8. Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Research, Science and Technology
What reports, if any, has he received about Government investment in research and development?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Research, Science and Technology) Link to this
I have received reports showing that the Government’s investment in research and development has increased by 56 percent since 1999 to $600 million a year in Vote Research, Science and Technology alone. The Government is also encouraging further public-private collaboration on research and development to assist the growth of New Zealand’s top exporting firms. An example of this is the programme I launched today called Express. This programme, which has received over $2 million through the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, will involve a number of leading information and communications technology industry partners including Telecom and a variety of universities in partnerships around information and communications technology, and looks forward to the next generation in information and communications technology networks.
Dr Ashraf Choudhary Link to this
What other investments is the Government making to accelerate New Zealand’s economic transformation through science?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Last week I announced a $10.6 million grant to Tait Electronics. This was the first grant under the Technology for Business Growth strategic initiative, which aims to support the growth of top export companies with a proven track record. This grant will help the company make the transition from analogue to digital radio technology and become a leader in this overseas market, which is estimated to be worth $2 billion and is supported by such outstanding Canterbury MPs as Ruth Dyson.