Source: PSA
The PSA is criticising the Government’s announcement today on the establishment of the fourth Public Research Organisation, the New Zealand Institute of Advanced Technology (NZIAT), saying that they could struggle to deliver the science and research needed without the necessary talent and funding.
“Our biggest concern here is that all the talented people who undertook groundbreaking research at Callaghan Innovation have likely already taken up jobs – many of them overseas,” Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi national secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons says.
The PSA is New Zealand’s largest union and represents scientists, laboratory and support staff from the former Crown Research Institutes and in the newly formed Public Research Organisations.
As of June, dozens of public researchers from Callaghan Innovation were made redundant. Many of the team were experts in subjects like artificial intelligence, which are at the centre of the NZIAT.
While some areas of Callaghan Innovation were expected to transfer across to NZIAT (namely the Health Tech Activator and Product Accelerator), the number of staff in these areas is very small.
“We said earlier this year that without a plan to transition large numbers of scientists, the Government is wasting the expertise that has been built up here.
“How can you go for growth in the economy when the people who create all this value have already boarded a flight to Australia?
“How can the Government, so hell-bent on saving costs, justify paying out redundancy payments to people whose skills they ultimately concede they need only a month after the redundancies have taken effect?”
The PSA also says that there’s a question mark over how much science and research will be delivered by the NZIAT.
“The funding – $231M over four years – sounds pretty good, but for this kind of science is actually low.
“Plus Minister Reti’s announcement says the institute will invest in science and technology, not produce any new research. So about $60M per year in investment is a tiny platform.
“The Government has essentially sucked up all the funding from Callaghan Innovation – which received about $85M a year – and redeployed less of it here.
“We’re not fooled. There’s less money than ever going into public science, to the detriment of not only the New Zealand science community but everyone in Aotearoa.”
