Barbara Pocock (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend business of the Senate notice of motion No. 8 before asking that it be taken as formal.

Leave granted.

I, and also on behalf of Senators Whish-Wilson and David Pocock, move the motion as amended:

That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by 31 March 2026:

Funding and resourcing for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), with particular reference to:

(a) the nature of recent and proposed job and program cuts in the CSIRO;

(b) the importance of public funding for public good science;

(c) the importance of public resourcing of Australian sovereign scientific capability;

(d) the recruitment and retention of staff including senior and mid-career researchers, along with the training and career paths of early-career researchers;

(e) CSIRO's commercialisation of scientific research;

(f) the long-term capability needs of the CSIRO, including workforce, infrastructure and equipment;

(g) the role and independence of the CSIRO's leadership in making resourcing allocation decisions;

(h) the effects of these cuts on the program of scientific work conducted by the CSIRO, including in relation to:

(i) areas of fundamental and basic scientific study that do not find ready industry funding partners,

(ii) areas of scientific study that relate to emergent, pressing and/or priority issues like the pace, impact and mitigation of climate change including study of the oceans, biodiversity, agricultural adaption to a changing climate, and related issues, and

(iii) the particular burden of proposed cuts on the Environment Research Unit; and

(i) any related matters.

Question agreed to.