Source: PSA
Some 75 highly skilled science staff at Callaghan Innovation are being left high and dry and without a job by the Government’s decision to axe funding for Callaghan Innovation in June it has been revealed today.
The NZ Herald has reported that new Science Minister Shane Reti wrote to Callaghan Innovation last month saying funding will end in June and detailing the transfer of functions to other existing agencies following the recent science system restructure.
Callaghan Innovation is being scrapped under plans to merge other agencies into three new Public Research Organisations (PRO) over the next 12 – 18 months, alongside the establishment of a fourth, new PRO looking at Advanced Technology. But at least 75 science and research staff at Callaghan risk being lost to the science system.
“The Minister should order MBIE to immediately set up a process to retain these specialist scientists until the fourth PRO focused on their skills is set up or they will be lost to countries overseas which value science,” said Fleur Fitzsimons Acting National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“There are people working in medical technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other areas of technology which are of great value to New Zealand.”
The Government announced last month it will set up a new Advanced Technology Public Research Organisation, focused on the same areas of science, but this will not be established until next year.
“The Government risks no-one being able to do this job and be forced to recruit offshore,” said Fitzsimons. “So much for science growing the economy that it talks about. It’s astonishing that the Government is pressing ahead with closure without a plan for these dedicated science staff.
PSA delegate and Callaghan Innovation scientist Ben Wyle van Eerd said; “We’re not even being given the chance to apply for a position – it’s so upsetting given all we have done for science. It just feels like the Government is saying there’s no future here in New Zealand for me or my colleagues.”
Fleur Fitzsimons said the new Ministers appeared not to have read the advice of the Science System Advisory Group which recommended that ‘actions will be needed at multiple levels to develop and retain a high calibre workforce of researchers, scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs’
“This will be a brain drain of the Government’s own making – how can the Government expect these people to hang around with no income waiting for the new research organisation to be set up?
“The PSA calls on new Minister Shane Reti to do what was recommended and retain this highly skilled workforce before lasting damage is done to our science system by losing this talented workforce.”
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