‘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).
Up to 500 jobs to be cut from CSIRO administration – Interview with Susan Tonks, Secretary CSIRO Staff Association – ABC News 24, Wednesday 21 August 2024 (video, text below).
Bin to the future – With electric vehicles on the rise and large-scale energy storage projects proliferating across the country, the volume of lithium-ion batteries reaching end-of-life is set to skyrocket in the coming years. Developing a robust domestic battery recycling industry is not just an environmental imperative, but a critical economic and national security priority for Australia, according to Dr. Yanyan Zhao, CSIRO research scientist… Ecogneration, 23 August 2024 (link, text below).
$1.3M NHMRC Grant to Enhance Indigenous Health – A collaborative research project led by QUT and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS) Brisbane has been awarded $1,332,594.60 in funding through the 2023 NHMRC Partnerships Projects program. Engendering agency in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander community health through responsive practice is a four-year program of work that aims to develop, implement and evaluate the impact of culturally appropriate, scalable tools for reflective practice in community-controlled health… Mirage News, 22 August 2024 (link, text below).
CSIRO invites startups and SMEs for India-Australia RISE Accelerator – Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is calling on startups and small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with innovative agritech solutions to apply for the India Australia Rapid Innovation Startup Expansion (RISE) Accelerator. This program is specifically designed to support businesses seeking to expand their operations between the two nations… Indian Sun, 21 August 2024 (link, text only).
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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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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 Zihan Zhang. Ecogneration, 23 August 2024.
With electric vehicles on the rise and large-scale energy storage projects proliferating across the country, the volume of lithium-ion batteries reaching end-of-life is set to skyrocket in the coming years.
Developing a robust domestic battery recycling industry is not just an environmental imperative, but a critical economic and national security priority for Australia, according to Dr. Yanyan Zhao, research scientist at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) who specialise in lithium-ion battery recycling technologies.
The urgent call
Australia is already a global leader in lithium production, supplying over 50 per cent of the world’s lithium, but as demand for batteries continues to surge, recycling will become an increasingly important complement to mining in securing supplies of critical battery materials.
According to Zhao, recycling spent batteries requires far less raw material than mining to produce the same amount of lithium and other valuable metals.
“To extract one tonne of lithium from brine in North America, you need nearly 750 tonnes of raw material. From Australian lithium mines, it’s around 250 tonnes of ore. But from recycled lithium-ion batteries, you only need 28 tonnes to produce one tonne of lithium,” Zhao said.
This efficiency makes urban mining of spent batteries an extremely attractive proposition as the world seeks to meet exploding demand for battery materials.
Beyond the economic incentives, developing domestic recycling capabilities is crucial for Australia’s resource security and sovereignty.
“For national security, it’s beneficial to have our own battery value chain. In the future, energy will heavily rely on renewable sources, which are not always stable. Batteries are an important element of the energy transition journey. If we purely rely on other countries to provide batteries for us, we lose our national security,” Zhao said.
Current challenges
Despite the clear need, Australia’s battery recycling infrastructure remains underdeveloped compared to other major economies.
Zhao pointed out that there are currently no commercial-scale battery recycling facilities in Australia capable of extracting and recovering the valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries.
While there are a handful of facilities that can sort and shred batteries, the “black mass” (the shredded, processed mixture of valuable metals from lithium-ion batteries) they produced must still be shipped overseas for further processing and metal recovery.
This lack of domestic processing capacity means Australia is missing out on capturing the full value of its battery waste stream.
It also increases the environmental footprint of recycling, as batteries must be transported long distances for processing.
“The current volume of spent lithium-ion batteries in Australia is still relatively low, making it difficult to achieve the economies of scale needed for profitable recycling operations,” Zhao said.
On the other end, establishing a full-scale battery recycling facility with metal extraction capabilities in Australia sounds like a difficult task, as it requires significant upfront investment, which can be prohibitive for start-ups and smaller companies.
Unlike some other countries, Australia hasn’t got to the stage of having policies in place to prevent the export of spent lithium ion batteries or providing strong incentivise domestic recycling.
Zhao said that companies interested in establishing recycling operations face unclear and inconsistent regulations across different states, creating barriers to entry.
Innovative solutions
Despite these challenges, researchers like Zhao are developing innovative technologies that could help jumpstart Australia’s battery recycling industry.
One promising area of focus is the recovery of battery electrolyte salts, a critical and valuable component that is often overlooked in current recycling processes.
Zhao’s team at CSIRO has developed a novel technology to recover these salts in a pure form at the very beginning of the recycling process that can be used for making new batteries.
