Australian taxpayers have funded a range of research projects with potential military applications involving collaboration with institutions from countries considered hostile to Australia, according to a recent analysis of Australian Research Council (ARC) grants. The report, authored by foreign interference expert Brendan Walker-Munro, highlights partnerships with entities from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, raising concerns about national security risks linked to these collaborations.

The analysis reviewed over 6,500 ARC grants awarded since 2021, identifying numerous instances in which Australian researchers worked alongside foreign counterparts connected to military, defense, intelligence, or law enforcement agencies in those countries. One notable example involved a project supported by more than $500,000 in Australian funding to develop “flapping-wing” robotic insects. Subsequent joint research produced a paper with a scientist from China’s National University of Defence Technology, which recently unveiled a mosquito-sized drone designed for covert military operations.

Walker-Munro, an associate professor of law at Southern Cross University and adjunct expert at the Australian National University’s National Security College, emphasized that the researchers did not appear to have violated any laws or engaged in misconduct. However, he warned that such projects could enable adversary nations to enhance military capabilities, conduct surveillance, improve logistics, or facilitate other activities harmful to human rights or Australia’s security interests.

“The technology may enable an intelligence or law enforcement body of a foreign government to engage in repression, invasion of privacy, sexual or ethnic discrimination, or invalidation of other human rights on a massive scale,” Walker-Munro cautioned.

The report also revealed that Australian academics have collaborated with institutions involved in sensitive fields such as nuclear weapons development, electronic warfare, cyber hacking, surveillance, and biological warfare research. In many cases, the ARC was reportedly not informed in grant applications of the full scope of foreign partnerships that developed during the research projects.

Walker-Munro called for stricter oversight, recommending real-time vetting of international scientific collaborations similar to the controls used in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism efforts. He urged universities to monitor researchers actively and ensure taxpayer-funded work does not compromise national security, particularly in high-risk disciplines.

These findings contrast with comments by Universities Australia chair Carolyn Evans, who recently described such incidents as isolated examples of researchers making “a bit silly” decisions. Nonetheless, the federal government has taken steps to tighten regulations. Following a March exposé on Australian collaborations with Iran on drone technologies, Education Minister Jason Clare vetoed 13 ARC grants on security grounds. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also terminated research partnerships, including one between the Australian National University’s Joint Science College and Shandong University, which has been linked to China’s nuclear weapons program.

The Albanese administration has strengthened the Foreign Relations Act, granting Wong greater authority to block risky international research links. Amendments passed under pressure from opposition parties require universities to be more accountable for foreign collaborations initiated by individual researchers.

Walker-Munro warned that without stronger safeguards, Australia risks indirectly funding the development of advanced military technologies by states whose interests do not align with its own. The report includes 21 case studies illustrating how taxpayer-supported research in areas such as drone swarms, robotics, biological warfare, communications jamming, hypersonics, artificial intelligence, and covert surveillance could be exploited by adversary nations.