There were more than a few surprises in John Key’s cabinet line-up announced yesterday. Dr Wayne Mapp’s appointment to the research, science and technology portfolio was largely unexpected but gels reasonably well with his other associate portfolios of associate economic development and associate tertiary education though Dr Mapp’s key portfolio of defence is likely to keep him busy.
Steven Joyce was always an obvious candidate for the ICT portfolio, given his interest in infrastructure and the fact that the broadband scheme will be one of the biggest infrastructure programmes the Government embarks on in the next few years.
There are some big issues on the agenda for the RS&T porfolio including:
1. The ditching of the $700 million Fast Forward fund – how will this be wound-up in an orderly way? National claims in its science policy “Where R&D initiatives have already been established through Fast Forward, consideration will be given to continuing them.”
What, if any of the work that has been done by the early stakeholders in Fast Forward be retained?
2. The new funding landscape for primary sector R&D – how will it work?
National plans to boost funding of primary sector and food research by $25 million a year over the next three years, boosting funding for research consortia in the primary sector by $25 million a year over the same period. It plans to establish a ‘virtual centre’ for research dedicated to reducing on-farm greenhouse gas emissions funded to the tune of $20 million a year over the next three years.
Importantly, how will the new centre for on-farm greenhouse gas reduction research fit in with the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium which has already done a lot of good research in this area?
3. Scrapping the R&D tax credit – what will it mean for businesses?
Companies quick to take advantage of the 15 per cent R&D tax credit which has been in place since April 1 will find that their tax holiday is extremely brief. There will need to be some good communication to the innovation sector as to how and when the scheme will be wound down and the accounting and financial planning implications this will have for the innovation sector.
4. Securing more funding for CRIs – what’s involved?
Some of the savings from the R&D tax credit will be used to inject more funding into the Crown Research Institutes. But the details of how this will happen are currently vague.
Says National: “National will treat the secure funding allocation as a core part of the CRIs’ revenue stream. We will fund CRIs on a longer-term basis to develop and maintain a nationally significant research capacity in their core areas of science.”
There will be a degree of contestability for funding of the CRIs – how will this work? There are some other intriguing provisions in the science policy that need to be worked through including:
– an intellectual property policy for the CRIs that ” rewards individual inventors”.
– co-supervision of postgraduate students between CRIs and universities.
– mechisms allowing senior scientists to move betwene universities, CRIs and industry more easily.
5. The role of the Prime Minister’s Science Advisor
What will the science adviser do specifically and what sort of interaction will the adviser have with the scientific community. Exactly what will be in the science adviser’s remit?
This is a potentially very powerful position and there are many good candidates in New Zealand science. Some firm guidelines will need to be put in place and circulated with the science sector to explain to scientists exactly what the position hopes to achieve.
6. $1 million in annual Prime Minister’s prizes for science
How will these new prizes for scientists, including the supreme Prime Minister’s science prize, dovetail will existing science prizes or will there be a big shake-up of prize-giving in science?
7. Cutting red tape in science
National promises in its first six months in office to investigate options for reducing compliance costs and bureaucracy in the “science system”.
This could include reducing the funding pots available to streamline applications, better co-ordination of the RS&T funding cycle.
There are some big issues on the agenda for the communications and Information technology portfolio including:
– The Broadband Investment Fund
Numerous groups have already submitted applications for funding of regional broadband schemes through Labour’s BIF scheme. Will these applications be thrown out?
– The $1.5 billion fibre plan
National’s broadband policy is available here, but is scant on detail. Huge questions remain on the following:
– The technology that will underpin the network? Will the entire network be fibre based? How will the network fit in with exisiting fibre infrastructure?
– How will the FibreCo company be structured?
– Timeframes, speeds and feeds
When will this scheme start delivering tangible benefits for New Zealanders?
Other ICT issues on the agenda:
The Digital Strategy – will National endorse its aims or look to change the agenda here?
Closer integration with broadcasting regulation – will ICT – telecommunications etc be rolled up with broadcasting under the remit of a central overseeing regulator?
The private sector and R&D. The removal of the R&D tax credit was a bit of a slap in the face to private companies who were early in taking advantage of it. How will National encourage our innovative companies to increase their R&D spend (which is behind that of other OECD countries)?
