International researchers shun Australia after government vetoing of grants, expert says

Prof Brian Schmidt tells Senate inquiry independence of Australian Research Council grant process is core part' of liberal democracy

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A Morrison government decision to veto some academic research funding grants had made it harder to attract international talent to Australia's top-ranked university, a Nobel laureate has told a Senate inquiry.

In late December, the acting education minister, Stuart Robert, vetoed six Australian Research Council (ARC) grants in the humanities that had been recommended for funding, on the grounds that they did not demonstrate value for taxpayers' money nor contribute to the national interest". The decision drew widespread condemnation from academics, writers and intellectuals in Australia and internationally.

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