House debates Questions without Notice
Research and Development
James Stevens Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Waste Reduction
3:12 pm
(): My question is to the Minister for Education. Is it appropriate that during a cost-of-living crisis, when Australian families cannot afford to pay their power and grocery bills, the Australian Research Council has approved research grants for projects including challenging the protectionist myth that Australia is an island girt by sea, investigating whether English translations of Greek tragedies have any gender bias and exploring musical approaches to advancing multispecies justice? Can the minister confirm that these projects received over $4 million of taxpayers' money?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Hon. Members:
Honourable members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! When the House comes to order, we will hear from the Minister for Education.
Jason Clare Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Education
3:13 pm
Over the last 10 years, the ARC has been bedevilled by political interference. I have ended that by getting politicians out of the decision-making process.
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
Who did you put in?
Jason Clare Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Education
You shouldn't ask questions you don't know the answer to, Pete. It just happened to be the former head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under you.
David Littleproud Maranoa, National Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture
What a joke!
Jason Clare Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Education
He's a joke now, is he? Peter Shergold is a joke; is that right? Do you want to apologise to him at the dispatch box now?
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! The minister needs to direct his comments through the chair. This is not a back and forth across the chamber. You are answering a question.
The Minister for Social Services is warned. The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
If leave has been granted, I'm very happy to add to this question, and the point that I would make is that this is outrageous spending—
Milton Dick Speaker
No. Resume your seat.
Honourable members interjecting—
Order! The House is going to come to order immediately. This is not an appropriate way to behave. The minister is going to answer the question. He will not take interjections from the Leader of the Opposition, and the Leader of the Opposition will not make the interjections. I'm just going to ask the minister to return to the question.
Jason Clare Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Education
He couldn't help himself, could he, Mr Speaker? More aggro than Cartoon Connection!
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! The minister will pause. I've already cautioned the minister. He has one more chance to return to the question. I don't want any more commentary about the opposition. I want him to return straight to the question, or he'll be sat down.
Jason Clare Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Education
All ARC project funding applications are subject to a competitive process, informed by peer review with recommendations made by experts. Peer review is the accepted world standard for achieving quality in research grant outcomes. The ARC is not the political plaything of the Liberal Party, and I'm actually surprised that the member for Sturt would ask this question, given that, when this was debated in the parliament a couple of months ago, he didn't even bother to participate in the debate.
Government members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! Members on my right are going to cease interjecting.
The member for Moreton is warned.