Nerdy Science Blog

HeraldSun (27/5/2008):

DEALS involving patents between research groups and biotechnology companies are a poison pill obstructing investment in the sector, analysts said yesterday.

Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Minister Kim Carr said yesterday intellectual property (IP) ownership would be one of the factors examined in a new review into the pharmaceuticals sector.

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The Age (22/5/2008):

AUSTRALIAN research giant the CSIRO has been forced to slash about 100 jobs and close two laboratories after large funding cuts in last week’s federal budget.

The announcement, made yesterday, will result in the closure of a horticultural research laboratory near Mildura, with the loss of up to 30 jobs, and a beef research laboratory at Rockhampton.  Some staff from the Victorian laboratory will be moved to Adelaide.

The move was denounced by the CSIRO Staff Association, which said work at the two laboratories contributed to Australia’s food quality and security.

The Federal Opposition was also scathing, with Senator Eric Abetz, accusing the Government of breaking a promise.  “Labor promised to revitalise the CSIRO, but have done the complete opposite,” he said.

The CSIRO’s budget was effectively cut by $63.4 million over four years.  Science and Research Minister Kim Carr said the Government had to take “tough decisions” in the budget as part of its “war on inflation”.

He described the CSIRO as “a great Australian institution” and said the Government had boosted its funding in areas such as researching “clean coal”, but difficult choices had to be made.

CSIRO chief executive Dr Geoff Garrett conceded the cuts would have an “adverse impact on research”, but said the organisation was moving funding away from “incremental research” in food production and supply.  Instead, the CSIRO would boost its investment in areas including energy, water and climate.

But the president of the CSIRO Staff Association, Dr Michael Borgas, said closing its laboratory at Merbein near Mildura would hurt the local horticultural industry.

Dr Borgas described the closures as “lazy, knee-jerk management” and attacked the budget cuts.

“If Australia is to meet the many challenges we face in relation to global warming, water and food security and quality, we should be boosting — not cutting — support for the CSIRO,” he said.

I feel bad for those 100 people who will lose their jobs.

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