In an extraordinary repudiation of widespread community concern, Chief Executive Doug Hilton will persevere with plans to make deep research cuts, indicating that a publicly funded, $233 million bailout would not save a single CSIRO science career currently on the chopping block.
Any sense that the Government’s emergency funding measure – nearly a quarter-billion dollars over two years – should allay public disquiet over CSIRO job cuts appears to be misguided.
Elsewhere, CSIRO annual reporting has revealed that Dr Hilton was paid close to $1 million in total remuneration last financial year, including a significant performance bonus.
In an email to CSIRO staff, Dr Hilton said that the extra funding, while welcome, would “not change the recently announced changes to our research direction, which will focus our science on areas where we can deliver the greatest impact and tackle problems at scale.”
“We will still need to retain the savings that will come from these changes – reducing our staffing by an estimated 300-350 FTE – while also investing at least an additional $80-135 million per annum over the next 10 years into essential infrastructure and technology.”
“This funding will allow us to continue to deliver research in priority areas, while we take immediate action to address urgent repairs and maintenance, strengthen cyber security, and progress essential property consolidation planning. It will also allow us to maintain operations at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness,” Dr Hilton said.
Responding to a question on job cuts when announcing the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the Government was not to blame, pointing the finger at CSIRO senior leadership.
“From the government’s point of view, we’ve been increasing their resourcing, $45 million extra last time, $233 million extra this time and that’s because we believe in the crucial role that science broadly and the CSIRO plays in the future of our economy.”
“How the CSIRO manages their budget is a matter for them and their Board, they’ve made it clear that the pressures on their budget have not come from Government cuts, on the contrary we’ve been increasing their budget,” Dr Chalmers said.
The MYEFO papers describe the spending measure as designed to ‘support the sustainability of Australia’s science agencies.’
CSIRO will receive $233 million over two years ‘to maintain research capability and undertake property consolidation planning.’
Beyond that, the door appears left ajar for further support, as ‘the Government will consider future funding for Investing in Science Agencies pending further consideration of broader policy priorities.’
Science and Technology Australia welcomed the extra cash, but pointed out government investment in research and development is not keeping up with rising costs.
A more casual observer to the debate, say an ordinary taxpayer concerned over proposed cuts to CSIRO, might reasonably assume that the Government had acted responsibly in the short term by making emergency funding available.
The subsequent revelation that the extra hundreds of millions would fail to mitigate even a single CSIRO job cut might appear, at the very least, a little confusing.
Meanwhile, CSIRO’s latest annual report shows that Dr Hilton pocketed close to a million dollars in total remuneration last financial year. That’s nice work, if you can get it.
Dr Hilton’s base salary of $762,807 was augmented by a $139,474 performance bonus. Taken together with superannuation and other allowances, the Chief Executive went home with $965,253.
As the only senior executive who earned a bonus payment during a time period where several hundred CSIRO staff lost their jobs, it’s interesting to speculate how much more Dr Hilton is set to earn if these proposed research cuts are enacted.