CSIRO staff have requested Minister Ed Husic's urgent intervention to stop the widespread job cuts that are being rolled out across their organisation and save the CSIRO.
CEO Doug Hilton has repeatedly refused to listen to staff concerns and employee confidence in the strategic direction of CSIRO is collapsing.
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.
The cuts announced to date include:
- Approximately 400+ jobs from Enterprise Services
- 43 jobs from Health and Biosecurity (human health)
- 30 jobs from Agriculture & Food
- 5 jobs from Manufacturing
- 120 jobs from Data61
- And it is rumoured that 65 jobs from Environment are set to go
The cuts to health and biosecurity (human health) are in their final stages. 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 program which produces new generation allergen free, egg white products for families.
A recent Staff Association snap poll unsurprisingly revealed plummeting morale throughout the organisation and concerns over Australia's ongoing research capability.
Quotes attributable to Susan Tonks, CSIRO Section Secretary:
"The CSIRO is hurting right now as CEO Doug Hilton pushes ahead with his widespread cuts to jobs, research and support services across the organisation.
"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.
