PSA supports taskforce call for secure funding

PSA supports taskforce call for greater funding certainty for CRIs

The Public Service Association supports the Crown Research Institute Taskforce call for the government to provide greater certainty of funding for CRIs and to focus on research in the national interest rather than making a profit for the Crown.

The PSA has 2500 staff working at the country’s eight Crown Research Institutes. Each
CRI is based around a productive sector of the economy or a grouping of natural resources.

“We applaud the taskforce for recognising the clear need to give CRIs greater certainty about their funding by increasing their core funding,” says PSA president Paula Scholes.

“We wholeheartedly agree with the taskforce that current dependency on competitive contracts makes CRIs financially vulnerable and undermines their ability to conduct research in the national interest.”

“We also support the recommendation that CRIs remain as Crown companies but not be required to operate as profit making businesses.”

“As the taskforce states this profit-driven approach is failing because it encourages CRIs to deliver a $1 million profit rather than conduct research that would provide a $100 million benefit to the whole country.”

“We support the taskforce view that the current funding and governance arrangements for CRIs make it difficult for CRIs to work with universities and private companies because they are seen as competitors.”

“We’re also pleased the Taskforce sees no need for CRI mergers or realignments which are hugely disruptive and expensive.”

“But we’re disappointed the taskforce makes no mention that CRIs are struggling to recruit science staff because of low pay rates.”

“The science sector as a whole is low paid and CRI science staff have the lowest pay rates within the science sector,” says Paula Scholes.

A HayGroup survey conducted last year showed pay for the ‘science market’ lagged behind the ‘general NZ market’ by as much as 11%. Within the science sector CRI science staff are paid less than science staff at universities and at other organisations in the science sector.

“Low pay rates are making it difficult for CRIs to recruit science staff,” says Paula Scholes.

“Increasingly CRIs are having to recruit scientists from overseas and struggle to compete with overseas universities and research institutes that pay much higher salaries.”

“We agree with the taskforce that CRIs are a key component of our national science system and hope the government provides them with the certainty of funding and structures needed that will enable them to focus on work that will benefit the whole country.”

“We want CRIs to become ‘more powerful engines of growth’ and to do that they need to be able to provide pay rates that enable them to recruit and retain high quality science staff,” says Paula Scholes.

ENDS