9. SHANE ARDERN (National—Taranaki - King Country) Link to this
to the Minister of Agriculture
What steps has the Government recently taken to further primary sector innovation?
Hon DAVID CARTER (Minister of Agriculture) Link to this
Last week the Prime Minister was able to officially declare a major innovation fund, the Primary Growth Partnership, open for business. This is an ambitious and far-reaching partnership. It will play a significant role in delivering the step change in economic growth and productivity that New Zealand so badly needs. The Government has made this an absolute priority.
Why has the Government made such a significant investment in primary sector innovation in this challenging economic environment?
We have worked very closely with industry in developing the Primary Growth Partnership. We have put together a board that is already reviewing several applications, and we see this as being a potential transformation of innovation projects. The Government has always made it clear that the Primary Growth Partnership should be industry-led, and it is for this reason that the industry has been so closely involved in the partnership’s development. I am extremely confident that the Primary Growth Partnership will have good sector buy-in.
Hon Jim AndertonHow many research project proposals, and of what value, had the Primary Growth Partnership received as at 1 September, the date the Minister gave to the Primary Production Committee as the time by which he was confident research project proposals would be received?