Ice core analysis is key to understanding the atmosphere's composition in the past. The document reveals the paleo-climate science unit - which runs the ice lab at CSIRO's Aspendale site in south-eastern Melbourne - will be closed. Melbourne, in fact, takes the biggest hit, accounting for 32 of the 74 jobs to go, with 14 in Canberra and 12 in Tasmania, among the other losses. The unit's cuts also include monitoring the atmosphere for changes at Australia's bases at South Pole, Mawson and other stations. This monitoring involves partnerships with the US space agency, NASA. The ice core analysis work also involved research for other nations, such as the EU.

CSIRO's ice lab in Aspendale faces the axe. The CSIRO team to go was expected to join an international team that will hunt one million year-old ice that would extend knowledge of how the world's climate has changed in the past. The group is also in talks on new research areas with US agencies that could open up fresh revenue sources, Fairfax understands. "Australia can't just divest itself of important global capability without there being consequences," a senior scientist familiar with the ice program said. "The public record of the leading players [in CSIRO's paleo-climate team] shows they have made a global impact."

A CSIRO spokesman said the agency was in the process of talking to staff who may be affected by changes. "That process has not been completed and we are respecting the confidentiality of matters that impact on our staff," he said. "We will still do critical climate change measurement but will also use some of these funds to focus on preparing for the climate changes we know will happen as well as doing research to prevent further climate change from occurring." One scientist, though, told Fairfax that models would make less accurate forecasts without the guidance gained from greater understanding of past climates, such as from ice cores. Election call The new detail cuts come as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday called a federal election for July 2, pledging to promote high-tech jobs and innovation.

A spokesman for Science Minister Christopher Pyne said CSIRO was "an independent statutory agency governed by a board of directors," and directed questions about the CSIRO job cuts to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.



Shadow science minister Kim Carr, though, said the Liberals were "hell-bent on seeing the demise of the vital public good research that is done by the CSIRO" and called for the job cuts to be put on hold. "Now that an election has been formally announced we reiterate that call to direct the CSIRO to not sack any employees," Senator Carr said. "If elected in a Shorten Labor Government, I would direct [CSIRO's] board accordingly to stop these jobs losses from going ahead," he said. "CSIRO's globally unique climate science capabilities are world renowned and if they are lost, they will never recover." 'More focused' The document, sent to the staff union by management, said the cuts would "allow more focused delivery into identified research strategic priorities that present strong science and impact opportunities including potential for growth of external revenue".