Traditional methods of battery recycling create considerable amounts of toxic waste and would damage equipment severely with the acid it generates, which all add a lot of costs to the recycling company.
But Zhao’s new technology not only creates an additional high-value product stream, but also eliminates many of the downstream processing challenges caused by electrolyte decomposition.
“If battery recycling processes can retrofit this technology at the front end, the total operating cost can be reduced by around 30 per cent,” Zhao said.
This type of innovation could significantly improve the economics of battery recycling in Australia while also reducing environmental impacts.
Zhao pointed out other areas of technological development include advanced battery discharging, battery reuse systems, dry shredding under nitrogen blanket, as well as more environmentally friendly hydrometallurgical processes (which use aqueous solutions to extract metals from ores or wastes) for metal extraction and graphite recovery.
Advances in these areas will be critical for establishing a world-class battery recycling industry in Australia.
The path forward
To fully capitalise on the opportunities presented by battery recycling, Australia will need a coordinated effort from government, industry, and research institutions.
According to Zhao, the government should consider implementing policies to encourage domestic recycling and discourage the export of spent batteries.
This could include landfill bans, recycled content requirements for new batteries, and financial incentives for recyclers.
Regulatory clarity is also essential, as clear, consistent regulations for battery recycling operations across all states would reduce barriers to entry for new recycling ventures.
Zhao also called for more investments in research, as this would be crucial for continuing to develop cost-effective and environmentally friendly recycling processes.
While developing domestic capabilities is crucial, Australia could also seek to collaborate with other clean energy leaders like Europe, the United States and China to share knowledge and best practices in battery recycling.
By taking these steps, Australia can position itself as a leader in sustainable battery technology, creating new economic opportunities while supporting its transition to renewable energy.
“Battery recycling is complementary to the mining industry. For the next couple of decades, we’ll still need to mine those metals to meet rapid growing demand,” Zhao said.
“But after a few decades, when everyone has an electric vehicle and demand stabilises, we’ll be able to recycle batteries to supply most of materials for making new ones.”
The time to act is now
Zhao further explained that with those major energy storage projects launched in 2017-2018 approaching the end of their lifespan, and electric vehicle adoption accelerating, Australia will soon face a wave of spent batteries requiring responsible management.
“By investing in domestic recycling capabilities today, we can turn this impending waste challenge into an opportunity for innovation, job creation, and enhanced resource security,” She said.
“Battery recycling is not just about managing waste – it’s about securing Australia’s place in the clean energy economy of the future.”
“With the right investments and policy support, Australia can build on its strengths as a battery mineral powerhouse to become a global leader in sustainable, closed-loop battery production and recycling.”
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Mirage News, 22 August 2024
A collaborative research project led by QUT and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS) Brisbane has been awarded $1,332,594.60 in funding through the 2023 NHMRC Partnerships Projects program.
Engendering agency in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander community health through responsive practice is a four-year program of work that aims to develop, implement and evaluate the impact of culturally appropriate, scalable tools for reflective practice in community-controlled health.
These tools will allow practitioners to foster agency among consumers and allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients greater control over their health and wellbeing needs.
The project’s co-lead, QUT Professor Steven McPhail, from the Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation & Centre for Healthcare Transformation and the School of Public Health and Social Work, said the evidence generated through this partnership would provide helpful information for community-controlled services across Australia, guiding service delivery that would lead to increased agency of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“The inspiration for this research program was seeded and developed within ATSICHS Brisbane,” Professor McPhail said.
“Engagement with, and empowerment of, community is the bedrock of the organisation’s service delivery and something we thought was really worth investigating further.”
ATSICHS Brisbane Community Services General Manager and project co-lead, Raymond Brunker is a proud Maramanindji man and a driving force behind the project.
“ATSICHS Brisbane opened its doors more than 50 years ago with a vision to provide community members with a means to play a more direct role in their own health and wellbeing,” Mr Brunker said.
“This project builds on that vision of our co-founders by ensuring that our clients feel a sense of agency in every encounter with our service.
“We’ll do this by using culturally appropriate tools, mob-led implementation approaches and reflective practice that will engender a sense of cultural safety within our service delivery.”
The project features three key aims to understand agency among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, develop a scalable model of care that incorporates consumer feedback, and conduct a culturally appropriate evaluation of the implementation of the project objectives.
(Main image, left to right: Dr Jonathan Leitch (ATSICHS), Dr Michelle Allen (QUT), Dr Bernadette-Hyland-Wood (QUT)), Professor Steven McPhail (QUT), Becki Cook (QUT), Associate Professor Zephanie Tyack (QUT), Raymond Brunker (ATSICHS), Distinguished Professor Kerrie Mengersen (QUT), Jarryd Aleckson (ATSICHS).
