Senator PARRY (3:37 PM) —At the request of Senator Abetz, I move:

   That the Senate—

(a)   congratulates Dr Megan Clark on her appointment as the next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO); and

(b)   notes:

(i)   that the current CEO, Dr Geoff Garrett, will leave his position at the end of 2008 and expresses its appreciation to Dr Garrett for his selfless service over that time, and

(ii)   the importance of the CSIRO to Australia’s innovation future; and

(c)   condemns the Rudd Labor Government for cutting $63 million out of the CSIRO’s budget over the forward estimates.

Question agreed to.