Australia’s national science agency has confirmed plans to eliminate hundreds more positions, marking what unions describe as the most severe workforce reduction since the Abbott government era. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) announced on 18th November 2025 that up to 350 full-time positions will be abolished as the agency confronts what CEO Doug Hilton calls a “critical inflection point.”
The announcement extends a troubling pattern. Over the past 18 months, 818 positions have already been cut from CSIRO, bringing the total workforce reduction to approximately 1,168 jobs. This represents a significant contraction for an organisation that employed around 6,600 staff as of June 2024.
Funding Gap Widens as Costs Escalate
The crisis stems from a fundamental mismatch between funding and operational costs. Parliamentary library analysis commissioned by independent Senator David Pocock revealed that CSIRO’s government funding as a percentage of GDP has plummeted from 0.16 per cent in 1984 to just 0.03 per cent in 2024-25.
That represents an 80 per cent decline over four decades, pushing funding to its lowest level since 1978.
“The value of the appropriation has not kept up with the cost of doing science,” Hilton told a Senate estimates hearing in October. “We have some challenging sustainability issues as an organisation.”
The funding shortfall became acute after the expiration of a $454 million Covid-era top-up programme. CSIRO’s March 2025 budget statement projected a $91 million reduction in employee expenses for 2025-26 compared to the previous year.
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Union Condemns “Devastating” Workforce Reduction
The Community and Public Sector Union has launched a fierce critique of both CSIRO management and the Albanese government. CSIRO Staff Association secretary Susan Tonks described the situation as catastrophic for Australian science.
“These are some of the worst cuts the CSIRO has ever seen,” Tonks said. “We don’t need a crystal ball to know these cuts will hurt. They’ll hurt families, farmers and our future.”
The union argues the reductions exceed those implemented during the Abbott government’s controversial 2013-2015 period, when CSIRO faced widespread criticism for slashing climate science positions.
Key concerns raised by staff representatives include:
- Loss of institutional knowledge and research capability
- Impact on long-term scientific projects requiring continuity
- Reduced capacity to respond to national emergencies
- Brain drain as experienced researchers seek opportunities overseas
Strategic Refocus or Strategic Retreat?
CSIRO leadership frames the workforce reduction as part of an 18-month strategic review designed to sharpen the agency’s research focus. The organisation has identified five priority areas:
- Supporting clean, affordable energy transition
- Addressing climate change impacts
- Applying advanced technologies including AI and quantum computing
- Mitigating and eradicating biosecurity threats
- Deploying disruptive science and engineering to solve unanswered questions
Doug Hilton, CSIRO Chief Executive
“We must set up CSIRO for the decades ahead with a sharpened research focus that capitalises on our unique strengths,” Hilton said. “This allows us to concentrate on the profound challenges we face as a nation and deliver solutions at scale.”
The strategy means other research activities will be de-prioritised. However, the agency has not publicly detailed which programmes face elimination or reduction.
High-profile resignations have added to the turmoil. Dr Jon Whittle, head of digital research unit Data61, and Dr Marcus Zipper, head of manufacturing research, both departed simultaneously in early November 2025 amid the ongoing restructure.
Government Backs “Necessary” Restructure
Science and Industry Minister Tim Ayres has defended the workforce reductions as an inevitable consequence of prioritisation. Speaking to reporters on 19th November, Ayres characterised the process as necessary for maintaining CSIRO’s relevance.
“It is obviously a difficult time for the organisation, but with prioritisation, from a government that believes in our national science institution and its capacity to serve the national interest, that is a necessary process,” Ayres said.
The minister’s comments drew sharp criticism from opposition MPs and crossbench senators. Independent Andrew Wilkie accused the government of “washing its hands” of responsibility for the cuts.
Science and Technology Australia, the peak body representing scientists and technologists, warned the reductions threaten Australia’s innovation capacity.
“Without a continued investment in fundamental research and discovery, there will be no future innovations to deploy,” said CEO Ryan Winn.
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Broader Implications for Australian Science
The CSIRO workforce reduction occurs as Australia pursues ambitious plans to develop sovereign capabilities in critical minerals processing and advanced manufacturing. These initiatives rely heavily on scientific expertise and research infrastructure.
The timing has raised questions about Australia’s ability to deliver on its commitments under the recently signed US-Australia Framework for Securing Supply in Critical Minerals and Rare Earths.
Consultation with staff, unions, and external stakeholders is scheduled to begin this week. The agency expects the workforce transition to occur over the coming months, though specific timelines have not been disclosed.
For Australian science, the question remains whether this represents a necessary strategic evolution or a short-sighted retreat from public investment in research that has historically delivered significant economic and social returns.
