Scientific Research—Investment

Does he value the work of Professor Shaun Hendy, deputy director of the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology; Dr Rebecca McLeod, MacDiarmid Young Scientist of the Year in 2008; Associate Professor James Curran, from Auckland University; Dr Stuart Parsons, deputy director of the school of biological sciences at Auckland University; and Dr Nicola Gaston, senior scientist at Industrial Research Ltd—and I could go on—all of whom used the postdoctoral scholarship funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, without which many of them would be living overseas now?

I am not familiar with the exact work done by the particular scientists that the member asked about. But, frankly, I value all the work that our scientists do. That is why, when we look at the funding that we inherited for the postdoctoral fellowship scheme, we see that in 2008 it supported 27 scientists. In 2012 we expect 30 to be supported by the Rutherford Discovery Fellowships. That number will increase by 10 in each of the next 2 years.

I seek leave to table a letter dated 6 September, sent to the Minister, and to Professor Sir Peter Gluckman and others, and signed by Melanie Massaro and 520 scientists, asking the Minister to reinstate the postdoctoral scholarships that give our smarter scientists the chance to stay in New Zealand.

Leave is sought to table that document.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.

I should put the leave first.

This is a point of clarification.

I will hear the Hon David Carter, although there is no such thing as a point of clarification.

I just want to check that the member is right in tabling a letter dated 6 September, because I have a copy of that letter and it is dated 7 September. I just want the member to check the date. It may well have been sent to him—

That is sufficient.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I have the letter here, addressed to Dr Wayne Mapp, Minister of Science and Innovation, and it is dated 6 September.

Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection.

Document, by leave, laid on the Table of the House.

Why has the Minister not listened to scientists who have been telling him for over a year that these cuts to postdoctoral scholarships will leave top scientists with no support, and that they will probably head overseas?

We have listened to scientists. We have spent considerable money on the Rutherford Discovery Fellowships, on the basis of advice given to us that it was critical to support these scientists not immediately after they become eligible for a postdoctoral scholarship but subsequently in their career, and that is equally why we have announced we will review the scheme to make sure sufficient money is going into this area to attract New Zealand’s talented and best scientists.

If he has listened, why was it that yesterday, the same day that he received the letter from those scientists, he brought forward a review of scholarships from the end of next year to now?

The letter was received yesterday. Clearly, that letter was advanced to the Labour Party on the day before that. We are concerned about that letter, and therefore we have initiated a review of the matter.

Will he commit to reinstating the postdoctoral fellowships funding today rather than waiting until next year, in response to the 520 scientists who believe that their careers and many other careers are in jeopardy?