Cuts to CSIRO jobs and research are attracting public attention and generating media coverage. This page lists recent stories and will be updated regularly.
Redundancy costs rise at Australian science agency – The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) spent nearly A$11 million on redundancies in 2023-24, its annual report has shown—A$4m more than the previous year. Financial results in the organisation’s 2023-24 report show that despite increased revenues, CSIRO’s operating result dropped by A$3m, to A$14.7m, due to rising costs… Research Professional News, 27 November 2024 (link, text below).
CSIRO set to close only US-based office – CSIRO’s United States subsidiary will be shuttered later this year, according to the national science agency’s latest corporate plan, as the extent of its massive enterprise services restructure continues to emerge. The 2024 corporate plan reveals that the office, registered in Delaware as an operating entity for commercialisation less than eight years ago, “will close in 2024”, with staff to be based out of other government offices in San Francisco and Washington DC… InnovationAUS, 9 September 2024 (link, text below)
‘Worst since Tony Abbott’: $100m and up to 500 jobs to be cut from CSIRO – CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton has informed staffed in an email titled ‘An update on our priorities’ that a $100 million cut to operating costs would see up to 500 support roles depart from the national science agency… RiotACT, 23 August 2024 (link, text below).
Plan to cut 500 jobs from CSIRO ‘threatens research’ – A plan to cut CSIRO’s annual costs by at least $100 million and reduce support staff by up to 500 will threaten the agency’s ability to collaborate with industry and prosecute the government’s Made in Australia program, science industry leaders say… Australian Financial Review, 21 August 2024 (link, text below).
CSIRO to cut up to 500 non-scientific roles as restructure of science agency continues – The CSIRO will cut up to 500 jobs in a wave of reforms the agency’s staff union says is gutting the organisation’s capacity to do research. In an internal memo sent on Tuesday and subsequently published online by the CSIRO’s Staff Association, chief executive Doug Hilton announced between 375 to 500 staff in non-research or support roles would be axed… ABC News, 21 August 2024 (link, text below).
Interview with Susan Tonks, Secretary CSIRO Staff Association – ABC News 24, Wednesday 21 August 2024 (video, text below).
Up to 500 jobs to go at CSIRO’s enterprise arm – Australia’s national science agency CSIRO will cut up to 500 staff from its enterprise services arm as part of restructure designed to reduce labour and operating costs by $100 million… InnovationAUS, 21 August 2024 (link, read online).
CSIRO to slash 500 jobs in admin cull – Australia’s leading government-funded research and development agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organisation (CSIRO) has confirmed it will move to slash as many as 500 administrative and support roles to absorb budget cuts and restructuring… The Mandarin, 21 August 2024 (link, read below).
CSIRO boss reveals ‘confronting reality’ of job cuts – The chief executive of Australia’s national science agency has confirmed up to 500 jobs will be slashed in a bid to reduce costs by at least $100 million. CSIRO flagged a spate of job cuts to staff in April, but until now have remained vague on impacts to its Enterprise Services division, which will be the worst affected… Canberra Times, 21 August 2024 (link, text below).
CSIRO staff appeal against widespread job cuts – CSIRO staff have called for Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic’s intervention to head off the destruction of more than 700 jobs in CSIRO… AuManufacturing, 8 August 2024 (link, text below)
Interview with Susan Tonks, Secretary CSIRO Staff Association – ABC Adelaide Statewide Drive Tuesday 6 August 2024 (text below).
‘Save the CSIRO’: staff appeal to Minister to step in and stop hundreds of job cuts – CSIRO staff have called on Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic to stop widespread job cuts being rolled out across the organisation. The CSIRO Staff Association wrote to Mr Husic on Monday (5 August), telling him that the national science agency was under attack from within… RiotACT, 7 August 2024 (link, text below).
Union wants minister to intervene in ‘gutting’ of CSIRO – Science minister Ed Husic will not intervene to stop job cuts at the CSIRO that its union says will end more than 600 roles, harm the government’s industry and innovation agenda, and undermine confidence in the national science agency. The CSIRO Staff Association on Monday wrote to the minister to say the organisation was “under attack from within” because of an ongoing restructure triggered by a funding crunch, requesting his “immediate intervention to save” the science agency… InnovationAUS, 6 August 2024 (link, text below).
‘Save the CSIRO’: Union calls on Husic to intervene in job cuts – The main public sector union has called on Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic to intervene in a restructure of Australia’s science agency, as it warns nearly 700 jobs could be on the line. The CSIRO Staff Association, a section of the Community and Public Sector Union, wrote to Mr Husic on Monday, requesting his “support and immediate intervention to save the CSIRO”, with negotiations over the cuts dragging out over months… Canberra Times, 6 August 2024 (link, text below).
CSIRO’s Data61 braces for job losses, funding crunch – Researchers at the CSIRO’s Data61 business unit are bracing for job losses and research roll-backs as a funding crunch claims dozens of roles elsewhere at the agency and ends its clinical trial services altogether… InnovationAUS, 28 July 2024 (link, text below).
CSIRO’s chief scientist role faces uncertain future – The national science agency could axe its chief scientist role as part of a planned restructure that is expected to result in hundreds of jobs cuts. CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton on Monday revealed the agency is reviewing the coveted position, previously held by Professor Bronwyn Fox, to determine whether it still “makes sense”… InnovationAUS, 1 July 2024 (link, text below).
CSIRO dismantles clinical research units – A plan to address a funding cliff at the CSIRO will see management dismantle research teams at sites in South Australia and New South Wales and abandon plans to establish a new innovation centre at a university in Victoria… The Saturday Paper 22 June 2024 (link, text below).
CSIRO to cut at least 30 Ag and Food division jobs – CSIRO has confirmed that at least 30 research jobs are on the chopping block from the agency’s Agriculture and Food division, as the organisation seeks to cut costs across the board… Grain Central, 17 June 2024 (link, text below).
‘What’s going on here?’ CSIRO job cuts questioned as nation’s challenges mount – The head of Australia’s science agency has refused to “speculate” on the total number of job cuts expected, as the union warns hundreds of jobs could be on the line… Canberra Times, 6 June 2024 (link, text below).
CSIRO staff are ‘nervous, stressed and anxious’ over possible job losses – The CSIRO is one of the biggest employers in the field of science and technology in the world, employing about 5,000 people across Australia. About 400 of those jobs are in Tasmania. In this year’s federal budget, CSIRO received $916.5 million in funding for 2024-25, which is $92 million less than the previous financial year… ABC radio Hobart, 6 June 2024 (link, audio only).
CSIRO set to slash hundreds of jobs – While Australia looks to challenges with climate change, AI and building up its national capabilities, the national science agency is again facing another round of job cuts, this time with concerns that more than 500 could be lost in the coming months… ABC Radio National Drive, 6 June 2024 (link, audio only).
Hundreds of CSIRO jobs under threat as union warns against ‘gutting’ of Australia’s science agency – Hundreds of jobs at CSIRO are under threat as part of the national science agency’s plans to make Australian research more “sustainable” in the future… Guardian Australia, 5 June 2024 (link, text below)
Govt workers told how to channel feelings in a ‘helpful way’ as job cuts loom – The national science agency offered webinars to staff staring down potential job cuts on how to channel their feelings “in a more helpful way”. CSIRO has told staff it is considering cuts to about 70 jobs following reviews of two separate areas, but its union fears a broader restructure will put more than 400 jobs on the line… Canberra Times, 1 May 2024 (link, text below)
‘A need to simplify’: CSIRO considering job cuts – The CSIRO is considering cutting jobs across two different areas, saying it is focused on “a strong, vibrant, and financially stable national science agency”. A spokesperson for the agency, which employed about 6300 people in the 2022-23 financial year, confirmed two separate reviews could lead to cuts, but “no decisions have been made”… Canberra Times, 25 April 2024 (link, text below)
By Jenny Sinclair. Research Professional News, 27 November 2024.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) spent nearly A$11 million on redundancies in 2023-24, its annual report has shown- A$4m more than the previous year.
Financial results in the organisation’s 2023-24 report show that despite increased revenues, CSIRO’s operating result dropped by A$3m, to A$14.7m, due to rising costs.
Total spending on employee costs in 2024, including redundancies, jumped by more than A$100m from 2023, reaching A$984m.
The organisation earned A$61m in revenue from its intellectual property, which it says is “our highest result in nine years”.
Revenue from the private sector dropped from A$88.4m in 2022-23 to A$76.2m, but income from international deals went up, from A$84.5m to A$96.8m.
Research vessel
CSIRO has also confirmed that it will now fully fund the operations of Australia’s research vessel Investigator for at least the next couple of years.
In a Senate hearing on 25 November, CSIRO facilities director Elanor Huntington said “the Investigator will have full sea operations”. At hearings in February, CSIRO had said the vessel was “not funded for the full 300 [possible] days of sailing” in 2025-26.
After Huntington’s comments at the latest hearing, a CSIRO spokesperson told Research Professional News that the commitment to full funding would last until 2026-27.
“This came following a CSIRO review of funding sources for the Marine National Facility, which include CSIRO appropriation funding and National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy funding,” they said.
Job cuts
CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton told a Senate hearing on 7 November that job cuts at the organisation had been forced by “an increase in operations costs higher than inflation—we’ve seen that with ICT and with our property portfolio—and the ending of the time-limited Covid budget measure”.
