Feb 28, Friday, Australia: A prominent academic and Palestinian advocate, Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah, has had her $870,000 research grant suspended following a request by Education Minister Jason Clare for an investigation by the Australian Research Council (ARC). The move comes amid controversy surrounding Abdel-Fattah’s remarks on Israel and her research on Arab and Muslim-Australian social movements.
Dr. Randa Abdel-Fattah, a recipient of an ARC Future Fellowship and an academic at Macquarie University, has faced criticism from the Coalition, some Jewish organizations, and media outlets for her statements, including her assertion that Zionists have “no claim or right to cultural safety.”
Concerns were raised after a speech she delivered at an anti-racism symposium at the Queensland University of Technology’s Carumba Institute, where she admitted to “bending the rules” of her grant by replacing an academic conference requirement with an invitation for women to contribute revolutionary quotes.
On January 31, Minister Clare formally requested the ARC to prioritize an investigation into her grant. ARC Chair Prof. Peter Shergold AC confirmed at a Senate estimates hearing that the grant had been suspended pending further examination. Macquarie University must now provide evidence demonstrating appropriate management of the funds.
Shergold emphasized that the ARC routinely investigates grants to ensure they are properly administered, stressing that the issue at hand concerns the use of public funds rather than academic freedom.
Macquarie University responded by stating that it had complied with the suspension notice and ceased all project-related activities. The university has engaged an independent audit and accounting firm to review expenditures and ensure compliance. Additionally, two international research academics will assess research integrity and potential conflicts of interest, with findings expected in the second half of the year.
Abdel-Fattah described the suspension as a test of public institutions’ commitment to academic independence and intellectual inquiry. She condemned what she called “virulent anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia,” arguing that the issue extends beyond her case to the broader integrity of higher education.
The Greens deputy leader and higher education spokesperson, Mehreen Faruqi, criticized Minister Clare’s intervention, accusing him of acting on “racist Murdoch media” allegations. She called it disturbing that a white education minister would lead an attack against an Arab woman for speaking at an anti-racist conference.
Assistant Education Minister Anthony Chisholm defended Clare’s actions, stating that the minister sought clarification due to Abdel-Fattah’s own admission of “bending the rules” of her grant.
Shadow Education Minister Sarah Henderson welcomed the suspension, crediting Coalition and Jewish community pressure for prompting the investigation. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that Jewish students and staff feel safe and supported on campus.
The ARC investigation remains ongoing, with a final decision on the grant’s status pending further review of compliance and research integrity.
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