Federal bill to prevent ministers vetoing research grants rejected by Senate committee

Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi, who was on the committee, said the government and Labour had ‘refused to concede their political power’ to veto grants. Photograph: Russell Freeman/AAP

A Senate committee has recommended against legislation to stop ministers vetoing grant funding, despite strong support for the bill from the academic and research community.

The education and employment legislation committee, chaired by Nationals senator Matt Canavan, has recommended against passing a Greens private member’s bill that would amend the Australian Research Council Act 2001. The bill would prevent ministers from vetoing projects that have been recommended for funding by the Australian Research Council (ARC).