Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Assistant Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

I thank all members who have spoken in relation to the Education Legislation Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Bill 2021. This bill amends the Australian Research Council Act 2001, to ensure continuity of funding to Australia's research community through the funding schemes of the Australian Research Council, or ARC. The bill also amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to swiftly implement the government's 2020 to 2021 MYEFO decision to re-categorise The University of Notre Dame—the UNDA—as a Table A provider.

This bill is necessary so that there is no disruption to the funding support to Australia's best and brightest researchers, who are leading the country's effort to provide the highest quality fundamental and applied research. This bill places UNDA on a more equal footing with Table A universities. It will better serve UNDA students and will continue to achieve comparable outcomes to other Table A providers.

This bill will increase the ARC funding caps by $855 million over the period 2020-21 to 2023-24 to support hundreds of new research projects every year through the ARC's National Competitive Grants Program. These grants are for research and research training in all fields of research, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as the humanities, arts and social sciences.

I thank members for their contributions in debating these measures, supporting the government's continued commitment to the higher education and research sector. I commend the bill to the House.

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