CSIRO Staff Association open letter to Minister Husic

Dear Minister Husic,

We write to you today to express our concerns about the future of CSIRO. Our national science agency is under attack from within.

CSIRO's core purpose and the ability of its staff to deliver world class research are being undermined by significant restructuring and associated job losses.

Despite our repeated efforts to highlight the critical impact of these changes, job losses continue. We are advised that at this early stage, approximately 700 jobs will be lost, and potentially with even more to come.

These cuts are widespread and reckless, jeopardising vital research and national capabilities in areas such as health, biosecurity (Human Health), climate change, and data sciences including artificial intelligence.

The concerns are not only for the jobs of CSIRO staff, but for the safeguarding of our national resilience and preparedness in a rapidly changing world.

Public sector science must be funded as a vital part of a successful Australia, especially in times of economic rebuilding and changing climate. We must protect the CSIRO so it can continue to be world leading, trusted, robust and brave.

We request your support and immediate intervention to save the CSIRO. Australians love and respect the CSIRO and the work we do, and we ask that you do too.

Kind regards,

CSIRO Staff Association Members

Together, let’s fight to protect CSIRO – sign the petition to call on CEO Doug Hilton and Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic to stop gutting CSIRO and properly resource our national science agency.