A New Definition of Chutzpah -- Government Appoints two New CSIRO Board Members Connected to Fossil Fuel Industry. (February 22, 2006)

    Despite the recent brouhaha regarding John Howard's Coalition government cozying up to the energy industry and CSIRO's veering the direction of its research away from renewable and toward sanitizing the use of fossil fuels the government has appointed  Port Waratah Coal Services chairwoman Eileen Doyle and former BHP Petroleum head Peter Wilcox to five years terms on the  CSIRO board.

CSIRO's Chief Executive, Dr. Geoff Garrett distanced himself from the appointments telling The Australian the issue of board appointments was a matter for the Government, not the organisation. "Obviously they are great people but these are ministerial appointments."

It was not spelled out as to whether the decision was that of the former Minister for Education, Science and Training, Brendan Nelson, or if the current minister, Julie Bishop, had a hand in the appointments.