“We need to make savings of about 25 per cent in enterprise services,” he told the Senate’s economics committee.
When announced at the beginning of 2024, the cuts were estimated at around A$100m. Cuts have been made to research divisions including health and agriculture, Hilton said, but he added that CSIRO wants to protect its research while it works on restructuring.
“As an organisation, we’re going through a major reshaping of our research portfolio. We’re putting together different ways that we make investment decisions and prioritise what we do, and it was the organisation’s view that it was important to retain our research capability while we did that, and therefore we would find ways of ensuring that there are no additional cuts to research capacity this financial year. I should also say we recognise there’s a lot going on in the organisation. We’re undergoing enterprise service reform, and I think being able to retain our research capability through that process and through our strategic look at how we make investment decisions is the prudent way forward.”
Hilton told the hearing on 7 November that “we don’t plan to make any further major changes to research. But…we always look to strategically reshape our research portfolio to ensure that we have the capability that we need to address the questions the community expect us to answer. And that does require some changes over time.”
At the hearing on 25 November, Hilton added that there were no plans for cuts to the organisation’s Data61 research business unit in subsequent years.
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By Brandon How. InnovationAUS, 9 September 2024
CSIRO’s United States subsidiary will be shuttered later this year, according to the national science agency’s latest corporate plan, as the extent of its massive enterprise services restructure continues to emerge.
The 2024 corporate plan reveals that the office, registered in Delaware as an operating entity for commercialisation less than eight years ago, “will close in 2024”, with staff to be based out of other government offices in San Francisco and Washington DC.
The legal entity CSIRO USA LLC was established under former CSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall to find new research collaborators and commercialisation opportunities stateside.
A CSIRO spokesperson told InnovationAus.com that US staffing is under review as the agency pursues annual cost cutting of $100 million but that “a formal decision to wind up the legal entity has not yet been made”.
“We are currently reviewing our staffing model in the US as part of the Enterprise Services Reform,” the spokesperson said, adding that the agency “regularly reviews its operations to ensure we are set up to tackle challenges”.
The Enterprise Services Reform is already set to cut up to 500 enterprise services staff and will potentially see the retrenchment of the chief scientist role. ES roles span technical services, communication and information services, general services, administrative services and general management.
In his foreword to the first corporate plan released under his leadership, CSIRO chief executive Dr Doug Hilton said he wants the “Enterprise Services teams to be efficient, effective and financially sustainable”.
The 2024 corporate plan notes that even after a shutdown of CSIRO USA, the agency will “continue to have US representation in San Francisco and Washington DC based out of the Australian Government offices”.
However, the spokesperson stressed that a decision on the United States staffing model is not final and that corporate plan statements are “based on best knowledge at the time of printing”.
“As part of the review of our US staffing model, we are considering several options which could include co-locating our staff in offices with other Australian government officials,” the spokesperson said.
Originally pitched as a complement to the former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s National Innovation and Science Agenda, the CSIRO announced it would establish a San Francisco office in January 2017 alongside plans for four smaller offices.
The CSIRO’s website currently lists only one office in the US, located in the Mindspace co-working space in the financial district of San Francisco.
The office building also houses AusTrade’s San Francisco landing pad, the Australian consulate-general in San Francisco, and the Victorian government’s trade and investment offices.
The CSIRO’s lease on its former Silicon Valley office at the San Mateo Science Center, a life sciences hub, expired at the end of August 2022, according to AusTender.
When CSIRO USA was first announced, then-chief executive Dr Marshall said that Australia would need to “accelerate international engagement” to “accelerate innovation rates in Australia”.
At the time, Dr Marshall said deepening engagement with the “US is a no brainer” as it grants access to a science-driven innovation ecosystem that doesn’t exist in Australia, presenting a “significant opportunity to return value”.
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By James Day. RiotACT, 23 August 2024
CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton has informed staffed in an email titled ‘An update on our priorities’ that a $100 million cut to operating costs would see up to 500 support roles depart from the national science agency.
Management of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has added more roles to the tally of job losses, which CSIRO Staff Association secretary Susan Tonks said were “on track to be the worst since Tony Abbott slashed CSIRO funding in 2014”.
“Staff can’t believe that a Labor Government – with a pro-science agenda and interventionist industry policy – are set to preside over hundreds of job cuts to Australia’s top researchers,” she said.
“Science Minister [Ed] Husic needs to step in, restore funding and help stop these CSIRO cuts.”
Prior to National Science Week (10-18 August), CSIRO staff released an open letter calling for Mr Husic’s urgent intervention.
While he is yet to formally respond, a spokesperson for the Science Minister told the CSIRO Staff Association “decisions on staffing and prioritisation of resources are matters for CSIRO management, as is appropriate for any independent agency”.
Positions in Health and Biosecurity (43), Manufacturing (5), Agriculture and Food (30) have already been confirmed to go. Even more cuts are expected at Data61 (up to 120), with rumours from the CSIRO Staff Association there will be significant job losses in the Environment business unit (65).
The latest estimated cut of between 375 and 500 jobs is part of an ongoing Enterprise Service (ES) Reform process which Dr Hilton commissioned late last year.
Within his email to staff on Tuesday (20 August), Dr Hilton said management had “to reduce costs across ES by 25 per cent” (about $100 million).
Due to these “tough economic times”, he said management would need to continue its work in “reshaping CSIRO” via its three key priorities – “research portfolio, infrastructure and ES Reform”.
“Through our ES Reform, we’re working to ensure the services that support our research impact are delivered in a simple, efficient and financially sustainable way,” he said. “While these changes are essential, I fully appreciate that they are not easy.
“These changes are affecting people differently and for some they come with a personal cost. This is being felt acutely right now by our ES team members and colleagues.”
Dr Hilton said research would focus on investing “to solve the problems that matter” instead of putting “Programs on a Page”. While their last priority is developing a Research and Enabling Infrastructure Plan – to improve CSIRO’s investment decisions by understanding its portfolio is aligned to Australia’s challenges.
In spite of his team “looking for additional savings in our [CSIRO’s] operating budget, term ends where appropriate, natural staff attrition, and in some cases, through voluntary redundancy”, the chief executive warned there was no avoiding “a confronting reality”.
“We have global uncertainty, inflationary pressures, increases in the cost of living and softening of markets, coupled with a myriad of calls on public spending,” he said.
Affected enterprise services employees who are members of the CSIRO Staff Association have been asked to contact the union to arrange support and individual representation.
The announcement comes after Mr Husic opened Science Week with the release of a new National Science Statement aimed at “placing science at the forefront of our industrial transformation”.
He said the statement supported the government’s Future Made in Australia policy suite and updated the Abbott Government’s National Science Priorities from nearly 10 years ago that “were no longer fit for purpose”.
The priorities are:
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By Tom Burton. Australian Financial Review, 21 August 2024.
A plan to cut CSIRO’s annual costs by at least $100 million and reduce support staff by up to 500 will threaten the agency’s ability to collaborate with industry and prosecute the government’s Made in Australia program, science industry leaders say.
The cuts are part of a broader reduction in the agency’s 5500 headcount, with the CSIRO staff union claiming as many as 700 or 13 per cent of staff will lose their jobs from the frontline research agency.
CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton told staff on Tuesday the cuts of at least $100 million to support services were necessary to ensure the agency’s financial sustainability. It comes after four years of pandemic funding totalling $454 million expired on June 30.
Professor Hilton said reforms to enterprise services would mean staff cuts of between 375 and 500. This will be achieved through operating savings, not renewing short-term employment contracts, natural staff attrition and voluntary redundancy.
The end of the pandemic funding has also forced CSIRO to start reducing headcount in its research divisions.
The Health and Biosecurity group has already confirmed job cuts of 39. Industrial consultation has also pointed to the Data 61 digital unit losing up to 120 jobs. Other expected job cuts include around 65 in the environment division, 30 in the agriculture and food group and manufacturing losing five jobs.
Science and Technology Australia represents 235,000 scientists, engineers and technologists. Chief executive Ryan Winn said support services were critical for effective research.
“It’s easy to say most of the cuts are enabling services, but enabling services often means the product managers, it means the IP managers.
“We’ve seen cuts in the missions area already and in the international area. This is about science diplomacy. This is about commercialisation.”
Mr Winn said CSIRO needed to be more transparent about how the cuts aligned with the Albanese government’s Future Made in Australia goals and the new science priorities.
“They’re also critical services for CSIRO in how it engages in the wider ecosystem because science is collaborative by its very nature.”
Mr Winn said the support services were the “glue” that made this collaboration possible. “Are we losing too much glue?”
CSIRO Staff Association secretary Susan Tonks said the cuts represented nearly 30 per cent of the current 1600 enterprise services headcount. She said CSIRO should have planned for the change in funding.
“This was predictable, that’s the common criticism I am getting from our membership,” Ms Tonks said.
The union claimed cuts to the health division would lead to closure of the clinical trial unit at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital. It said CSIRO would also be withdrawing from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute in Adelaide.
“These current cuts are on track to be the worst since Tony Abbott slashed CSIRO funding in 2014,” Ms Tonks said.
