Barnett Tim: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Barnett Tim: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:606;Page:4068] 
7.  
TIM BARNETT (NZ Labour—Christchurch Central) 
 to the  
Minister of Research Science and Technology 
: What are the latest research science and technology initiatives which he has undertaken and why are these important? 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Research Science and Technology) 
: 
 The Government focuses a good deal on science and technology because we see them as vital for innovation and diversification of the economy. Innovation is a key driver of economic growth and these initiatives are important for building a prosperous economy. There are many of them. For example the $100 million invested in the Venture Investment Fund will by the end of this month have been multiplied into more than a quarter of a billion dollars’ worth of venture capital funding at the seed capital end of that spectrum. In addition to that for example a year ago there were no centres of research excellence and there were no research consortia. There was only one incubator in this country 3 years ago; there are now 15. And on it goes. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That went on a little too long. 
Tim Barnett 
: Has he received any reports that suggest alternative ways in which New Zealand could build a more innovative and prosperous economy; if so will he consider adopting any of the ideas raised? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: Yes I have received such a report. Regrettably the report was stuck in the 1990s and offered nothing in the way of new ideas to foster innovation. I am unable to pick it up because it was bereft of any useful new ideas. Sadly that report was the National Party’s vision for our future. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Does he think his Government’s new initiatives would convince scientist Dr Mike Hubbard a pioneer of the key identified area of proteomics who has left New Zealand saying: “Political agendas control the way public money was allocated to an overbearing extent.” or the 40 individuals who lost their jobs at HortResearch last year while working in the key identified area of bioactives or Professor Mervyn Smith from Otago who said: “The Labour Government makes such a big song and dance about the knowledge economy. The words are there but the action is a bit hard to see.”? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I allowed the member to ask that question because there had been a long answer given previously but both question and answer have been too long. I now want the Minister to respond briefly. 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I will simply say to those people and indeed to the member himself that since this Government came to office expenditure on research science and technology through this vote has gone up by 18 percent and if one were to add the capital of the Venture Investment Fund to that it has gone up by 41 percent. That is what happens when a Government puts its money where its mouth is. 
Ian Ewen-Street 
: When will the Government make a similar investment in ecological systems research to the one it is now making in those new initiatives which focus so heavily on gene technology in agriculture—a step that will profoundly undermine the ability of our products to be sold in our export markets like Japan and Europe? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I invite the member to keep abreast of developments. The sustainability round which is the very biggest round of funding this year is now under way. There is significant investment in this country in the sort of science that the member refers to. 
Bernie Ogilvy 
: Can the Minister provide an estimate of the amount of additional funding required during the recent multi-year reinvestment process that was forced when a number of research programmes due for advancement were arbitrarily rolled over for 1 year or more? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: There has been no arbitrary rollover of any programmes recently. About 2 or 3 years ago just before I became the Minister there was a complete rollover for 12 months of a variety of programmes and that was a case of the previous Government trying to get some systems in place. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: I seek leave to table two papers. The first is the OECD figures that show that Government spending on science and technology has gone down as a percentage of gross domestic product. 
Document not tabled. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: The other document is an article from the  
Otago Daily Times 
 that quotes Professor Mervyn Smith as saying: “The Labour Government makes such a big song and dance about the knowledge economy. The words are there but the action is a bit hard to see.” 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is.