CSIRO cuts were about taking focus off 'public-good research', emails show

Internal emails reveal motivation behind decision to cut climate research and cast doubt on assertions made by executives to Senate committee

The CSIRO's decision to sack about 120 climate scientists was motivated by an intention to move some of the organisation's focus from science done in the public good towards science that makes money, internal emails suggest.

The internal decision-making process behind the CSIRO's decision to cut its climate research has been revealed in a 700-page document dump, delivered as part of a Greens-Labor inquiry into federal government budget cuts. Many key emails sent from private accounts were not included in the disclosure, but the documents reveal a shopping-list of controversial internal decisions.