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'Kill ASPI' review triggers backlash

December 20, 2024

Friday 20 December 2024
Sarah Ison
The Australian


 Former deputy prime minister John Anderson has blasted a review recommending  funding for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Washington office be  cut and a government observer put on its board, and threatened to leave the  think tank's council after the government indicated it would accept most of  what was recommended in the review.
 
 The release on Thursday of the review and the government's response follow  warnings about think tanks' research potentially being curtailed after  Beijing raised concern over commentary critical of China from groups such as  ASPI.
 
 Of the 14 recommendations in the review led by former Department of Foreign  Affairs and Trade secretary Peter Varghese the government accepted eight in  full, a further three in principle, and "noted" the remaining  three.
 
 Recommendations agreed to in full include implementing "a  principles-based framework" in the commissioning of strategic policy  work, providing annual priorities to the think tank and strategic policy  sector, and ending public funding of ASPI's Washington office.
 
 Among those agreed to in principle, the government will  "reconstitute" ASPI's council, with its chair and two of its  members appointed by the defence minister, two appointed by the opposition  leader and up to three members appointed by the council itself "based on  a skills matrix".
 
 Labor also agreed in principle to a recommendation to provide government  "observer status" on the boards of organisations that received  commonwealth funding, with Labor's response noting observer status was  appropriate "at a minimum".
 
 "The sector plays an important role in driving public discussion and  strengthening partnerships on national security matters," a statement  from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet said.
 
 "Changes implemented through the government response will promote a  stronger and more sustainable sector into the future. This includes improving  sector and national security policy outcomes and ensuring continued value for  money for the Australian government."
 
 ASPI executive director Justin Bassi said the review was "an abandonment  of the founding principles to which successive governments for more than 20  years have adhered".
 
 "Putting government officials on the councils of think tanks that get  operational funding from the government is a clear interference in their  internal decisionmaking ... threatening the principle of  contestability," he said.
 
 While Mr Varghese said it was far from unusual for organisations that  received funding to have government representation on their boards, the  review prompted outcry from the strategic policy sector and senior figures in  the Liberal and National parties.
 
 Mr Anderson, an ASPI council member since 2022, is considering leaving it  over the matter.
 
 "I'll see what the government does but I'd have to consider very  carefully my own position, because I believe in ASPI and the things we set it  up for are more pertinent now than ever," said Mr Anderson, deputy prime  minister when ASPI was formed in 2001.
 
 "The review was misconceived, I think the findings were wrong and I  think the government is making a terrible mistake." He said Beijing  would "think they've had a big win" after the handing down of the  review and the "nobbling" of ASPI.
 
 "What is it that the government doesn't want to hear? Don't they want to  hear truth about Uighurs and defence capabilities?" he said. "This  seems to be about saving the skin of government not the skin of the  Australian people."
 
 On the concern of greater government control over ASPI, Mr Varghese pointed  out he "only recommended observer status, not membership" for  commonwealth representation on the think tank's board.
 
 "I don't think there can be any doubt about the value and importance I  place in my report on the independence of think tank analysis ... and none of  my recommendations compromise that independence," he said.
 
 Changes that were just "noted" by government included that funding  for the United States Studies Centre, Perth USAsia Centre, ASPI and the  National Security College be extended until June 2027, the supporting of a  "deductible gift recipient" status for ASPI, and moving to a five  year funding cycle.
 
 Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said the changes would  "neuter" ASPI and silence an influence voice in the national  security debate. "The Albanese government's agreement to the  recommendation to defend ASPI's office in Washington DC could not come at a  worse time ahead of president (Donald) Trump's inauguration next month,"  he said in a joint statement with opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie.

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