The Australian Senate spent much of the last sitting week of the parliamentary year focussing on CSIRO research, jobs and funding in a bid to hold both the Government and Executive Team accountable.
This included an urgent debate on the proposed cuts at CSIRO, the product of broad political cooperation from non-government senators, underscoring the widespread concern for CSIRO staff and research that transcends party lines.
The issue is set for yet further scrutiny, with the announcement of a Senate Inquiry into CSIRO funding and resourcing, due to report early in the new year.
Led by David Pocock (Independent), with strong contributions from Clare Chandler (Liberal) and Peter Whish-Wilson (Greens), the debate in the Senate chamber put the spotlight on CSIRO research and the responsibility of our elected representatives to preserve a cherished national icon.
“Up to 350 (CSIRO) jobs are on the line, on top of the 800 jobs cut over the past 18 months. It has been pointed out to me that that doesn’t include some of the non-ongoing roles which simply haven’t been renewed,” Senator Pocock said.
“These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet; these are people with families. These are minds working at the cutting edge of our environmental monitoring, health, agriculture and nutrition. Five weeks out from Christmas, this is the news that they have been given,” he said.
“CSIRO is the recipient of, in round terms, a billion dollars a year in public funding… it’s a very significant contribution from the Commonwealth government,” Science Minister Tim Ayres responded.
“There are no funding cuts from this government for the CSIRO. There is nothing but respect from this government for the role that the CSIRO plays not just in terms of its own work but in terms of the important facilitative and leadership role it plays across the rest of Australia’s research and development system,” Minister Ayres said.
“The fact of the matter is that the government is not being upfront about where these cuts are going to come from,” Senator Chandler said.
“It would be very easy for them to come clean with Australians and explain where the cuts are going to come from. I think if they could do that and clearly demonstrate how CSIRO is going to be able to still deliver on its priorities, then perhaps there wouldn’t be quite the level of consternation there currently is within the broader community.”
“I chaired a select committee in 2016 into the LNP’s attempt to cut 350 jobs at CSIRO,” Senator Whish-Wilson said.
“In that case, we worked out something that’s really important and very relevant to this situation. Public good science – that is, science that should be funded by the public, not commercialised or monetised – is the first science to go when we see these restructures and retrenchments.”
A common theme from the debate were calls for the Government to provide more specific information on the job cuts plan.
To that end, the Senate also voted on a motion moved by Greens Senator Barbara Pocock (no relation) to conduct an official inquiry into the proposed job cuts. The Economics References Committee has been tasked for an inquiry into CSIRO funding and resourcing, with a report due no later than 31 March 2026.
The terms of reference include proposed jobs and program cuts, the importance of public good science and Australian sovereign scientific capability, the long-term capability needs of CSIRO’s workforce, infrastructure and equipment and the role of CSIRO’s leadership in making decisions on resource allocation.
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