Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins is further delaying reforms of the science sector, and ignoring pleas from the science community for resolutions, says science advocacy group Save Science Coalition.
"The Minister is asleep at the wheel", says Save Science Coalition spokesperson Dr Lucy Stewart.
"Parties from across the political spectrum agree that there are big issues in the science system that need to be addressed, but we are seeing ongoing delays and non-response from the Minister."
The Science System Advisory Group, set up by Minister Collins to advise on improving the science system was due to give its initial report in July. A second report was expected in October. Neither report has been released.
In the meantime more than 500 roles have been cut, or proposed to be cut, within the science sector, and this number continues to grow.
"This is leading to an irreplaceable loss of skilled scientists from New Zealand," Dr Stewart says.
"The Government appears more focused on cuts and chaos than developing comprehensive solutions in an area which is vital to our society and economy."
The Save Science Coalition wrote to Minister Collins in October, and again in early November, but to date has received no response.
"This is extremely disappointing, given that we are approaching the Minister as representatives of a large proportion of the science community in New Zealand.
"We are concerned that the problems identified with the science system, are only being exacerbated by the ongoing cuts we are seeing in the sector while the Minister continually deprioritises, delays, defers, and ignores," says Stewart.
"This will make any outcomes of the Science System Advisory Group more difficult to implement, and more difficult to get value from.
"Only last week, a group of economists raised concern that the Government’s lack of investment is prolonging the recession in New Zealand. We know that countries that invest more in research and development see far greater returns for their economy - not to mention the value of public good science - the return on the investment for society that cannot always be measured in monetary terms.
"New Zealand is continuing to miss out, while the Minister appears to be unwilling to listen or to act.
"The Save Science Coalition call on Minister Collins to engage with the science community, stop the cuts, support mātauranga Māori, and improve funding for New Zealand’s science system to create a more prosperous country for all. But first of all - we call on the Minister to front up and release the report."
ENDS
Context:
The Save Science Coalition was set up in May this year and completed a report documenting the cuts to science funding and staffing which was released in July this year. The group is now working on an updated report, to be released before the end of the year.
The Save Science Coalition’s goals are:
- to oppose cuts to science funding and science staff across government institutions
- to highlight and catalogue what is being lost through the current cuts
- to defend support for world-leading indigenous research including mātauranga Māori
- to make the case for a foundation of support for public science and re-committing to a target of 2% of GDP to be invested in research and development in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Current Save Science Coalition member organisations are:
- New Zealand Association of Scientists
- Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi
- Tertiary Education Union
- Academic Freedom Aotearoa
- NZ Society of Endocrinology
- NZ Ecological Society
- Council of Trade Unions
- Physiological Society of New Zealand
- New Zealand Institute of Forestry
- New Zealand Geoscience Society
- Aviation and Marine Engineers Association
- New Zealand Institute of Chemistry
- NZEI Te Riu Roa
- Te Manatōpū Mātai Koiora Moroiti | The New Zealand Microbiological Society
- New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society - Ngā Kohinga Wai o Aotearoa
- Genomics for Aotearoa New Zealand
- Entomological Society of New Zealand
- Sociological Association of Aotearoa New Zealand
- France Aotearoa Science Technology and !nnovation (FAST!)
- New Zealand Society of Plant Biologists
- Association for Women in the Sciences
- New Zealand Marine Sciences Society
- New Zealand Plant Protection Society
- New Zealand Geographical Society
- New Zealand Mathematical Society
- New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Rivers Group
- Carbon and Energy Professionals New Zealand
- Aotearoa Brain Project
