Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

I move amendment (3) on sheet 4916:

(3)    Schedule 1, item 52, page 21 (after line 4), before paragraph 21(1)(a), insert;

           (aa)    to provide advice and to make recommendations to the Minister resulting from its deliberations; and

This amendment was supported very clearly by submissions from the vice-chancellors, who said they were deeply concerned about the prospect of the council having to go through the CEO—as it were, a kind of gatekeeper—in advising the minister. We share that concern. It is just possible that we may have a CEO of the NHMRC under the new arrangements who might have a narrow view on a whole range of issues. As I said in my contribution to the second reading debate, it could be about sexual and reproductive health or it could be about embryonic stem cell research. The views of the NHMRC, which might be broader and based on a more scientific approach, might be withheld by that CEO.

It should be remembered that the CEO is appointed by the Minister for Health and Ageing, who, as we all know, holds particularly conservative views on some issues relating to research in the medical field. We support the idea that the council, should it choose to do so, should be able to report directly to the minister. The CEO is put in a very powerful position if this is not the case and it certainly does not add to the accountability or scrutiny that might otherwise be afforded to that dialogue.

We fail to see why the minister would be so afraid of the NHMRC having direct communication with him in this case. I also invite the minister to explain the reasons why the government has moved in this direction, noting that the reason for having a CEO and for having a statutory, independent, stand-alone body was that the CEO would look after administrative matters and the council would get on with the business of research. If that is the case, if there is this separation, you would want to have an open line of communication between the council, with respect to its scientific research functions, and the minister.