Address to the 2017 Science New Zealand Conference

On the 9th of November 2017, Mr Upton gave a keynote address to the Science New Zealand Conference at Te Papa Tongarewa, celebrating 25 years since the creation of the Crown Research Institutes. 

Mr Upton noted that The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is a major consumer of the output of environmentally related research. He then pointed out that New Zealand spends a far higher percentage of its public good science envelope on environmentally related research than any other country in the OECD. He then went on to outline three areas of concern with respect to New Zealand's science system. First, the need to environmental researchers to have stable, long-term funding horizons. Secondly, the need for local expertise and skills in a secure research workforce. Thirdly, the critical importance of keeping public science at arm's length from political and commercial interference. 

A copy of the address is available here.