Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Science leads 'second industrial revolution'

New Zealand must embrace science and integrate it fully into all aspects of society to be a truly innovative nation, Massey University Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey told a conference in Wellington today (Wednesday).

Mr Maharey, presenting the keynote address at the Science Communicators Association of New Zealand conference, told delegates that, despite their efforts, science is still not integrated into all aspects of society.

“We are entering the second industrial revolution,” he said. “The pace of scientific and technological change is accelerating and an increasing number of people want new goods and services to enable them to respond to the enormous and challenging problems of our age. The answers will come from work in areas such as genetics, life sciences, robotics, energy, health, education, virtual reality, nanotechnology, transport, water use, biotechnology, information technology – to name a few.”

But apart from a number of notable exceptions, New Zealand has been slow to embrace this new thinking. “I think this is our problem when it comes to achieving the goal of having science not just communicated and appreciated but embraced by all New Zealanders. We have not yet answered the question of why science is so important to all of us.”

New Zealand is a nation struggling to keep its head above water, he said. “Our economy is underperforming, social problems are mounting and New Zealanders are frustrated by their inability to build a better country. New Zealand needs to create a society in which institutions and organisations can and do respond to markets, customers, company needs and opportunities. This is the knowledge economy we have talked about but not yet realised.”

Advances in these disciplines are amazing but even more so are the connections between disciplines. “Nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive sciences are all working together. The point I am making is that we are on the threshold of amazing times. The nations that are prepared to create the environment for people, institutions, technologies and businesses to be a part of this are going to find the future a wonderful place.

“Scientists need to be hungry to see this happen and the rest of society must be equally hungry to apply new thinking. A society that understands this point will 'get' the importance of science because they will experience it.”

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 forCriticising 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 >>