CSIRO to cut up to 350 research jobs in major overhaul   :(


November 19 2025
ABC News

The CSIRO will cut 300 to 350 research jobs across the country in a bid to secure the agency's long-term sustainability.

In short:
The CSIRO will slash up to 350 full-time equivalent jobs to address rising costs.

It comes on top of more than 800 positions being slashed in the past 18 months.   

What's next?
The job losses will come from across the country, with no details about what positions are at risk.


The CSIRO has announced it will slash up to 350 jobs as the national science agency grapples with long-term financial challenges.

The organisation said it had reached a "critical inflection point", with funding failing to keep pace with the rising costs of running a modern science agency.

Chief executive Doug Hilton said the organisation would axe between 300 and 350 full-time equivalent roles across its research units, with conversations with staff to begin on Wednesday.

"These are difficult but necessary changes to safeguard our national science agency so we can continue solving the challenges that matter to Australia and Australians,"  Dr Hilton said.

CSIRO CEO Doug Hilton says the cuts are necessary for the agency to keep running.

The CSIRO said an 18-month review of its research portfolio found it needed a sharper focus on areas like climate resilience, clean energy and advanced technologies.

In a statement, a spokesperson said other research activities would "need to be de-prioritised", including in areas where the CSIRO lacked the scale to make a significant impact.

The organisation said the job losses would come from across the country but did not detail what positions were at risk.

It is the latest in the string of cuts at the CSIRO, with more than 800 positions slashed in the past 18 months.

'Very sad day'   :(
The CSIRO Staff Association (CSIROSA) has slammed the decision, describing it as a "very sad day" for publicly funded science in Australia.

In a statement, the association called for urgent federal funding to stop the cuts.

A businesswoman standing outside a science facility
CSIRO Staff Association secretary Susan Tonk says the cuts are some of the worst the agency has ever experienced.

"With more than 800 research and science support roles already lost, these cuts now surpass those delivered by the Abbott Government," the statement said.   

CSIROSA secretary Susan Tonks said the cuts came at a time when there should be more investment in public science.

"These are some of the worst cuts the CSIRO has ever seen," she said.

"The Albanese Labor government needs to fix this mess by committing to urgent funding that halts the cuts and secures the future of CSIRO's world-leading science and research."

The organisation employs more than 5,800 people.

'Reform is essential'
Federal Science Minister Tim Ayres said the cuts were aimed at refocusing the efforts of the CSIRO towards research priorities, such as critical minerals, iron and steel production in Australia.

"Reform is essential to make sure the facilities, research priorities and technologies of yesterday meet the needs of tomorrow,"  Mr Ayres said.
"It is obviously a difficult time for the organisation, but with prioritisation from a government that believes in the national science institution and its capacity to serve the national interest, that is a necessary process."

Tim Ayres
Tim Ayres says reforms at the agency are essential.

He said the cuts were an important part in making the CSIRO "fit for purpose", with a "modern forward-looking science agenda".

When pressed on which areas would be cut, Senator Ayres said health disease research would continue while areas including nutrition would no longer be a priority.

"This review — the first of its kind in over 15 years — will mean that CSIRO exits or scales back research in areas where that work is being undertaken by other parts of the R&D system and builds the foundation for strengthening and focusing effort in areas of national industrial science priority," he said.

Calls for job security
ACT senator David Pocock said he was incredibly disappointed the government had not provided the funding the national science agency needed.

"More than 1,000 Canberrans work at CSIRO, and they deserve better than ongoing job cuts and uncertainty," Senator Pocock said.

"If we are serious about meeting the huge challenges ahead, from climate change to AI and robotics, the government must invest in the people doing the science.

"Australia can't build a prosperous future on managed decline in our scientists and researchers."   :(

CSIRO job cuts must be explained   :(
2025-11-18
greens.org.au
The Greens implore the Albanese government to commit funding to the CSIRO to avoid hundreds of job cuts across Australia’s leading scientific research organisation.

Quotes attributable to Greens spokesperson for Science, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson:

"At a time when it has never been more important for governments to invest in science and research, it is shameful that our nation’s premier science and research organisation is cutting hundreds of jobs to make ends meet.

