CSIRO Budget Fears

Date: 09 May 2003

The CSIRO Staff Association has warned that unless this year's Budget contains a 10% increase in ongoing funding for the Organisation, vital CSIRO jobs and scientific expertise will be lost.

According to Association spokesman Sandy Ross, current funding levels are too low to facilitate the research agency's ongoing work, as well the new Flagship programs.

"Staff in CSIRO are committed to delivering the best research outcomes for the people of Australia, but we feel our efforts are undermined by a lack of funds and endless reorganisations. Every time funding priorities are changed, money is wasted and public investment in research is thrown away.

"Encouraged by Government, CSIRO is shifting a lot of its funding into the new Flagship programs. Due to the decline in Government funding of CSIRO over the last decade, the Flagship programs can only be made workable by cutting current research projects. This will mean the loss of scientific knowledge and potentially hundreds of CSIRO jobs.

"But it doesn't have to be this way. The Government can act now to prevent large-scale redundancies and preserve vital Australian skills, knowledge and ideas. This budget is another opportunity for them to invest in Australia's knowledge infrastructure, rather than consume it."

For further information

Contact:	Sandy Ross
Union:	Labor Council of NSW
Contact Mobile:	0417 557 420

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