Australia’s chief scientist resigns

Sydney Morning Herald : Australia’s chief scientist, astronomer Penny Sackett , surprised the scientific community last Friday by announcing her resignation effective 4 March—just halfway through her five-year tenure. Pundits have suggested that her resignation may be in protest over the government’s decision to delay an emissions-trading scheme that she is known to support, or that it reflects rumored tensions between her and science minister Kim Carr . Sackett’s official statement simply said that she is “standing down for personal and professional reasons.”