Budget 2017: Millions more for Antarctic efforts

The Government has poured millions more dollars into New Zealand's involvement in Antarctica, including $21 million for research on the frozen continent and $4 for work on Scott Base. Photo / File

The Government has poured millions more dollars into New Zealand's involvement in Antarctica, including $21 million for research on the frozen continent and $4 million for work on Scott Base.

The $21m investment will be spent over three years from 2018/19 and be administered through the Government's Strategic Science Investment Fund.

"New Zealand has had a formal presence in Antarctica for over 50 years, and the continent is a hugely important region for research into the natural world in the past, the present, and into the future," Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith said.

"This funding will provide an enhanced platform for new scientific discoveries by Kiwi researchers in one of the most dangerous, dynamic, and awe-inspiring places in the natural world."

A combined $9.6m would continue New Zealand's presence in Antarctica, with $2.1m operating funding over the next two years and $4m capital will be allocated to the future redevelopment of Scott Base.

This would allow for the development of a building design and implementation plan to redevelop Scott Base when the present facility reaches the end of its life - expected to be within 10 years.

"Scott Base provides a permanent presence in Antarctica that underpins New Zealand's strategic interests," Foreign Affairs Minister Gerry Brownlee said.

"A revamped Scott Base will allow us to continue providing safe and effective logistics and also support the high-quality Antarctic science relevant to New Zealand's policy and interests.

"By maintaining a credible presence in Antarctica, our ability to safeguard the environment will continue, as will our influence in the Antarctic Treaty System."

Another $3.5m of operating funding over the next four years will be provided towards office accommodation at the National Antarctic Programmes in Christchurch.

"The Christchurch-based programmes are part of our contribution to a joint logistics pool for Antarctic research," Brownlee said.

"The United States, Italian and Korean Antarctic Programme activities greatly benefit Christchurch and New Zealand.

"Their continued economic and scientific commitments to the city are significant and it is important that Christchurch remains an attractive and viable centre for their operations."

In other allocations focused on the natural environment, an additional $107.8m is being spent on conservation programmes and managing tourism growth on public conservation land, bringing Government conservation funding to $466m in 2017/18.

The new funding includes $21.3m 2016/17 for Battle for Our Birds pest control programmes, $44.6m in operating and $41m in capital for tourism infrastructure and $750,000 in 2017/18 to the establishment of two new marine protected areas in Hauraki and Marlborough.

An extra $1m has been allocated this year for the Te Mana o Te Wai Fund, to improve water quality of lakes, rivers, streams, estuaries and lagoons that are important to iwi.

A climate change work policy work programme also received $4m in new operating funding.