'Insufficient': Queensland government savages reef deal

The Queensland government has lashed an “unprecedented” decision by the Commonwealth to award $444 million in Great Barrier Reef funding to a private organisation, saying it was blindsided by the announcement and the money will not save the reef unless climate change is also curbed.

Fish swim among bleached coral in the Great Barrier Reef.

Fairfax Media has also confirmed the Great Barrier Reef Foundation will pocket a slice of the record funding, triggering claims the Turnbull government is wasting money that should be spent saving the ailing natural wonder.

But the foundation says its share of the millions will be capped to maximise the amount spent on the reef.

Read the story by Nicole Hasham from The Age -  “'Insufficient': Queensland government savages reef deal.”

Scientists to use conference to make CSIRO plea

Malcolm Turnbull - 'blindsided' on CSIRO plans.

Leading scientists will use a national conference on Monday to appeal to the Turnbull government to intervene to reverse plans by the CSIRO to eliminate most of its climate roles amid claims the Prime Minister was "blindsided" by the move.

The cuts, that will cleave about 110 positions from the CSIRO's 140-odd strong Ocean and Atmosphere staff and a similar number from its Land and Water division, were announced in an email from chief executive Larry Marshall on Thursday.

Mr Turnbull and his staff "didn't see it coming", a senior CSIRO researcher has been told. The PM "blanched" when given a copy of the news of the cuts, and asked his staff to investigate, another source tells Fairfax Media.

Read Peter Hannam’s story in The Sydney Morning Herald - “Heat to stay on CSIRO climate cuts amid claims Malcolm Turnbull was 'blindsided'.”