Budget 2006: Innovation drive gets a boost

Driving innovation within the economy is the aim of a $100 million boost for research and science funding during the next four years.

Crown research institutes pick up $34 million, pastoral research gets $15.6 million, another $15.6 million goes to protecting biodiversity and enhancing biosecurity, and $11.7 million for energy research.

Research Science and Technology Minister Steve Maharey said the Government's priority was to continue the country's transformation into a high-value, knowledge-based economy.

"This Budget provides a further strong boost to science funding, including $81 million to support key industries and $16 million to accelerate the commercialisation of research."

The Pre-Seed Accelerator Fund is given $13 million, including $9 million from re-allocation of existing funds.

The Budget also holds a one-off, $3 million increase to enable commercialisation in Crown research institutes through equity investments where the institutes could not access necessary funding.

Other initiatives include $2 million to develop international science partnerships and $4 million for a pilot programme to provide science resources to schools.

New Zealand spends 0.52 per cent of gross domestic product on research and science, and the Government said it aimed to raise this to the OECD average of 0.68 per cent.

Anthony Scott, director of the Association of Crown Research Institutes, said the new funding indicated the Government was open to new ways of doing things.