The 2012-13 Federal Budget did not deliver any major surprises for CSIRO or science. The application of the Government’s so-called ‘efficiency dividend’ results in a cut of $23M over four years to CSIRO’s appropriation funding. As part of the Community and Public Sector Union, we are extremely concerned about the impact of the ‘efficiency dividend’ across the public sector, including on co-investment in CSIRO. See the media release from the CPSU here.

The ‘efficiency dividend’ in combination with projected falls in external revenue next year, is estimated to result in a reduction of 116 staff across CSIRO in 2012-13. The Staff Association met with Deputy CEO Craig Roy this morning, who indicated that CSIRO will endeavour to use natural attrition to manage the staffing reduction. The Staff Association is absolutely committed to keeping the number of involuntary redundancies in CSIRO to a minimum. We will work will members to ensure redundancy and redeployment processes are followed and all opportunities for voluntary redundancy substitution are identified. Continue reading →

Annabel Crabb

Annabel Crabb pays tribute to CSIRO’s WiFi patent win and praises a slew of other home-grown, sometimes obscure, inventions.

I AM ASHAMED to say that I did not know, until the reporting of this month’s international patent settlement, that the CSIRO had actually invented wireless technology – known as wi-fi – in 1992.

Wi-fi makes so much possible.

Working from the bath, for example.

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Under the dispute avoidance/resolution procedures contained at clause 87 of the CSIRO Enterprise Agreement 2011-2014 (the agreement) the CSIRO Staff Association (a section of the Community and Public Sector Union) hereby notifies CSIRO management of a dispute at Record Services.

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Anna Maria Arabia (STA) speaks to 3Q’s Sarah Macdonald and says that while Australian scientific innovation is world class, it’s future is at risk if the government and private sector stop investing.

Australia loves its sport champions, actors and writers. But we rarely sing the praises of our scientific innovators.

Yet Australia is amongst the world leaders in medical science and astronomy just to name a few.

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Broadleaf rotation crops like canola help control pests, writes John Kirkegaard.

Far from being inefficient and unsustainable, Australia is leading the world in conservation agriculture techniques. If there was an Olympics for conservation agriculture Australian farmers would win gold, writes John Kirkegaard, Senior Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO and Staff Association member.

Read John’s article at The Conversation here.

The union representing employees at CSIRO has called on the Federal Government to invest the proceeds of multi-million dollar Wi-Fi licence agreements into the next generation of scientific and technological research.

Sam Popovski: This is a story of committed Australian innovation over three decades in the making.

The Secretary of the CSIRO Staff Association, Mr Sam Popovski, welcomed news of CSIRO’s $220 million agreement with three US companies that sell devices using the wireless technology.

“This latest agreement brings CSIRO’s Wi-Fi patent revenue to nearly $500 million – much needed funding that should be used to boost Australian science and research and employment at CSIRO,” Mr Popovski said.

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Concerns about the future of CSIRO Property Services remain with a private consultant’s report into the future of the business unit still under wraps.

Grosvenor report: Classified material?

With repeated requests to release the Grosvenor Consulting report in its entirety having been rejected, the Staff Association has lodged formal request for complete disclosure under Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation.

The date for a decision on the FOI request is now set for 26 April 2012.

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Staff Association President Michael Borgas

Staff Association President Michael Borgas reports from the Science meets Superannuation forum and asks whether growing new revenue streams for science through superannuation represents a step in the right direction for science funding.

HELD in Melbourne recently, the Science meets Superannuation forum is the latest offering from Science and Technology Australia.

The inaugural event brought together key players from the superannuation sector, scientific research representatives, industry and innovation big thinkers, as well as Federal Ministers Chris Evans and Bill Shorten.

Australia lags behind other major economies when it comes to funding science. On the face of it, the national savings pool – our trillion dollar superannuation industry – seems a ready made solution to the challenge of creating new revenue streams.

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CSIRO women celebrated International Women’s Day (IWD) with a Staff Association forum that broadcast live to over fifteen work sites around the country.

Ged Kearney, Anna-Maria Arabia and Louise Jarman

Meanwhile, CSIRO workers in Canberra continued their tradition of successful IWD events with dozens turning out to listen to Sophie McCarthy explain the practical benefits of mentoring for both women and men.

A packed house at CSIRO Clayton was joined by special guests Ged Kearney (President, Australian Council of Trade Unions) and Anna-Maria Arabia (CEO, Science & Technology) for a conversation examining the challenges women continue to face in an industry that remains stubbornly male-dominated.

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In this edition – Redundancies at CMSE – Merger news and a new name for CLI / CFNS – Record Services update – New organiser for Queensland and NT – CSIRO Staff Survey.   

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