“Staff can’t believe that a Labor government – with a pro-science agenda and interventionist industry policy – are set to preside over hundreds of job cuts to Australia’s top researchers.”
She called for Science Minister Ed Husic to step in and restore the pandemic funding, releasing an open letter to the minister.
Professor Hilton said he wanted CSIRO to be able to draw on skills, “with minimal friction, from across the organisation and system”.
“Most critically, we want a research portfolio, where we balance research that will deliver more predictable incremental benefits with research that is higher risk but has the possibility of changing the world in profound ways.”
Total research and development investment in 2022-23 was nearly $1.54 billion.
CSIRO claims independent analysis showed the organisation delivered $10.2 billion of value in 2022, representing an 8.4 to one return on investment.
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By Esther Linder. ABC News, 21 August 2024.
The CSIRO will cut up to 500 jobs in a wave of reforms the agency’s staff union says is gutting the organisation’s capacity to do research.
In an internal memo sent on Tuesday and subsequently published online by the CSIRO’s Staff Association, chief executive Doug Hilton announced between 375 to 500 staff in non-research or support roles would be axed.
In the email, titled “An update on our priorities”, Dr Hilton outlined cost-saving measures designed “to support CSIRO’s financial stability” were needed to reduce expenditure by at least $100 million.
Dr Hilton said the CSIRO was “doing everything possible to minimise staffing impacts” including voluntary redundancies.
The chief executive outlined economic challenges including inflation and increased demand on public spending as being reasons behind the restructure.
“While these changes are essential, I fully appreciate that they are not easy,” he wrote.
The newly announced cuts will come from the enterprise services team, which encompasses technical staff supporting scientists, and employees from the legal, finance, IT and other departments.
CSIRO is a government-funded agency with financing of $916.5 million in the 2024-25 financial year, an amount which has remained stable excluding a pandemic boost that ended in 2023.
The secretary of the CSIRO’s Staff Association, Susan Tonks, called it a “dark day” for the agency.
“These cuts are a body blow for CSIRO and have the potential to cripple research output as scientists scramble to cover support gaps,” she said.
“However, we know that research positions at CSIRO are not safe and the cuts just keep on coming.”
The axing of roughly 200 research staff roles was announced from April to July, with health, biosecurity, agriculture and manufacturing scientists and researchers affected.
Research projects in nutrition and human health in Sydney and Adelaide will be closed down as a result of the cuts, the union said.
Earlier this month, the association wrote to Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic to protest an estimated 700 jobs being cut over the course of the cost-saving measures and restructuring.
“These cuts are widespread and reckless, jeopardising vital research and national capabilities in areas such as health, biosecurity (Human Health), climate change, and data sciences including artificial intelligence,” the letter said.
“The concerns are not only for the jobs of CSIRO staff, but for the safeguarding of our national resilience and preparedness in a rapidly changing world.”
Ms Tonks and the union have called for the minister’s intervention in the agency, saying the CSIRO’s core purpose is being undermined by the restructure.
A spokesperson from the CSIRO told the ABC in a statement that the organisation’s goal was: “to grow CSIRO’s research efforts by ensuring we have the right mix of science and skills to tackle the big problems facing the Australian community”.
“We are working to implement these changes with minimal impact on staff, while still delivering the best possible impact for Australia,” they said of the job cuts.
Mr Husic declined to comment.
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With Kathryn Robinson. ABC News 24, Wednesday 21 August 2024
Kathryn Robison: Well, the CSIRO, Australia’s leading government funded research and development agency has announced job cuts for up to 500 workers. Chief executive Doug Hilton said the cuts would be made due to cost reductions across the organisations Enterprise Services Division. Susan Tonks from the CSIRO Staff Association joins us now. Susan, we knew back in February that cuts were coming, that confirmation today of up to 500 jobs will go. What roles exactly are likely to be impacted?
Susan Tonks: The roles in that group of that large group of cuts are largely they’re in the enterprise services section of CSIRO. They are the support services for all the research programmes and research scientists that run and deliver science programmes within CSIRO.
KR: OK, so given the numbers, how much does that reduce that, that level, that area in by?
ST: In the five, if it runs to the full 500, that will be a cut of 30%.
KR: OK. So then if you’re having 30% of support staff for research programme slash, what does that mean for the research programmes?
ST: Well, it means that it’ll have a deep impact on research programmes and science delivery and you know, research scientists will be scrambling to try to cover those gaps.
KR: What sort of research programmes are coming out of that, that area across what sectors?
ST: That enterprise services covers all research programmes, everything from, and we’ve already, and we’ve already seen some cuts into research programmes into health and biosecurity, human health. There are flagged cuts for Data 61. The data services are there are agriculture and food manufacturing. And there are others set or have also rumoured to come out of that.
KR: So what does it say to you then, about how the government values research and how it’s positioning itself to take advantage of the opportunities in the future, say around net zero and critical minerals etcetera?
ST: Yes. Well, there’s, as you say there, you know there’s so many, there’s so many big challenges for us ahead across all of those, those things and. Our membership has actually reached out to the Science Minister to ask for his support, but it is also up to cyro to explain and give transparency around why these cuts are so big and why now $100 million in savings to be found to actually make them sustainable. You know how? How have we gotten to this point? So, so quickly, there was some modelling done by the CSIRO that the CEO announced, you know, has shaped what cuts they’re going to make and in doing so, you know, there are. There’s no, there’s no real reason or strategy that our. Members are seeing and what they they want explanation on. You know how we’ve gotten to this position. They are deep cuts, a third, you know. Well, sorry 30% I should say 30% across you know, an area that provides all the support services is going to have a deep impact.
KR: And So what has been communicated to staff to to now.
ST: Yesterday there was an announcement to confirm that the number of cuts would be between 375 to 500 staff being cut out of enterprise services. There is an assessment process in place that’s being done. There’s been doubt cast over that. Whether that is an accurate representation of. And being able to accurately identify what services will go. Obviously across such a big department servicing our premier science agency, there are some smaller sections of enterprise services. There are some rather large ones. There’s everything from you know legal to health and safety and environment.
KR: And just finally, before I let you go, Susan. What? What are your what? What is the future? Hold what? What are you? What? What are the steps that you’d like to see? Now, you mentioned that you reached out to the the Science minister. What more do you wanna hear from the CSR? And what do you know of future cuts? If at all to come?
ST: What we want to say some real transparency around this strategic position for this and for the accountability of how they’ve gotten to this position. There has been announcements and discussions around that COVID appropriation funding ended that, you know, has caused the need for these cuts, however. Given that those were all predictable, why you know, how was this not planned for so that it didn’t end up being? You know a. Big drop off at a funding Cliff and that you know, staff are paying the price and also you know the accountability of where all the money has gone.
KR: Susan Tonks, we’ll leave it there, but thank you for joining us.
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By Justin Henry. InnovationAUS, 21 August 2024
Australia’s national science agency CSIRO will cut up to 500 staff from its enterprise services arm as part of restructure designed to reduce labour and operating costs by $100 million.
CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton confirmed the planned jobs cuts on Tuesday, ending months of speculation over the fate of a division comprised of more than 2,400 public servants.
Mr Hilton commissioned the Enterprise Support Services (ES) Reform project soon after joining the agency in October last year, with the aim of reducing operating costs by 25 per cent.
At the time, he said cuts to ES roles like technical services, communication and information services, general services, administrative services and general management were likely but wouldn’t put a number on how many jobs would go.
But in an email to staff on Tuesday, Mr Hilton addressed the “confronting reality” now upon the ES division, advising that at least 375 jobs would be impacted as a result of the restructure.
“Up until now, it has been difficult to quantify this in terms of roles, due to the variety of factors at play. Based on modelling conducted as part of Wave 3, I can now share that the staff impact during Wave 3 of the Reform is likely to be between 375 and 500 roles.”
Mr Hilton said the range reflects “several variables” and that the CSIRO would seek to do “everything possible to minimise staff impacts”, including by looking for additional saving in the operating budget and natural staff attrition
CSIRO Staff Association secretary Susan Tonks said confirmation of the jobs cuts represents a “dark day for CSIRO and is a terrible outcome for Australia’s premier science agency.
“These cuts are a body blow for CSIRO and have the potential to cripple research output as scientists scramble to cover support gaps. However, we know that research positions at CSIRO are not safe and the cuts just keep on coming,” she said
The CSIRO has already confirmed that another 78 jobs will go in its Health and Biosecurity, Agriculture and Food and Manufacturing divisions, with further cuts expected in other business units.
Researchers at the CSIRO’s digital arm, Data61, are similarly bracing for job losses, with almost 120 jobs on the line as part of a strategy to reduce operating costs by 20 per cent.
The CSIRO Staff Association has requested that Industry and Science minister Ed Husic intervene in the restructure, which they claim will undermine the government’s industry and innovation agenda, but it was immediately ruled out by a spokesperson.
“Decisions on staffing and prioritisation of resources are matters for CSIRO management, as is appropriate for any independent agency,” the spokesperson told InnovationAus.com earlier this month.
Ms Tonks reiterated her call for the minister to step in on Tuesday, describing the current cuts as being “on track to be the worst since Tony Abbott slashed CSIRO funding in 2014”.
“Staff can’t believe that a Labor government – with a pro-science agenda and interventionist industry policy – are set to preside over hundreds of job cuts to Australia’s top researchers,” she said.