Inset, left to right: Andrew Goodman (CSIRO), Professor Anne Chang (QUT), Renee Blackman (ATSICHS), Jody Currie (QUT), Dr Alexia Rohde (QUT), Dr Stephen Corporal (QUT).)
The researchers and partners are:
Chief investigators: Professor McPhail, Mr Brunker from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Brisbane; Professor Kerrie Mengersen from QUT’s Centre for Data Science and School of Mathematical Sciences; Professor Anne Chang and Associate Professor Zephanie Tyack from QUT’s Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, School of Public Health and Social Work; Yugambeh woman and QUT Professor of Practice, Indigenous Health, Jody Currie; proud Aboriginal man from Iningai country, Dr Andrew Goodman from CSIRO Australian e-Health Research Centre; proud member of the Gubbi Gubbi (Kabi Kabi) nation, Renee Blackman, CEO of ATSICHS Brisbane.
Associate investigators: Jarryd Aleckson and Dr Jonathan Leitch from ATSICHS; Dr Bernadette Hyland-Wood from QUT’s School of Communication; Dr Alexia Rohde from QUT Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation and School of Public Health and Social Work; Dr Stephen Corporal visiting fellow, QUT’s Centre for Data Science.
Other QUT researchers: Dr Michelle Allen from School of Public Health and Social Work, Nunukul Aboriginal woman Becki Cook from School of Mathematical Sciences.
Funding partners: ATSICHS Brisbane; Queensland Family and Child Commission; CSIRO Australian e-Health Research Centre; Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association; Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak; Queensland Council of Social Service and Deeble Institute.
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Indian Sun, 21 August 2024.
Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is calling on startups and small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with innovative agritech solutions to apply for the India Australia Rapid Innovation Startup Expansion (RISE) Accelerator.
This program is specifically designed to support businesses seeking to expand their operations between the two nations.
Starting in October, the Climate Smart Agritech cohort of the RISE Accelerator will concentrate on businesses developing technologies and solutions that improve agricultural productivity and resilience in response to increasing climate variability, resource scarcity, and food insecurity.
The program is particularly keen to engage startups and SMEs offering solutions that address the needs, priorities, and practices of farmers.
Launched in 2023, the RISE Accelerator aids startups and SMEs by helping them validate, adapt, and pilot their technologies in new markets. It also facilitates connections with potential partners and customers, increasing their chances of success.
Tamara Ogilvie, Director of CSIRO’s RISE Accelerator program, noted that participants will be chosen based on the scalability, deployability, and innovation of their agritech solutions for the target country.
“Our agricultural contexts share some commonalities, but the scale of farming operations and farmer livelihoods are very unique,” Ogilvie said.
“Through this program, participants can quickly integrate into overseas innovation ecosystems they might not otherwise access, helping them achieve product-market fit for their technologies.”
Over the course of nine months, participants will benefit from both self-paced online and in-person learning sessions, including in-country travel to gain deeper market insights. Additionally, they will receive one-on-one coaching and mentorship from industry professionals.
Naomi Vowels, co-founder of givvable and a participant in the current circular economy cohort of the RISE program, emphasized the value of the program’s Immersion Weeks, which involve one week of intensive learning, site visits, and networking in Australia, followed by another in India.
“Travelling to India has reinforced the immense value of face-to-face interactions. It’s a fantastic way for us, as an Australian business, to understand our market and connect with our customers,” Vowels said.
The RISE Accelerator, established under the Australian Government’s India Economic Strategy 2022, is focused on addressing global challenges, particularly climate and environmental issues.
The program’s latest round seeks innovative solutions to critical agricultural challenges, including enhancing productivity, reducing emissions, and optimizing natural resource use.
Dr Rose Roche, Lead of CSIRO’s Ag2050 Program, emphasised the importance of continuous innovation in ensuring profitable, productive, and sustainable farming systems for the future.
“To support national economies and farmer livelihoods, we need to develop and scale innovative solutions in land use and food security that are suited to our changing climate and growing global population,” Roche said.
“Collaboration and supporting startups and SMEs in accelerating their solutions are critical, as their agility and creativity often lead to groundbreaking innovations.”
Applications for the RISE Accelerator program close on Sunday, 15 September 2024.
Participation in the program is free for startups, with several opportunities to travel between Australia and India. Additionally, participating startups may be eligible for non-equity grants of up to A$75,000.
The India Australia Rapid Innovation and Startup Expansion (RISE) Accelerator is a partnership between CSIRO and the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog India’s flagship initiative to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.
