Reforms to Australian Research Council passed by parliament

Ministerial interventions in funding decisions will be reined in by amended legislation

The Australian Research Council is to undergo its most significant changes in more than 20 years after a bill amending the governance of its operations and grants was passed by parliament.

The ARC, which oversees around A$800 million in government research funding annually, will get a new governing board and its funding decisions will be less open to ministerial changes.