CSIRO Jobs Crisis: Scientists Fight for Funding and Future in Parliament

CSIRO Staff Take Action in Parliament

CSIRO staff have brought their concerns to Parliament House this week, urging the Federal Government to commit to long-term funding for Australia's peak science agency to secure jobs.

Job Losses and Organizational Reshaping

The national science agency has lost over 800 jobs in the past 18 months, with more expected as part of a "reshaping" initiative. In September, CSIRO management held a four-day workshop to determine the future direction of portfolios and staffing levels, though they denied allegations that the meetings were designed to pit sections against each other.

Union Advocacy and Calls for Government Intervention

Amid ongoing uncertainty, the CSIRO Staff Association, part of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), is directly appealing to top decision-makers. They are calling for the Federal Government to stop the cuts and provide adequate funding to sustain world-leading science and research.

Susan Tonks, secretary of the staff association, highlighted that these cuts occur as Australia's investment in publicly funded science hits historically low levels. Recent Parliamentary Library research shows CSIRO funding as a percentage of GDP is declining.

"We are at Parliament House this week making the case for the future of the CSIRO directly to decision makers," Tonks said. "This is about ensuring they understand what’s at stake for their communities and for the nation if the future of publicly funded science is not protected and invested in."

She emphasized that CSIRO is the backbone of Australia’s scientific capability, and the cuts threaten critical research areas like climate resilience, health, and food security.

Glasshouse Reconstruction Costs

In a related development, CSIRO disclosed that replacing the Black Mountain greenhouse laboratories, severely damaged in the 2020 Canberra hailstorms, will cost $37.9 million (excluding GST). A $6.7 million indemnity settlement will cover part of this expense.

CSIRO has presented three options to Parliament's joint public works standing committee, favoring one with an accelerated delivery timeframe to quickly restore essential research capabilities. The hailstorm destroyed about 5000 square metres of greenhouses, resulting in an 80% loss of greenhouse capacity crucial for scientific, agricultural, and biosecurity research.

A public hearing has been scheduled with CSIRO executives and project consultants to discuss the redevelopment plans.

Hailstorms in 2020 destroyed much of CSIRO’s Black Mountain glasshouses. Photo: Kitty Sparks.