The fund’s overseeing body was only notified of the cuts barely 24 hours before the former science, innovation and technology minister publicly announced them, sparking outrage in universities and across New Zealand’s science sector.
Documents released under the Official Information Act (OIA) show Ms Collins was talking about getting rid of the fund’s social sciences panel by as early as July last year.
On December 3, the Marsden Fund Council was informed both social sciences and humanities had been dropped, and the following day the announcement was made, detailing a ‘‘refocused’’ fund without those and introducing a requirement that about 50% of the fund would now go towards proposals with clear economic benefits.
Among the fierce letters written to Ms Collins were those from top scholars, the Royal Society Te Apārangi, universities and the New Zealand Association of Scientists.
It is not clear from the documents given to the Otago Daily Times whether Ms Collins received any initial advice or suggestions before July about cutting the two panels or came up with the idea herself.
The ODT asked Ms Collins’ office that, but the question was not answered.
The documents show that on July 6, Ms Collins emailed various ministry and parliamentary officials: ‘‘I asked for information as to how and when the Marsden Fund’s remit was expanded to include funding social sciences and also what action I need to take to remove this.’’
The following day, officials were texting about Ms Collins’ plan.
‘‘Are there any particular changes the minister wants to make?’’ one asked.
‘‘She wants the fund to be focused on science — no more social science,’’ is the reply.
On July 12, her private secretary sent an email to parliamentary colleagues saying a Marsden Fund briefing which had been received was not what Ms Collins asked for.
‘‘Minister only needs to know: how she can change what is being funded and when? The minister is clear that she wants science funding going to science.’’
The official says she can make the changes by altering the fund’s terms of references.
Those revisions were made piecemeal throughout the rest of 2024. An email at 8.57am on December 3 said Ms Collins had signed the new terms of reference.
The ODT understands Marsden Fund Council chairwoman Prof Gill Dobbie was informed on the morning of December 3 that the humanities and social sciences panels had been axed, and there was a hurried call to panel chairs later that day.
On December 4, Ms Collins unveiled her new-look Marsden Fund, saying ‘‘real impact on our economy will come from areas such as physics, chemistry, maths, engineering and biomedical sciences’’.
The OIA request, made by the ODT on December 7, was finally released on February 14 after an attempt on January 31 failed due to a ‘‘technical issue with our email filters’’, a parliamentary official said.
