Figures provided to the Otago Daily Times show the government’s Budget includes some surprises for tertiary research in upcoming years.
The minister of science, innovation and technology is responsible for appropriations of just over $1.2 billion in the 2024-25 financial year, which will include just under $79 million for the Marsden Fund for "excellent fundamental research".
However, as part of the government’s efforts to make savings, this fund is proposed to drop by about $3.08m to just over $75m in the 2027-28 financial year.
"These changes, which are signalled to be implemented in the 2027-28 financial year, represent about a 4% reduction in key funds that support nationally significant contestable research projects.
"The cuts align with other austerity calls to reduce government expenditure, but this is the first time in living memory that these key funds have been cut in absolute dollar terms."
Last year, the university secured about $20m from the Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund, distributed among 27 researchers.
These included funding for research for Dr Andrea Teng to investigate the effects of Tonga’s world-leading, comprehensive taxation on unhealthy foods and for Dr Megan Leask, to identify potential immune biomarkers from Māori and Pacific genetics that could be explored further for therapeutic interventions.
"It is also notable that the funds themselves have not been adjusted since 2018, so have already suffered from a loss of more than 20% in relative terms due to recent high inflation," Prof Blaikie said.
"The cuts, when implemented, will reduce further the already very low success rate for funding applications, which are well below 10% in many cases, representing a strong headwind in terms of our research community’s ability to achieve outcomes for better wellbeing and prosperity for our nation through meaningful and impactful research."
Prof Blaikie noted the government had recently established a Science System Advisory Group to provide advice on how to improve the effectiveness and impact of the science sector in New Zealand.
"We note that the outcomes of the current Science System Review will be known before these cuts are implemented, so can see a strong case to be made for re-investment into these and other key research funds once the central role of science and research to our nation’s future is reaffirmed."
