Extract from ABC News
Updated
The Federal Opposition has criticised the CSIRO for
pre-empting the government's commission of audit and slashing hundreds
of jobs from the scientific research agency.
The CSIRO cut another
300 jobs on Friday ahead of expected funding cuts in the May budget,
which the Government is warning will cause pain to all Australians.It brings the number of CSIRO staff who have lost their jobs in the past financial year to 700, which the Community and Public Sector Union says amounts to 10 per cent of the organisation's staff.
Labor's science spokesman, Kim Carr, who was also the minister in the former government, says management should not be sacking staff before the budget is handed down.
"My understanding is that they're responding to political signals from the audit commission," Senator Carr told the ABC's Capital Hill.
"My understanding is that the CSIRO management takes the view that they're preparing for these changes.
"I think it's incredibly short-sighted by the CSIRO management to undertake these sorts of discussions at this point, because frankly the CSIRO can't afford to have these sorts of cuts."
A spokesperson for Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane is not ruling in or out cuts to the CSIRO's funding, saying the budget will be "tough" but "fair".
"Management of day-to-day matters, including staffing, are an issue for the CSIRO," the spokesperson said.
Senator Carr believes climate change research will be "in the gun".
"We know that the CSIRO is planning to get rid of their flagship in climate change," he said.
CSIRO chairman Simon McKeon says he has no confirmation that the agency's funding will be cut.
"We simply don't know," Mr McKeon told the ABC's AM program.
But he has cautioned the Government against slashing science research because the private sector's investment in the sector is relatively small compared to other countries.
"We're not unfortunately a country that has a private sector that invests enough in research and development," he said.
"Accordingly, we've had decades and decades where an organisation like CSIRO has, if you like, filled the gap to a fairly significant extent.
"So the Government knows we're very keen to minimise any cuts."
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