Editorial: Will big be better?

Perhaps surprising given the importance of science to the future prosperity of NZ and the primary sector.

Much has been made by government that putting all the ag related CRI’s into one organisation will be in the interests of NZ, but no details about the cost of the benefits of the merger have been made public. These will apparently be ‘worked through’ as part of the transition planning.

The concept of a mega ag science institution sounds enticing, but the question remains, is big best? Will the new conglomerate deliver better science and be agile to change, or end up being another unwieldy bureaucratic conglomerate with a new logo? Size is not a guarantee of performance!

Former politician Steven Joyce noted in a newspaper article: “It’s a pity that the emphasis appears to be more on structure than delivery” and that “the merger is likely to be costly, distracting and achieve little” and has the hallmarks of rearranging the deckchairs in the science system.

Surprising to many is that the main gatekeeper of science funding, the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), wasn’t reviewed in tandem with the CRI’s. To leave them out of this review is questionable. Scientists have long complained that the biggest problem they face is dealing with MBIE’s complex ‘bureaucratic nightmare’ system to get bids for funding accepted.

There is talk of a review of MBIE and a proposal to create new science ministry. We had one of those in 1990’s and early 2000’s. So, is it back to square one again?

Finally, and most importantly, will there be more money for science in the future, and will there be better communication of science as the result of the report? Don’t hold your breath!

Peter Burke is the founder of the Science Communicators Association of NZ