Tertiary chief's silence on research grades irks MPs

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

National MPs criticised Tertiary Education Commission chairman Andrew West yesterday for refusing to reveal how many tertiary institution researchers got an "A" grade in a controversial commission report blocked from release by the High Court.

MP Wayne Mapp repeatedly asked at the education and science select committee yesterday for the information, but Dr West stood firm.

The commission has been embroiled in controversy over grading of the research of 5771 academics at 22 tertiary institutions. Victoria and Auckland Universities want a ban on the report's comparison with British universities.

At stake is an $18 million research fund to tertiary institutes based on their research quality. The fund will grow 10 times in the next four years. The commission has graded the research as A, B, C or R (research-inactive).

The two universities took the issue to the High Court, which this week ruled the commission breached natural justice and the universities' "legitimate expectations" by proposing to publish a comparison without adequate consultation.

The commission will now rewrite its report to take out the British comparison before releasing it.

It will also consult about the international comparison, but if no agreement is reached the High Court will hold a telephone conference with lawyers for both sides on May 11.

At the select committee Dr West and commission general manager Ann Clark told Dr Mapp the commission had to maintain faith with the tertiary sector, which had provided the information upon which the report was based.

Dr Mapp said he "simply did not accept" that was a reasonable answer.

Asked if the comparisons with Britain would be released, Dr West said the commission would consult tertiary institutions in an "open-minded way".

He also revealed he and Ms Clark gave committee chairman Brian Donnelly a private briefing on the issue, a move National MP Simon Power described as "outrageous".

Mr Donnelly later told the Herald that he was given the briefing at the request of Tertiary Education Minister Steve Maharey. He had assumed he was being briefed in his capacity as NZ First education spokesman, not the committee chairman.

He said he was not given the controversial grading report, nor the number Dr Mapp was seeking.

At the committee Mr Power accused the commission of creating the very "gigantic bureaucracy" Mr Maharey said in 2002 he did not want.

Mr Power asked why the commission, with 324 staff, had to spend $6.8 million on consultants.

Dr West said it had been given substantial new responsibilities, taking over the functions of Skill New Zealand and parts of the Ministry of Education last year.