The wounds from Kevin Rudd’s razor gang attack on the CSIRO will be felt beyond the region’s border over the coming months.
Queensland Senator Russell Trood said the CSIRO laboratory closure in Rockhampton has rightly caused a furore among all sectors of the community.
“Everyone is upset about it, everyone – that is – except Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swan,” he said.
“The laboratory closure in central Queensland will be cause for concern to our international neighbours as well,” Senator Trood said. “The region’s international reputation as a leader in the field of livestock research – including beef genetics – will be damaged with the CSIRO laboratory closure.”
As recently as 2006, $3 million was spent on upgrading Rockhampton’s JM Rendel Laboratory which included two new large physical containment (PC2) laboratories. These laboratories were certified by the Gene Technology Regulator for the purpose of undertaking beef cattle research including work with DNA and genes.
“With the closure of this facility, the $3 million spent on creating a world-class facility is now wasted,” Senator Trood said.
On an international level, Rockhampton’s triennial Beef Australia expo – last held in 2006 – showcased the region’s cattle genetics capability for the first time, attracting a large proportion of the 615 international delegates. Countries with particular interest in the region’s beef genetics capability include Thailand, Indonesia and Argentina.
“This is a growing area of interest for regional Queensland, and the CSIRO plays an important role,” Senator Trood said.
The expo plans to hold its second International Genetics Marketplace in 2009, but by then, CSIRO’s doors in Rockhampton will be closed.
“In recent years the signs were very encouraging that the regional economy could take advantage of the $3 million upgrade and make real gains in strengthening international connections through its world class research.
“Taking away the Rockhampton CSIRO facility is Kevin Rudd’s way of saying to the researchers and support staff ‘thanks for all your hard work, but we don’t need you now’.”
“In so doing, Mr Rudd is also saying we don’t need regionally-based international partnerships – the strengths of which we have seen in the past through central Queensland’s beef producing role, and CSIRO’s important part in this process. It’s a case of closed doors all round.”