Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move the Greens amendment on sheet 2441:

(1) Schedule 2, item 10, page 9 (lines 14 and 15), omit paragraph 12(4)(d), substitute:

(d) ensure that the membership of the Board reflects the diversity of the general community, to the extent that is reasonably practicable.

This amendment requires the minister to ensure that the membership of the ARC board reflects the diversity of the general community. Currently, the bill merely provides that, in appointing board members, the minister must have regard to the desirability of the membership of the board being diverse. The minister should not be considering whether diversity is desirable. The fact is that diversity is a must, and the minister must be required to ensure a diverse board. This amendment makes this the case. I note, in passing, that this complements another Greens amendment on sheet 2440, which increases the board size from five-to-seven members to seven-to-nine members to allow the board to be more diverse. I will not be moving this amendment on sheet 2440 as it has the same effect as an amendment from Senator Pocock on sheet 2413, which the Greens will support.

I have long pushed for academic governance bodies to be democratic and diverse and also in the context of this bill, and I made that point very strongly in the inquiry report to this bill. Thanks again to the government for engaging with us on this matter.