Scientists have less time to conduct research or because they were busy performing other tasks, such as cleaning labs and sorting mail, a senior scientist has told Fairfax Media.
"Someone who is paid $150,000 a year shouldn't spend one half day a week washing glassware," the unnamed source said.
The CSIRO lost more than 500 positions during the last financial year, on the back of an efficiency drive by the previous Labor government and recruitment freeze under the current Abbott government.
This year’s federal budget slashed another $111 million from CSIRO's funding over four years.
Last month, CSIRO management confirmed eight infectious disease researchers at the only facility in Australia for researching live samples of deadly diseases such as Ebola, would also lose their jobs.
