CSIRO board extends CEO Larry Marshall's contract until mid-2020

CSIRO chairman, David Thodey.

The chairman of the CSIRO has reappointed the science organisation's chief executive officer Larry Marshall for another four years even as the agency reviews the results of a staff survey that produced "uncomfortable" results.

The extension, announced on Friday, adds another six months to the original five-year contract. It now runs until June 30, 2020.

Chairman David Thodey said Dr Marshall's reappointment "underpins our commitment to CSIRO's Strategy 2020" for the organisation to act as "Australia's innovation catalyst".

Dr Marshall had been under sustained pressure as head of the federal government's science organisation during a restructure that started in 2015 that led to the loss of about 300 jobs in the latest round of cuts, according to the Community and Public Sector Union.

Read the story in today’s Melbourne Age - “CSIRO board extends CEO Larry Marshall's contract until mid-2020.”

CSRIO might have alternative to deep climate science cuts

CSIRO chairman, David Thodey.

CSIRO is expected to offer an alternative to deep cuts of its climate science program as soon as this week in a bid to defuse criticism as a Senate committee prepares to widen its inquiry to include chairman David Thodey.

Mr Thodey is scheduled to address the committee in Canberra on Wednesday. Unusually, the chairman has asked the session be held in camera and that he not be joined by CSIRO management, Fairfax Media has been told.

Speculation of a resolution was fanned by Environment Minister Greg Hunt last week breaking his silence on the cuts, which originally targeted as many as 110 of the 140 staff in the key Oceans & Atmosphere division.

Read Peter Hannam’s story in the Melbourne Age - “CSIRO eyes alternative plan to climate job cuts as Chairman Thodey faces inquiry.”