Turnbull - University of Qld in $50 million cash grab for rain-making experiments ...

Former Environment Minister Turnbull has been under fire for his $10 million grant to Australian Rain Corporation - that small company with wealthy backers using fairly dubious Russian technology.

The Federal Labor government cancelled the grant (after part of the spend) and have accused Turnbull of approving 500% more than his department suggested.

That's nothing replies Turnbull - UQ wanted $50 million for an Australia-wide experiment.

Can't blame the UQ boffins for taking advantage of their new-found glamour status to try and stuff their pockets full of research dollars - eventually the research funding will dry up once again.

Excerpt from ABC News:

Turnbull defends $10m pre-election grant

1 March 2008

Malcolm Turnbull says the $10 million grant was only one fifth of what was requested for the trail.

The Federal Government says Shadow Treasurer Malcolm Turnbull has some explaining to do over an generous grant he made at the start of last years election campaign.

Treasurer Wayne Swan says Mr Turnbull granted $10 million to a corporation for the trial of new rainfall enhancement technology when his department recommended they only be given $2 million.

"That grant was five times the recommended amount of money that his department put forward," he said.

"Secondly Mr Turnbull signed off on that grant one day after the announcement of the election campaign in October and two days before the close of the writs."

But Mr Turnbull says Mr Swan is not telling the whole story and that those conducting the trial, the University of Queensland, wanted $50 million.

"The National Water Commission was more sceptical and they didn't want to have a trial at all - some tests of the scientific theory which would have cost about $2 million," he said.

"I decided that what we should do is have a thorough trial in one location in south-east Queensland at $10 million, which was one-fifth of what the University of Queensland was recommending."

See - UQ in $50 million funding grab.