Abstract
One of the causes of the problem is straightforward. Australian regulations to govern research ethics were developed to meet the needs of medical researchers and the National Health and Medical Research Council. A medical model of research ethics was extended to non-medical research without considering what such a system might really need, without consultation and with little commitment to negotiation. Social scientists complained repeatedly. In 1999, a new national statement, drafted by the NHMRC, attempted to provide guidelines to cover all research, including on humans. Again, social scientists were inadequately consulted. Nevertheless, the NHMRC insisted that universities establish local Human Research Ethics Committees to cover all research by tying receipt of research funding to institutional compliance.