Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Just very briefly, on this question that was posed very well by the member for New England—why can't we wait another month?—yes, there have been inquiries and round tables. But the criminal sanction that the universities and the academics are most anxious about, with very good cause, was circulated by the government as an amendment only after the Senate inquiry reported and after the round table. It is for that reason that there is, in effect, a last-minute amendment to a bill and an idea that has been out there for a period of time and that is causing great angst amongst our research community. If the issues were resolved we would not be having last-minute pleas from, on one hand, Universities Australia and, on the other hand, the National Tertiary Education Union on behalf of producers of research and those defending the rights of academics to freedom and independence for further consideration.

It is manifestly clear that this recent amendment imposing a sanction is not one that has the accord of key people in the sector. The Asian Century does not appear to have gotten off to a good first week. If it is the case that the United States is able to dictate what research we conduct and with whom, and to place a fundamental break on the work that is being conducted that is going to set this country up for the 21st century, this is a very worrying sign of things to come.

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