Labor and unions have accused the federal government of hostility toward science and rail transport in the wake of cuts to the CSIRO and 21 advisory bodies.
The CSIRO, Australia's premier science research body, has announced a recruitment freeze and a ban on entering into any new, or extending existing term or contract employment arrangements.
An estimated one in five of its workers are casual or on term arrangements.
The move is part of a government-wide policy of trimming public service to reduce the federal budget.
Labor industry spokesman Senator Kim Carr says Prime Minister Tony Abbott has already snubbed the scientific community by not appointing a science minister to cabinet.
"Now he is attacking our flagship scientific research agency," Senator Carr said.
"World's best scientific research cannot be sacrificed on the altar of their blind pursuit of savings at any cost."
Mr Abbott announced on Friday the abolition of 12 non-statutory bodies and changes to nine others.
He said many had outlived their original purpose or weren't focused on the government's policy priorities.
"As a result, their work is best carried out by the relevant government departments or agencies," Mr Abbott said in a statement.
One of the bodies to go will be the High Speed Rail Advisory Group.
"This decision ... will condemn Australia to become one of the backwaters of international high-speed rail," Rail, Tram and Bus Union national secretary Bob Nanva told AAP on Friday.
Opposition ageing spokesman Shayne Neumann said the abolition of the Advisory Panel on Positive Ageing was a "disgraceful and shameful" decision.
"Seniors will no longer have the strong voice they had in Canberra," Mr Neumann said.
The prime minister also announced all cabinet submissions will require regulatory impact statements, putting a price on compliance costs on business and the community.
"Excessive, unnecessary regulation stifles productivity, investment and job creation and saps business confidence," he said.
Labor had introduced an extra 21,000 regulations over the past six years.
Assistant Treasurer Arthur Sinodinos said the number of jobs to go at CSIRO was "a bit fluid" but he had been advised the figure was "about 500 or 600 non-ongoing positions".
"This is a situation where the CSIRO will be speaking to people in the organisation about how many reductions are achieved and will ensure it is not compromising its core responsibilities and flagship programs," he told Sky News on Friday.
He said the scrapping of non-statutory bodies would not compromise advice to the government.
Senator Sinodinos gave the example of the National Housing Supply Council being abolished.
The government would be able to "get a better handle" on building and construction costs by reinstating the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
"It's a matter of reprioritisation in a context where resources will be more scarce," he said.
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