By YOKE HAR LEE
Persuading private companies to spend more on research and development and helping industries come up with ways of doing this will be among the top priorities of the new Minister for Research, Science and Technology, Pete Hodgson.
He is not planning any radical changes in the operation of the ministry, which includes the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology - manager of the Public Good Science Fund.
Mr Hodgson is also planning a cautious start in his role as minister for the Crown Research Institutes, saying he wants to spend a few months observing before making any changes.
But he does plan to use the research funding system to encourage more specialisation within universities, rather than having them each try to cover many different areas.
The New Economy Research Fund would also be kept intact, Mr Hodgson told the Business Herald.
"There clearly is a need to do more," he said.
"We have something resembling an average public sector investment in R&D, and something of a below average private sector investment."
The new government would be very interested in working with the private sector to promote investment in research and development, and would be prepared to contribute some cash towards it.
In line with Labour's election policy, Mr Hodgson said the private sector could expect the Government to invest more time, effort and money in Technology New Zealand and various schemes under Technology for Business Growth.
"You can also expect the Government to build industry links so there is a joint commitment for strategic investment in R&D."
Mr Hodgson said the Government would be looking to industries to start putting more money into R&D, but it would be prepared to help with extra cash or helpful policies.
Mr Hodgson said he held the Research, Science and Technology portfolio between 1990 and 1993.
Colin Harvey, managing director of the animal healthcare product development company Ancare, said Mr Hodgson needed to know that the New Economy Fund was severely short of money.
Designed by the National Government, the New Economy Fund is intended to finance basic research which could lead to the creation of new industries.
Mr Harvey said a large part of the amount designated for fund would be money reallocated from other projects under the Public Good Science Fund.
This meant little new money was available for the industries seeking assistance from the fund.
'Start spending' call to businesses
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