It is important that New Zealand maintains a strong Research, Science and Technology (RST) sector, now more than ever. With significant issues such as climate change facing our energy, primary and export sectors, it is imperative that scientific research is given the long-term certainty of funding to successfully meet those challenges. New Zealand also has an opportunity to help lead the revolution in technological innovation which enables the smartest, and not necessarily the most wealthy, countries to prosper. UnitedFuture believes that one of the key elements to New Zealand's ongoing economic and environmental sustainability will be our ability to maintain a skilled and experienced RST workforce.
It is UnitedFuture policy to:
- Develop a National Science Strategy that identifies New Zealand’s resource and capability needs, international trends, and the medium and long term direction;
- Increase government funding of Research, Science & Technology (RST) as a proportion of GDP to at least the OECD average;
- Investigate ways to increase the amount of privately-funded RST. Current government policy is to reduce public funding of research that benefits industry, assuming that producers will contribute directly, but it can be difficult to attract industry funding for projects with a longer-term horizon from private enterprise, as they often seek more immediate benefits in productivity;
- Simplify the different funding mechanisms for research. These have been allowed to develop in an ad hoc manner over a period of time to fill perceived gaps, but the result is a system that has become inefficient and difficult to navigate;
- Ensure the scope and operation of the current range of Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) maintain a balance between public good activity and commercial applications;
- Increase the attractiveness of research and science as a career option by reducing the costs of study through our zero tuition fees policy, expanding current bonding schemes for teachers and medical professionals to scientists in return for a continuous period of work in New Zealand, and by establishing a system of research scholarships between tertiary providers and the private sector;
- Encourage national research specialisation, bearing in mind New Zealand's size, as well as specialisation by institution, including a focus on:
- agriculture and horticultural efficiency
- biotechnology
- nanotechnology
- energy efficiency and substitution
- aquaculture
- bio-security and environmental degradation
- Support a national expo and awards event for science and technology, to celebrate achievement, attract investment in innovation, and raise the profile of science and technology in New Zealand.