"It's critical that Minister Tim Ayres does not pass the buck on this. With MYEFO just around the corner and Senate Estimates only a few weeks away, the Minister must explain how the CSIRO has ended up cutting hundreds of jobs in order to find cost savings.

“This Government can find billions for controversial nuclear submarines and subsidising big mining companies so why hasn’t it already committed to fixing funding gaps at our nation’s premier science, industry, and research organisation?

“The Tasmanian community, economy and its reputation is particularly vulnerable to CSIRO job cuts given the number of scientists employed in the state – especially ocean and climate researchers.

“Australian scientists are already warning of a crisis in Antarctic research due to the impact of an impending funding cliff. It's time for the Albanese government to remove the uncertainty, protect jobs and increase funding to science.

“The Greens have written to Minister Ayres to seek an urgent briefing on this critical matter.”

Now you wouldn’t expect the Labor Government to protect jobs would you?

That’d be keeping to Labor Party principles and we should all understand that the pollies are only interested in ‘’principal’’ not principle.

“CEO Larry Marshall says there will be no net loss of jobs - and it's time for renewal to focus on emerging areas such as data science and climate science in Australia.”

“ Ai

Imo Albo has pulled funding until they concentrate on proving his government vision OR ELSE!

It’s good to be king.

No doubt the ones to go will be those who question the government directives on the outcome of their research.  ::)

As a political propaganda organ it has no need for research....  Australia is becoming the sort of Third World backward nation that doesn't need research and new ideas - soon we'll all be able to just sit around and chant that all is written and is immutable.

Things like climate change will become the new dogma, absolute and irrevocable - and heretics will be staked on an ant hill..

Meanwhile 490 groups and people of Australia exploit taxpayers in their polluting flights to join Bowen at the Brazilian GOP  - IDEOLOGY FESTIVAL.

Jasin wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 10:54am:

- IDEOLOGY FESTIVAL.

Climate science festival?

thegreatdivide wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 11:45am:

Climate science festival?

Seeing as they are politicians, enablers, marketers and activists - no science. ;)

Bad policy - we need the CSIRO.

Albo has $billions to waste on nonsense -
like a climate change conference and
$368 billion on subs,
but nothing for the clever country.

Also I've seen many international companies in Australia totally wreck
any research and design here in Australia - they close it down -
even though we do it cheaper and better than overseas.

Sir Eoin O Fada wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 9:28am:

Now you wouldn’t expect the Labor Government to protect jobs would you? That’d be keeping to Labor Party principles and we should all understand that the pollies are only interested in ‘’principal’’ not principle.

Over 1100 job cuts in the past 18 months.

Bobby. wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 5:15pm:

Bad policy - we need the CSIRO. Albo has $billions to waste on nonsense - like a climate change conference and $368 billion on subs, but nothing for the clever country. Also I've seen many international companies in Australia totally wreck any research and design here in Australia - they close it down - even though we do it cheaper and better than overseas.

The CSIRO went outside it's charter years ago.

It's now just a grant chasing & bought science wing of govt public servants.

Science? piffle.

The CSIRO released nut eating (non carnivorous) Pacu Piranha in PNG waters. Withing just two years these Pacu Piranha turned carnivorous and now decimate many species besides biting the nuts off people going for a swim.
Smart people at the CSIRO.

Gnads wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 5:27pm:

Bobby. wrote on Nov 19th, 2025 at 5:15pm: Bad policy - we need the CSIRO. Albo has $billions to waste on nonsense - like a climate change conference and $368 billion on subs, but nothing for the clever country. Also I've seen many international companies in Australia totally wreck any research and design here in Australia - they close it down - even though we do it cheaper and better than overseas. The CSIRO went outside it's charter years ago. It's now just a grant chasing & bought science wing of govt public servants. Science? piffle.

Very true.

Gnads wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 5:27pm:

The CSIRO went outside it's charter years ago. It's now just a grant chasing & bought science wing of govt public servants. Science? piffle.

You are forgiven.
CSIRO invented WiFi

Google AI:



the Australian science agency CSIRO invented and patented key technology for wireless local area networks (WLAN), which is the basis for modern Wi-Fi. The invention solved the problem of "reverberation," where signals bounce off walls, making it possible for Wi-Fi to be fast and reliable. While other companies contributed to the development of the Wi-Fi standard, CSIRO's patent is at the core of today's technology.

