Funding cuts to the CSIRO are driven by “pure ignorance” and will result in significant damage to Australia’s economy, the organisation’s staff body has claimed.



On Thursday hundreds of CSIRO workers took part in a national day of protest against the government’s decision to cut the national science agency’s budget by $111m over four years.

The CSIRO staff association said the organisation is set to suffer an “unprecedented” round of redundancies – nearly 20% of the workforce would depart over two years.

These redundancies comprise 700 people in 2014-15, made up of direct job losses and an organisational restructure. A further 80 jobs are forecast to be lost in 2015-16.

CSIRO workers predict the public will be aghast at the programs that will be lost as a result of the cuts, including research into neuroscience and colorectal cancer, water safety and advanced manufacturing.

The CSIRO has already moved to close eight research sites across the country. Research areas such as climate change moved to different premises to save funds.

A senior scientist within the CSIRO told Guardian Australia the organisation had been “crippled” by uncertainty over job cuts. “Everyone is holding their breath to see where the axe will fall,” he said.

The CSIRO staff association said the cuts would have a detrimental impact in several areas.

“When you look at the areas which will be cut, the anger and disbelief only increases,” Dr Michael Borgas, acting secretary of the staff association, told Guardian Australia. “Why would you cut research into water resources or climate at a time like this?

“There is also work into manufacturing opportunities which we need to invest more – not less – in if we are to create jobs and diversify the economy. Cutting in this area will hurt the economy in the long term.”

Borgas said the cuts were the result of the government’s “pure ignorance” over the value of science.

“These cuts are very large and we don’t think there is an informed debate over the value of science,” he said. “There is simply no rational basis for cutting the range of science areas we are currently seeing. We are really disturbed to see the commentary the government has come out with, a lot of spin about money for Antarctica but no accountability.

“We don’t even know who we have to influence because there is no minister. Should it be [industry minister] Ian Macfarlane or [finance minister] Mathias Cormann? The lack of transparency and accountability is disturbing.

“We hope we can start a conversation about the value of science because there is a deep ignorance we need to address. The public is generally supportive of science, but if you look at areas like the Murdoch press there are some anti-science characteristics.”

The government, which insists budget savings must be made across the board to reduce debt, has previously rebuffed suggestions that it is anti-science.

In a speech made last year, the prime minister, Tony Abbott, said science was “absolutely critical” for the progress of humanity and downplayed the fact he didn’t appoint a science minister by stating: “Please, judge us by our performance, not by our titles.”