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IN BRIEF
- Almost 100 roles in the environmental research unit will be impacted, with 86 being made redundant.
- To remain financially stable, the organisation would require an additional $135 million each year until 2036.
Australia’s premier science institution has stood by its capability to execute cutting-edge research and technological advancements, even as it faces notable staff reductions.
In November, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) announced plans to cut up to 350 research positions, attributing the decision to increasing operational costs in the scientific arena.
Initially, it was anticipated that nearly half of these cuts would target the agency’s environmental research division, which encompasses studies related to climate adaptation.
However, during a budget estimates session on Tuesday evening, agency leaders clarified that 92 individuals from this unit have been impacted, with 86 of those roles set for elimination.
Elanor Huntington, CSIRO’s acting chief executive, noted there has been a shift in the “composition” regarding the job reductions.
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“We’ve received a very significant amount of feedback through that process, all of which we’ve read and thought about very carefully,” she told the public hearing.
“We have a six-stage major change process. We have now reached step five … we have confirmed with all of the affected research units the final sets of changes.”
Huntington said the organisation would need to source an additional $135 million each year over the next decade to remain financially sustainable.
The cuts attracted widespread criticism, including from senior climate scientists and experts internationally, who claimed the CSIRO’s science capability would be severely impacted.
Peter Mayfield, CSIRO’s executive director for environment, said management had been “very careful” with where reductions were made.
He said the agency remained confident it could meet the obligations for a key project providing projections on climate change.
“We’re not walking away from anything. We’re actively trying to make sure we do well around climate science,” Mayfield said.
The federal budget handed down in May set aside more than $387 million for the CSIRO over the next four years.
The Community and Public Sector Union warned the extra funding was not enough to stop the science agency from shedding staff.
Since February 2024, 1,150 jobs have been cut from the CSIRO, union secretary Susan Tonks previously said.
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