14 March 2025

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has urged the federal government to reject the Trump administration’s attempt to interfere in Australian research.
 
Researchers working on projects jointly funded by US federal agencies have been sent a 36-point questionnaire asking about compliance with Donald Trump’s radical right-wing agenda.
 
Questions include whether researchers’ university has ever received funding from China and  if the project complies with the administration’s transphobic “two sexes” executive order, the Australian Financial Review reports.
 
The questionnaire also asks about secure borders with Mexico; diversity, equity and inclusion; ending government waste; terrorism; the war on opioids; and eradicating anti-Christian bias.
 
NTEU National President Dr Alison Barnes urged the federal government to guarantee Australian researchers would be protected from foreign influence.
 
“The Federal Government must push back on the Trump administration’s blatant foreign interference in our independent research in the strongest possible terms," she said.
 
“A foreign government seeking to destroy public education globally must have zero influence on what Australian researchers and their international colleagues work on. 
 
“Donald Trump’s hateful agenda is racist, transphobic and misogynistic. The idea of research funding being tied to any of those values is sickening.

“Allowing Trump to dictate the terms of research will have devastating impacts on research including life-saving vaccines, critical social sciences and climate solutions that could save the planet – just to name a few. 
 
“It’s crucial that research is built on international collaboration free from government interference.
 
“We stand in solidarity with our colleagues in the US and around the world in rejecting Trump’s potentially catastrophic attacks on education.”
 
NTEU Queer Unionists in Tertiary Education National Convener Amy Sargeant said: 
 
“Donald Trump is disgracefully attacking LGBTQI+ people and communities right around the world," she said.
 
“Trying to force research to comply with transphobia is disgusting, and the Australian government must unwaveringly stand up against this fascist foreign intervention.”
 
 Media contacts:
Matt Coughlan 0400 561 480 / [email protected]