Australian government’s efforts to trim bureaucracy worry scientific community
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.027492
Sydney Morning Herald : In an effort to reduce bureaucracy and streamline Australia’s government, newly elected prime minister Tony Abbott has announced plans to cut 12 000 jobs from the public service, dismantle a dozen advisory bodies and committees, and do away with thousands of acts and regulations. The announcement caused particular concern at CSIRO, Australia’s premier science institution, where almost a quarter of the researchers and scientists are employed on short-term contracts. Because of the unusually high proportion of such workers, that organization could be hit especially hard. The potential loss of scientific expertise, combined with the country’s lack of a dedicated science minister, could endanger “Australia’s future as a smart, innovative nation,” according to Opposition finance spokesman Tony Burke.
