Submission to the 2026 Inquiry into funding and resourcing for the CSIRO

Australia’s publicly funded research agencies (PFRAs) are the backbone of Australia’s research and development (R&D) ecosystem. PFRAs allow government decisions to be built upon data and evidence, manage facilities for the entire research sector, support industry connections with applied research to build economic resilience and growth, and provide a pathway for the government to set a research agenda to address issues of priority to the nation. Recently, cuts have been announced to programs and staff across several PFRAs, including the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industry Research Organisation (CSIRO). Near the end of 2025, CSIRO announced the loss of 300-350 staff members, following more than 800 job losses over the 18 months prior.

This loss of expertise and capacity across Australia’s PFRAs will directly and indirectly harm our nation’s goals and economic prosperity, and leave the nation less able to tackle the major challenges of our time. There is an urgent need for increased, long-term investment in PFRAs, as well as in the broader R&D ecosystem in Australia.

To stabilise the PFRAs that support an effective R&D ecosystem in Australia, ATSE provides the following recommendations for consideration:

Recommendation 1: Ensure the 2026 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap facilitates sufficient investment to maintain and operate NRI facilities, including those run or supported by CSIRO.

Recommendation 2: Set and progressively work towards a target for appropriate long-term budget for CSIRO and other PFRAs to enable them to meet the government’s expectations and deliver against the National Science and Research Priorities.

Recommendation 3: Leverage implementation of the Strategic Examination of Research and Development recommendations to bring total government investment in R&D into line with international standards and Australian aspirations.