Prime Minister Urged to Declare “Emergency” After U.S. Stops Funding Australian Universities

If you find yourself wondering, wait, what, why are we funding Australian universities? You are likely not alone.
Apparently, the U.S. government has been sending $6oo million/yr to universities in Australia to subsidize various college research programs. The Trump administration has told Australia the funding will likely end.
The Australian university system is in a state of panic, telling their government to declare a “state of emergency”.
One particular quote from within the Sky News article below seemingly encapsulates the mindset of the situation in the land down under:

AUSTRALIA […] Last week after it was revealed the universities had been asked to justify their funding, the National Tertiary Education Union called on the government to “guarantee Australian researchers would be protected”.
“The federal government must push back on the Trump administration’s blatant foreign interference in our independent research in the strongest possible terms,” NTEU president Alison Barnes said.

 
One would think the NTEU would be happy for an enhanced opportunity for “independent research.”
Alas, it appears Mr/Ms Alison Barnes doesn’t quite understand the nature of the word “independent” within the relationship.  A little funny.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/03/22/prime-minister-urged-to-declare-emergency-after-u-s-stops-funding-australian-universities/#more-270355