CSIRO welcomes the Government's commitment of an additional $387.4 million over four financial years, announced today in a pre-budget update .
This investment includes substantial funding to support CSIRO's sustainability over the coming years, as well as funding to secure the operations of the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP).
The Government has also announced ongoing funding of $38 million per year for ACDP from 2030-31 and investment in the second stage of critical modernisation and refurbishment work for the facility.
This funding is on top of CSIRO's existing annual appropriation of approximately $1 billion and the $278 million received from Government through 2025.
The funding increase will support investment in safe and fit-for-purpose sites, as well as the research equipment, infrastructure, cyber protection and technology that will best enable CSIRO's talented researchers to make discoveries and turn them into real-world impact.
With the substantial public funding entrusted to CSIRO comes a clear responsibility to deliver maximum value to the nation. While this additional funding provides greater certainty and workforce stability over the funding period, CSIRO will always be prepared to make the necessary strategic shifts to capability to ensure it delivers the greatest possible impact for Australia.
The changes to CSIRO's research portfolio announced last November and already well underway – which include an estimated reduction of 300-350 FTE roles – will proceed as planned, as these are essential strategic research shifts. CSIRO must retain the savings that will come from these changes, to support the long-term sustainability of the organisation.
Quotes attributable to CSIRO Chief Executive, Dr Doug Hilton:
"This budget outcome highlights the importance of research and the confidence the community and government have in CSIRO's ability to deliver science for the nation during a period of global precarity.
"We remain steadfast in our commitment to addressing CSIRO's sustainability over the long term and are grateful for the Government's significant investment to help us progress towards this goal."