In the National Business Review, InternetNZ argues for the BIF boradband scheme to be retained.
And in Computerworld, IDC analyst Rosalie Nelson argues that broadband should be addressed on a targeted basis, not a fibre-for-all grand plan.
“In short, if the goal is economic gain, then surely the approach needs to be calibrated to encourage contestable and competitive fibre availability where commercially viable, and new contestable investment where it is not, keeping an open mind on what technology will best meet market need. Then integrate it with a strong focus on helping grow the services that will truly deliver productivity benefits.
“The equation changes if the government’s desired outcomes are social. Economic benefits can be quasi-commercial and quantifiable; social benefits are more ephemeral. They will almost certainly deliver, at some future point, economic gains. But what becomes harder to determine is whether it is the difference between 100Mbit/s or 50Mbits or 20Mbit/s that really drives the benefits – or the services and convergence capability that are emerging apace.”
The complete list of ministers
1. John Key
Prime Minister
Minister of Tourism
Ministerial Services
Minister in Charge of the NZ Security Intelligence Service
Minister Responsible for the GCSB
2. Hon Bill English
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Finance
Minister for Infrastructure
3. Gerry Brownlee
Minister for Economic Development
Minister of Energy and Resources
Leader of the House
Associate Minister for the Rugby
World Cup
4. Simon Power
Minister of Justice
Minister for State Owned Enterprises
Minister of Commerce
Minister Responsible for the Law Commission
Associate Minister of Finance
Deputy Leader of the House
5. Hon Tony Ryall
Minister of Health
Minister of State Services
6. Hon Dr Nick Smith
Minister for the Environment
Minister for Climate Change Issues
Minister for ACC
8. Judith Collins
Minister of Police
Minister of Corrections
Minister of Veterans’ Affairs
9. Anne Tolley
Minister of Education
Minister for Tertiary Education
Minister Responsible for the Education Review Office
10. Christopher Finlayson
Attorney-General
[Includes responsibility for Serious Fraud Office]
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
11. Hon David Carter
Minister of Agriculture
Minister for Biosecurity
Minister of Forestry
12. Hon Murray McCully
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister for Sport and Recreation
Minister for the Rugby World Cup
13. Tim Groser
Minister of Trade
Minister of Conservation
Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs
Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues (International Negotiations)
14. Dr Wayne Mapp
Minister of Defence
Minister of Research, Science and Technology
Associate Minister for Economic Development
Associate Minister for Tertiary Education
15. Steven Joyce
Minister of Transport
Minister for Communications and Information Technology
Associate Minister of Finance
Associate Minister for Infrastructure
16. Hon Georgina te Heuheu
Minister for Courts
Minister of Pacific Island Affairs
Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control
Associate Minister of Maori Affairs
18. Paula Bennett
Minister for Social Development and Employment
Minister for Disability Issues
Minister of Youth Affairs
19. Phil Heatley
Minister of Fisheries
Minister of Housing
20. Pansy Wong
Minister for Ethnic Affairs
Minister of Women’s Affairs
Associate Minister for ACC
Associate Minister of Energy and Resources
21. Dr Jonathan Coleman
Minister of Immigration
Minister of Broadcasting
Associate Minister of Tourism
Associate Minister of Health
22. Kate Wilkinson
Minister of Labour
Minister for Food Safety
Associate Minister of Immigration
MINISTERS OUTSIDE CABINET
23. Hon Maurice Williamson
Minister for Building and Construction
Minister of Customs
Minister of Statistics
Minister for Small Business
24. Dr Richard Worth
Minister of Internal Affairs
Minister for Land Information
Minister Responsible for Archives
New Zealand
Minister Responsible for the National Library
Associate Minister of Justice
25. John Carter
Minister of Civil Defence
Minister for Senior Citizens
Minister for Racing
Associate Minister of Local Government
SUPPORT PARTY MINISTERS
Rodney Hide
Minister of Local Government
Minister for Regulatory Reform
Associate Minister of Commerce
Heather Roy
Minister of Consumer Affairs
Associate Minister of Defence
Associate Minister of Education
Dr Pita Sharples
Minister of Maori Affairs
Associate Minister of Corrections
Associate Minister of Education
Hon Tariana Turia
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
Associate Minister of Health
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
Hon Peter Dunne
Minister of Revenue
Associate Minister of Health