Sometimes science is not the sexiest subject in the world. Certainly for those of us subjected to reciting the periodic table and lectures about turning off bunsen burners it did not come to life. But in New Zealand we have some terrific scientists who have the ability to bring to life their subject area. One of those is Peter Gluckman.
As such there is a lot to applaud in the government’s announcement that he will be acting in a part time capacity as a Science Advisor for the PM. Gluckman is a world leading scientist who at the Liggins Institute has pioneered studies of child development and its link to health in later life. Having him as a voice in the ear of the PM is great.
But the reality is all the advice in the world will mean next to nothing if resources are not available. Gluckman himself says he will not be involved in discussions about funding. There is a need for urgent discussions. As my colleague Moana Mackey has noted, the government is gutting science funding. They have ditched the $700 million Fast Forward fund in favour of a very modest $30 million agricultural science fund. They also ditched the R and D Tax Credit which was set to help increase our pitiful private sector spend on research and development.
And just last week Bill English let slip that tertiary education was a likely loser in the Budget. The linkage between universities and science and innovation in New Zealand needs to be enhanced, not cut back. In the midst of a recession it is the very time we need to invest in education and science so that we are able to jump start the economy and create jobs. The government bangs on about improving productivity. One of the keys to that is increasing R+D and innovation. It seems the government thinks the only way to productivity is to cut staff.
Gluckman says as part of his role he “wants to make science sexy and attractive”. Without funding from government and support to private research and development it is looking to be as unattractive as an ACT caucus pyjama party.
Posted in Science, Peter Gluckman, Innovation and Education. |
As Parliament went into urgency on Wednesday night I missed out on getting to the Wellington Gold Awards - the premier business awards for the region. By all accounts it was a great night, and a huge congratulations to all the winners, particularly Park Road Post who took out the overall award.
I had heard some comments about an extraordinary speech given by Maurice Williamson, but until now had not been able to get details. Helpfully the Dominion Post Diary column today has them. The diary item (can’t find it on-line) is repeated in full below.
John Key’s ministers seem to be unable to grasp the concept of political correctness. Wellington premier business event the Gold Awards was subjected to a tawdry blurt from Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson, who, when asked to present an award, instead awarded himself a presentation. Starting out with a Mother’s Day tribute suggesting Mr Key frequently referred to his team using the term mother-something or other, the minister then attempted a “joke” about disabled people stealing non-disabled carparks. Apparently believing he was on a roll, he donned his customs minister hat and promised Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast a cavity search next time she travelled overseas for forgetting to mention his name in her address to the awards. With Mr Key reportedly seething in the front row, one wonders how a transition from being statistics minister to being a statistic might go.
Oh dear.
Posted in Humour, Williamson, Prendergast, Gold Awards and Wellington. |
In question time today Paula Bennett said Labour should be ‘ashamed’ for raising the 200 job losses at the Ministry of Social Development, as this was ‘ a difficult day’ and ‘no time for politics’. This is breathtaking. For those new to proceedings Paula Bennett is the Minister of Social Development, and it is on her watch that these people have been put out of jobs.
It is indeed a difficult day for people at MSD, and our sympathies go out to those people who have lost their jobs. It would be nice to see some of that sympathy from the National government who have taken the scapel to the very organisation charged with supporting the most vulnerable people in our community. National have tried to dress up the announcement today as being about moving resources to the frontline, but the reality is they are simply not giving MSD the resources they need to provide the increased services that New Zealanders need.
Almost all of the comment on job cuts in the public service have been forced out of the government. There is clearly a strategy to not announce or leave it to Chief Executives to carry the can. Ministers should be up front, and accept that these decisions are their responsibility.
Posted in Public Servants, Redundancies, MSD, Job Losses and Paula Bennett. |
Gordon Campbell has already posted on the strange credibility gap between Murray McCully’s nasty speech announcing the changes to NZAID and the Cabinet papers that made the decisions. It looks like McCully could not quite get the Cabinet paper he wanted because the facts and evidence did not stack up, but this has not stopped his true views shining through in the speech. Word coming out of NZAID is that in the wake of the speech staff morale is at an all time low. The speech is regarded as an assault on the professionalism and credibility of staff or as McCully so kindly referred to them in the speech “ faceless, unelected, unaccountable, aid bureaucrats“. This from a National Party who promised to respect and ‘de-politicise’ the public sector?. Any hope that McCully might have come round to the value of NZAID’s work and mission has faded fast.
Alongside McCully’s attack on NZAID itself, his barbs at the ‘self interested‘ aid community has NGOs furious. Their public response has been muted, but that is hardly surprising is it? They know they have to work with him over the next couple of years. This is, of course, the very point of the criticism of the McCully plan. If you politicise the giving of aid, those who rely on the support will feel the need to play the game.
But concern about the McCully plan is widespread. I hosted a group of church leaders for breakfast on Friday, and a number of them expressed deep concern about the impact of the changes on New Zealand’s aid programme, and our international credibility. I think National will live to regret Murray’s strange personal crusade, whatever it actually may be.
Posted in International, Public Service, Murray McCully and New Zealand in the World. |
