Australia's CSIRO gets $1.7 billion of funding over next 3 years

CSIRO's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Geoff Garrett, today welcomed the Federal Government's budget decision to reinstate three-year base-line funding for CSIRO.

"We are absolutely delighted -it is a huge win for science and for CSIRO and the part it plays in helping forge Australia's future," Dr Garrett said.

"It also clearly affirms CSIRO's strategic objectives which are all about producing the best possible research outcomes for the benefit of all Australians. We must continue to help Australia grow, both economically and socially," he said.

"CSIRO's core research capability is the foundation of its research effort and this new three-year agreement, which totals $1.7 billion, will provide the platform, certainty and continuity of funding needed to allow CSIRO's brilliant team of scientists to continue to do what they do best - produce great scientific solutions to meet challenges and opportunities of national importance."

Under the new triennium funding agreement the Government will provide CSIRO with $547M in 2004-05, $555M in 2005-06 and $564M in 2006-07.

"The triennium funding decision provides CSIRO with a platform to: enable long-term, large-scale strategic research in line with National Research Priorities; ensure Australia's responsiveness to changing research agendas; support the National Research Facilities and Reference Collections: and, provide a base for stable, strategic partnering and co-investment," Dr Garrett said.

Last week the Government also awarded CSIRO additional funding for the National Research Flagships of $305M over the next seven years.

"This result highlights the Government's ongoing support for the organisation and its relevance to Australia," Dr Garrett said.

"Also, when taken in conjunction with last week's Flagships funding announcement, it is a further very clear and powerful endorsement for the path of change upon which we have embarked.

"There are many special people, across our organisation and beyond, who have been working long and hard to help achieve this result and we are very grateful to them," he said.

"On behalf of CSIRO, I would like to thank the Government for its ongoing commitment to Australia's premier science research agency."