This is a Ho Ho Ho.

My mind tells me, the group whinging here about the seeping madness of gender equality,(dare I say rainbow flag ideology), would be classical Democrats.
No sympathy!

Dan

Talking of gender identity, a bloke who has retained his bloke name, Brian, has won a beauty contest in America. The other contestants, all female as is usual in beauty contests, are all petite and nicely presented and so on. Brian the tranny looks like King Kong in a red dress and face paint. A huge brick outhouse would be another apt description. The real girls are trying to look pleased for him, as all good losers do.

I agree that the grants should be merit based and divided 50/50 between male and female. I don't see a problem arrived at both objectives with equanimity. It's not either, either but both. The argument tended is a straw man. Divide 50/50 then allow merit alone to decide a fair and reasonable outcome in either demographic.
Alan B.

What would be more interesting would be an analysis of which genders research was most successful, & which of the successful research proved most useful to humanity.

That established with consideration of any research that was gender specific, we should surely be giving most support to that which has the most general beneficial results.

Ofcourse if we want truly anti-discriminatory awarding of grants, the NHMRC should not we allowed to know the name, sex, or organisation of the researcher, until after the value of the research is determined, & the grants are made. This is the only way that a truly fair & useful distribution of funds, rather than a return of favors can be assured.