Standing up for CSIRO public meeting

Friends of CSIRO has recently been set up in other Australian States to campaign against the current job cuts in climate, land and water research. The projected loss of key people has undermined CSIRO staff morale, and will impact drastically on CSIRO’s world-renowned research capacity.

Cuts that will reduce staffing in Hobart and other mainland cities will occur in coming weeks. These cuts come on the heels of earlier reductions in CSIRO funding in recent years which have already caused the loss of many jobs and crucial expertise.

A public meeting has been called by Friends of CSIRO at 1 pm in the IMAS Building, Castray Esplanade, near Salamanca Place, to create a Hobart chapter.

Speakers at the meeting include:
* Kelvin Michael (National Tertiary Education Union),
* Mark Green (CSIRO Staff Association),
* Jackie Cocker (Australian Youth Climate Coalition).

A number of State and Federal politicians have also indicated that they will attend to speak out about the CSIRO cuts.

What is Friends of CSIRO?

Friends of CSIRO is a network of concerned citizens who are campaigning to restore critical funding to CSIRO and reverse the job cuts now and in the future. It has been formed in response to the ongoing cutbacks to CSIRO’s funding over recent years, and in particular, the recent announcements that CSIRO will cut approximately 275 jobs in a number of divisions, including from the Oceans and Atmosphere and also the Land and Water divisions, which are crucial to laying the basis for action to limit harmful climate change.

Friends of CSIRO has members in QLD, NSW, Victoria and the ACT and is quickly becoming a national organisation, as the public increasingly expresses opposition to the damaging CSIRO cutbacks.

www.friendsofcsiro.org.au

www.facebook.com/friendsofcsiro

For Media Comment and Visuals

There will be an opportunity to film before and at the public meeting, with the people listed below available for comment in person from 12:30 pm, as well as politicians:

Peter Whish-Wilson, Lisa Singh, Andrew Wilkie.
Dr Ross Gwyther, Friends of CSIRO – 0408 782 983
Mark Green, CSIRO Staff Association – 0408 103 523
Dr Kelvin Michael, NTEU – 04 1651 4492
Friends of CSIRO