Australian Synchrotron - Management and Governance Issues

Management and Governance Issues

In 2009, the Australia Synchrotron Director, Professor Robert Lamb, was dismissed, resulting in widely publicized tension between the Synchrotron board, the Science Advisory Committee (the SAC) to the Australian Synchrotron and staff at the facility. This is turn resulted in a number of resignations by both SAC and facility staff

In February 2011, after an unsuccessful series of attempts to recruit a Director, Professor Keith Nugent, a board member, was appointed as a part time Director of the Australian Synchrotron. A new position of Chief Operating Officer, responsible for operational management of the facility, was created and filled by the previously acting director, Dr George Borg.

In May 2011, The Sunday Age reported that the synchrotron could be closed in 2012 after neither the Victorian state and the Federal governments would commit to ongoing funding of the research. On 15 September 2011 The Australian reported "Synchrotron experts 'may leave' "..."due to job security uncertainty" after an FOI brief to the new secretary of the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research was obtained In late March 2012, funding was secured after both the federal and Victorian governments agreed to $95 million funding arrangement. In April 2012, the deal funding the synchrotron has required the facility to cut spending by at least 10 per cent according to the Director. In July 2012 a number of staff positions were cut. The director,Professor Keith Nugent, after 18 months has announced his resignation to coincide with the ANSTO takeover and further staff cuts.