New Zealand’s shift to “smarter” research spending will be executed without any additional taxpayer support, the government has confirmed.
A “Science investment plan”, released by tertiary education and science minister Penny Simmonds, outlines details of the government’s decision to reallocate an extra NZ$122 million (£53 million) to advanced technologies research.
The increase, phased over the next four financial years, will coincide with funding reductions of between 22 and 31 per cent in the other three priority research “pillars” of primary industries, environmental sustainability and “healthy people and a thriving society”.
These areas “have received long-term sustained public investment”, the plan explains. “Private-sector investment has grown and there is further capacity for industry to take a greater role.”
The plan says overall funding for researchers and research organisations will decline, “reflecting earlier government savings initiatives”. Total grants will fall from about NZ$1.2 billion in 2026-27 to NZ$1.05 billion in 2029-30, although this will largely be offset by a steady increase in rebates and refunds from the Research and Development Tax Incentive scheme.
