NEWS DESK
Global scientists oppose CSIRO cuts
Police officer mourned
Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au
A MORDIALLOC police officer who took his own life, Wednesday, was the second Victorian officer to suicide in a week. The senior constable had been socialising after work at Edithvale Football Club before attempting to drive home about 9pm. He was involved in a minor traffic incident in Station St, Aspendale, but reportedly resisted the efforts of others involved to remain at the scene. He was hit by a train on the adjacent Frankston line tracks. The other officer who died last week was from Echuca police station. Victoria Police said it was “extremely saddened to confirm that one of our members from the southern metropolitan region died last night following an apparent suicide. He was off-duty at the time. “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family, friends and colleagues at this very difficult time.” Police spokeswoman Acting Sergeant Melissa Seach said death by suicide of a police officer was always “cause for enormous concern at Victoria Police”. “Looking after our people is one of our highest priorities.” Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton described the challenge of mental health issues among police as “one of the most important issues” he had to face. Three Victoria police officers have killed themselves so far this year. The crisis support service Lifeline number is 13 11 14.
CLIMATE scientists from across the world have written an open letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stating they are “alarmed” by cuts to the CSIRO’s Oceans and Atmosphere research program, mostly conducted at Aspendale and Hobart. “The decision to decimate a vibrant and world-leading research program shows a lack of insight, and a misunderstanding of the importance of the depth and significance of Australian contributions to global and regional climate research,” the letter, written last week, said. “The capacity of Australia to assess future risks and plan for climate change adaptation crucially depends on maintaining and augmenting this research capacity.” The scientists said “Australia is a canary in the climate change coal mine, spanning a large range of different climate zones, from the northern tropics to the cool temperate south” and “the CSIRO Hobart and Melbourne laboratories, on the doorstep of the Southern Ocean, are a primary research portal for many nations embarking on Southern Hemisphere ocean and atmosphere research”. The plea to continue and “accelerate” climate research in Australia came as CSIRO CEO Larry Marshall fronted a senates estimate committee last Thursday (11 February) to answer questions from senators about the planned climate research budget cuts and scientist job losses (‘Jobs
SO E L B TMAARKED UP T
% 0 4 OFF
ASELELCETEGD STRYILEAS
$50 OFF RRP
SHOES FROM
$20
Appeal: Isaacs Labor MP Mark Dreyfus has urged Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to ensure the CSIRO can continue its climate research work at Aspendale. Picture: Gary Sissons
go in science cuts blow’, The News 10/2/16). Mr Marshall said the CSIRO executive team had to make decisions on scientific areas to direct funding “within the envelope”. He said some of the climate research could be “outsourced” to other institutions such as universities. When questioned Mr Marshall admitted he had never visited the CSIRO’s Aspendale laboratories, where scientists research the effects of climate change, before the decision was made to potentially axe more than 50 per cent of the 100 staff numbers at Aspendale. “We’re very much at the beginning of this process,” he said while admitted he “probably” did not know “as much as I should” about the work car-
ried out by scientists in Aspendale. “I’m sad to say I’ve only been able to visit 22 of the sites. There are a lot more than I realised and they’re a lot further away than I realised,” Mr Marshall said. Federal Labor Isaacs MP Mark Dreyfus has invited the Prime Minister to visit Aspendale to discuss the importance of the Aspendale centre with “some of the finest scientists in the world”. “Your government’s cuts to this centre are nothing less than a catastrophe for science in Australia, for international climate change research and for the future prospects of environmental scientists,” Mr Dreyfus said in a letter to Mr Turnbull. CSIRO deputy CEO Craig Roy signalled the eventual end of scientific
research at Aspendale even if climate research funding cuts are reversed. Mr Roy told the senate estimates committee that staff at Aspendale will likely eventually move to CSIRO facilities at Clayton. “It has been signalled. It was signalled, to the organisation, I believe in 2014, that’s it’s our long-term strategy – quite separate from this –to actually move our Aspendale staff,” Mr Roy said. “It’s a very old site … it’s not a site that if I was a world-leading scientist coming into a new organisation I’d be proud to walk into. It needs work and so we want to relocate those staff in good time to Clayton anyway.” If staff are relocated to Clayton atmospheric records at the Aspendale laboratories will be maintained.
50 % SE FOOLECTED T WE AR
ANNUAL
OFF PLUS
SHOE SALE
SELECTED
BRIDAL & AFTER 5
Mens, Ladies, Childrens, Large Sizes, Orthotics, Sports, Bridal and more.
Top brands at low prices,
including Planet, Rieker, Skechers, Taos, Alegria, Cabello, Prophet & more LEATHER SHOES & SANDALS
WERE UP TO $160 NOW $40-$60 Come in and grab a bargain! HURRY, at these prices shoes will run out the door!
FREE Parking at BAYSIDE SHOE WAREHOUSE 103 Railway Parade, SEAFORD (cnr Clovelly Pde) www.baysideshoewarehouse.com.au email: baysideshoewarehouse@gmail.com
PH 9785 1887
Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 17 February 2016
PAGE 3