Stand Up Otago

Changes to AgResearch's plan to cut Invermay's campus have been welcomed, but critics are angry most of its more than 100 staff are still set to shift north.

AgResearch, in foolishly ploughing ahead with its reorganisation, has failed abysmally to take heed of what is best for agriculture, the economic foundation of this nation.

Farmers at Beef and Lamb New Zealand's annual meeting made an almost unanimous call for AgResearch to carry out more consultation over its plan to slash Invermay jobs.

AgResearch's admission it largely squandered $15.5 million on buildings in 2007 and 2008 inspires little confidence its latest plan will be a success, two former staff say.

Deer farmers attending a recent field day at Invermay were urged to recognise they were ''at the Mecca'' for deer biological research.

AgResearch's chairman has been attacked for saying only a small number of scientists at Invermay are ''mission critical'' to the organisation.

A petition to overturn a decision to slash jobs at Invermay was launched by Dunedin North MP David Clark in Dunedin yesterday.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce has admitted there was no ''robust and accepted methodology'' behind shifting Invermay jobs, Labour's MP for Dunedin North David Clark says.

Those fighting to save jobs at Invermay believe their efforts are causing some on the AgResearch board to doubt the wisdom of the restructuring plan.

The Government has been slammed after a leaked document revealed it approved a ''shoddy'' AgResearch business case for restructuring, which included slashing jobs at Invermay.

A new leak reveals AgResearch made a submission to Dunedin City Council enthusiastic about expanding Invermay, only months before presenting plans to the Government to slash jobs at the facility.

Dunedin City Council chief executive Paul Orders says he is leaving an organisation that has turned a corner.

AgResearch is yet to provide estimates of how many staff will be lost as a result of restructuring, despite a request from Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce.

A visiting Israeli scientist says Invermay's facilities are the envy of researchers around the world and he was shocked to hear of plans to slash jobs there.

The damage from the downgrading of Invermay goes well beyond the loss of expertise in the genetics and deer groups, writes Barrie Wills of Alexandra.

Leaked documents show the AgResearch management team evaluating restructuring plans pushed for more jobs at Invermay, not downsizing the facility.