Investment in research and development grows

Embargoed until 10:45am – 22 March 2011

Total research and development (R&D) spending increased to almost $2.5 billion in 2010, Statistics New Zealand said today. This is an increase of 13 percent from 2008. The business sector continues to spend the most on research and development, over $1 billion of R&D in 2010.

Research and development expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) also increased between 2008 and 2010. Total research and development as a percentage of gross domestic product was 1.30 percent, compared with 1.19 percent in 2008.

Universities increased the amount they spent on research and development in 2010 – $802 million, up from $653 million in 2008. This is due to increased focus on research and development by universities and higher funding from both business and government.

“Across all sectors there was a trend toward more commercially focused R&D” Statistics New Zealand’s manager of research and development statistics Hamish Hill said. In 2010, over 70 percent of the research and development was applied research or experimental development. These types of research and development are more likely to have commercial applications.

The Research and Development Survey 2010 was developed jointly with the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI) and is conducted by Statistics New Zealand. A full report on the results of the 2010 survey will be published on 27 May 2011.

Geoff Bascand
22 March 2011
Government Statistician

ENDS

ResearchandDevelopmentSurvey2010HOTP.pdf
ResearchandDevelopment2010Tables.xls

BUDGET 2012:
Parliament Debate Live - Video Of Budget 2011
Keith Ng Interactive Graphic: How the Budget Breaks Down
BUDGET 2012 - FULL COVERAGE: Reports / Analysis - Press Kit - Reaction (from everybody) - Previews (from everybody) - Pre-Budget Announcements

Gordon Campbell: On the Budget’s Spreadsheet Victories

It wasn’t as if expectations were sky high, exactly. Chances are, it was always more likely that we’d be seeing Bigfoot rampage through the Beehive lock-up than catch a glimpse of a credible growth agenda from this government. More >>

Sludge Budget Report - Short The Dollar! MEMO: To international bankers FROM: C.D. Sludge Please short the dollar! It'll be good for both you and us. And you know you want to. Greexit, Eurogeddon... watch out... flight to quality and all that. Follow your instincts. The NZ Debt Management Office has been so surprised at the unprecedentedly low interest rates that it can borrow at that it has already entirely pre-funded the 2013 fiscal deficit - all $8 billion of it! More >>

Pattrick Smellie Comment: Doddling along the best we can hope for Criticising Budgets for lacking vision or imagination is like shooting fish in a barrel, but even so, this year's Budget again feels like a missed opportunity. Perhaps it's the intrusion of real world needs that means the government couldn't make better political use of the $558.8 million it expects to gather in its first partial asset sale. More >>