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By Julian Bajkowski. The Mandarin, 21 August 2024.
Australia’s leading government-funded research and development agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Organisation (CSIRO) has confirmed it will move to slash as many as 500 administrative and support roles to absorb budget cuts and restructuring.
In an announcement that follows hot on the heels of National Science Week, CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton on Monday afternoon told staff that cost reductions across the organisation’s Enterprise Services division, which provides back office and administrative support like payroll and human resources, would cop a 25% reduction in costs of at least $100 million and was now down reducing headcount.
“Up until now, it has been difficult to quantify this in terms of roles, due to the variety of factors at play. Based on modelling conducted as part of Wave 3, I can now share that the staff impact during Wave 3 of the Reform is likely to be between 375 and 500 roles,” Hilton said.
“The range reflects several variables, and we will be doing everything possible to minimise staffing impacts. This includes looking for additional savings in our operating budget, term ends where appropriate, natural staff attrition, and in some cases, through voluntary redundancy.”
The cuts have put the union representing CSIRO’s administrative staff, the CSIRO Staff Association, which is affiliated with the Community and Public Sector Union, at loggerheads with management and Science Minister Ed Husic.
The CSIRO Staff Association this month issued an open letter to Husic pleading for “urgent intervention”, with section secretary Susan Tonks branding the cuts as “the gutting of CSIRO” and “the CSIRO from being hollowed out from within”.
“Multiple job cuts across CSIRO are stacking up. These include researchers in Health and Biosecurity (43), Agriculture and Food (30), Manufacturing (5), Data61 (up to 120) as well as several hundred enterprise service support roles (estimated 400 plus) with rumours that scores more in Environment (65) could be next,” a CSIRO Staff Association statement issued last week said.
“These current cuts are on track to be the worst since Tony Abbott slashed CSIRO funding in 2014,” Tonks said.
“Staff can’t believe that a Labor government — with a pro-science agenda and interventionist industry policy — is set to preside over hundreds of job cuts to Australia’s top researchers. Science Minister Husic needs to step in, restore funding and help stop these CSIRO cuts.”
In the letter to CSIRO staff, Hilton linked the restructuring to broader economic difficulties.
“As individuals and families, as an organisation and nation, one of the most profound challenges we are facing are these tough economic times. We have global uncertainty, inflationary pressures, increases in the cost of living and softening of markets, coupled with a myriad of calls on public spending,” Hilton said.
“These economic challenges underscore the need to continue our work in reshaping CSIRO to ensure we can focus on effectively solving the problems that matter to Australia and Australians, sustainably and in a way that engenders trust and confidence. We’re continuing to deliver this change through our three key priorities — our research portfolio, infrastructure, and Enterprise Services (ES) Reform.”
A CSIRO spokesperson told The Mandarin the Australia needed “a strong, vibrant, and financially sustainable national science agency that maximises its research investment to increase impact for the nation.”
“Our goal is to grow CSIRO’s research efforts by ensuring we have the right mix of science and skills to tackle the big problems facing the Australian community,” the CSIRO spokesperson said. “We are working to implement these changes with minimal impact on staff, while still delivering the best possible impact for Australia.”
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By Miriam Webber. Canberra Times, 21 August 2024
The chief executive of Australia’s national science agency has confirmed up to 500 jobs will be slashed in a bid to reduce costs by at least $100 million.
CSIRO flagged a spate of job cuts to staff in April, but until now have remained vague on impacts to its Enterprise Services division, which will be the worst affected.
Doug Hilton wrote to staff at the agency on Tuesday, announcing that “the task ahead is significant”.
“To support CSIRO’s financial sustainability, we need to reduce costs across [Enterprise Services] by 25 per cent – which is at least $100m,” Professor Hilton wrote in the email, seen by The Canberra Times.
“Up until now, it has been difficult to quantify this in terms of roles, due to the variety of factors at play.
“Based on modelling conducted as part of Wave 3, I can now share that the staff impact during Wave 3 of the Reform is likely to be between 375 and 500 roles.”
The division comprises jobs in corporate functions such as IT, HR, communications, business development, facilities management and finance.
Professor Hilton told staff that leadership would be doing “everything possible” to minimise job losses.
“This includes looking for additional savings in our operating budget, term ends where appropriate, natural staff attrition, and in some cases, through voluntary redundancy,” he wrote.
“I know this is a confronting reality, but I also firmly believe in transparency.”
CSIRO Staff Association, a branch of the Community and Public Sector Union, called the confirmation a “terrible outcome” for the agency.
“These cuts are a body blow for CSIRO and have the potential to cripple research output as scientists scramble to cover support gaps,” secretary Susan Tonks said.
“However, we know that research positions at CSIRO are not safe and the cuts just keep on coming.”
The agency has confirmed about 80 job cuts across its health and biosecurity, agriculture and food, and manufacturing divisions.
The union also fears up to 120 jobs could be slashed from Data61, the agency’s data and digital research division.
CSIRO’s baseline appropriate funding has remained the same at $916.5 million in the 2024-25 financial year, but the agency is adapting to the end of COVID-era additional funding.
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AuManufacturing, 8 August 2024
CSIRO staff have called for Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic’s intervention to head off the destruction of more than 700 jobs in CSIRO.
In an open letter to Husic the CSIRO Staff Association said: “Our national science agency is under attack from within.
“CSIRO’s core purpose and the ability of its staff to deliver world class research are being undermined by significant restructuring and associated job losses.
“Despite our repeated efforts to highlight the critical impact of these changes, job losses continue – we are advised that at this early stage, approximately 700 jobs will be lost, and potentially with even more to come.
“Australians love and respect the CSIRO and the work we do, and we ask that you do too.”
According to the staff association jobs to be cut include:
The association said cuts to health and biosecurity (human health) wee in their final stages.
CSIRO Section Secretary Susan Tonks (pictured) said: “It isn’t clear to me or the hundreds of CSIRO staff who are losing or having already lost their jobs, how these cuts will benefit our country in tackling the big issues that are ahead of us.
“The gutting of CSIRO also flies in the face of the federal government’s plans for a future made in Australia.
“Staff have written to the Minister to call for his urgent intervention and to ask him to step in to save the CSIRO from being hollowed out from within.
“The CSIRO is national treasure – it’s home to world leading science and innovation and it needs to be protected, not gutted.”
More than 600 jobs are slated to be cut and it is feared that hundreds more are headed for the same fate, as large-scale restructuring cuts core scientific research, ends long term projects and shrinks science support roles.
As a result, CSIRO is set to exit clinical trial research, leading to the closure of the clinical trial unit based at Sydney’s Westmead hospital and the complete removal of the organisation’s presence at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) in Adelaide.
These cuts will also cause long-term projects to end prematurely, including further research into the development of high amylose wheat, which improves digestive health, and provides protection against bowel cancer and Type 2 diabetes.
And allergy research such as the OmnisOva programme which produces new generation allergen free, egg white products for families.
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With Narelle Graham on ABC Adelaide Statewide Drive, Tuesday 6 August 2024.
Narelle Graham: Research teams based at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). You will hear it called in Adelaide completely vacate the building and staff are calling on the Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic, to intervene. Susan Tonks is the Section Secretary for CSIRO Staff Association. Susan Tonks, good afternoon to you.
Susan Tonks: Hi, Narelle. Thanks for having me on.
NG: How many jobs are going from South Australia?
ST: We’re looking at in South Australia, 43 jobs. There is an Adelaide impact here. And those jobs in health and biosecurity and human health are in the final stages now having been announced since February, since mid April this year.
NG: And all of those jobs that section they’re all based at SAHMRI are they. Susan?
ST: Majority are in Kintore and in SAHMRI. And you know I can’t describe to you the anger and the frustration around these cuts in this section. They just don’t make any sense at all.
NG: Why is CSIRO cutting jobs Is it related to a loss of funding?
ST: Well, it’s unclear to why. I mean, it’s that’s for CSIRO to answer as to why, you know, these selections have been made for these cuts. It’s not clear why to staff or to me. Why this is happening and, you know, the more worksites we go out to and the more members and, staff that we speak to the frustration and the anger is palpable with how these decisions are being made and why now and why this many.
NG: Susan Tonks is a representative of the CSIRO’s Staff Association. Just given that these are jobs in health and biosecurity, those are areas that were beefed up and increased during Covid. Is that what was the case there with human health? Were these jobs that were increased over Covid, or are these jobs that have been with CSIRO for quite some time?
ST: In health and biosecurity and human health, You know, there is a program in there where they have been working on it over the last five years, and there’s nothing that indicates that is a direct result, you know, 3 to 4 years post Covid. Now that would be, yes, of course, appropriation funding does end. But as a direct link, how long can you say that that’s you know, it’s coming. It was extra at what point, you know, does it stop being the reason for everything that’s, you know, not going right?
NG: Those people that are in those jobs, can they be absorbed somewhere else? Have they been offered positions interstate or elsewhere, or are they being made redundant?
ST: Majority are being made redundant, despite, you know, a number of, you know, many submissions, you know, with, you know good reasoning to retain them. The decision as, um you know, the final decision has been made. And as I said, they are in their final stages now, um, you know, um, I it’s as I said, it doesn’t make sense. Um, especially given the nutrition researchers link with health and disease and the challenges that come with that. And stepping out of the clinical trial space. I can’t imagine. And they don’t understand either why this has happened.