The invention: In the 1990s, a CSIRO team solved the "multipath problem," or reverberation, that distorted wireless signals. Their solution used Fourier algorithms to piece together signals, enabling stable, high-speed wireless connections.
Patent and commercialization: CSIRO patented the technology in 1996. Although they had trouble commercializing it directly, their patent was later upheld in court against major companies, leading to significant settlement revenue.

International recognition:
The invention is considered one of Australia's greatest scientific achievements and has been recognized with international awards. The work of the CSIRO team lies at the heart of wireless networks used by billions of devices worldwide.

A Dutch scientist of the CSIRO created a system of cleansing rural lands of all chemical contaminants a foot deep.
He was sacked and legally banned from further pursuit.
Chemical Companies were not happy and the CSIRO sold out to them.
Since then. The CSIRO has failed to deliver any further strategies to cleanse farm soils from their unproductive sterilities due to chemical use.

Jasin wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 5:59pm:

A Dutch scientist of the CSIRO created a system of cleansing rural lands of all chemical contaminants a foot deep. He was sacked and legally banned from further pursuit. Chemical Companies were not happy and the CSIRO sold out to them. Since then. The CSIRO has failed to deliver any further strategies to cleanse farm soils from their unproductive sterilities due to chemical use.

Link?     :-/

Sorry. Can't do. It was on an ABC Australian Story or Landline over 15 years ago.

Jasin wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 6:04pm:

Sorry. Can't do. It was on an ABC Australian Story or Landline over 15 years ago.

Fading memories don't meet the standard of proof here.

forgiven

namaste

;D
But memory is memory. Some people don't have it.

Jasin wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 6:18pm:

;D But memory is memory. Some people don't have it.

But I've found you to be quite often a very mixed up boy.  ;D

My genetic diversity negates inbreeding. ;)

Jasin wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 8:05pm:

My genetic diversity negates inbreeding. ;)

You're tinted?    :-/

That's what the darker ones tell me.

Jasin wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 8:08pm:

That's what the darker ones tell me.

What would Pauline say?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWW6-9fLmhY

Probably something that sounds like an inability to speak and express herself properly as if she's suffering from dysentery.

Jasin wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 8:13pm:

Probably something that sounds like an inability to speak and express herself properly as if she's suffering from dysentery.

She can make some mean fish and chips for the Maoris.  :)

That, she can do.

So the cuts were to research in the areas of HEALTH FOOD AND NUTRITION .
And albo says the private sector are going to fill the gap
I can hear the conversation now


Hi albo, it's Mick from kellogs, cadburys, coca cola, mcdonalds, kfc
Hi albo , it's Barry from pfizer, lilly, glaxco.

We already do 95;% of the research on food
We already do 95:% of the studies on new drugs.

We already fund 98 % of the funding for the drug approval authority in australia.


We don't want your CSIRO  discovering inconvenient truths .

How about you just get rid of them
The fox can look after the hen house  ::) ::) ::)

Bobby. wrote on Nov 19^th, 2025 at 8:10pm:

Jasin wrote on Nov 19th, 2025 at 8:08pm: That's what the darker ones tell me. What would Pauline say? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWW6-9fLmhY

The ABC news galahs are the same kinda shhits we have here, at the BBC, at the Greens etc: dishonest propagandists.

Frank wrote on Nov 20^th, 2025 at 12:59pm:

Bobby. wrote on Nov 19th, 2025 at 8:10pm: Jasin wrote on Nov 19th, 2025 at 8:08pm: That's what the darker ones tell me. What would Pauline say? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWW6-9fLmhY The ABC news galahs are the same kinda shhits we have here, at the BBC, at the Greens etc: dishonest propagandists.

The ABC aired the same fake news about Trump that the BBC did.

No one at the ABC is resigning.  WTF?

Well, who'd have thunk it?  :o

Albo cutting the CSIRO harder than Abbott did.  :o

CSIRO cuts highlight which jobs government protects in national interest

The government has gone to great lengths to protect the jobs of workers in existing metals manufacturing, on national interest grounds, but not for those made redundant in the CSIRO cuts.

