1. CSIRO cuts
Some of you may
have seen the front page of today’s Australian claiming the Government’s
‘razor gang’ is considering cutting CSIRO by 25% specifically targeting the
flagship program. I think this is a big beat up. The Dept of Finance routinely
examines the prospect of cuts to all Government programs (every few
years for example the prospect of cutting peer review at ARC/NHMRC etc gets
mooted and then rejected by the relevant Minister).
In my judgment there is no way the Govt would contemplate this cut. It runs
counter to all the rhetoric and the financial savings would be far outweighed
by the loss of social capital and credibility. Indeed, I gather Julia Gillard
has already affirmed the Govt’s support for the flagships and repudiated
the claim that CSIRO would be cut by 25% on Melbourne talk back radio this
morning.
2. Science Alert
Julian Cribb’s e-mail below may be of interest – please respond directly to
ScienceAlert if you wish to take up the offer.
Regards
Bradley Smith
Executive Director
FASTS
Dear Bradley –
I’m writing to let you know we’re gearing up ScienceAlert as the main opinion
site for debate on Australian S&T issues and policy. We now wish to issue
an open invitation to authoritative experts to contribute when they have issues
they wish to air publicly, and also to comment on opinion expressed by others.
See: http://www.sciencealert.com.au/opinions/index.php
Through you, I wish like to invite members of FASTS member organisations and
learned societies to contribute an opinion, either on an issue of particular
interest and concern to them, or else to comment constructively on views
expressed by others on ScienceAlert.
Opinion articles: 800 words and with a strong personal point of view. Comment:
as short or long as you like. Send them to editor@sciencealert.com.au
We had over 10,000 individual visitors today, so interest in S&T news,
views and issues is going up strongly. This is a good opportunity to get
well-informed FASTS and learned society views before a wider audience.
Best wishes
Julian
Adj. Prof. Julian Cribb FTSE
Julian Cribb & Associates
ph
+61 (0)2 6242 8770 or 0418 639 245
www.sciencealert.com.au