7. MOANA MACKEY (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Research, Science and Technology
What is the Government doing to ensure New Zealand universities and research institutes have access to world-class infrastructure?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Research, Science and Technology) Link to this
Last week the Government launched the Advanced Network, which is a super - high speed Internet 40,000 times faster than the conventional Internet. It will link universities and research organisations here and around the world. The Government is investing $43 million in this major piece of infrastructure. Our scientists can now deal with their data in real time and in large amounts. I welcomed the attendance of National’s communications spokesperson, Maurice Williamson, at the launch. In doing so, he acknowledged the importance of this piece of infrastructure.
What other investments is the Government making to transform New Zealand’s economy through science, and what reports has the Minister received of support for those investments?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
The Government invests around $640 million a year in research and science through the science portfolio alone, which is a 65 percent increase since 1999. Although that spending has been widely supported, unfortunately we do not enjoy the support of the National Party’s spokesperson on this sector, Dr Paul Hutchison, who made a joke of himself in Queenstown last week when he chose to attack Labour’s science policy.
Madam SPEAKERI have asked Ministers not to make those kinds of comments. Mr Maharey, please withdraw that comment about the member.
Dr Paul Hutchison Link to this
How can the Minister expect New Zealand universities and research institutions to carry out world-class research, when the regulatory environment imposed by this Government around biological science is such that the chief executive officer of HortResearch said only 7 days ago: “In reality, the costs mean this won’t happen in New Zealand and the opportunity for world leadership here in New Zealand is lost.”
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I expect our science institutions to do science consistent with biosecurity and biodiversity, but I also expect them to be able to get an idea from the Opposition spokesperson, who likes to criticise these things, of such basic things as how much money he would spend on science.
Jeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
What is the Minister doing to ensure that New Zealanders who are doing research into promising marine energy technology, such as tidal currents and waves, have access to world-class infrastructure for testing their machines and their integration into the grid, given New Zealand’s urgent need for more renewable electricity generation?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
The member may like to know that one of what are called the road maps for major areas of science being prepared by the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology—and, hopefully, it will be delivered around the end of November—will be on energy, and that it will look at those kinds of renewable resources, like marine energy. Hopefully, it will be a point of discussion for the member, because we do need to resolve those kinds of issues—and fund them—going forward.