CSIRO Executives To Face Fresh Scrutiny Over Planned Cuts To Climate Science

Fairfax - Peter Hannam

CSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall is expected to face another grilling over the plans to cut 350 scientists. Photo: Daniel Munoz

CSIRO executives are likely to face another grilling over their plans to lop 350 jobs, including many climate scientists, with a Senate committee planning a fresh inquiry next month.
Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson will use the scrutiny of budget measures committee that he heads to dig deeper into the strategy behind the cuts – announced on February 4 – at a special hearing "as soon as possible" in Hobart.
"This will give the scientific community and other stakeholders a chance to make submissions," the Tasmanian senator told Fairfax Media.
"Evidence to date suggests the decision was made with little insight or understanding of its consequences."
The Senate also turned the heat up further on CSIRO management on Wednesday by passing an order for the production of documents proposed by deputy Greens leader Larissa Waters.
CSIRO executives will have to provide a series of documents by no later than March 3, including internal communications that saw a proposed cut of about 35 staff to two key climate units doing monitoring and model work swell to almost triple that figure within about a month over Christmas.
The race may be tight, though, with staff in Ocean and Atmosphere and the Land and Water divisions told in separate meetings this week that staff to be made redundant will be informed by March 14, a senior scientist told Fairfax Media.
Fairfax Media sought comment on the Senate moves from CSIRO.
At Senate estimates earlier this month, chief executive Larry Marshall said the two units within the Oceans and Atmosphere division would eventually halve the current levels of 140.
The cuts were necessary to divert more resources to climate change mitigation and adaptation, Dr Marshall said.
Other cuts in the 350 tally, though, are likely to fall heavily on climate change adaptation programs within the Land and Water division.
An all-staff meeting of the division on Tuesday also heard that the promise that the reductions would be made up over two years – as Dr Marshall has stated – would hinge on whether revenue in the division increased, Fairfax Media has learned from a senior researcher who listened in to the discussion.

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