Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) will be losing scientists as Prime Minister Tony Abbott implements a public service jobs freeze. The country's premier science institution will lose a quarter of its researchers, scientists and staff.

The blanket freeze will affect public service jobs including the 1400 CSIRO workers. The impending freeze may affect some of the organisation's priority research projects. Mr Abbott's declaration of a public service jobs freeze is effective immediately. According to reports, renewing or extending short-term contracts is no longer allowed under the new directive.

The news of the CSIRO freeze hiring comes after the scientific community expressed fears about Tony Abbott's failure to appoint a Science Minister as part of his cabinet. The community's concerns were further alleviated by the Abbott government's decision to discontinue the Climate Change Commission. The Abbott government has also decided not to send Environment Minister Greg Hunt to stand in place of the prime minister in the international climate change meeting scheduled on Nov. 11 in Warsaw.

The CSIRO jobs freeze is part of the Abbott government's plan to sack 12,000 workers from public service. Mr Abbott is also set to announce the immediate closure of various government commissions, national steering committees and expert panels in a wide range of sectors including ethics, animal welfare and legal affairs.

The federal cabinet has finalised the changes which would see a dozen government bodies axed or absorbed into existing government departments.

Before the Australian federal elections, Tony Abbott has repeatedly said that his government will reduce bureaucracy and get rid of regulations that cause "clogging" of the economy. Mr Abbott said he is planning to do away with more than 50,000 Acts and other official documents that stand in the way of Australia's ability to "get things done."

According to reports, some of the government bodies to be scrapped are the Commonwealth Firearms Advisory Committee, Australian Animals Welfare Advisory Committee, National Steering Committee on Corporate Wrongdoing and the National Housing Supply Council among others.

Staff leaders in CSIRO went to their superiors on Nov. 7 to demand for an explanation on the termination of employee contracts most of which can last up to 2 years. The staff were informed of Mr Abbott's decision as early as last week which will affect CSIRO's 11 research divisions and 11 national research projects. Researchers and staff providing critical support to scientists will also lose their jobs.

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