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<font size=3><b>CSIRO OVERHAULS RESEARCH PRIORITIES<br><br>
</b>R Beeby<br>
Canberra Times<br>
Tuesday, 1 November 2005<br><br>
<br>
Australia's peak science organisation, the CSIRO, will cut funds
for crop and livestock research, exit medical drug discovery programs and
scale back renewable energy research, according to an internal report
leaked yesterday to The Canberra Times. <br><br>
The 10-page document flags a major refocus of CSIRO research,
claiming tough decisions must be made "on where to invest finite
research resources". <br><br>
While flagging cuts to farm-based agricultural research, it says
CSIRO will focus on investing in cleaner coal-fired electricity, new
materials such as polymers, minerals and metals, biosecurity, information
technology, nutritionally enhanced food products, and coal, gas and oil
exploration. <br><br>
A $30 million funding boost will also be allocated to CSIRO's
controversial and financially troubled national flagship research
program. <br><br>
The National Farmers Federation has voiced concern at the changes
to agricultural research and federal opposition agriculture spokesman
Gavin O'Connor has called for the CSIRO board to reject the report as
lacking scientific credibility. <br><br>
Australia Institute director Dr Clive Hamilton described it as
"an extraordinary document" that ignored the impact of climate
change on Australia's agriculture, water resources and human health.
<br><br>
"This is the final capitulation of a once-great institution
to political dictates and commercial pressure," he said. "The
Australian public is the loser." <br><br>
Australian Conservation Foundation director Don Henry said
taxpayers would be alarmed that CSIRO was scaling back research into
renewable energy to "support the dirty end of the energy spectrum
that is driving climate change in this country". <br><br>
CSIRO acting chief executive Dr Ron Sandland confirmed that the
leaked document, titled Science Investment Process Broad Direction
Setting, was an advisory report to CSIRO's executive management council.
<br><br>
He said it had now been circulated to divisional chiefs and
flagship directors as "a signal of future directions" and they
were being asked to "put their names on the dance card".
<br><br>
Dr Sandland said the report was the result of a two-day workshop
held in September by CSIRO executive management to discuss the
organisation's future research directions. <br><br>
He said the "direction-setting workshop" had evaluated
the relevance and impact of CSIRO's research programs and "made some
tough calls" about allocating funding for future scientific
research. <br><br>
The 11 members of the direction setting workshop were CSIRO chief
executive Dr Geoff Garrett, Dr Sandland, chief finance officer Mike
Whelan, commercialisation director Nigel Poole, director of
communications Donna Staunton, director of people and culture Peter May,
head of science planning Michael Barber, director of leadership Dr
Michael Eyles and three members of the organisation's group executive, Dr
Steve Morton, Dr Alastair Robertson and Dr Rod Hill.<br>
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