Shearer David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Shearer David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:675;Page:21142] 
9. 
DAVID SHEARER (Labour—Mt Albert) 
 to the  
Minister of Science and Innovation 
: Does he stand by his statement “Attracting empowering and retaining talent must be the foundation on which our innovation future is built. This means investing more into our young scientists”? 
Hon DAVID CARTER (Minister of Agriculture) 
 on behalf of the Minister of Science and Innovation: He does. This Government has invested strongly in our science and innovation system including in supporting young scientists. As a Government we have consistently lifted the appropriation in Vote Science and Innovation and I personally certainly hope that this trend is able to continue. 
David Shearer 
: 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? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: 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. 
David Shearer 
: 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. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I should put the leave first. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: This is a point of clarification. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I will hear the Hon David Carter although there is no such thing as a point of clarification. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: 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— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is sufficient. 
David Shearer 
: 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. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: 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. 
David Shearer 
: 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? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: 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. 
David Shearer 
: 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? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: 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. 
David Shearer 
: 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? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: No this Government does not make spontaneous decisions like the previous Labour Government did. We will make sure we have the right decision made backed by the right information and research.