Over a 17-year period, the US Defense funding to Australian universities has jumped from $1.7 million in 2007 to $60 million annually by 2022, the year after the AUKUS agreement’s surprise announcement. The funds are backing expanded research in fields of science that enhance US military development and the US national interest.
Between 2007 and 2024, the University of New South Wales received the highest amount of funding, an extraordinary $72 million.
The University of Queensland received the second-highest amount at $60.5 million and the University of Melbourne came in a close third with $60.4 million.
Australia’s premier Group of Eight Universities (Go8) received $202.1 million between them, being 79 percent of the total funding.
In many of these arrangements, the US Defense Department provided funds to major defence companies which were then used to subcontract universities for defence and intelligence-related research.
rce: REVEALED: THE PENTAGON’S INFILTRATION OF AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES – Declassified Australia