First Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull jettisoned Tony Abbott’s “captain’s calls” not to reform Australia’s giant and inequitable tax concessions (e.g. superannuation, negative gearing and the CGT discount), now he has taken an axe to Abbott’s “captain’s call” to appoint and fund “sceptical environmentalist”, Bjorn Lomborg, as an adjunct professor for a new “consensus centre”, with $4 million in Federal Government funding. From The Guardian’s Australian Politics Live:
The new education minister, Simon Birmingham, has confirmed the $4m funding for Bjorn Lomborg’s “Consensus Centre” has been withdrawn. In Senate estimates, Birmingham said it was one of the last acts of his predecessor, Christopher Pyne.
Here is the relevant exchange:
Birmingham: The previous minister, Mr Pyne, did make a determination that this proposal was unlikely to enjoy success, and that the funds could be better utilised elsewhere.
Labor senator Kim Carr: The project money has been withdrawn?
Birmingham: Correct, Senator Carr.
Greens senator Robert Simms: So the money is off the table?
Birmingham: Correct, Senator Simms.
Simms: When was that decision made?
Birmingham: That was made by Mr Pyne, I think in the last short while as his time as minister. In the last week or so. I think it was within the last week of his time as minister.
Simms: Is Flinders University aware of that? Because there have been some media reports that they are still trying to get their hands on that money.
Birmingham: Knowing that it was likely to be raised today, I spoke to Professor Stirling [the vice chancellor] this morning.
Simms: So we can say today with clarity that that is the end of the Lomborg matter. It’s not going to be hosted here in Australia?
Birmingham: If any Australian university wants to engage with Bjorn Lomborg, they should feel absolutely free to do so… Certainly a specific incentive from the government for such an institute is no longer available.
As expected, The Greens are thrilled by the outcome:
The party’s higher education spokesman, Senator Robert Simms, said in a statement:
“I am relieved to today learn that the Federal Government have dropped their $4m ‘captain’s pick’ of setting up a Bjorn Lomborg ‘Consensus Centre’ in Australia.
It’s curious that the government had made the decision to abandon this some weeks ago yet appear to have sat on the decision. Nonetheless, we welcome the decision. This is great news for the academic integrity of our universities and it is testament to the strong community campaign.
I hope that the federal government will now focus on increasing funding across the board to invest in our universities”.
Slowly but surely, the less endearing policies and “captain’s calls” from the Abbottalypse are being unwound. Here’s hoping for more.
