A reorganisation of New Zealand’s government-owned research bodies could increase productivity and focus on long-term development, according to a recommendation by a government taskforce.
The taskforce has said a longer-term focus for the country’s eight Crown science companies could produce more money-spinners like Plant & Food Research’s gold kiwifruit, currently worth NZ$470m (US$330) to the country and expected to earn NZ$1.2bn (US843m) by 2016.
New Zealand scientists have said the current system drives them to constantly compete for funding, making projects without a short-term payoff difficult to run, reported the New Zealand Herald.
The suggested reorganisation is also expected save on administration costs.
Research bodies would still make yearly profits under the recommended reorganisation, according to science minister Dr Wayne Mapp.
“Good performing Crown research institutes `CRIs` tend to meet that objective...so you don’t want to go away from that. But the truth is we don’t own CRIs to make money,” he said.
Such a scheme would continue the efficiency increases for New Zealand’s horticultural research efforts, which saw significant improvements in that avenue in 2008 with the merger of HortResearch and Crop & Food Research in the current Plant & Food Research.
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