23 Nov 2009

Put 3% of GDP into science and research - FF

10:28 pm on 23 November 2009

Federated Farmers has called for 3% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) to be put into science and research by 2029, with priority given to the biologically-based economy.

The call comes in a submission to the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology.

Three percent would double New Zealand's current science spending.

Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson says that both the level of spending and the fractured, competitive approach to science funding need fixing.

Questioning the current practice of eight Crown research institutes, eight universities and a number of research organisations driving their own research priorities, he says there needs to be less competition and more collaboration.