900 more science jobs forecast to go by June 2015 in Abbott's Australia

ABC Rural 26 November 2014:

The CSIRO is set to lose one staff member in five over the next two years.

The effect of the Federal Government's cut of $114 million is now becoming clearer, with at least four regional research sites under threat.

National organiser for the CSIRO Staff Association, part of the CPSU, Paul Girdler, says 878 staff are to be cut over two years, until June 2015.

"It's over 100 more than originally forecast.

"Over two years, the CSIRO is losing 21.5 per cent of its workforce, or one in five jobs.

"This new analysis demonstrates the cuts are even worse than when they were announced."

Given the cuts last year, the total tally is 1,400 jobs at the Science Organisation.

Now it includes 36 scientists in agriculture and biosecurity fields, the majority in Canberra and Southern Queensland, while 75 scientists in Mineral Resources and Energy, and 71 in Land and Water, are targetted.

Mr Girdler says the futures of regional CSIRO sites are already threatened.

"The ones we have particular concerns about (include) Griffith in the Riverina.

"CSIRO has already announced it would close by 2016. We're trying to fight to keep that site open, but we have concerns.

"Three other sites will close unless they receives additional funding. One is Atherton in north Queensland, which is Ecosystem Science research.

"And two in NSW, the Radio Astronomy sites at Narrabri and Parkes."…..

"As of this week, two thirds of the people directly affected by the 2014 announced changes have been advised of or have completed their transition.  For the remaining positions that need to be identified and discussed with staff, leaders will be talking to individuals as soon as possible to resolve uncertainty.

"I appreciate these changes have been very difficult for all and I can assure you that your leadership team is committed to supporting staff through this time of change," says Mr Roy.

UPDATE

The Age 2 December 2014:

A world-leading CSIRO chemist who was  tipped to win a Nobel prize has been made redundant.

In September, the same month San Thang was nominated as a frontrunner for the illustrious prize in chemistry, he also ceased working as a senior researcher for the national science organisation, which has been hemorrhaging staff since June last year following severe budget cuts and a restructure.

As compensation, Dr Thang, who has worked at CSIRO for almost 30 years, was given an unpaid honorary fellowship. He continues to work at his former laboratory in Clayton, mainly supervising PhD students…..

A CSIRO spokesman confirmed Dr Thang had been made redundant as part of these changes.

As a direct consequence of the federal government slashing $115 million from CSIRO's funding over four years in the May budget, the organisation is expected to lose another 400 researchers and support staff by mid next year in addition to 300 positions being cut as part of an internal restructure.

This month, the CSIRO staff association released new data showing the size and scale of the job cuts were larger than expected, reporting that 878 positions were to be cut by June 2015.

But another CSIRO spokesman said the organisation did not expect a major variation from the number of staff reductions it announced earlier this year, around 720 positions.