바이오인

 

 

The Government’s most important goal is to improve New Zealand’s economic performance while continuing to strengthen our society and protect our environment.
In July 2009, the Prime Minister set out the three economic objectives that support this goal. These are:
? increasing New Zealand’s productivity growth
? maintaining high levels of employment, and
? reducing New Zealand’s vulnerability to adverse events.

The New Zealand economy has not grown at a rate that compares well with other OECDd countries. That trend must be reversed if New Zealand is to compete globally and maintain our standard of living.

The Government has identified six main policy drivers that will underpin economic growth. These are regulatory reform, skills and education, infrastructure, taxation, public sector services, and innovation. A key driver is innovation; how people in firms can use science and ideas to increase the value of the goods and services they produce.

To develop New Zealand’s innovation potential, the Government is looking at many ways of improving the conditions for businesses to innovate, and removing impediments such as excessive regulation. The Government is also working to create more effective business assistance to encourage research, development, commercialisation and international export growth opportunities. This work is led by the Ministers of Finance and Economic Development and has parallel work streams that will be completed by the end of 2009 for implementation in the 2010 Budget.

Effectively harnessing RS&T is essential to improving innovation which is the foundation on which the economy can grow. Thus Government is putting strong emphasis on science and innovation as economic drivers. This sits alongside other Government objectives where science plays a central role such as improving health, environmental and social outcomes.

Progress has already been made. Budget 2009 provided significant investment into building science capability through substantial increases to the Mmarsden Fund, the Health Research Council (HRC) funding, Crown research institute (CRIi) Capability funding and the Performance Bbased Research Fund (PBbRF). Professor Sir Peter Gluckman has been appointed as the Prime Mminister’s Chief Science Adviser. Vvote RS&T was increased by 8 percent.

This document sets out the next steps. It sets out the strategic principles that will inform science investments and priorities that support the Government’s growth agenda. Iit also addresses the need to simplify the system so that scientists and researchers can get on with the job and not be diverted by bureaucracy.

There are two other initiatives underway in RS&T that sit alongside this work. The first is examining how the CRIi model can operate more effectively to support New Zealand’s development. A small Taskforce will be established and report on this by Ddecember. The second initiative is looking at ways that business R&Dd investment can be lifted. This will examine ways to encourage businesses to engage in innovation, and how research organisations such as universities and CRIis can reach out to businesses more effectively and earlier. Recommendations on this will also be made before the end of the year.