NG: Oh, Susan, it’s a devastating time. The expertise that CSIRO is outstanding. What options for alternative employment are there for staff with those levels of expertise? I’m just wondering, you know, is there something in the private sector or is this the sort of bread and butter of government?
ST: Well, there will be I mean, obviously, if you know, if any of those staff who are going, I, imagine they will look in similar sectors or universities. But there is an impact here on Adelaide based researchers. It’s pronounced and um, it’s understanding understandably very concerning for the scientific community in South Australia. Losing you know, the clinical trial services at um, SAHMRI, um, as you described it. And um, also it’s they’ll also go out of, um, the, out of Westmead in Sydney as well. Their presence there will go too.
NG: Is it a foregone conclusion, Susan Tonks or is there hope?
ST: I would like to say um that it isn’t but I think for this group, um it’s it is as I said, it’s in the final stages. Um, they look, you know, we are looking overall at, um, approximately 600 job cuts across the organisation, which is why staff are, you know, are angry about this and want, you know, want some clearer answers as to why this is happening? Because it’s just it, you know, CSIRO um, is a national treasure. It’s the home, you know, to world leading science and innovation. And it needs to be protected, not gutted.
NG: Thank you. Susan Tonks, secretary with the CSIRO Staff Association I have a text to saying Australian government values sport more than science as it’s very sad and unfair. Thank you for that. ABC Radio Adelaide, South Australia and Broken Hill.
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By Ian Bushnell. RiotACT, 7 August 2024
CSIRO staff have called on Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic to stop widespread job cuts being rolled out across the organisation.
The CSIRO Staff Association wrote to Mr Husic on Monday (5 August), telling him that the national science agency was under attack from within.
“CSIRO’s core purpose and the ability of its staff to deliver world-class research are being undermined by significant restructuring and associated job losses,” the letter says.
The job losses stem from restructuring at CSIRO, which was designed to streamline operations and cut costs of Enterprise Support Services (ESS) by 25 per cent by 2025-26.
According to the CSIRO’s latest annual report, there were 1990 staff in ESS, indicating as many as 500 jobs could be on the chopping block.
Staff say about 700 jobs will be lost across the organisation, and that’s just the beginning.
“These cuts are widespread and reckless, jeopardising vital research and national capabilities in areas such as health, biosecurity, climate change and data sciences, including artificial intelligence,” the association says.
“Public sector science must be funded as a vital part of a successful Australia, especially in times of economic rebuilding and changing climate. We must protect the CSIRO so it can continue to be world-leading, trusted, robust and brave.
“We request your support and immediate intervention to save the CSIRO.”
The public sector union said that CSIRO CEO Doug Hilton had repeatedly refused to listen to staff concerns and that employee confidence in the strategic direction of CSIRO was collapsing.
The CPSU said the large-scale restructuring was cutting core scientific research, ending long-term projects and shrinking science support roles.
The cuts announced to date included more than 400 jobs from Enterprise Services, 43 from Health and Biosecurity (human health), 30 from Agriculture & Food, five from Manufacturing, and 120 from Data61.
It was also rumoured that 65 jobs in Environment could be lost.
The CPSU said the cuts to health and biosecurity (human health) were in their final stages and, as a result, CSIRO was set to exit clinical trial research, leading to the closure of the clinical trial unit based at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital and the complete removal of the organisation’s presence at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) in Adelaide.
Further research into the development of high amylose wheat, which improves digestive health and provides protection against bowel cancer and Type 2 diabetes, would end, as well as allergy research such as the OmnisOva program, which produces new generation allergen-free, egg white products for families.
A recent Staff Association snap poll revealed plummeting morale throughout the organisation and concerns over Australia’s ongoing research capability.
CSIRO Section Secretary Susan Tonks said the gutting of CSIRO flew in the face of the Federal Government’s Future Made in Australia policy.
“It isn’t clear to me or the hundreds of CSIRO staff who are losing or having already lost their jobs how these cuts will benefit our country in tackling the big issues that are ahead of us,” she said.
“The CSIRO is a national treasure – it’s home to world-leading science and innovation, and it needs to be protected, not gutted.”
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By Joseph Brookes. InnovationAUS, 6 August 2024
Science minister Ed Husic will not intervene to stop job cuts at the CSIRO that its union says will end more than 600 roles, harm the government’s industry and innovation agenda, and undermine confidence in the national science agency.
The CSIRO Staff Association on Monday wrote to the minister to say the organisation was “under attack from within” because of an ongoing restructure triggered by a funding crunch, requesting his “immediate intervention to save” the science agency.
“The concerns are not only for the jobs of CSIRO staff, but for the safeguarding of our national resilience and preparedness in a rapidly changing world,” the letter said, signed by staff association members.
But the minister on Tuesday ruled out any intervention into the independent agency’s staffing or resourcing.
The CSIRO has been in search of savings to adjust to the end of one-off pandemic funding and whole of government savings measures from this financial year. It has targeted enterprise support services for the cuts, aiming for a 25 per cent cost reduction over the next 12 months.
The agency has already identified almost 50 roles for redundancy, but says final decisions have not been taken on any more.
“While we are expecting reductions in headcount, this is not yet quantified due to the interplay between operating and labour costs,” a CSIRO spokesperson told InnovationAus.com.
According to the CSIRO Staff Association – which is a section of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) – the restructure is reaching across business units and spilling over into research roles. In a statement issued through the CPSU on Tuesday, it said at least 600 jobs are “slated to be cut”, including 120 from digital research arm Data61.
“It isn’t clear to me or the hundreds of CSIRO staff who are losing or having already lost their jobs, how these cuts will benefit our country in tackling the big issues that are ahead of us,” CSIRO section secretary Susan Tonks said.
“The gutting of CSIRO also flies in the face of the federal government’s plans for a future made in Australia. Staff have written to the Minister to call for his urgent intervention and to ask him to step in to save the CSIRO from being hollowed out from within.”
Industry and Science minister Ed Husic will not intervene in the agency’s staffing or resourcing, his spokesperson told InnovationAus.com on Tuesday.
“Decisions on staffing and prioritisation of resources are matters for CSIRO management, as is appropriate for any independent agency,” the spokesperson said.
“CSIRO’s independence is crucial to protecting the agency’s integrity, ensuring the trusted work their scientists undertake can continue to benefit and inform the nation.”
The CSIRO did not seek to maintain additional funding provided during the pandemic or request an increase from the Albanese government in the last federal budget.
The budget allocated the CSIRO $916.5m for 2024/25, a $92m decrease in funding from the previous year.
CSIRO chief executive Dr Doug Hilton has downplayed the threat of the reduced funding to resilience to major challenges.
“There are opportunities to refine the capability that we have in our research teams, to ensure that it is the capability that allows us to address the most important challenges confronting the nation,” Dr Hilton told a Senate estimates hearing last month.
“That’s something I would expect my research leaders to do in an ongoing way.”
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By Miriam Webber. Canberra Times, 6 August 2024.
The main public sector union has called on Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic to intervene in a restructure of Australia’s science agency, as it warns nearly 700 jobs could be on the line.
The CSIRO Staff Association, a section of the Community and Public Sector Union, wrote to Mr Husic on Monday, requesting his “support and immediate intervention to save the CSIRO”, with negotiations over the cuts dragging out over months.
“Despite our repeated efforts to highlight the critical impact of these changes, job losses continue,” the letter, signed by association members, reads.
The letter marks an escalation of the union’s campaign to save jobs, as they attempt to pull the Minister into the ongoing saga.
Mr Husic has deferred requests for comment on the matter to the agency so far. The Canberra Times has contacted him for comment regarding the letter.
Months of negotiations over job cuts
In April, CSIRO confirmed it was considering job cuts across several areas, as part of “a need to simplify” operations.
Enterprise services will bear the brunt of cuts, with a review finding labour and operating costs in the area must be slashed 25 per cent by July 2025.
The union fears this could see more than 400 jobs slashed, affecting those working in IT, HR, communications, business development, facilities management and finance.
About 70 research positions will be cut from other areas, including health and biosecurity (43), agriculture and food (30) and manufacturing (five).
The union also believes about 120 jobs will be lost from Data61, the agency’s data and digital research division, and holds concerns that 65 jobs in the environment division are at risk.
CSIRO section secretary Susan Tonks said the CSIRO “is hurting right now,” with a snap poll of members showing a dip in morale.
“It isn’t clear to me or the hundreds of CSIRO staff who are losing or having already lost their jobs, how these cuts will benefit our country in tackling the big issues that are ahead of us,” Ms Tonks said.
The union says the cuts are senseless as the government rolls out its plans for a Future Made in Australia.
“The CSIRO is national treasure – it’s home to world leading science and innovation and it needs to be protected, not gutted.”
Speaking at Senate estimates in June, chief executive Doug Hilton said he would not speculate on the number of cuts anticipated, but said the agency wanted “to refine the capability that we have”.
“…Science priorities change, national priorities change, and not all scientists have exactly the same skills,” Dr Hilton said at the time. “And it’s important to be able to refine the capabilities that we can deploy to the most important problems that the nation faces.”
