29 May 2009
Media Statement

RS&T a big loser in Budget 2009

Research, science and technology is one of the big losers of Budget 2009, with small increases in some areas offset by massive funding cuts across the board, says Research and Development, Science and Technology spokesperson Moana Mackey.

“The Government claims that “Budget 2009 recognises the critical role science and technology will play in the economic recovery through substantial extra funding.” This is misleading at best and dishonest at worst.

“While the Research Science and Technology Minister has trumpeted small increases in some areas, the real story is cuts in tertiary education, the abolition of Labour’s R&D tax credits, the gutting of the Fast Forward Fund and the smallest increase in Vote RS&T in many years,” Moana Mackey says.

“The Minister is claiming “substantial extra funding” of $128 million, but in fact Vote RS&T only increased by some $25 million.

“This was paid for by slashing $630 million from the sector with the abolition of Labour’s R&D tax credits. Only a National Minister would have the cheek to strip over $600 million in funding from the sector and call this an increase.

“This doesn’t even begin to take into account the cuts to Labour’s Fast Forward Fund. As recently as February Agriculture Minister David Carter was promising that National’s replacement would be equal to or better than Labour’s. But the fund unveiled by National is not only worth $800 million less to the sector, it lacks one of the most critical aspects of Labour’s fund, which was long-term funding certainty,” Moana Mackey says.

“Labour’s Fast Forward Fund guaranteed stable research funding for the food and pastoral sectors for the next 10-15 years. Under National’s poor imitation, this critical sector will have to come cap in hand to Government for a year by year appropriation.

“As governments around the world are investing heavily in RS&T as part of their economic stimulus packages, our Government is heading backwards at a rate of knots.”

ENDS

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