CSIRO funding deal ‘less than hot air’

The new funding agreement for CSIRO fails the national interest in the face of national and global challenges such as climate change, according to the CSIRO Staff Association.

"This new agreement does not meet the national interest in that it fails to restore or even maintain CSIRO's funding above inflation," Staff Association President, Dr Michael Borgas said.

"It provides CSIRO with annual increases of less than 2%. CPI is currently running at 3.3% (ABS, December quarter) but CSIRO more realistically requires 5% per annum increase to keep pace with the real cost of doing scientific research."

The Minister for Education, Science and Training, Julie Bishop released a brief statement on her website immediately before Australia Day and after the Government's announcement of its water initiative.

"The timing and nature of the release would suggest that Government did not wish to draw attention to this ambivalent result for CSIRO. So it cannot even be called hot air. CSIRO deserves better than this," Borgas said.

"Inevitably CSIRO's research effort will be affected. CSIRO could deliver on a range of fronts for Australia and our part of the globe if properly funded."

According to Borgas, this funding agreement will not reverse CSIRO's decline "“ it will add to the confusion about the value this Government places on CSIRO and where CSIRO's science can best serve the national interest.