[csaa-forum] Major changes to ARC funding

[Fran Martin]

Hi all,

I just wrote the attached and sent to Plibersek and my local member—am circulating it in the interests of pooling ideas (and I’ve drawn a bit from the Academy’s response as well as Anna’s points). Please feel free to use/ amend/ improve and send! (*note the yellow highlights need to be customized). I hope I’ve got all the information right but I think a quick response has something to be said for it … if we do a more formal one later we can be even more fact-checky and footnoted. Also NB Plibersek has already spoken against the changes & this is worth acknowledging up front I guess—while hoping she’ll also do more (that bit isn’t in the draft b/c this draft is my local member version).

& season’s greetings… 😐


fran
From: csaa-forum <csaa-forum-bounces at lists.cdu.edu.au> on behalf of Anna Hickey-Moody <anna.hickey-moody at rmit.edu.au>
Date: Monday, 20 December 2021 at 4:54 pm
To: "csaa-forum at lists.cdu.edu.au" <csaa-forum at lists.cdu.edu.au>
Subject: [csaa-forum] Major changes to ARC funding


RMIT Classification: Trusted

Anna Hickey-Moody
Mon 20/12/2021 16:50
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Dear CSAA community,

Most of us are on our annual leave. I wanted to email the list in case some people do not yet know about the major changes made to ARC funding last week by Stuart Robert (who is the acting minister for education and youth). These changes see 70% of all ARC funding focused on manufacturing. Sounds unbelievable? You can read about it here:

https://tinyurl.com/2p9ydmrv<https://tinyurl.com/2p9ydmrv>

Letter of Expectations from Minister to ARC | Australian Research Council<https://tinyurl.com/2p9ydmrv>
Original signed PDF copy also available.[[{"fid":"256","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","alignment":"center","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Commonwealth of Australia government enblem","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Commonwealth of Australia government
tinyurl.com

I think that the way the funding research schemes work probably need to be explained to the voting public, as do the implications for this huge change, which extend well beyond stopping 'pure' research into changing children's educational futures.  I think we all need to begin discussions about this issue with politicians, family members, friends.

Would be great to see mainstream media cover this change, which has strategically occurred when Parliament has finished sitting and everyone is on annual leave, trying not to catch COVID while xmas shopping.

The government are taking $75 million away from of 'pure' research (DPs) to invest in LPs through research on:

-Resources technology
-Critical minerals processing
-Food and beverages
- Medical products
- Recyling and clean energy
-Defence

These research areas already have other specific schemes allocated to them, and money its being taken away from inventive research (including all arts, humanities and social sciences funding) to focus on these areas only. I think ALL LPs need to be in manufacturing now, including CoEs, but need my RO to confirm this.

This is about more than the culture wars - the implications for society and education are huge, and I think we all need to rally against these changes. I have included links to some industry specific reportage below but more mainstream discussion would be good.

I hope we can change this,
 Anna

https://socialsciences.org.au/news/academy-statement-on-changes-to-arc/?fbclid=IwAR10bdbIekEL8FJZSp0efA3XOlAcPKzd3ypzhgU_kpvCPQ0gjobvKitIqGw<https://socialsciences.org.au/news/academy-statement-on-changes-to-arc/?fbclid=IwAR10bdbIekEL8FJZSp0efA3XOlAcPKzd3ypzhgU_kpvCPQ0gjobvKitIqGw>

https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2021/nava-raises-alarm-over-changes-australian-research-council/?fbclid=IwAR2Db1SkjZL8DgBXvgNZS813ddzSHcbZcd06N8Wn7109Bim1ThNHmULpOVg<https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2021/nava-raises-alarm-over-changes-australian-research-council/?fbclid=IwAR2Db1SkjZL8DgBXvgNZS813ddzSHcbZcd06N8Wn7109Bim1ThNHmULpOVg>
[Image removed by sender.]<https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2021/nava-raises-alarm-over-changes-australian-research-council/?fbclid=IwAR2Db1SkjZL8DgBXvgNZS813ddzSHcbZcd06N8Wn7109Bim1ThNHmULpOVg>
NAVA raises alarm over changes to Australian Research Council :: NAVA<https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2021/nava-raises-alarm-over-changes-australian-research-council/?fbclid=IwAR2Db1SkjZL8DgBXvgNZS813ddzSHcbZcd06N8Wn7109Bim1ThNHmULpOVg>
The National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) acknowledges the Gadigal peoples of the Eora Nation where our office is located and all Custodians of Country throughout all lands, waters and territories.
visualarts.net.au

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/arc-chief-steps-down-industry-given-say-research-funding?fbclid=IwAR1gTjlzICLXY0YBbbmbuEGpveLgwDjGs47MhzfIVSVRHTObSIZYX7NsJ2U<https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/arc-chief-steps-down-industry-given-say-research-funding?fbclid=IwAR1gTjlzICLXY0YBbbmbuEGpveLgwDjGs47MhzfIVSVRHTObSIZYX7NsJ2U>

[Image removed by sender.]<https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/arc-chief-steps-down-industry-given-say-research-funding?fbclid=IwAR1gTjlzICLXY0YBbbmbuEGpveLgwDjGs47MhzfIVSVRHTObSIZYX7NsJ2U>
ARC chief steps down as industry given say in research funding | Times Higher Education (THE)<https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/arc-chief-steps-down-industry-given-say-research-funding?fbclid=IwAR1gTjlzICLXY0YBbbmbuEGpveLgwDjGs47MhzfIVSVRHTObSIZYX7NsJ2U>
The council has also been slow to reform the widely criticised research assessment exercises, and its work has been subject to political interference including ministerial grant vetoes and the revelation that it was “keeping files” on academics. Meanwhile ARC funding has flatlined, with the real value of its grants declining some 19 per cent over the past seven years.
www.timeshighereducation.com

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7554903/how-this-government-is-destroying-the-bright-arc-of-our-future/?fbclid=IwAR1zyZ6wBjPeQ4ZOxJXqwZMDN4aGa0g6EEKlfZTNmI3Bw4AYfM3NuByLOVM<https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7554903/how-this-government-is-destroying-the-bright-arc-of-our-future/?fbclid=IwAR1zyZ6wBjPeQ4ZOxJXqwZMDN4aGa0g6EEKlfZTNmI3Bw4AYfM3NuByLOVM>








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Professor Anna Hickey-Moody
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Vice Chancellor's Senior Research Fellow 2017-2021
Digital Ethnography Research Centre
Media and Communication
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Email:  anna.hickey-moody at rmit.edu.au
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