TAS: Tas scientists protest IT outsourcing

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2000
TAS: Tas scientists protest IT outsourcing

HOBART, Aug 29 AAP - More than 100 scientists and technical staff protested in Hobart
today against federal government plans to outsource many of the information technology
needs of research institutions.

Staff from CSIRO Marine Research, the Australian Antarctic Division, the Bureau of
Meteorology and the Antarctic Cooperative Research Centre, many in lab coats, were told
that putting their computing needs in the hands of outside consultants would cause frustrating
delays.

Neil White, of the CSIRO Staff Association, said science was a team pursuit that relied
on collaboration between experts within the institution.

Removing the collaborative aspect and forcing scientists to call in outside help would
risk converting an efficient operation into one that "stopped and started", he said.

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KEYWORD: OUTSOURCING TAS

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