Research Australia is deeply concerned by the recent announcements of further job and program cuts to the CSIRO. The termination of 300-350 full-time roles at the CSIRO represents a 6% decrease in the current workforce, in addition to the 818 pre-existing job cuts made in the past 18 months.
As a critical organisation within the health and medical research and innovation system, investments in the CSIRO should not be viewed as discretionary spending, but as strategic public investment towards achieving a future-ready, prosperous and thriving Australia. Now is the time for government to position public investment in health and medical research and innovation as a catalyst to delivering long-term and equitable social, economic and productivity dividends – not overseeing the decline of our national research capabilities.
Read our submission here.
