Mapp Report - 04 June 2010
NEW SCIENCE MINISTRY TO DRIVE GROWTH
The new Ministry of Science and Innovation announced this week will play a key role in boosting New Zealand’s economic growth.
It will lead a robust science and innovation system that will improve our economic performance. New Zealand is not short of great ideas. We need to harness this resource and get it working for us. The new Ministry will be central to that.
This is the next step in the biggest overhaul of the science system in 20 years. It delivers on the Government’s commitment to unlocking the huge potential science has to lift our economy and our whole society.
The new Ministry will replace the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. It will manage science funding, advise the Government on New Zealand’s science system, and drive knowledge transfer from the science sector to business and other research users.
PROGRESS ON MARY BARRETT GLADE
For the past 17 years, “Polly” Pollock has been working to create a haven of native fauna on unused Navy land in Devonport. The Mary Barrett Glade is a memorial to her daughter, who died in 1989.
Last year it became apparent that a plan for the future of the Glade was needed, as Polly is no longer able to spend as much of her time working in the Glade.
Polly has put an extraordinary amount into creating this lovely area. Even while the Glade has been closed she is still looking after the plants, with help from the Navy. We are all in her debt.
The Glade is a real asset to Devonport and the whole Shore area. It complements the many other beautiful places we can all go to walk and admire the bush.
The Navy have shown that they have a real commitment to maintaining the glade.
The Navy’s gardening and landscaping people will start work on a new walking track as soon as the necessary consents from the North Shore City Council and the Historic Places Trust come through.
Denese and I are looking forward to walking the new track very soon.
BUSY TRIP IN STORE
By the time you read this I will be in Singapore, where I am attending the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, a meeting of regional Defence leaders. After that meeting I will be conducting a bilateral visit to France both as Minister of Defence, and of Research Science and Technology.
I then fly to Brussels for a meeting of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and finally attend the 2010 International Square Kilometre Array Forum in the Netherlands (ISKAF).
ISKAF is a very exciting possibility for New Zealand. It is a $3-4 billion international science project in radio astronomy, now under consideration by a consortium of institutions from 19 countries. New Zealand and Australia are making a joint bid for hosting rights, competing with a consortium of nine Southern African countries. A decision is expected in 2012.
NEW SCIENCE MINISTRY TO DRIVE GROWTH The new Ministry of Science and Innovation announced this week will play a key role in boosting New Zealand’s economic growth. It will lead a robust science and innovation system that will improve our economic performance. New Zealand is not short of great ideas. We need to harness this resource and get it working for us. The new Ministry will be central to that. This is the next step in the biggest overhaul of the science system in 20 years. It delivers on the Government’s commitment to unlocking the huge potential science has to lift our economy and our whole society. The new Ministry will replace the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. It will manage science funding, advise the Government on New Zealand’s science system, and drive knowledge transfer from the science sector to business and other research users. PROGRESS ON MARY BARRETT GLADE For the past 17 years, “Polly” Pollock has been working to create a haven of native fauna on unused Navy land in Devonport. The Mary Barrett Glade is a memorial to her daughter, who died in 1989. Last year it became apparent that a plan for the future of the Glade was needed, as Polly is no longer able to spend as much of her time working in the Glade. Polly has put an extraordinary amount into creating this lovely area. Even while the Glade has been closed she is still looking after the plants, with help from the Navy. We are all in her debt. The Glade is a real asset to Devonport and the whole Shore area. It complements the many other beautiful places we can all go to walk and admire the bush. The Navy have shown that they have a real commitment to maintaining the glade. The Navy’s gardening and landscaping people will start work on a new walking track as soon as the necessary consents from the North Shore City Council and the Historic Places Trust come through. Denese and I are looking forward to walking the new track very soon. BUSY TRIP IN STORE By the time you read this I will be in Singapore, where I am attending the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, a meeting of regional Defence leaders. After that meeting I will be conducting a bilateral visit to France both as Minister of Defence, and of Research Science and Technology. I then fly to Brussels for a meeting of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and finally attend the 2010 International Square Kilometre Array Forum in the Netherlands (ISKAF). ISKAF is a very exciting possibility for New Zealand. It is a $3-4 billion international science project in radio astronomy, now under consideration by a consortium of institutions from 19 countries. New Zealand and Australia are making a joint bid for hosting rights, competing with a consortium of nine Southern African countries. A decision is expected in 2012.
