Scientific research staff in Canberra and Melbourne are cautious and sceptical of Science Minister Greg Hunt's announcement of returning the CSIRO's focus to climate change, according to their union.
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Some may see the announcement of a new strategy to be devised over the next three months, including 15 new climate science jobs, as a positive outcome, according to a CSIRO Staff Association spokesman. But others would say, once bitten, twice shy.
The spokesman said it was too early to assess the announcement's impact on staff numbers in Canberra.
Following the original announcement in February to cut 350 jobs, including 100 full-time jobs in its Oceans and Atmosphere department, CSIRO revised this to 74.
After pressure from the science community, public campaigning and industrial disputes, CSIRO now expected potential redundancies of 61.
Of the 61, 38 are voluntary. The 23 remaining are in a redeployment phase; however, their prospects are not promising and may end up as forced redundancies, according to the staff association.
CSIRO chief executive Larry Marshall's announcement in February of changes was followed by union analysis in May which showed the cuts would be deeper than estimated.
In Canberra 14 jobs were to go from Oceans and Atmosphere, 14 from Land and Water and seven from Agriculture.
