Upston Louise: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Upston Louise: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:665;Page:12784] 
LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupo) 
: 
 Tena koe e te Mana Whakawa tena tatou e te Whare. Koinei te Wiki o te Reo Maori te whakanui i a tatou. 
[ 
Greetings to you Mr Chairman and to us the House. This is Maori Language Week which we celebrate 
.] 
This is a John Key - led Government that is committed to growing our economy. A key part of our plan for growth and jobs is better business innovation. Today I will speak about science and innovation. I will talk about our science investment significant as it is and the Primary Growth Partnership and I will also use a local Taupo example to show exactly how science and innovation create jobs and lead to economic growth. 
Science and innovation are at the heart of this Government’s economic growth programme. One of the six is part of this economic plan. The Government has boosted economic growth— 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The vote Minister responsible for this vote is meant to be sitting in the chair while the vote is being considered. Mr Joyce has sweeping powers—I respect that—but forcing the vote Minister out of the chair is not one of those powers. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: The member is exactly right. The Minister is present and his vote is being discussed. I thank the member for that. 
LOUISE UPSTON 
: The Government has boosted economic growth through a major increase in support for research science and technology with a budget providing an additional $321 million over 4 years for new initiatives. The key part of this the centrepiece is the $234 million for boosting business research and development. We are also reforming the Crown research institutes to better enable economic growth. Members will hear a repetitive theme through this—economic growth. The Ministry of Research Science and Technology will be amalgamated with the Foundation for Research Science and Technology to form a new Ministry of Science and Innovation where science refers to basic research and innovation refers to applied research and commercialisation. As a country we have a proud tradition in science; the economic opportunity lies though in the commercialisation. That is the opportunity this country needs to seize and this Government is doing something about it. 
Research funding has to be transparent and fair. This system provides a balance that will ensure that the investment goes to the areas of Government priority—and I will talk to one of those in a minute. The central element of Budget 2010 is support for business research and development. New initiatives include $225 million over 4 years for technology grants to research and development - intensive companies technology transfer vouchers and specific project grants. As the Minister spoke about there is the $24 million for support for commercialisation for university research and Crown research institute research. This commercialisation is critical. 
I will also speak briefly about the Primary Growth Partnership which is vital to electorates that are rural like my own Taupo where a significant element of our economy is forestry. There is to be a $140 million a year investment in Government industry partnerships. The first three partnerships have been announced and forestry is one of those three. That is great news for the Taupo electorate. 
I will bring it local for a minute and look at a specific example of how science leads to the creation of jobs. That is what this Government is about—creating jobs creating wealth and growing our economy not just for now but for decades to come. GNS Science is a Crown research institute and its purpose is: “to understand earth systems and technologies and to transform this knowledge into economic environmental and social benefits for New Zealand.” This company is the expert on offshore and onshore energy and mineral resources. Why is that important? Well the work that GNS Science has done in the geothermal fields of Taupo has led to the creation of jobs which has been a significant factor in sheltering Taupo from the harsh recession that has been felt across the country. Taupo has been sheltered because both Mighty River Power and Contact Energy have recently opened significant geothermal power stations and they are consenting at the moment for further developments. This is exactly how the use of science leads to jobs in growing our geothermal development which is a significant part of our economy. We are a world leader in that and it is something that we can develop further to specifically create jobs create employment and buoy a local economy—not just the local economy in Taupo but local economies across New Zealand. 
There is a whole list of things that I could speak about in terms of the things that this Government is doing in science and in promoting science such as the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser the science prizes the initiation of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases—goodness I have not even started on that one but that could have taken my entire speaking time. This Government has a plan for jobs and growth and science is a vital part of that plan. Kia ora kia mutu. 
Vote agreed to.