Chapter 1
Referral
1.1
On 25 June 2014, the Senate resolved to establish the Select Committee
into the Abbott Government's Budget Cuts. The committee was established to
inquire into the effect of cuts or changes in the Commonwealth budget and
provide a final report to the Senate on or before 20 June 2016, with particular
reference to:
- any
reductions in access to services provided by the Commonwealth;
- the
provision of other services, programs or benefits provided by the Government
affected by the budget;
- Commonwealth-state
relations and the impact of decreased Commonwealth investment on service
delivery by the states;
- the
fairness and efficiency of revenue raising;
- the
structural budget balance over the forward estimates and the next 10 years;
- the
reduced investment in scientific research and infrastructure and its impact on
future productivity;
- public
sector job cuts;
- the
impact of the budget on retirement incomes and pensions;
-
intergenerational mobility;
- the impact of the budget on young people and students;
- the
impact of the budget on households; and
-
other matters the committee considers relevant.[1]
Committee name change
1.2
On 11 August 2015, the Senate agreed to change the name of the committee
to the Senate Select Committee into the Scrutiny of Government Budget Measures
to more accurately reflect the ongoing work of the committee.[2]
Area of inquiry for this report
1.3
As per Terms of Reference f and l, the committee agreed to investigate the
proposed organisational restructure and resulting job losses in the climate research
areas at the CSIRO. Job losses were announced by the current CSIRO Chief
Executive Dr Larry Marshall on 4 February 2016.[3]
Conduct of the inquiry
1.4
The committee directly contacted a number of relevant organisations and
individuals to notify them of the inquiry and to invite submissions. A list of
all submissions received by the committee is available at Appendix 1.
1.5
In relation to this inquiry, the committee held public hearings in: Hobart on
8 March, Melbourne on 11 March, Canberra on 7 April and 27 April 2016. Relevant
submissions and the Hansard transcripts of evidence from public hearings can be
accessed online through the committee's website.
Acknowledgements
1.6
The committee thanks all the individuals and organisations that made
submissions to this inquiry and appeared at the public hearings.
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