Funded positions for the agency dropped in the May 2024 budget by 143 (Average Staffing Level).
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By Joseph Brookes. InnovationAUS, 28 July 2024
Researchers at the CSIRO’s Data61 business unit are bracing for job losses and research roll-backs as a funding crunch claims dozens of roles elsewhere at the agency and ends its clinical trial services altogether.
According to its union, almost 100 jobs could go at Data61, the CSIRO’s digital research arm established in 2016.
The CSIRO insists no decision has been taken on Data61 redundancies, but it won’t rule them out while trying to reduce labour and operating costs across the science agency’s enterprise support services function by 25 per cent.
Redundancies have already been identified in its health and biosecurity, manufacturing, agriculture and food units, with almost 50 staff impacted so far.
CSIRO Staff Association secretary Susan Tonks last week wrote to the agency’s chief executive Doug Hilton saying it was “not too late to change your approach”.
“CSIRO staff deserve better than a continuation of the constant job insecurity that has plagued the organisation over the past decade,” Ms Tonks wrote.
The restructure, which has been driven by the end of additional one-off pandemic funding of $454 million over four years coming to an end, has already cast doubt on the agency’s chief scientist role and identified at least 46 redundancies.
The reductions have so far been felt most at the CSIRO’s Human Health program, where staffing numbers will reduce from 124 to 85.
It means CSIRO exits or significantly scales back its presence in several health research ventures, including exits from agriculture and food related pre-clinical analytical studies and from clinical trial services.
“The changes will ensure CSIRO is focused on delivering the greatest impact to improve health outcomes for all Australians,” a CSIRO spokesperson said.
According to the union, the reductions at Human Health also mean the end of CSIRO research into value-added nutrition and its presence at the Kintore Avenue facility at the University of Adelaide, where it has had a foothold for almost 50 years. But the CSIRO disputes this.
“CSIRO is continually reviewing its property footprint to ensure that it is aligned to its research priorities. At this time, no decisions have made on the future of CSIRO’s presence at Kintore Avenue,” the spokesperson said.
Staffing impacts are also being considered at the manufacturing research unit with “seven potentially redundant positions”. Options to redeploy staff are being explored, the spokesperson said.
More savings are being sought elsewhere, and in the last month the restructure has turned its focus to Data61, the CSIRO’s digital and data arm.
Led by director Jon Whittle, Data61 leads the CSIRO’s research on AI and digital science, stretching across fields like quantum, robotics and cybersecurity.
Mr Hilton would not rule out cuts to Data61 roles when he appeared at Senate estimates earlier this month but testified there was no “tangible plan” yet for redundancies and nothing had been put to staff.
According to the union, more than 100 Data61 jobs could be on the line because of a deteriorating funding position.
“Despite your public statements to the contrary, it now appears that Data61 will move closer to implementing significant job cuts, as part of a strategy to reduce operating costs by 20 per cent,” Ms Tonks’ letter said.
The CSIRO spokesperson said Data61 continues to examine its budget position “to ensure the ongoing financial sustainability of the research unit”.
“That process is ongoing and currently, there is no formal plan. Staff will be consulted on any proposed changes.”
The restructure has taken a toll on CSIRO staff, reflected in the agency’s latest staff survey in May.
“Some survey areas have recorded decreases, which is understandable during a time of significant change,” the spokesperson said.
“These decreases relate to ‘understanding our long-term vision for CSIRO’, ‘how we work together to make decisions and coordinate across the organisation’, and how we ‘deal with changes’, such as those occurring within Enterprise Services.”
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By Justin Hendry. InnovationAUS, 1 July 2024
The national science agency could axe its chief scientist role as part of a planned restructure that is expected to result in hundreds of jobs cuts.
CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton on Monday revealed the agency is reviewing the coveted position, previously held by Professor Bronwyn Fox, to determine whether it still “makes sense”.
Professor Fox, who spent almost three years at the agency, will join the University of New South Wales as its new deputy vice-chancellor for research and enterprise later this month.
Her departure comes just months after the CSIRO began consulting on a restructure that will reduce labor and operating costs in its enterprise support services function by 25 per cent over the coming year.
The planned restructure will also involve “immediate changes” to executive functions, including the chief scientist position, a decision that stems from the planned creation of a deputy chief executive role.
“The chief scientist’s position will be refocused from internal line management to one of science engagement and advocacy,” Dr Hilton said in an email disclosed by the CSIRO Staff Association.
Responding to questions about the changes described in media reports as a demotion, Dr Hilton said the agency is “considering really carefully” the future of the role.
“We have… many senior and expert scientists in the organisation, and so what we’re doing is considering whether having a single chief scientist make sense,” he told a spillover Senate Estimates hearing.
Dr Hilton said that one option on the table is having “several people in power to talk on behalf of the organisation on research matters on which they are subject domain experts”.
“We’re really open-minded about it, and the fact that we’re thinking of it is in no way to be interpreted of as a diminution in the importance of research for [the] CSIRO,” he told the Economics committee.
Dr Hilton said consultation on the restructure is ongoing, with no further job cuts identified beyond the 43 research roles in the health and biosecurity business unit revealed at Senate Estimates last month.
He also said there are “no plan as yet” for cuts at CSIRO’s specialist Data61 unit, despite reports that it has already been subject to consultation processes about its budget.
A workforce plan for Data61 is expected in “weeks and months”. The unit is currently “considering their budget and the capability they need”, according to Dr Hilton.
“We think its important to have our non-research side as efficient and effective in supporting the science as possible,” he said responding to broader questions about the restructure.
Dr Hilton said that non-research costs at the agency had grown from 22 per cent to 28 per cent, as a proportion of labour costs, in recent years.
According to the CSIRO’s latest annual report, there were 1,990 staff in Enterprise Support Services (ESS), suggesting that as many as 500 jobs could be on the chopping block.
Asked whether the agency had appealed to the government for new funding ahead of the 2024 federal Budget, Dr Hilton said “no additional requests for funding were made”.
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By Rick Morton. The Saturday Paper, 22 June 2024
Job cuts at the CSIRO will see the agency close two clinical research units and shelve a plan to establish a food research centre in Victoria.
A plan to address a funding cliff at the CSIRO will see management dismantle research teams at sites in South Australia and New South Wales and abandon plans to establish a new innovation centre at a university in Victoria.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, under the new leadership of molecular biologist Professor Doug Hilton, is on a mission to cut labour and operational costs by at least 25 per cent over the next year or risk running out of money.
Current and former employees with knowledge of the plans say researchers and scientists have become collateral damage, however, following years of middle management “bloat”.
At least 400 jobs are expected to be cut across the organisation, although some estimates are as high as 1000 jobs. Professor Hilton has already confirmed 73 of these will be research roles in the health and biosecurity unit and the agriculture and food division.
“We look to refine the capability that we have in those units,” Hilton told Senate estimates on June 5.
“As you would understand, science priorities change and national priorities change, and not all scientists have exactly the same skills, and it’s important to be able to refine the capabilities that we can deploy to the most important problems that the nation faces. There will always be a case for doing that in an ongoing manner.”
The Saturday Paper can confirm the scientific roles are not being replaced and there will only be minimal redeployment under current plans, leading to a net reduction in research output across the agency.
Management is proposing to cut 14 staff from its clinical research trial incubator program across its “purpose-built clinical research facility” at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and at the new medical research clinic at the Westmead health and innovation precinct in Sydney.
The agency’s human health program research director, Erica Bremner Kneipp, wrote to the CSIRO Staff Association in April to advise it that despite “strategic appropriation and revenue relief to support efforts to actively shift and strengthen the portfolio by moving away from small service projects to larger more strategic and enduring opportunities, increasing external revenue”, they were unable to create an “undeniable value proposition”.
“This support has enabled some incremental shifts, but the investment on its own has been insufficient to consolidate capability relative to market need and national priorities and build a sustainable and impactful pipeline,” Bremner Kneipp wrote.
“Notwithstanding efforts to pivot, CSIRO considers that the program structure must evolve to enable this shift in strategic focus, noting the structure cannot be sustained in its current form given the current lack of sufficient opportunities.”
Bremner Kneipp noted changes would lead to a reduction in “nutrition capabilities” among researchers. She added the changes would involve: “Exit from agriculture and food related pre-clinical analytical studies. Exit from clinical trial services including the closure of two units at Westmead and SAHMRI, Adelaide. Exit from biomarker and molecular diagnostics and shift to support non-animal models and biosurveillance [and a] reduction in project management requirements to align with the size of the program.”
The CSIRO had planned to move its Food Innovation Centre from Werribee to La Trobe University, where it would create the Australian Food Innovation Centre. It won a competitive tender process by the university to be its partner, but has now shelved those plans after the idea attracted millions of dollars in investment, including from the Victorian state government.
In March, the CSIRO made an $860,000 “co-contribution” to La Trobe University for the schematic design of the new Australian Food Innovation Centre, which it now does not intend to fully use.
“I think what is especially galling about this is that they’re not just trimming management positions that have sprung up in the last year, they’re going after things like this that have been in the pipeline for a very long time.”
La Trobe told a Senate inquiry the innovation centre was critical to securing the future of Australia’s food industry: “Currently in the agri-food sector, there exists no single solution to address the long-term challenges such as climate change and weather volatility, food security, supply chain resilience and associated health and nutrition outcomes.”
