Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, upon notice, on 21 November 2012:

(1) Was the $2 million allocated to The University of Queensland (UQ) for the Centre for Advanced Imaging approved by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) Board.

(2) Was the funding allocated in four tranches of slightly less than $500 000.

(3) Is the CEO's spending limit without Board approval $500 000.

(4) Was there a lack of due process and honesty on this matter.

(5) Was Professor Paul Greenfield aware of, or involved in brokering, this arrangement.

(6) Does UQ have experience in operating a cyclotron or PET [Positron Emission Tomography] radiopharmaceutical development; if not, why did ANSTO make its own highly experienced researchers redundant while allocating large sums of public money to an institution with no track record in the field.

(7) Does Axiom Pharmaceuticals have experience in PET radiopharmaceutical development; if not, why was Axiom Pharmaceuticals regarded as an appropriate entity to be given access to ANSTO and National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy funds.

(8) Who owns Axiom Pharmaceuticals.