Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that Government and Labor Senators have teamed up to produce highly flawed and misleading findings in a Senate Inquiry report into her private member’s bill that would remove the ministerial veto power over Australian Research Council grant funding decisions.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has criticised the exclusion of international students and other temporary visa holders from the Commonwealth’s Disaster Recovery Payment.

Senator Faruqi said:

“It’s cruel and unacceptable to use a person’s visa status to exclude them from vital financial support in the wake of disaster.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to the latest analysis released by Save Our Schools this morning, which finds that over the last decade, government funding for private schools increased by $3,338 per student, adjusted for inflation, compared to $703 per student for public schools.

Senator Faruqi said:

The Senate has given its support to a motion of Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi to refer her private members’ bill Australian Research Council Amendment (Ensuring Research Independence) Bill 2018 to a Senate Inquiry.

Senator Faruqi, Greens spokesperson for Education, said:

“I’m very pleased that the Senate has agreed to this inquiry.

“There is no place for political interference in research funding and my bill would ensure that grants are allocated through the established rigorous processes, not ministerial intervention.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (16:19): I move:

That the Australian Research Council Amendment (Ensuring Research Independence) Bill 2018 be referred to the Education and Employment Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 15 March 2022.

Question agreed to.

HANSARD LINK

When parliament resumes on Tuesday 8 February, Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi will move to establish a Senate inquiry into her private members’ bill, the Australian Research Council Amendment (Ensuring Research Independence) Bill 2018.

Senator Faruqi’s bill would remove ministerial discretion in relation to the approval of research grants administered by the Australian Research Council.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to reports that RMIT will pay back up to $10 million to casual staff for work dating back to 2014.

Senator Faruqi said:

“Casual university staff are absolutely sick and tired of being underpaid, undervalued and taken for granted.

I am concerned about the recent attempts by the minister for education to incite a culture war over the draft national curriculum created by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, or ACARA, as they're known. I find his comments on the draft curriculum offensive, pathetic and ahistorical. They should be challenged by everyone who cares about the integrity of our education system.

I rise to speak on the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2021 and I associate myself with the comments made by my colleague Senator Thorpe. The bill gives considerable—and too much—power to the minister, under the guise of protecting critical infrastructure. It creates the potential for government security agencies to intervene and take over businesses and operations. This bill is not supported by key stakeholders, including the logistics, technology and higher education sectors.

Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has today launched a new discussion paper, The University of the Future: Higher Education Built on Democracy and Equity. The policy ideas and research in the paper will provide a starting point for richer, more radical conversations about the future of universities.