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I bet there is more to this than just unauthorised talking to the media.

So I have heard... but I have not been privy to any details.

It is tempting to see this as an orwellian example of the government trying to manage information (which is how the media are spinning it), but there may be other issues. I wonder if we will ever know what the real circumstances of Salinger's dismissal were.

In the absence of such info, I am beguiled as to why such a distinguished scientists and science communicator would get the shaft.

Another important issue surrounding this is whether Salinger's dismissal will create a "big chill" among CRI scientists with regard to communicating their science to the public. That would be most unfortunate and a worry for the welfare of our country.

There is a wealth of examples from overseas of how government scientists have been muzzled on issues such as climate change, the dire state of important fisheries, the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment, etc., etc... This sort of behaviour makes a farce of "objectivism" in science, and is a very risky business...