The national science agency said it remained “committed” to the innovation centre but confirmed it would not relocate to La Trobe University.
“CSIRO remains committed to AFIC and its work with La Trobe University (LTU), other tertiary institutions and the broader food industry,” the agency said in a statement.
“This will be done through a distributed model rather than CSIRO relocating to the LTU Bundoora campus.”
One researcher with knowledge of the changed arrangements tells The Saturday Paper the CSIRO budget cuts are significant, organisation-wide and are affecting projects that have been years in the making.
“I think what is especially galling about this is that they’re not just trimming management positions that have sprung up in the last year, they’re going after things like this that have been in the pipeline for a very long time and taken considerable amounts of work to get going,” the researcher says.
“That indicates a much bigger problem.”
During the pandemic the then Morrison government provided the CSIRO with hundreds of millions of dollars in additional funding as a lifeline designed to cushion against the loss of external revenue. That money has now been wound back and Labor has cut the agency’s funding by almost $100 million.
According to senior employees, both past and current, there was a view within the CSIRO that despite the acknowledgement of a “funding cliff” there was no need to constrain costs because the government would pick up the tab. That has not happened.
Another source says the executive team was warned about financial issues at the agency but “sat on their hands” and now the required cuts were wider, deeper and being implemented by a new chief executive who was simultaneously trying to reshape the CSIRO.
While most of the job losses will be from so-called shared services – corporate functions that support the rest of the organisation – this is largely being done through increased centralisation and removing support roles from different units, including scientific and research units.
Will that make their work harder? “I hope not, but my fear is that it will,” a source says.
The CSIRO section secretary at the Community and Public Sector Union, Susan Tonks, told The Saturday Paper the cuts would impact the country’s preparations for major challenges.
“If we want to be a country that can respond to the big national challenges we are facing such as AI, the environment and biosecurity, we need the CSIRO to be adequately resourced, not gutted,” she said.
“But it is hard to know what sort of consequences we are looking at, when the plan for our national science agency is being hidden by the CSIRO executive.
“Staff were advised of extensive cuts on multiple occasions earlier this year, but as soon as the union shone a light on what was happening and the poor way it was being done, Dr Hilton and his plans went to ground.”
One example is the digital specialists at Data61, a unit of CSIRO that has for months been subject to what the union calls “confusing” consultation processes about its budget and need to achieve sustainability.
In March, some staff were told to expect losses in the order of 130 roles, a figure that has since decreased to 112. However, when ACT independent Senator David Pocock asked about the potential for cuts at Data61 during Senate estimates on June 5, he was told otherwise.
“There are no plans yet for Data61,” Hilton said.
At a scheduled workshop session less than a fortnight later staff were told about the need for “problem-solving” and discussed funding shortfalls, but managers were less forthcoming about potential job cuts.
“Staff have now been left in limbo, particularly in areas such as Data61, where they were told restructures, redundancies and job losses were coming their way,” Tonks said.
“However, they then heard Dr Hilton tell Senator David Pocock that wasn’t the case in a Senate estimates hearing. Dr Hilton has a list of planned job cuts he is sitting on, and it is causing widespread anxiety amongst the organisation he is meant to be leading.
“The least he could do is communicate and be honest with staff and the country about what he is doing and why he is doing it.”
In response to questions from The Saturday Paper requesting clarity on the subject, a spokesperson for the CSIRO said it “does not currently have a workplace change plan for Data61”.
“Data61, like all of CSIRO’s research units, is undertaking strategic budget planning to ensure we have the right scale and scientific capability in place to deliver against national priorities,” the spokesperson said.
“CSIRO has begun engaging staff through a series of sessions around future budget planning and is exploring options to mitigate potential impact on staff, such as by increasing external revenue and reducing operating expenditure.”
The agency is currently in the process of redeploying some staff where it can find new roles for them but anticipates redundancies will begin in August and run through until the end of September.
Senator Pocock told The Saturday Paper the “CSIRO does invaluable work and its researchers are one of the most powerful resources we have to understand and deal with some of the biggest challenges we face”.
“Reports of staff cuts or reductions in budget are always concerning and is something I’m continuing to dig into further,” he said. “We need more rather than less investment in research from both government and the private sector.”
In his March email to staff advising of proposed changes, Hilton led with the restructure of the executive, which would introduce new roles, disband others and shift responsibilities across the team.
“While there have been cost increases across all CSIRO, a disproportionate part of this growth has been in Enterprise Services,” he said.
“Although efforts have been made to reduce costs, we have not been successful to date and it is clear that the current and projected costs for Enterprise Services cannot be sustained.
“We need to address this through prudent action and ongoing operating discipline for both Enterprise Support and our science areas.”
As part of the shift, the chief scientist position at the agency would be “refocussed from internal line management to one of science engagement and advocacy”.
The note said management functions, critical in a science organisation, would now be devolved to a deputy chief executive and the chief scientist would report to them on matters of science impact and policy. This is effectively a demotion for the chief scientist.
A spokesperson for the CSIRO said no final decisions had been made about the rest of the proposed changes at the agency.
“Australia needs a strong, vibrant, and financially sustainable national science agency that maximises its research investment to increase impact for the nation,” they said.
“CSIRO’s focus is firmly on ensuring staff are informed, consulted, and supported throughout these changes, and has robust processes in place to support this. The wellbeing of our staff is our priority, and we are providing a range of services to our staff to support them through this period.”
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By Emma Alsop. Grain Central, 17 June 2024
CSIRO has confirmed that at least 30 research jobs are on the chopping block from the agency’s Agriculture and Food division, as the organisation seeks to cut costs across the board.
These job cuts come alongside five more staff losses in the Manufacturing unit, 43 in the Health and Biosecurity team and an unspecified number from Enterprise Support Services, which features finance, human resource, business development, and commercialisation positions.
The CSIRO Staff Association has estimated that about 500 jobs across the agency could be cut out of a total workforce of 5000.
During Senate Estimates earlier this month, CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton said the cuts were part of the agency assessing the capability across its units.
“Science changes and the capability that we have across all of our business units has to change with changing times,” Dr Hilton said.
Dr Hilton said consultations were ongoing, and no decision had been made about the number of job losses to the ESS team.
He also confirmed cuts to Agriculture and Food and Manufacturing would hit research staff.
“Science priorities change, national priorities change, and not all scientists have exactly the same skills.
“It is important to be able to refine the capabilities that we can deploy to the most important problems that the nation faces and there will always be a case for doing that in an ongoing manner.
“We want to make sure that we have the programs that we believe are going to be most impactful and that requires us to, overtime, change the mix of scientists we have.”
Independent Senator David Pocock said the CSIRO job cuts were “clearly a funding issue at a time where we are at a record low research and development as a percentage of GDP”.
“Climate change is going to totally reshape our food system and yet we are hearing that we are losing researchers,” Mr Pocock said.
Assistant Minister for Trade and Assistant Minister for Manufacturing Senator Tim Ayres told Senate Estimates that the government was aware of the situation and had met with the CSIRO Staff Association.
He also highlighted that the CSIRO was “independent of government”.
“The statement of expectations that the Minister has issued to the CSIRO makes it very clear that all of the steps that you would expect to be undertaken to ensure staff are appropriately informed and consulted should be undertaken by the CSIRO,” Mr Ayres said.
Agency restructure
The job losses stem from a restructuring under way at CSIRO designed to streamline operations and cut costs of ESS by 25 percent by 2025-26.
Initially, staff were told the changes would by “limited”, but in April, Dr Hilton revealed jobs would be lost from ESS as well as researcher and scientist roles from other units.
This was followed by the news that several programs and services under the Health and Biosecurity division would be reduced or cut.
These include stopping clinical trial services at Westmead in Sydney, and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, and decreasing or exiting research into nutrition capabilities, agriculture and food related pre-clinical analytical studies, and biomarker and molecular diagnostics.
In a letter to staff dated April 30, Agriculture and Food director Michael Robinson said the team had been “refining its priorities for future impact, while at the same time managing the workforce required against our budget”.
He said the positions would be impacted as the organisation looks to put more resources into areas “that focus on transformational science that effect step change within the agriculture and food sectors, as described in the Food Security and Quality Challenge”.
It is unclear which programs and staff will be impacted by the restructure.
The Food and Security Quality Challenge includes the goal of growing the “triple bottom line value of Australia’s agrifood and fibre industries” via developing high-value foods and feeds, sustainable and trusted value chains, and improved crops and animals.
Programs under the framework include the Drought Resilience Mission, the Future Protein Mission, Trusted Agrifood Mission and the Immune Resilience FSP.
CSIRO budget cuts
The foreshadowed job and program losses come as May’s Federal Government Budget allocated less funding for CSIRO than the previous financial year.
CSIRO is set to receive $1.653 billion in 2024-25 from government and external sources, down from the 2023-24 actual outcome of $1.679B.
In total, $916.46 million will come from government funds, compared to $686.67M from external sources, most of which will be the sale of goods and services.
This is a drop of over $90M on 2023-24 government allocations.
Employee expenses are also set to decline from 2023-24 and continue to reduce every financial year to 2027-28.
Despite the cut in expenses, CSIRO’s overall financial position is projected to have a bleak future.
