[Greens-Media] FW: Lack of Science Minister coming back to bite

[Drummond, Sam (Sen J. Rice)]

From: Drummond, Sam (Sen J. Rice)
Sent: Monday, 24 November 2014 5:19 PM
Subject: Lack of Science Minister coming back to bite

Lack of Science Minister coming back to bite

The Greens have called on the Abbott government to rethink its cuts to science, with new analysis showing that job losses at the Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) are worse than originally forecast.

"Tony Abbott has taken a sledgehammer to science and the extent of the damage is now becoming clear," said the Greens Deputy Leader and Science spokesperson, Adam Bandt.

"The lack of a Science Minister means science is suffering."

After the Abbott government announced cuts of $111.4 million in its May budget, it was expected that 770 CSIRO staff would be made redundant.

But new analysis by the CSIRO Staff Association shows that figure to be 878, meaning one in five employees are likely to lose their jobs in the two years to June 2015.

"My home state of Victoria is bearing the brunt, with more than a quarter of CSIRO jobs going.

"I invite the prime minister to visit Victoria to explain his anti-science agenda in the lead up to this weekend's state election.

"Australian innovation is vital to our future economic prosperity and Mr Abbott is showing himself to be an economic vandal.

"What Australian innovations are we missing out on with these job losses?"


Media contact: Sam Drummond 0400 352 935


Sam Drummond | Media and Communications Adviser
Australian Greens
M 0400 352 935 E sam.drummond at aph.gov.au<mailto:sam.drummond at aph.gov.au> T @samdrummond<https://twitter.com/samdrummond>