Sometimes, scientific breakthroughs can originate in the most unlikely of places. Curious and clever minds can come up with incredible ideas, given the right resources.

In 1930s Australia, flystrike was posing a serious threat to Australia's sheep herd and the national economy. The CSIRO recruited scientist Doug Waterhouse to work on solutions. His research morphed into finding a way to protect troops from mosquitoes bearing malaria when World War II broke out.

The result was what we now know as Aerogard, one of the CSIRO's greatest achievements.

In the early 1990s, a team of CSIRO scientists led by John O'Sullivan was trying to work out how to detect tiny radio signals hypothetically emanating from exploding black holes.

This research into theoretical deep space radio waves was almost certainly not considered a national priority at the time. Yet the team had the room to follow their curiosity and eventually came up with a technology now used in billions of devices every day — wi-fi.

'Worse than Abbott'

Australians rightly feel proud of the CSIRO. It's a respected public research institution.

This is one of the reasons why the Albanese government often leans heavily on its work to score political points. The CSIRO's annual GenCost report, which details the cost of different types of energy generation, was cited endlessly by Labor to attack the Coalition's plan for nuclear power before the election.

This week, the CSIRO announced up to 350 research positions would go at the organisation. That's on top of more than 800 jobs cut over the past 18 months.

The CSIRO Staff Association issued a press release designed to hit Labor where it hurts. "Worse than Abbott," read the headline, describing these job cuts as more devastating than those inflicted by the former Coalition government.

The prime minister, who in opposition accused the Coalition of "hollowing out" the CSIRO, rejected the slur.

"We're friends of science," he insisted.

These job cuts, Anthony Albanese claimed, were simply about making sure "every single dollar for scientific research is going in the right direction".

A history of chronic underfunding

Governments certainly have an obligation to ensure taxpayers' money is well spent, particularly with a budget stuck in structural deficit. If money is being wasted on unnecessary research, there's a good argument for re-directing it to more productive areas.

But this is not about re-prioritising resources. At least not according to the CEO of the CSIRO, Doug Hilton.

"At the moment we're not in a position to re-focus on other areas," Hilton told Radio National. "We are looking to focus our portfolio on things like critical minerals, but the sustainability challenge means that we need to save money."

The term "sustainability challenge" here, is a polite way of saying chronic underfunding.

While government funding has increased each year, it has not kept up with inflation. Far from it. According to Hilton, funding has grown by an average 1.3 per cent per annum over the past 15 years. That's compared to an average inflation rate of 2.7 per cent. More than double.

In other words, funding is being cut in real terms.

In a blunt assessment, the CSIRO boss laid the blame at the feet of successive governments. Their level of below inflation funding, "just doesn't keep up with the cost of doing science".

No more 'pure' research

While the CSIRO still has capacity to focus on priority areas for "applied" research, including clean energy and artificial intelligence, there's now less room for so-called "pure" research, which isn't tied to finding practical solutions.

This is of deep concern to the scientific community.

"Amazing things come from amazing minds when they don't have to follow the bouncing ball," says Ryan Winn, the CEO of Science and Technology Australia, which represents the nation's scientists.


"If we cut off curiosity and discovery, I'd hate to think of the things we lose," he tells this column.

This year the government has gone to great lengths to protect the jobs of workers in existing metals manufacturing, on national interest grounds. The Whyalla steelworks, the Mt Isa copper smelter, the Nyrstar zinc and lead smelters have all received help. Talks are underway about saving the Tomago aluminium smelter.

Just down the road from the Tomago smelter near Newcastle is the CSIRO's "Energy Centre", where researchers work on renewable energy solutions and clean technology innovation. There's been no sighting of political leaders standing in front of the building this week to defend their jobs.

Ryan Winn doesn't criticise the effort to protect smelting jobs, but he does worry Australia is ignoring the opportunities for our kids and grandkids in new, emerging, and unknown industries of the future by consistently underfunding its lead public research organisation.

...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-20/tomago-smelters-science-csiro-funding-cuts/106026312

The sacking will continue until the scientists agree with what the politicians want them to say !

Is Albo back from Africa yet?

I think he will just swipe away from any criticism.

No one in a Susso led lnp will hold him to account?