That CSIRO Review in Response to Accusations of the Gagging of its Scientists. (June 29, 2006)

CSIRO's Geoff Garrett

    On February 22 CSIRO's Chief Executive, Geoff Garrett, announced a review of the organisation's role in providing science input into policy development.

In fact the review was in response to repeated allegations that the organisation was preventing its researchers from voicing their views on what the CSIRO administration considered to be politically sensitive issues such as global warming or water usage.

At the time Dr Garrett stated, "CSIRO does not gag its scientists and this is an issue that the organisation takes very seriously. The review will grapple with the often complex issues implicit in CSIRO's aim of delivering quality scientific input to policy development - which is one of our major strategic goals."

The committee members chosen for the internal review were:

• Dr Tony Haymet (Chair) - in his responsibility as head of CSIRO's Science into Policy Team, on secondment from his position as Chief, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research

• Dr Jim Peacock, FRS - Then President of the Australian Academy of Science, and previously Chief of CSIRO Plant Industry

• Dr Joanne Daly - Chief, CSIRO Entomology

• Dr Ron Ekers, FRS - Federation Fellow and President of the International Astronomical Union, and previously Director of the Australia Telescope National Facility

• Dr Bronwyn Harch - Theme Leader, Environmental Informatics, CSIRO Mathematics and Information Sciences

• Dr Steve Morton - Group Executive, Sustainable Energy and Environment

• Dr John Curran - Manager, Internal Communications, and previously Deputy Chief, CSIRO Entomology

• Dr Les Rymer - Policy Adviser, Science into Policy Team

On Questioning at the May 31 Senate Estimates hearings Dr Garrett said that he had received the review committee's report and would transmit it to the CSIRO Board on June 20.

Senator Penny Wong probing further brought out that Dr Garrett would consider releasing publicly only a summary of the report.

So far neither the report nor a summary has been made publicly available.