The use of private email accounts by CSIRO staff to discuss controversial job cuts breached IT policies and prompted an internal review, according to the organisation.

Key points: Senior officials used private email when discussing cuts to "increase security"

Senior officials used private email when discussing cuts to "increase security" At least seven research directors were directed to use private email

At least seven research directors were directed to use private email Questions have been raised over the lack of transparency in using private email

The national science organisation has come under significant scrutiny over its plans to cut 350 jobs around Australia.

Last week, CSIRO executive Alex Wonhas told a Senate inquiry senior officials used private email when discussing the controversial cuts to "increase the security of the communication and keep it in a small circle".

Dr Wonhas said he had entered all the private emails into the CSIRO's corporate system and the information had not disappeared.

The Senate Committee consequently asked the Clerk of the Senate to provide advice about whether that use of private email had breached the Archives Act.

In a letter made public by the Committee today, Senate Clerk Rosemary Laing said the transfer of the private emails to the organisation's corporate systems "looked like dubious administration".

"Although this subsequent 'capture' of the records originally conveyed by private email may not be contrary to the requirements of the Archives Act (or national security)... it may be a breach of the organisation's code of conduct by senior staff," she said.

In a statement, CSIRO spokesman Huw Morgan reiterated no Commonwealth regulations or laws had been broken — but some of its internal policies had been breached.

"This matter has been referred to the CSIRO IT Security Advisor and Security Committee," he said.

"Appropriate review of the breach is occurring which may also lead to revision of current CSIRO processes."

CSIRO said staff who had used personal emails were preparing Statutory Declarations, stating that appropriate record management processes were followed and no information was circulated outside CSIRO staff.

Last week Peter Craig, the director of CSIRO's Collaboration for Australian Weather and Climate Research, said at least seven research directors had been directed to use private email.

He later provided a further written answer to explain. the request had been made at meeting on November 28 by the Oceans and Atmosphere director Ken Lee and Deputy Director Andreas Schiller.

In a statement, CSIRO spokesman Huw Morgan said "the relevant officers dispute [Dr Craig's] assertion".

"The media's continued reference to the allegation is potentially misleading and unfair on the staff of CSIRO who are working to uphold the reputation of their work and organisation."

Auditor-general investigation under consideration

Senate Clerk Rosemary Laing said there were a range of options available to the committee so it can fulfil its accountability role.

"The first step available to the committee is to raise concerns in the report to be tabled in the Senate," she said.

"A practical way to address this may be for the committee to consider tabling an interim report which recommends that the auditor-general investigate how the CSIRO executive has met its record keeping obligations in managing significant restructure."

Opposition Innovation spokesman Kim Carr said he believes senior staff used private emails to avoid public scrutiny.

"I simply believe it's unacceptable for Commonwealth officers to be using a private email system in an attempt to avoid public disclosure of information," he said.

Senator Carr also sits on the Scrutiny of Government Budget Measures Committee which is looking into the CSIRO cuts.

He has questions about the level of security of the private email accounts being used.

"Australia is the leading player in the southern hemisphere when it comes to the modelling and adaption in regard to dealing with issues of climate change," he said.

"These are issues of national security interest and it would not surprise me if there are foreign governments that are interested to know what the internal operations of the CSIRO are.

"We simply cannot guarantee the security of the private email systems under these circumstances — that's one of the questions I want to know.

"What security measures were put in place to protect those systems?"

Senator Carr and the Committee will be hoping to get some answers when Larry Marshall appears at a hearing in Canberra on Friday morning.