Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

$56.8m more for contestable science funding

Hon Steven Joyce
Minister of Science & Innovation

15 May 2014

$56.8m more for contestable science funding

The Government will increase its investment in contestable science with $56.8 million of operating funding over three years starting from 2015/16 as it continues to grow its science and innovation expenditure as part of the Business Growth Agenda, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says.

“High-quality scientific research is critical to increasing innovation and economic growth, and therefore to improving the lives of New Zealanders,” he says.

“Contestable science funding is an important component of the overall science funding system, and this additional funding will provide more opportunities for more research projects of scale across institutions and industry.”

This announcement continues a commitment to keep significantly growing the science investment budget in tough fiscal conditions to position New Zealand well as an innovative small country on the global stage.

“The Government has set a goal of increasing public expenditure on science to 0.8 per cent of GDP as fiscal conditions allow. Each year we have added investment through programmes like the National Science Challenges, the Marsden Fund, and the development of Callaghan Innovation.

“This initiative, and the additional $53 million for Centres of Research Excellence also announced in Budget 2014, take us closer to that goal.

“Our total annual cross-government investment in science and innovation is expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2015/16.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

The National Statement of Science Investment, which is being drafted, highlights the Government’s commitment to investment in science, which has increased by more than 60 per cent since 2007/08.

“This additional funding will help to achieve the goal set out in the statement - of a science system that produces high-quality, relevant, internationally connected research that makes a real difference to New Zealanders,” Mr Joyce says.

“The Statement also sets out our intention to reform the contestable funding system from 2015, to make it more flexible, less complex and more closely focused on research that is of relevance to New Zealand. This funding will support those reforms.”

The additional funding will be available from the 2015 contestable science funding round, with further increases planned for the 2016 and 2017 rounds. It will be managed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.