commitment to funding basic research should be incorporated into the ARC’s purpose under the Act.
 
The Academy views this as important to safeguard fundamental research that grows our knowledge base.
 
The Academy also endorses several other noteworthy recommendations:

• Restore the ARC Board and populate it with members with the right combination of skills and experience.
• Discontinue Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) and modernise ARC capacity and requirements for data collection and analysis.
• Streamline NCGP guidelines to reflect international best practice and reduce the administrative burden on academic and research organisations.

The focus of ministerial discretion on the NCGP guidelines and funding available, rather than on individual grants, would place the recommendations and approvals in the hands of the people with the expertise to assess their merit.
 
It is positive to see the recommendations to advance Indigenous Australians in research and recognition of the impact of the ARC on attracting and retaining research talent.
 
The Academy thanks the review panel for its expert contribution and guidance.
 
The recommendations in the review are so important and sensible that the Academy looks forward to their implementation as soon as practicable.