In 2024-25, CSIRO is expected to report a profit of $213.4M, due primarily to the sale of assets equalling $262.3M, followed by losses for the three subsequent financial years of $62.6M, $54.3M and $39.4M.
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By Miriam Webber. Canberra Times, 6 June 2024
The head of Australia’s science agency has refused to “speculate” on the total number of job cuts expected, as the union warns hundreds of jobs could be on the line.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in April confirmed to The Canberra Times it was planning to cut jobs across two different areas, citing “a need to simplify”.
It was later revealed that CSIRO offered webinars to staff facing job cuts on how to channel their feelings “in a more helpful way”.
Consultation is ongoing, but the union for CSIRO staff fears up to 400 jobs could be cut from the enterprise services division, with the agency acknowledging it will need to bring labour and operating costs down 25 per cent by July 2025.
This affects those working in IT, HR, communications, business development, facilities management and finance roles.
Asked about the cuts to this area in Senate estimates on Thursday evening, CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton said it would not be appropriate to speculate while consultation was ongoing.
About 70 research positions are also likely to be cut from other areas, including health and biosecurity (40), agriculture and food (30) and manufacturing (five).
Dr Hilton said the agency was looking “to refine the capability that we have”.
“As you would understand, science priorities change, national priorities change, and not all scientists have exactly the same skills,” Dr Hilton said in response to a question from independent senator David Pocock.
“And it’s important to be able to refine the capabilities that we can deploy to the most important problems that the nation faces.”
‘Minister, can I ask you what’s going on here?’
While Dr Hilton referenced ongoing consultation with the CSIRO Staff Association – a section of the Community and Public Sector Union – the union says its members have reflected sourly on the process.
A snap poll of 658 members found only 12 per cent thought the executive was engaging in meaningful and genuine consultation.
Senator Pocock questioned Assistant Minister for Trade Tim Ayres, who appeared for the Industry Minister in the estimates hearing, over Labor’s commitment to scientific research.
“Minister, can I ask you what’s going on here?” Senator Pocock asked, indicating that job cuts were “clearly a funding issue”.
“We’re hearing from the CSIRO, the much loved and respected CSIRO, that they are cutting dozens of researchers at a time when arguably we couldn’t be facing more challenges as a country?”
Senator Ayres responded that funding for CSIRO had “stayed relatively static” and said he “would be very surprised” if the agency was making cuts to priority areas.
Funded positions for the agency did drop in the May 2024 budget by 143 (Average Staffing Level).
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By Sarah Basford Canales. Guardian Australia, 5 June 2024
Hundreds of jobs at CSIRO are under threat as part of the national science agency’s plans to make Australian research more “sustainable” in the future.
The public sector union expects more than 500 jobs across corporate services and some research units to be cut in the coming months, while warning the “gutting” of CSIRO could mean hundreds more might be on the horizon.
A majority of the redundancies are expected to target some of the 1,600 support roles within the agency’s ESS unit, covering finance, business development, commercialisation, health and safety, and human resources.
But cuts to the health and biosecurity team will also leave the future of a newly built million-dollar research facility in Sydney’s Westmead in the balance as CSIRO reviews its national “property footprint”.
A spokesperson for CSIRO said the agency had identified the unit’s budget needed to be reduced by 25% from the next financial year, in order to “reduce costs, complexity and duplication” in delivering research.
The Community and Public Sector Union believes the 25% reduction in costs could result in more than 400 jobs alone being cut from the section.
CSIRO’s spokesperson said the final number of roles to be cut is still under consideration.
“While we are expecting reductions in headcount, this is not yet quantified due to the interplay between operating and labour costs,” the spokesperson said.
“These changes to Enterprise Services are being proposed to ensure CSIRO can direct our resources to increase research impact for the community for the years and decades ahead.”
Roles will also be slashed across other research units, including agriculture and food, and the agency’s data and digital specialist arm, Data61.
The May federal budget papers show the national science agency will receive $916.5m for 2024-25, a $92m decrease in funding from the previous year’s $1bn.
CSIRO will also need to raise an additional $66m in revenue across the financial year, which it primarily does through joint research projects.
A spokesperson said the drop in resources was “expected, reflecting whole of government savings measures and the conclusion of ‘safety net’ funding” provided during Covid-19 pandemic.
The future of the agency’s Westmead facility, which houses health and biosecurity staff, is also in question as a result of the cuts. The federal government’s AusTender site says the workplace’s setup cost taxpayers $4.3m, with the contract ending in May 2023.
The unit’s director, the former Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton, described the Human Health program’s restructure in an April email to his staff as a “difficult decision”.
The CPSU’s CSIRO section secretary, Susan Tonks, said the agency’s 6,000 or so staff were “in shock” about the overhaul, which could “have very real consequences for the future of science in our country.”
“If we want to be a country that can respond to the big national challenges we are facing such as AI, the environment and biosecurity, we need the CSIRO to be adequately resourced, not gutted,” Tonks said.
“Management needs to be honest with staff and the country about their plans for our national science agency.”
A union-run survey of 658 staff last month found 67% of those who responded felt staff morale was worse since the downsizing was announced. Less than a third felt it was the about the same.
About 65% felt the job cuts would impact CSIRO’s ability to put out good research and support Australian industries.
“Less support staff means more work for an already stretched research workforce,” one anonymised respondent wrote.
Staff affected by the cuts to their teams told Guardian Australia under the condition of anonymity they felt blindsided by management’s decisions to downsize.
CSIRO’s spokesperson said the “wellbeing of our staff is our priority”.
“CSIRO’s focus is firmly on ensuring staff are informed, consulted and supported throughout these changes, and has robust processes in place to support this,” they said.
A spokesperson for the science minister, Ed Husic, said any workforce decisions are for CSIRO to make as an independent agency.
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By Miriam Webber. Canberra Times, 1 May 2024
The national science agency offered webinars to staff staring down potential job cuts on how to channel their feelings “in a more helpful way”.
CSIRO has told staff it is considering cuts to about 70 jobs following reviews of two separate areas, but its union fears a broader restructure will put more than 400 jobs on the line.
The agency says it has not made any decisions, but is consulting employees on potential cuts to 40 jobs from the health and biosecurity area, and a further 30 from the agriculture and business unit.
Some affected positions will be from projects which have concluded, and reductions could be made through redundancies, redeployment and cessation of contracts.
But it is anticipated a review of the enterprise services area could have a much more significant impact. This would affect people working in IT, HR, communications, business development, facilities management and finance roles.
CSIRO has not said how many positions could be slashed from enterprise services, but has acknowledged it will need to bring labour and operating costs down 25 per cent by July 2025.
The Canberra Times also understands the agency offered several webinar sessions for affected staff throughout April, run by its employee assistance program provider.
The sessions, which coincided with the ongoing restructure, were focused on dealing with uncertainty, and were promoted to staff as offering various supports and strategies.
Material provided to staff on the session said they would cover “how to channel thoughts, feelings and behaviours in a more helpful way”
There were also tips to “get our energy back”, and directions on where to receive support.
Asked about the webinars, a spokesperson for the agency said, “CSIRO’s focus is firmly on ensuring staff are informed, consulted, and supported through these change processes”.
The CSIRO Staff Association – a section of the Community and Public Sector Union – wrote to Science Minister Ed Husic on April 24, 2024, requesting a meeting and expressing deep concerns about the changes.
“A 25% cut could greatly damage the CSIRO and their ability to continue with critical science and research programs,” the union’s section secretary Susan Tonks wrote in the letter, seen by The Canberra Times.
“Our members are deeply concerned by the lack of transparency and certainty for CSIRO staff in the Enterprise Support Services [ESS] team.”
The Canberra Times has contacted Minister Husic’s office for comment.
The CSIRO spokesperson said it is acting in accordance with its enterprise agreement and “good practice”.
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By Miriam Webber. Canberra Times, 25 April 2024
The CSIRO is considering cutting jobs across two different areas, saying it is focused on “a strong, vibrant, and financially stable national science agency”.
A spokesperson for the agency, which employed about 6300 people in the 2022-23 financial year, confirmed two separate reviews could lead to cuts, but “no decisions have been made”.
Responding to questions about potential changes, they said, “Australia needs a strong, vibrant, and financially stable national science agency that maximises research investment to deliver the best possible impact to the nation.”
The first review dealt with jobs in corporate functions such as IT, HR, communications, business development, facilities management and finance.
The spokesperson said this review has “shown a need to simplify – to reduce complexity and address duplication and the cost to support the delivery of research”.
The labour and operating costs of these areas – known as enterprise services – will need to be reduced by 25 per cent by the end of the 2025-26 financial year.
While “some reductions are expected”, the number of jobs affected is not yet known.
Second review could lead to cuts elsewhere
Elsewhere, about 40 positions could be cut, through the cessation of term contracts, redeployment, or redundancies.
This affects the Human Health program in CSIRO’s Health & Biosecurity area.
Proposed changes would “enable a stronger focus on disease prevention, preparedness, and response,” the spokesperson said.
“Consultation in relation to these proposed changes is underway and expected to close in May.”
“No decisions have been made and CSIRO has robust processes to ensure staff are informed, consulted, and supported through these change processes.”
It is understood the decisions have been made by the agency.
The office of Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic declined to comment.